The Cannibal Bride *WattyAwards2024

12)Fresh Meat

A/N "Monster" by Imagine Dragons
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Happy Reading! 
-Alycat

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As Alyssa slowly made her way up to her apartment she shared with Cory a half hour later, she wondered if perhaps she was born without common sense. Some people were born socio or psychopaths - void of empathy, and even love for others. Maybe, just maybe, Alyssa was just born with the inability to make rational decisions. What would be the proper terminology for her then...stupid?

Maybe it was just Ian. He just happened to bring out her innermost stupidity. From the night they slept together to now. That was the only reasonable explanation for Alyssa allowing him to drive her back to her apartment so she could change outfits. She had no idea why she was going along with this insanity. A rational person would go to the police - they would scream at the top of their lungs to anyone willing to listen that something was incredibly wrong with Ian Harris. A normal person would do absolutely anything other than agree to go home with him to meet a bunch of potential psychos.

Not Alyssa. Her plan was simple. Incredibly asinine, but simple. Go with Ian and let him lead her to Cassi. She would map out her plan further after she found her sister.

As soon as Alyssa unlocked her door and pushed it open, she was startled to find herself in a room filled with unfamiliar faces, mostly men. Luke was among them, engaged in conversation, and Alyssa realized he must have known these people personally. Behind Cory and Luke stood a giant chalkboard covered in numerous squiggles and arrows.

Cory gasped with relief as soon as he spotted Alyssa, while Luke approached her with a mix of shock and concern. "Ross?! Why the hell didn't you answer your phone? Call? Text?" He demanded, grabbing her shoulders urgently.

"We thought something happened to you!" Cory chimed in, looking on the verge of tears. Alyssa glanced around at the group of people in her apartment, including two girls. "Um, were you guys having a party?"

"More like recruiting a search and rescue team," Cory replied, his tone a mix of relief and frustration. "Al, where were you? Why didn't you call us, why-"

Alyssa silenced him by putting a finger to her lips, then pulled Cory towards her bedroom. Luke followed closely, ignoring the disgruntled look from a perky blonde girl in the corner. She scowled as Luke went through Alyssa's bedroom door. "Lukey-"

"Not now," Luke snapped impatiently as he slammed the door behind them. He looked at Alyssa with narrowed eyes. "Start explaining, Ross!"
"Turn around," commanded Alyssa as she went to her closet in search for new clothes. She didn't care to change in front of her closest ally considering Cory was not attracted to women. Even still, Cory was modest enough to look away. Luke turned around as she stripped and began to button up her black jeans. It was looking in her vanity mirror that Alyssa could see the fear behind her green orbs. Her pale skin looked even whiter given the smudged eye makeup from the night before, and her dark hair was sticking in funny directions. She grabbed a bottle of dry shampoo and a brush to make it through some of the tangled mess.
Alyssa then proceeded to spend the next twenty minutes explaining everything that had happened the night before, and how the plan went awry.

As Alyssa changed, she threw on a forest green long-sleeved shirt. It was better than her usual punk rock look even if it was paired with ripped skinny jeans. As she slipped on a pair of metal toed combat boots, Alyssa slipped her flip-open pocket knife into her sock along with her lighter. As the knife was going to be used in case of danger, the lighter was for the cigarette Alyssa was craving. Looking at herself in the mirror, Alyssa enjoyed that she no longer looked like the poster girl for a punk rock band. She looked perfectly presentable. At least, as presentable as one could look for a hostage switch.