Brain Dead; A Zodiac Story

❖ Chapter 20 ❖

8:45 PM

~Sagittarius~

This was going to be the end of me, for sure. Of all the things that could've put me down...

I quietly slumped in my chair, putting down my spoon and letting it clatter against my empty bowl. The roof of my mouth still tasted of that cinnamon butter that I'd eaten with my biscuit and part of me was itching to grab another one.

My poor stomach was the only thing holding me back. Just another bite and I felt like I'd pop, chili and chewed up biscuits flying everywhere. Just the thought made my stomach bubble and I scrunched my face, savoring the sweet taste on my tongue.

Dinner had been great—well, the food was. As for the entire vibe, it was definitely off and some were trying a little too hard to keep up a conversation. It was hard to talk lightly when y'know—shit was practically falling apart and we could do nothing about it. Even bringing up old, funny stories now felt bittersweet, as those times feel so long ago.

My eyes wander, eyeing everyone at the table. Most were shoveling food into their mouths, as I was the only one who finished my meal, while others were talking amongst themselves or zoning out in the corner. My gaze falls on the empty chair and my stomach suddenly feels all twisted up inside, guilt festering in my gut.

Cancer....she hadn't joined us for dinner again, though I couldn't blame her. She needed her space from Mini and her loud, insensitive mouth, maybe getting a breath of fresh air whenever she could. I haven't seen her a lot recently, which felt weird since this was her house.

It was becoming concerning. Sometimes she really felt like a ghost that just wandered around. Has she even eaten recently...?

That specific question filled me with a rush of fear, jumping up from my chair so suddenly that it startled Aries, who was sitting to my right. My chair had squeaked as well, so pretty much everyone's eyes were on me.

"Damn you finished that fast? Were you starving or something?" Leo laughed and I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

I laughed it off despite feeling mildly embarrassed. "Yeah uh, just don't wanna be the one doing dishes." I shrugged, a half-truth but I was definitely glad I didn't finish last.

We established a rule. Whoever was the last to finish their dinner was the one who had to clean up after everyone else PLUS wash the dishes. Cleaning up after almost twelve people sounded headache-inducing, so I strictly haven't been eating during the day in order to quickly scarf down my food at night.

Seems like I was really the only one who remembered this rule, since most eyes grew twice as wide and about half of them started to quickly shovel the rest of their food into their mouths.

"Tsk tsk, animals. All of you." I teased, taking another biscuit and a small cup of cinnamon butter before it was all gone.

"Says the one who finished first." Scorpio murmured mid-chew. She still had about half a bowl of chili left.

I cheesed, pushing in my chair. "I'm going out on the porch. Gonna keep watch."

"I'll come with you." Capricorn offered and I felt my nose twitch, instantly shaking my head.

"Nah, finish your food. It's good." I grabbed a napkin and wrapped up the biscuit, hitting the group with a pair of finger guns before heading out.