Lizzy Eienstein: First Meal

Prologue: The First Taste

  Fifth period. Math. I sit at my desk with the book left open as Mr. Thomas gives his usual lecture. He barely teaches actual math. He more so just hands us life lessons. Some students don't like it. They come here to learn. But me. I could care less. It just makes it easier on me.

  Fifth period, math. And I'm starving. I sit at my desk with the eraser of my pencil pressed against my lips. To the average viewer, I just seem like a girl bored out of her mind chewing on her eraser. But in all actuality. I'm not just chewing on my eraser. I'm eating it.

  Fifth period. 30 minutes away from the lunch bell. I've ate breakfast. Cereal submerged in a bowl of milk was it. A side of freshly squeezed oranges. And a slice of toast. All part of an complete breakfast. So, why am I so hungry now? That's because I haven't ate since then.

  This school is very strict about that. No snacks during class. No eating in the halls. All food and drink will be confiscated until lunch time. The girl behind me. Her stomach is growling. She probably skipped breakfast herself. I don't need to look, I can already tell she's embarrassed. Everyone can. And she's not the only one who's hungry. She's twirling her thumbs. Wondering if she should pull out that candy bar she's been saving for lunch. "What's one bite," she asks herself. What's 30 minutes? Asks her conscious. I just hope it's worth detention.

  How do I know all this? I know because I was the same way five minutes ago. But that was before I decided I wouldn't need this pencil throughout the entirety of this class. I can already feel its eraser dissolving in my mouth. It tastes like plain pink gum. There's not much need to chew. It'll only draw suspicion. So I swallow. That should keep my stomach at bay.

  If you haven't already guessed it. I'm a little strange. My stomach can devour about anything with no repercussions. For example. I could eat a poisonous frog and live. I could eat a tier, and drink down nitrogen with little effort. All of which I have tasted before. I can't get sick from it or die. Doctors don't have an explanation for it yet. Possible won't have one for a while. But that's just how I'm made.

Hi, I'm Lizzy Eienstein. And I can devour anything. Born to an Japanese mother and Korean father, I've lived most of my life here in America as an American citizen. Though, my parents would be considered foreign immigrants that came together because they felt like outsiders. And though my parents (and the rest of my family for that matter) is pretty normal. I'm that one weird birth that happens in every family. So I'm told.

  You see. Food and eating works quite differently for me. Not only can I eat whatever. But everything has a different taste for me as well. While you may have eaten this eraser and tasted nothing but plastic and sawdust in your mouth. I strangely taste melted gum instead. May sound weird to you. But unlike Betty Sue sitting behind me right now, I'm not the one starving my butt off.

  Oh, and let me just make one thing clear. No one in my entire school knows about this. No one in the world, but my parents and family doctor does. I mean, seriously. Not only am I the only Asian in this school, which is awkward enough. I'm also the only person with this ability in the world. THE WORLD. Oh, and the bell just ranged.

****

  Fifth period. Lunch. I grab my tray and make way over to my friend Samuel. Some scrawny brown kid from the ninth grade. I don't know why I feel the need to remind myself that whenever I see him. Possibly because he's black. I'm yellow. He's a ninth grader, and I'm old enough to be his elder sister. So does that mean I see him as a little brother?

  "Oh, hey-- Lizzy..." He responds with hesitation. I've known him since the year started. He's still afraid of me it seems.

  "Yo," I respond as I break apart my chopsticks and begin to eat. "Why are you trembling again?"

  "Oh, it's just... Don't you think its weird to be hanging out with a freshman, especially when you're a senior?"

  "I could care less about your age. I've already made you my slave."

  "What-- What!?" He asks, looking away from his tray in shock.

  "Ah, this food is great. Don't you think?" I casually respond.

  "Why must you tease me..."

  Seriously though. This meat tastes amazing. More so than I've ever remembered. Complements to the chef. Maybe it's just because I'm hungry. But this food tastes extra terrific. I finish off my tray in a matter of minutes. And already I'm wanting more. I eyeball Samuel's tray. He's too busy reading to even mind his food. He must not be hungry. Time to help my self!

  I stab my chopsticks into the contents of his tray, and begin to finish it off for him. It tastes even better than before! What is this, beef? No... Steak? Can't be. Spare Ribs maybe? God, I'd know if it was any of those. So what the hell is it? Fuck it. It taste delicious. And that's all that matters. God, this stuff is godsend!

  "Um, Liz-- Lizzy? Are you okay? Is it really that good?" Ask Samuel with a slight worry in his eyes.

  "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just need more of this."

  I look around the cafeteria. And no one else seems to be eating. Weird. Even that girl who's been starving all throughout class. She just had her tray pushed to the side and chatted up with friends. Did everyone suddenly just give up on living? Hell with it. If they don't want it. I'll take it for myself. Today must be my lucky day.

  I go around the cafeteria collecting trays. I swear, I've never done this before. Normally food, especially meat, just tastes blah to me. And because of it. I don't have a favorite food, since everything rates about the same on my metric scale. But today, whatever they did today. Has really changed my opinion on the matter.

  I bring back my collected trays back to the table with Samuel. He seems distraught. I ask him if something's wrong. He simply shakes his head. He's a good kid. I pat him on his head and smile. He trembles. Am I really that scary to him? I imagine so, being able to eat all this and remain in such perfect shape must be sinful. I begin to clean off all the trays leaving nothing but plastic behind.

  "Um, Lizzy... Do you like it?" Ask Samuel. Leaving me confused.

  I nod and reply: "Seriously, I'm surprised no one else is eating it. This stuff is great."

  "You do know why, right?"

  "Humor me," I respond with a cocky smile while taking another bite.

  "It's human..."

  Before I can even respond. The sound of a tray hitting the ground sounds off beside me. And a loud scream follows behind it. A girl filled with fright, who had been ease dropping on our conversation stays staring at me. Steadily backing away in fear. The entire cafeteria's attention focused her. A male student, supposedly a jock runs to her side. Questioning what's wrong. And she simply replies...

  "LIZZY!! LIZZY EIENSTEIN ATE A HUMAN!!" She shouted while pointing towards me.

  My chopsticks dropped from my hands in shock. What? What just happened? What was going on? Next thing I know, the entire cafeteria was focused on me. I feel everyone's piercing eyes upon my skin. I look forward, and Samuel's already gone. I'm all alone. I scanned the food left on the trays I haven't yet touched. And I can feel my heart sink into my chest. This wasn't a prank. This wasn't a joke. How could I not see it before. They were all covered in human flesh.

  I felt my throat pull. Nearly ready to regurgitate. No wonder no one else was eating. Mixed in the rice, though barely noticeable (or recognizable) at first glance. Was human finger tips and squashed up eyeballs. One tray even housed an whole finger. I was so busy eating it. I didn't even notice.

  Next thing I know, the teachers are running in and I'm being carried away. After that, everything went black...