Anna heard Peter’s shriek the moment she stepped into their apartment. Over the years they had lived together, she had no idea about his work apart from it was based in one of the University labs, but somehow she knew beyond doubt that what she heard had to do the lab.

She paused, a wave of fear unlike anything she had ever experienced overcoming her urge to rush to help him. Cautiously, she peered into the hallway, accidentally letting the apartment’s door swing shut and leave her in the dark. With only the light from beneath the door, the hallway became a confusing mixture of shadows as the everyday objects looked unfamiliar in the dark. A complete heavy silence descended. Anna willed herself to step forward to see what had happened.

She heard it before she saw it. A soft sound, keeesh keeesh. She didn’t know what she was expecting, and yet when she caught sight of it, slithering towards her in an unhurried yet determined manner, didn’t feel surprised. If anything, she was annoyed.

Of course Peter would let loose this giant green worm- beast trailing slime and blood- Peter’s, presumably, in their home. Obviously. Just her luck in guys. She should have stuck with the accountant she had been dating before, rather than the tight-lipped but adorably disheveled “University Researcher”. Like so many other women who had chosen mystery and intrigue over stability and dullness when it came to dating, she would be paying a horrible price for her choice of partner. Why oh why couldn’t she suffer the normal fate of other women who made bad dating choices? Why this… bloody worm-beast?

The worm reared up in her face, baring rows of glistening bloody human-like teeth, and, like millions of women before her who had suffered attacks, she found herself wondering whether it would assault her before, or as well as, murdering her, idiotically pleased she had put on fresh underwear this morning.

The worm wrapped itself around her unresisting body, nosing blindly to find its preferred body orifice for entry. Its muscular body elongated and became long and thin as it found its spot, and when it slid inside her, Anna felt as much discomfort as a well-administered COVID test. She gasped as its tail flickered and disappeared inside her and then cried out, not so much in pain but surprise at the absence of pain. She fell to her hands and knees, panting.

She rose a while later. The apartment was darker but still quiet, except from a faint whimpering noise from the interior. It was as if nothing had happened. She lifted her hands looking with wonder at the gentle green glow which emanated from her fair skin. She took a couple of steps towards the whimper, but then changed her mind, turned, and walked away, unhurried yet determined towards the front door which had swung close only a short while ago. She opened it, barely breaking her stride, and stepped out.