Picky Eater

Ch 4: Let's be friends

A perk of being the food was that Ben never had to see the blood.

Seeing this woman, laid up in the hospital bed with her dull eyes staring right through him made Ben's soul leave his body. Her blood formed a puddle at Evie's feet, streaming from the bite wound in the middle of her arm. Ben recognized that puncture too well.

Feeling faint again, his knees buckled as Nino let go of his hand. Ben grabbed the side of the door.

"Is..." Ben swallowed, his throat dryer than stale crackers. His voice drowned out underneath the alarms and the pounding in his ears. "Is she really dead?"

"What do you think?" Nino bellowed, storming towards his niece. When she saw him coming, Evie popped off the human and took a step back, as if she had never been there at all. "You're in so much trouble."

In a flash, he was already at Ben and throwing him over his shoulder like Ben was made of feathers. Nino had faster acceleration than the first fall of a roller coaster. The only thing Ben could do was close his eyes and hold on as Nino sped through the hospital. Nino threw Ben back on his feet before he knew it. He stumbled back, catching himself again, but his stomach was still spinning.

He was dizzy and confused, looking at the change of venue and slowly putting it together that they were on the roof. They were surrounded by bright fluorescent lights, highlighting the helicopter pad on top of the hospital with the city surrounding them. Ben could hear sirens, cars, pounding bass, and the sound of his sanity in the distance.

Nino leaned down, scowling at Evie, and wagging his finger at her sullen, blood-covered face. "You know better than to do that. What would've happened if I didn't find you first?"

"I'm gonna be sick," Ben mumbled, stumbling to the corner and he gagged until he vomited everything in his stomach. He'd close his eyes, barring the nausea and just see the dead woman and he'd throw up again.

"Who knows how many people saw you—?" Nino huffed and Ben wiped his mouth, looking over to see him walking away. "You know what. We'll talk when I get back. I need to clean up this mess. Erase memories, destroy footage, and probably incinerate the body."

Ben's stomach turned. "Ugh."

"Nobody move," Nino instructed, and he was gone.

The smell of his own vomit wasn't helping Ben's nausea. Groaning, he forced himself to stand. He muttered, walking away to really nowhere. "This summer might break me. Literally."

A little puff of a sigh came from Evie, and Ben froze. He faced her back, and the sudden tension pinched his chest and twisted. They were alone. Last time Evie was alone, she killed a woman. Last time they interacted, she almost bit his fingers off. Her stillness filled Ben with dread, as heavy as cement. She could move and he'd never see her coming. This little girl half his size could kill him. No problem.

She obviously didn't mind doing it earlier.

Evie's shoulders trembled, her head hanging heavier. She sniffled. Ben's back straightened, wondering if he heard her correctly... Ben realized she was crying. Crying so quietly and stiffly as if she was doing everything to hold it back, so maybe Ben wouldn't hear her. Ben walked carefully around her. "Evie? What's wrong?"

He finally saw her face with her neck sunken between her shoulders and still covered in blood. She stained the collar of her shirt and the cuffs of her sleeves. Tears, blackened tears, spilled down her cheeks. It was the most emotion she'd shown, and this shattered Ben's idea that she was a little porcelain doll.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Hey, hey, it's okay..." Ben got down on his knees, so he'd be on her level. "Don't cry."