I asked my love to eat me. She was reluctant at first. She liked being with me too much to want to let me be a part of her. But I couldn’t see any alternative.

The economy had gotten really bad, and wasn’t getting any better. I couldn’t find a job. My love was having to support both of us on her salary, and it was all we could do to scrape by. Food bills alone took up half of the monthly paychecks. The way I looked at it, if she ate me, she wouldn’t have to eat again for at least a month, and there would be fewer food bills from then on. She might even be able to find a new boyfriend, one who could support her.

“No, I won’t!” she said. “We can make this work, I know we can.”

I shook my head and knelt before her. “Please. Ever since I learned what you were, I’ve wanted this. I want to be a part of you, to know that we will always be together. And I don’t want to be the burden on you that I know I have been. Please? Will you open wide and let me in?”

She sighed. “If that’s what you really want…all right.”