Pernicious- True Evil

Chapter 8

     Sagan stood up and turned to her. "We've been out here for a while now and I'm pretty sure dinner is ready or close to ready. I don't know about you, but I feel like my stomach is about to eat itself if something doesn't get in there soon."

"Oh sweet God, yes. When was the last time that I even ate?"

"Earlier, you ate a heart."

"For the love of all things holy, please do not remind me of that and since I don't remember doing it, that doesn't count."

"I'm pretty sure it does."

"No."

"Eh, I am going to go with a yes."

"I am going to stick with a solid no."

She pushed herself off the ground and immediately noticed an aroma that tantalized her senses. She inhaled the smoky scent, allowing more of this delicious smell to slip into her nostrils. Her stomach growled. The sensation crawled from one side of her body to the next as it cried out for food, demanding the nourishment it desired. She could almost taste what was cooking over the fire and the images of how the meat was prepared seemed to slip from her mind as she walked towards the cave.

Elde snorted and nuzzled Sagan as they approached. Alek lifted his gaze from the meat and smiled, motioning for them to come and sit down beside him.

"God, this smells like grilled beef. Remember when we used to eat those burgers at your dad's cookout?"

"Yeah that was good, but do you remember your mom's pandebono? She made the best pandebono with hot chocolate."

"That shit was legendary." Sagan licked his lips. "My mom always knew how to cook."

"How was it out there? Is it a clear night?" Alek asked while pushing another piece of flaking wood into the fire.

"Yeah it is."

"Really? Man, I love clear nights."

Astra's eyes trailed up towards the meat, sizzling over the crackling fire as it hung from a long thin vine. She noticed it was not only strong enough to hold up this heavy animal, but also did not seem affected by the flames, with the exception of the deep shade of ember red that it glowed.

She could see the dangling legs of the animal, roasting over the fire. The flames had already eaten away the eyes of the animal, leaving nothing more than a hollow reminder of the windows to its soul.

Alek stood up and pulled off his dirty shirt, cocking a satisfied smirk as he revealed a thick chest with a small patch of curly dark hair on his sternum. She rolled her eyes as he reached up and removed the meat from the vine while flexing his muscles. He then dropped the meat down upon the mat that was used to drag her as if he was trying to show just how heavy it was.

"Impressive, huh?" His eyes lingered towards his own muscles. "The meat, I mean."

"The meat is the only impressive thing in this room," she retorted. His face dropped. Good. He needed to tone things down. He was starting to get under her skin.

Sagan rolled over laughing until tears came out of his eyes. Gasping for a breath of air, he reached out to Alek and said, "That was the first and hardest time you have ever been rejected and I am honored that I could witness that train wreck."

"Whatever, man."

Astra eyed the food as she sat down beside the mat, while Alek cut through the roast with a sharpened grey stone. Juices rolled down the flesh, creating a pool of liquid, which soaked onto the mat.