Ad Astra

Chapter 3

Eddie stares at Isadora, his mind reeling. The parasite inside him is oddly quiet, as if sensing the gravity of the situation. He runs a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to process the bombshell that's just been dropped on him.

"So, uh... Isadora, right?" he manages to croak out. "That's... that's a pretty name." Isadora nods silently, her eyes darting around the messy apartment. Eddie follows her gaze and winces, suddenly acutely aware of the state of his living space.

"Listen, kid, I... I'm sorry about all this," he gestures vaguely at the room. "I've been going through some stuff lately. Weird stuff. But I'll clean up, I promise." He watches the girl grimace awkwardly, and she moves her eyes from his face to examine the walls of his living room. The silence was deafening, making him sweat more than he already has.

He stands up abruptly, nearly losing his balance. The parasite stirs inside him, "Right, okay. You're probably hungry, yeah? I should... I should get you something to eat."

He stumbles towards the kitchen, muttering to himself. Isadora can hear him rummaging through cabinets, the clink of dishes, and what sounds suspiciously like a quiet argument with himself.

"Sorry,... hit m-my head on the cabinet. *ahm*. Heh."

Eddie returns from the kitchen, holding a slightly stale-looking peanut butter sandwich on a chipped plate. He sets it down on the coffee table in front of Isadora, then collapses back onto the couch, rubbing his temples.

"It's not much, but it's... food," he says apologetically. "I'll go grocery shopping tomorrow, get some real stuff."

Isadora eyes the sandwich warily but picks it up and takes a small bite. Eddie watches her, fidgeting nervously. Her eyes never leave Eddie's face. She notices the sheen of sweat on his forehead, the way his eyes dart around the room as if searching for something unseen.

"Thanks," she murmurs, taking a small bite. The bread is stale, but she's too nervous to care. "So, uh... how old are you?" he asks, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Fourteen," Isadora replies quietly, setting the sandwich back down.

"Fourteen," Eddie repeats, nodding. "Right. Okay. That's... that's a good age. I think."

He stands up again, pacing the small living room. "Listen, Isadora," Eddie says, running a hand through his hair again. "I know this is weird. Trust me, I'm freaking out too. But, I'll-I'll figure it out, I just need some-,... time to adjust, I promise."

Isadora nods hesitantly, still eyeing him warily. Eddie tries to give her a reassuring smile, but it comes out more like a grimace.

She notices how he keeps touching his chest, as if something's bothering him there.

"Are you okay?" she asks hesitantly. "You seem... nervous."

Eddie freezes mid-step, his eyes widening slightly. "Me? Oh, I-I'm fine. Just fine. Nothing to worry about." He laughs, a strained, high-pitched sound that does nothing to reassure her.

Suddenly, he jerks, as if someone had poked him hard in the ribs. "Ow! I mean, uh, just a muscle spasm. Happens all the time," Eddie says quickly, rubbing his side. "So, uh, do you have any hobbies? Things you like to do?"

"Uhm, well..., I like to read sometimes", Isadora murmured quietly. "I also like to draw a little, whenever I'm free."

"Reading! That's great," Eddie says, latching onto the topic. "I used to read a lot for work. You know, research and all that." He pauses, clearing his throat. He can see Isadora looking out the corner of her eye, scrutinizing his apartment walls still.