Twisted, Twisted, Shooting Stars

Cauldron

"Is that bonzabeast soup?" An old man walked toward his front yard. Four children, who he recognized as his son's playmates, were busy with a giant cauldron on top of a fire. The girls were busy cutting some vegetables while one of the boys was fanning the fire, keeping it in high hear while the other was stirring something with a giant shovel.

"Dad!" Jonah put down the shovel and ran toward the old man, carefully not to hit his walking stick. "Your legs are better?"

The old man chuckled. "Still a bit sore on the knees, but I'll be fine." He sniffed the air again. "Smell so good."

"We're going to feed the whole neighborhood." His son smiled widely. "It's the Shooting Stars' mission today: The Grand Feast!"

"He made us run around everywhere, Uncle Ben!" Jacob shouted, pointing at Jonah repeatedly with his fan. "That woman nearly hit me for a sack of potatoes!"

"Dear, Jacob," said the Magdalene, putting more vegetables into the cauldron. "You know you cannot win against ladies in the marketplace!"

"I help clean the cauldron!" the Bridgette raised her hand that was still holding her knife. Everyone froze before anyone got hit accidentally. "We found in the junkyard!"

Magdalena chuckled, picking the knife from the other girl's hand. "Yes. And you did a good job." Bridgette was smiling so widely at the compliment.

Jonah scooped some of the stew and put it on a small plate. He ran back to his father. "Can you try it?"

The old man chuckled. "Of course. I wouldn't miss my son's first dish." He sipped some of the stew. "Hmm..."

Jonah frowned worriedly. "Something wrong?"

The old man hummed, thinking for a while. "Need a bit oyster sauce."

"Oh!" Bridgette picked up a bottle from the ray of spices they had prepared. "We bought some."

"Thank you, young Bridgette." He opened the bottle. Jonah watched him carefully. "Just a couple of drops. Remember this is very salty."

Jonah nodded. The old man poured a bit of sauce into the pot and Jonah stirred it with his shovel again. Picking up a spoon, he tasted it. His black eyes widened. "Mhmm~ It's way better!"

The old man laughed, running his hand down Jonah's hair. "Not bad for your first time cooking. Should we share it with everyone?"

Jonah nodded excitedly. He picked up an unused pan lying on the ground and a soup-spoon. He banged them together until nearly the whole neighborhood turned toward him. "Everyone, I made bonzabeast stew!"

That day was, as Jonah said, a grand feast for everyone.