I.

Jessica carries a paper bag full of onions to her apartment. She moves down the empty

hallways of the building, up to the seventh floor, and to the door of room #782. She fumbles with a key pulled from her pocket, fidgets with it in her hands, and finally manages to jam it into the keyhole.

She brings the onions into her kitchen, sets them down, but before she can pull them from

the bag, she has the urge to paint. Later she hears someone talking through the door to her

apartment, but ignores them.

By nightfall, she is lying back in bed, listening to the pounding at her door.

II.

After a long night, she awakens.

Jessica pulls her leather wallet from under her worn mattress, straightens some wrinkled

fifty dollar bills , then goes about her day.

She returns from the market with a second paper bag full of onions. The onions roll around in the bag, making whispers as they do so. She ignores a slip of paper taped to her door. Reaching into her pocket, she fumbles with her key. Jessica eventually stumbles into her tainted

apartment.

She places the bag of onions on the counter, then feels an indescribable desire to paint; luckily, her black marker is still lying beside her bed.

The voice returns a second time, just as she feels a rumble in her stomach