Clarice flopped down on her couch. She picked up the remote and flipped on the T.V. She sighed as she changed the channels over and over and over again. Muting the set, Clarice stared thoughtlessly at the pictures flashing on the screen. She jumped as a sudden clap of thunder broke the silence.
"I'm getting jumpier everyday!" She laughed to herself. She got up and went into the kitchen. "A cup of hot coca would sure be nice," Clarice murmured, searching through the cupboards.
Clarice pulled the canister of hot coca out and set it on the counter. She turned and opened another cupboard to get her favorite mug, a fat black one with a giant yellow smiley on it. As she went to set it on the counter, Clarice glanced down into the mug. She found the hundreds of eyes of a giant black spider staring back at her. Clarice screamed and dropped the mug. It shattered into a million pieces and the spider ran under the stove to hide.
"Shit," Clarice muttered as she stared at the shattered fragments on the floor. She got a garbage sack and began to pick up the pieces of the broken mug. As she picked up the last piece of shattered glass, Clarice winced as she accidentally cut the tip of her thumb. Deep red blood oozed from the cut and dropped onto the linoleum floor.
Clarice sighed and walked down the hall to the ballroom. She opened the mirror and got out a band aid. She carefully rinsed her thumb off and bandaged it up. As a reflection was caught in the mirror, Clarice froze. She spun around and stared at the dark, empty hallway. She could have sworn there was a man standing there watching her.
Shaking her head at her silliness, Clarice decided to just go to bed. Turning off the light in the bathroom, she stood in the pitch black of the hallway. She could hear the rain pounding on the roof. She carefully navigated her way to her bedroom in the dark. Pausing outside the door, Clarice swore she could smell candles burning.
"Clarice, get a grip! There's no one here but you and that damn spider." Clarice said aloud to herself, reassured by the sound of her own voice.
She swung the door open and stopped short. Her room was softly lit with dozens of white candles. The bed was freshly made up with new silk white sheets and a fluffy goose down comforter, all of which Clarice had never seen before. Atop the bed were strewn dark red rose petals.
Carefully walking over to the bed and growing more apprehensive with each step, Clarice noticed the envelope sitting on her pillow.
Her fears were confirmed when she recognized the beautiful handwriting. She carefully picked it up and sat down on the bed. Slitting the envelope open carefully, she pulled out the heavy parchment that was in it and read:
Dear Clarice,
I've been watching you, Clarice. You haven't changed much since I last saw you ten years ago in the Dungeon. I must say I do like your hair long. Have you saved much money from minimizing your visits to Fantastic Sam's?
I am back in the country and enjoying myself considerably. The slum of middle-class America has changed and I am residing in a tolerable home. The previous occupant was quite a tasteful decorator, though he was a bit dry for my liking.
Hopefully you haven't run to Crawford, like a little child runs to the parent to tattle, with this letter. I would be quite disappointed.
Your old pal,
Hannibal Lecter, M.D.
After she finished, Clarice dropped the letter on her bed and sat there numbly. She wasn't quite what to do or think. What did Lecter want with her?
Clarice's head jerked up. Her eyes flashed to the door. She saw a flicker of movement. She quickly stood and ran to the bedroom door, swinging it the rest of the way open, causing the candle flames to dance wildly in the sudden breeze. Clarice heard the front door snap shut. She ran down the hallway and out the door.
As soon as she stepped outside, Clarice was soaked through to the bone for the pouring rain.
"Where are you?!" Clarice screamed, searching frantically around her small yard. "What do you want?!" She stood helplessly in the middle of the grass, letting the tears run freely down her face along with the raindrops.
Clarice turned and walked back into her house. She shuffled into the dark living room and fell onto the couch. Hugging a couch pillow, Clarice fell into a restless sleep, still in her rain soaked clothes.