Chapter 37
Reconciliation
Jacob squirms in the uncomfortable chair. Auriel stands in front of him, smiling, what looks like an apple pie in her left hand, a fork in her right. The smell is delicious, spicy and sweet. The air is warm like she’s just pulled the dish from the oven.
Her bare knees brush his, her little plaid skirt just inches away from him, her blouse stretched tight over her chest. He tries to reach forward, to touch her, but his hands won’t move; they are tied to the chair behind his back.
Auriel places one high-heeled black boot on the seat between his legs.
“Where do you think you’re going, Jacob? You can’t leave now. I’ve got something for you.” She scoops up a bite of the pie.
He opens his mouth and she spoons it in. At first it tastes sweet, sweeter than pie should taste, but he hardly notices. Her closeness demands his full attention.
Then the bite in his mouth moves. He spits it onto the floor and looks at the pie in Auriel’s hand. Under the crust, it isn’t apple at all. In the hole where she has pulled up the first bite, the pie is alive. Maggots bubble up and crawl across the fork. Maggots move in his mouth, tasting sickeningly sweet.
He spits again and yells for her to stop. She laughs and scoops up another bite.