It started on the breeze, a whisper in my ear that came and went.

At first it was quiet, gentle, a voiceless intent that I could easily ignore.

But it grew louder and louder, more insistent.

The times it was with me grew more frequent until it was present more than it wasn’t.

I tried to block it out, but it shouted over all else.

Even as I slept, I heard it in my dreams.

A scratching on the wall would announce its arrival, portending it wailing in my ears.

Soon it never left me, a howl in my ears that commanded, begged.

Finally, I relented.

I followed its wordless directions.

I went to the kitchen.

I prepared the ingredients.

The sound wavered as I began to cook.

Finally, I was finished.

I took a bite.

The cacophony stopped.

While I never heard it again, the thousands upon thousands of repetitions in my head remain burned in my memory.

It goes like this:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

• 1/2 cup hot sauce

• 8 oz block cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1/4 cup American cheddar cheese, shredded

• 1/4 cup blue cheese (garnish)

• 2 teaspoons green onions, sliced (garnish)

• Celery sticks or tortilla chips for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375º and arrange rack to middle of oven.

2. In oven-proof pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic ~30 seconds. Add chicken and hot sauce and simmer until sauce has thickened.

3. Reduce heat to low and store in cream cheese. Mix until combined. Take off heat, stir through sour cream and top with both cheddar cheeses.

4. Bake ~10 minutes until bubbling around the edges and the cheese has melted. Broil for 1 more minute to brown the top.

5. Immediately garnish with blue cheese and sliced green onions.

6. Serve with celery sticks or tortilla chips.