A Bear in My House
written by: Haji SM
Rare and juicy. That’s how my Teddy likes his steak. Can’t fail in this one simple task, can I? Knuckles white on the handle, I stare at the sizzling piece of meat, the heat in sharp contrast to the cold sweat trickling down my back.
Need to concentrate, my life depends on it, right? But I can’t resist the occasional stray thought. Soft hairy paws, gentle brown eyes…I cling onto those faded images of my once soulmate.
The aroma of cooking permeates the kitchen. A growl from the living room quickens my pulse. Teddy’s hungry, he wants his dinner.
My eyes sting from the smoke. One more flip and the meat is cooked to perfection. Teddy will be so pleased. I wipe my clammy palms on the apron and turn just as the kitchen door bursts open. Bloodshot eyes stare at me from a huge hairy head almost touching the ceiling. Hmmm… where has my cute teddy bear gone, I wonder? No matter, I’m sure my cuddles is still in there somewhere, under all that coarse fur.
Two giant strides and he’s already towering over me, beer-scented breath warm on my face. Wow, such a strong, fast bear he is, how can I not be proud? I hope he likes the steak to make up for the mess I made last night. Silly me for cooking it for far too long. Thank goodness Teddy did not get too upset.
Bears have big muscles, and they need good wives to feed them perfect steaks every time. I feel so satisfied seeing my big boy at the table about to gobble up the food only a loving wife can prepare.
I don’t want to think of what will happen if he doesn’t like it, though. There was a time he didn’t mind one tiny bit what we ate. We were poor then, living off cans of sardines and beans on toast, washed down with cool tap water. Ahh… the good old days, just me and my Teddy. We used to go everywhere together, walking hand in hand, his furry legs brushing against mine. Just two kids in love trying to find a way, as the song goes.
Times were hard, but we survived, got decent jobs, paid off our debts. No more beans and sardines for us. Soon we had fresh meat to fill our bellies. More opportunities came, especially for Teddy, got really big and successful, my boy did. We were happy, bought this beautiful dream house near the woods, far away from the city. We were excited about starting a family.
Something happened, however, during this time, a darkness I still can’t put my finger on. No matter how much I try to figure it out, I’m still lost. Seemed like just overnight Teddy became this different person. His boyish laugh turned into a dreadful roar, mainly directed in my direction. He hates seeing me, raging at every little detail.
I keep telling myself I need someone strong to stand by me. It’s always been just the two of us. It’s a dangerous world out there, and I feel so lucky to have him. He’ll change back to his old self. My teddy bear, the gentle giant, the love of my life.
But he doesn’t know his own strength, sometimes my Teddy, as I run my fingers over the marks at the back of my neck. He can snap my spine like matchsticks with those spade-like hands of his. Such effortless power.
I can tell he’s really pleased with his dinner tonight, the way he’s sniffing at it and the look he’s giving me now, sending shivers up and down my spine. I do wish he’d stop glaring and start eating before it gets cold. I’d spoon-feed him if he’d let me, just like when we were younger, sharing our bowl of favorite caramel ice cream while watching a movie. Those memories are so precious to me. Nowadays, he tends to bite, so I better keep my fingers free of those pointy teeth.
Good, he’s starting to eat, I can rest easy for a few minutes. I stare at the dark out the bungalow window, which overlooks a small cluster of trees. I like the view, the constant sway of the leaves, the mottled shadows in the undergrowth. As teenagers, we used to spend hours walking in the woods, leaving C ❤ T tattoos everywhere, eating burgers, drinking chilled sodas, talking about our dreams for the future.
A crash brings me back to our kitchen, my stomach churning in sharp twists. The plate is in pieces at the bottom of the wall, half the steak amongst the fragments. I must have done something wrong again, overcooked the meat, otherwise Teddy would not be roaring into my face now, speckles of bloody spit raining from his furry mouth.
Large hands that used to hold mine with such tenderness are placed on my shoulders, the pressure of his fingers digging into my neck. He doesn’t know his own strength, sometimes, my Teddy, he doesn’t mean to be this aggressive, to hurt me. Bears turn rogue all the time, go insane as they develop a taste for violence, for human blood.
My teddy bear, the gentle giant, the love of my life.
***
Midnight. Silence. Pain.
I stir in the corner, a terrible pounding in my head, my face numb upon the cold floor, wet with bile. In the darkness, I see a shiny object inches away. My heart flips. I thought it was my front tooth, but it is only his wedding ring.
As I stare, golden fire burns through the fog of my mind. Thoughts locked away for so long come unbridled. I gasp with the realization. The man the ring belongs to no longer exists. A monster lives here now.
I drag my broken body up and run away into the moonlight.
The bear follows.
- A Bear in My House - August 21, 2026
- Priorities in Time Management - May 19, 2026
- The Rise and Fall of Mr Cruel - January 7, 2026
