It Started with Slime - Part 1

Chapter 96 - Trials

Haemish's enthusiasm was unabashed as he looked at Aarav in excitement. "Okay." He said with what Aarav thought was quite a lot of restraint.

After which, he immediately pulled an entire human skeleton from god knows where. Aarav gaped in stupefaction at this incredible development. He has a whole bloody skeletal frame on him!? Taler was surprised but intensely interested in what Haemish planned to do with the thing. Rion just looked bored and as if the man had done far stranger things than this in the past. Then they all turned as Marteen finally saw what Haemish held and burst into laughter. "Mr Haemish, trust you to have an entire skeleton tucked away for a rainy day!"

"What do you think?" Haemish grinned at their Aarav's incredulous face, eyes shining in a reflection of Marteen's mirth.

"You carry that around with you everywhere you go? Who does that?"

"Studying the human anatomy is a quiet passion of mine. I don't speak of it much, but it can be useful when looking into cures and potions and such. Sometimes a body could hold an unknown cure. A skeleton is not the only thing I have, but I am willing to part with this one, the corpse I will not hand over. There is much to learn from it still." Haemish spoke, the excitement in his voice barely disguised. Rion yawned, and Marteen guffawed again to Taler's amusement. Both Taler and Haemish wanted to watch Aarav Consume this entire skeleton and then see if his body would or could integrate it.

Aarav had to admit he was a little curious himself but Consuming a creature or body part was intimate.

"I am not comfortable with you watching me doing that. I will do it separately and then see you after. You said you couldn't understand any of my notifications anyway. I'll come out and tell you when I finish." Aarav stared them all down; this was not something he could do in front of others—the image of the guy who had started peeing on the public bus plagued him. Thank god I never have to do that again! Having embraced his Slime existence, he found a lot of comfort in the great things that being a Slime allowed him to skip. Aarav had needed to make a quick getaway. The splash zone he made almost caught Aarav.

Ami, the face came to him unbidden, and he flinched. She, he stopped. I can't think about that right now; it's too much; I can examine things later. Not now! Memories had continued to come back to him gradually.

"Haemish, can you set me up in another room, please? Eating is a very uncomfortable thing for me to have people watch...." Aarav decided that being candid had worked, and it did again now as Haemish sighed and agreed with a nod before indicating a door to a room off from the lab. It was a simple room that looked like containers were stored in it more than chemicals. It was also mostly dark, with very little natural light coming into the room. Aarav felt his claustrophobia coming on, but then The Way Forward is...Forward kicked in and figuratively shone a new light on the situation. As Resh, he had been underground and been fine. Fits and starts of that time crept up on Aarav sometimes, and as with all phobias, an irrational fear began to claw at his heart. That irrational feeling is what the Talent scoured away—allowing Aarav's mind to freely understand the ridiculousness of the fear and relax in the space.

Haemish had seen his reaction upon entering and asked, "Is this not suitable?" Aarav shook his head before entering the room entirely with a sigh of relief. For the first time in a semi-dark space, he could move around without the crippling fear! The Skill would be his salvation from the concerns of his old life. Thank you, Aarav thought, unable to stop the feeling of warmth that spread through him from showing on his face. It was not enough to call it happiness; it was a more profound satisfaction. At the same time, the knowledge that his life will be better than it was the last time.