Page 27 of Molt

I saw it when he laughed.

His head tipped back slightly, his mouth opened, and the light caught silver near the back of his jaw. I noticed because apparently my brain likes collecting completely useless information about terrifying men.

Except now his filling is sitting in my sink.

I lean closer. “No.”

I pick up the tooth. The root is intact. Long and wet.

There should’ve been blood.

Pain.

Something.

Instead, my mouth feels...good.

I run my tongue over the empty space and something sharp scratches it.

I grab my phone and turn on the flashlight.

Opening my mouth the mirror reflects something white breaking through my gum.

“No. No, no, no.”

I touch it.

It’s hard just like I suspected.

A tooth. Another fucking tooth growing where the old one fell out.

My phone vibrates.

August:

Don’t touch anything else. I’m coming down.

I laugh because what else am I supposed to do?

I type back.

Me:

No.

Three dots.

August:

Lenora.

Me:

Stay upstairs.

August:

Open the door.