Christmas Blood Red Pasta

## **Christmas Blood Red Pasta** *by Bloodyspaghetti*

I'm no longer a big fan of Christmas. It's supposed to be a happy time of celebration and festivities. It isn't always so however, this year we have the current events going on preventing everyone from having a decent celebration. Last year, I had my Christmas ruined by something else entirely. Granted I had the opportunity to celebrate and have my fine. I got back home from my girlfriend's the evening of the 25th of December last year to find my apartment in complete shambles.

Seeing the mess, the moment I stepped inside the apartment, my anxiety kicked in. Did someone break in? No, that couldn't be the case. The door was locked and I was living at the time on the fourth floor of the complex. No way someone could've gotten inside from the window. I had nothing of value at home either.

Looking around, all of the furniture was turned upside down and, the TV was smashed all over the floor, the fridge was wide open with all of the contents spilled all over the kitchen. Mind you, the kitchen and the living room were pretty much adjacent to the entrance to the apartment. Walking down the hall that led to the bedrooms I've noticed red stains all over the wall. My heart sank, my breathing became labored and my head started spinning.

The bathroom smelled like rotten eggs and ravioli when I passed by it. Looking inside, I've noticed a pile of gooey stuff on the floor and more red stains all over the bathroom mirror. My mind raced and dark thoughts flooded my psyche but then I heard my cat howling. My heart skipped a beat and I ran towards the source of his calls.

The unused bedroom, that's where the calls came from. I ran there and opened the door violently. What I've seen there made me freeze in my place.

Inside, my cat stood, battle-ready, faced with some sort of monstrosity.

The beast cocked itself back and let out a parody of a feline howl that sounded more like a sea lion's drawn-out bark than a cat howling. It was so loud the walls shook, my cat hissed and the beast wiped its tentacles in the air like a manic octopus.

Its shape was a massive chunk of yellowish goo with no face to speak of or any organs really, besides the sea of flailing appendages. It was oozing red liquid all over its form and a strong smell of pasta emanated from the thing. I yelled out to it attempting to draw its attention away from my cat.

The bloody noodle tentacles flew straight at me, hitting me in the stomach, covering me in the red liquid that had a smell similar to rotten tomatoes, a combination of the smell and the blow to my abdomen made me fall to my knees and I felt the Christmas dinner from last night making its way up my throat.

Everything happened so fast but before I knew it, I was being lifted off the ground by a pair of squishy appendages that were trying to suffocate me. I smashed my fists against the pastry tentacles of the alien creature with all of my strength, breaking free from its grasp. I fell on the floor and landed hard on my right side. The zippo in my pocket being smashed against my skin. I screamed out and the beast mocked me by letting out a demonic shout that shook the walls again.

The tentacles grabbed my leg and lifted me again, the beast dragged me closer to its form before it sprayed me with the red liquid that slid down its shape. The smell and texture of the liquid made me throw up all over the creature, causing it to drop me. I landed hard again, my head was spinning, my heart was racing and my body felt heavy. The beast spat out a chunk of doughy material all over the floor before grabbing me again. I noticed the zippo lying on the floor, I grasped at it and lit it as the alien pastry was dragging me towards its core all over again.

I was going to throw the zippo at the creature but I noticed an opening forming at its center, a massive jaw revealed itself before me, filled with row upon row of seemingly sharp teeth. The visual stunned me so much I froze. For a second I was sure this thing was going to eat me alive but then, a tentacle came the opening, grabbing my face with a loud slapping sound. Something snapped inside and I broke free from my fear-induced paralysis.

I threw the lighter at the alien and it caught on fire. Howling and screeching as it burned, it dropped me on the floor and its body burned until there was nothing but charred remains that smelled like burnt toast.

I'm never eating bloody spaghetti again.