Ven: Part 1

Ch. 4: Camping Happens

The fire crackles and pops, potatoes glisten on sticks. My mouth salivates as I watch them cook.

"Can you grow meat out of your body?" I ask, swallowing the drool.

"No, my power only works with plants," he says. I shoot a sidewards glance at the horse. It snorts and stamps its front hooves. "Don't even think about it," Jacob says, shooting me a dirty look.

I sigh deeply. There'd been plenty of food at Greg's, but they were all vegetarians.

I have a craving for meat.

I stand up abruptly.

"I'll find us some meat." I say determinedly.

"All the animals around here are owned by farmers, you'll raise too much suspicion if you steal one," Jacob says hurriedly. "And besides, we should really just rest tonight."

I hang my head.

My stomach growls. I sit back down and poke my potato to see if it was ready. I hear Jacob wince. I whip my head around to find him staring at me grimacing.

"I know you're hungry but that's no reason to burn yourself, are you okay?" He seems worried.

I look down at my finger, it didn't hurt at all, it did feel a bit warm but nowhere near burning. "Yeah, I'm all good, why wouldn't I be?" I ask.

"You just poked a baked potato while it's baking with your bare finger! That's not normal!" He stares at me bewildered.

"Oh yeah," I did it again. "Is it ready though?"

He winces again.

"They should be, just don't do that again," He implores.

I shrug and grab the stick mine was on and take a bite.

OH GOD IT'S HOT!

I spit it out and fan my tongue.

"So, you are human," Jacob stares at me in wonder.

"Wadda, neeb wadda!" my tongue is on fire.

He passes me a flask and I fill my mouth with water. The relief is instant.

"Where was the concern that time?" I ask indignantly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" his eyes widen with guilt. "Are you okay!"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just burnt my tongue, it's all good."

He stares at his potato and tentatively takes a bite. I blow on mine and keep eating, the burns on my tongue sting.

We ate in silence. You could have cut the tension with a knife.

"I don't understand you," Jacob broke the silence. "You can punch holes in armour, poke your hand into a fire, but you burn your mouth on a potato? What are you? What's your power? Is it fire? Is it explosions?!"

"The potato was hot, I'm a human, I have one, no, and no," it was as vague as I could be.

"C'mon, Ven, I've been nothing but honest with you and you're giving me nothing!" He snaps.

"You're right," I nod. "I'm sorry, man, I'll answer one question honestly."

"Just one?!"

I glare at him.

He gulps and stares at the fire. His brow furrows. "How are you so strong?"

"Ask something else."

"But I want to know."

I stare at him silently.

"Fine, what's your power?"

"Hmm, that's a hard one to answer. I guess it's lightning. Like, I can use lightning and electricity and stuff, but I can also feel things and change them, it's hard to describe."