Harmony in Hell: A Radiodust Story

Chapter Twenty

"Anthony, darling, you're supposed to be asleep." Alastor's voice carried an unsettling calmness, but his wide and crazed eyes betrayed a different emotion. The brunette stared at the blonde with a small, eerie smile, one hand holding a bloodied knife, and the other clutching a severed arm. Panic and confusion filled Anthony's voice as he uttered, "That's.. That's a person." He couldn't comprehend what he was witnessing; it had to be a dream. Alastor, the person he thought he knew so well, was kind, caring, and always smiling. Yet, the sight before him forced Anthony to confront a reality he couldn't deny.

"Simply a midnight snack, go back to bed, my dear," the brunette murmured, disturbingly casual.

"Snack!? Alastor, that's a human being!" Anthony's panic escalated, his disbelief clashing with the gruesome evidence before him.

Slowly, Alastor laid down the knife and the severed limb, then approached Anthony. The blonde recoiled, his breath hitching. Despite the macabre scene, Anthony couldn't ignore the familiarity of Alastor's touch when the brunette took his hands. "You should go back to sleep, Mon Amour," Alastor said softly, devoid of anger or upset that Anthony had witnessed his grotesque act.

"Do you do this often?" the blonde asked cautiously, fear palpable in his voice.

The brunette hesitated before confessing, "Yes." The fear in Anthony's eyes was evident, but he stood his ground. "Why? Why would you do something like that?"

"Because I have to, my dear," Alastor replied, reaching up to move a strand of Anthony's hair behind his ear. "Are.. Are you going to hurt me?"

Alastor's eyes widened in concern. "No, no, of course not, I'd never hurt you. I only kill those who deserve it."

"You were eating it. Why, why would you do that?"

The brunette smiled, "I think it's a perfectly normal thing to do."

Anthony stepped back, away from Alastor. "No, it's not, that's just insane."

"You enjoy intaking substances that are highly addictive and dangerous to your health. I have never judged you for that; I simply accepted that it was part of who you are. So why must you judge me?" Alastor questioned.

Anthony shook his head, "Because it's not the same! You're eating people!"

"Only people who deserve it. I'm not some kind of monster."

"But why!? Why eat them!? It's one thing to kill someone; my family is part of the mafia, I get killing someone, but eating them?"

"Well, my dear, it's quite like your addictions. It is something I need to do. But it's not like I eat it raw; I'm not a barbarian. I cook it as any other meat is cooked and eat it as if it was any other meat."

The blonde fell silent for a moment, processing the disturbing revelations. "Why did you start eating human flesh in the first place?"

"When you live on the streets of New Orleans for as long as I did, you'd have resorted to less than ideal eating habits as well. Now it's exactly that, a habit. A sense of familiarity that I can't seem to shake. You do understand, don't you?"

Anthony sighed, then chuckled, "I knew there would be something wrong with you, but damn, I didn't expect cannibalism." The brunette chuckled, moving one hand to rest on Anthony's cheek.

"Y'know, I'm almost certain if a normal person found out their partner was a cannibal, they'd be running to tell the cops."

"So why aren't you?"

"Because, you and I are the furthest thing from normal." The brunette laughed, then kissed the blonde. "I love you, chéri."

"I love you too, Amore mio."