Two's Too Many

A Monster Appetite

Jack

"You're sure he's really you know, um not a brain hungry zombie?" Awsten spits under his breath while I wipe the hair off of Alex's shoulders.

I don't respond I simply continue cleaning off this mess of a boy. I finish trimming Alex's hair and washing him off and then bring him to my room and sit him on my bed.
"We'll be right back okay." I reassure Alex and walk out into the hallway.

"I don't know yet." I answer his previous question and to be honest my question too,
"But we're going to try to find out."

"How do we do that!" Awsten screeches "I'm not putting my brain up for auction here."
"Well I was thinking just feeding him normal food and see if he eats it."

"And what if he doesn't."
I don't respond I don't want to even accept the possibility he might be a bloodthirsty monster I don't think I could handle that, I love him too much I always have.

We make it to the kitchen and Awsten immediately searches the fridge for orange juice sadly for him he drank all of it last time. He sighs l staring blankly into the fridge.
"What do you feed the undead anyways. You know, besides human flesh." He says still staring into the fridge.

Maybe he needs meat, like a zombie, but maybe it doesn't have to be human.
"Beef?"

Worth a shot better than him killing me in my sleep.
"How about cookies." Awsten suggests holding a chocolate chip cookie in the air crumbs falling all over the countertop.
"Why not."

"I want to give him some real food though Awsten he can't just live off of cookies for the rest of his life, or undead life."
The purple haired boy shoves the cookie in his mouth and with a muffled voice blurts out
"if he doesn't like them then there's more for me."

I begin to cook the beef, the sound of grease sizzling flowing through my ears.
I put the beef in a tortilla with a bit of cheese and some tomato's, good enough. Not what I would usually make as a dinner for Alex but this time I don't think he'll mind.

We return back to my room where Alex is in the same position as we left him. "Hey Alex we have some food for you do you want to try some?"

It's like he's lost in his mind he doesn't realize I've said anything until after about 30 seconds of me saying it.

"Sure." He answers his speech has improved greatly since the day I found him he still stutters from time to time but mostly his words are clear. He doesn't say much but at least we can understand which is reassuring because that means we know he can understand back.

Awsten hands him a cookie and then I place the plate with the beaten up burrito on the bed next to him. If he can eat that would mean everything.

I would feel safe to show him to Zach and Rian.

"Go ahead it's yummy!" Awsten explains biting into yet another cookie. Alex watches him in awe then examines his own cookie before biting into it.
So far so good.

Like a normal human he chews and swallows. Maybe he doesn't want to eat brains after all.

Awsten and I look at eat other in relief.
"I made this too," I announce pointing to the burrito, "it's not much but it's something."

He sets the remainder of the cookie down on the plate then bites into the burrito, still normal human eating.

Thank god.

Alex proceeds to consume the entire meal, with no expressions or signs of him being able to taste but at least he can.

Soon after Alex finishes eating Awsten goes back to his apartment leaving just me a Alex in my small room.

"Sleep?" Alex questions a tired expression on his face.
"Okay go brush your teeth do you remember how to do that?"

"Yes, Jack.

I hear the front door shut signaling that Rian and Zack are home. "Alex stay in here okay?"

I leave the room a ray of hope in my heart. We can make this work, now I truly think we can.
I can have my Alex back.