Blind Beauty

Chapter 5

   I shifted uncomfortably underneath the wool blanket on Kai’s bed, my thoughts running rampant. I could have sworn that Kai said, “you already have,” when I told him that I would try and befriend the “monster” if I ever met it. I shook my head, slapping my cheeks with my hands. No he couldn’t have said that. It was probably my imagination. Yeah just my imagination... The mystery of Kai still vexed me, however. Why did he fear me seeing his appearance? He seems like he is a handsome man. Maybe he’s like me and believes that he is not handsome in the eyes of others. Yes that has to be correct.

   Question one self-answered.

   What about his “dog?” I thought. I’ve caught the scent of something inhuman within the room which I believed to be the scent of his dog, but strangely enough, his dog has never barked. Don’t dogs usually bark when unfamiliar people enter their master’s home? And that scuttling noise of claws across the wood floor... It only seemed to occur when Kai moved. Normally I would be able to detect the sound of feet or shoes padding against the wood floor but all I heard were the claws. Odd... Maybe he was “light on his feet” as one would say. Correct. That’s correct, I kept silently telling myself. The dog probably got his vocal cords cut or something. It could growl and whimper from what I heard but maybe it has an inability to bark. Some dogs have that problem right? Yeah that’s right.

   More questions self-answered.

   I’m sure Kai has a perfectly good reason for being fearful of physical contact too. Maybe he has an extreme fear of germs. One of my college professors can’t go a second without sanitizing his hands and he wouldn’t even shake the president’s hand if it was offered to him. Kai must have the same problem.

   But why must he be so secretive, so distant? He genuinely wanted to be my friend and was overly excited that he finally had some company in his lonely little cottage, but why act so mysterious? He definitely does not have any evil intentions to hide. Ugh! He confused me so much! Kai Noir has to be the first puzzle I will never be able to solve. I rubbed my temples. Stop thinking about him Jezebel. I’m sure he’ll reveal his mystery to me in due time like in those detective novels my mother used to read to me.        

           Screech!

  The old door to Kai’s bedroom opened the skittering noise reverberated throughout the room once more. Kai’s back. Mmm... The smell that came into the room with him was ever so enticing. Thoroughly cooked bacon and a ham and cheese omelet... It smelled divine!

“I brought you breakfast Jezebel,” Kai said enthusiastically.

   Creak! The springs inside of Kai’s mattress groaned under his weight as he sat down. He set the prepared tray of food on my lap and placed a cool glass in my hands. I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip.

“Mmm!” I exclaimed. “Freshly squeezed orange juice! So yummy!” I took another gulp of the orange juice, letting the fresh taste linger in my mouth before I swallowed.

“I’m so glad to know you like the orange juice Jezebel. I squeezed the oranges myself just a few moments ago,” Kai informed me proudly.

   Even though I cannot see it, I sensed the presence of a large smile on Kai’s face.

“Please try the food,” he urged.

 I smiled at him. “Okay.”

   I placed the glass on the tray and grabbed a strip of warm, sizzling bacon. I stuck the strip into my mouth and tore off the piece with my teeth. As I chewed it, its greasy contents poured into my mouth. Its rich, rough texture pleased my taste buds.

“This has got to be the best piece of bacon I’ve ever eaten in my life!” I mumbled with a mouth full of food. I swallowed. “Really Kai it’s delicious thank you.”