Missing Streams

Late Night Snack - 25

"Where are you going?" I whispered, grabbing Scarlet by her arm. She tore it out of my grip, glaring at me.  

"I need something to fucking eat, and I don't care whether or not you're going with me."

The last thing I felt was hunger, but I didn't want Scar running into the kitchen at night alone, "I'm coming with you."

"Like I said, I don't give a shit." She turned to continue on her way, practically stomping as she went. I kept up with her, but naturally tried not to make any sounds. I noticed her pj shirt fit tight against her body; wrapping around her arms and torso alike to show every inch of muscle definition. It was definitely a look I wasn't used to.

My shirt hung loose around my body, and my pants were pulled tight around my waist just so they wouldn't fall to my ankles. None of the clothes they gave me fit me, but I couldn't get any new ones. Guess I was stuck.

Scarlet was moving fast enough that I had to jog to keep up with her, making a beeline to the kitchen. She'd never told me how, but she made it clear she knew how to make it into the kitchen. I wondered what kind of secret entrance she had found that let her in there.

We stopped in front of a locked door that led to the kitchen. I wondered if it was as easy as picking the lock.

Scarlet produced a key and unlocked the door. Guess it was easier than picking the lock. She walked through the door and I followed before she closed the door behind us.

The moment she closed the door, the room lit up with lights. I saw Scarlet grinning at me with her hands on some light switches turning on the last of the lights. I was about to ask if she was an idiot when she answered the question I hadn't asked yet.

"There aren't any video cameras in here, so we've got free reign." Scar jumped away from the lights and twirled around with newfound energy, obviously happy. She stopped and looked at me with childlike enthusiasm, "Come on, what do you want? We can have anything!"

"I, uh, don't want anything." I shrugged, trying to avoid Scarlet's eyes. But I couldn't avoid that look she gave me. That look of utter lack of understanding with an equal part of concern.

"You must be hungry. You haven't eaten anything since breakfast."

Since yesterday's lunch, "I dunno, I'm just not hungry."

Scarlet huffed and stepped towards me, "You should eat something anyways. For your own good."

I shook my head, "I'm probably just sick or something."

"If you are it'll be because you haven't eaten." Scar was angry for a moment, then calmed, "If you are sick, I'll just get you to eat something small, okay? Maybe some bread or crackers. Does that sound good?"

I forced a smile, reminding myself Scarlet was just being nice, "Sure. If you think it'll help."

"Good." Scar grinned, no longer upset, "I'll grab that for you then I'll make myself something."

***

"Okay James, next step, what do I spice my eggs with?" Scarlet turned away from the stove to look at me, holding a few containers of spices in her hands.

I was munching on a piece of rye bread, and had no idea, "Uh, that green container."

"Basil?" Scar shrugged, "Sure." Then she turned to put it on her eggs. She decided to have scrambled eggs and toast, so she watched the eggs while I struggled just to swallow a single mouthful of plain bread. I really didn't want to eat, but Scarlet wouldn't leave me alone. And she kept looking at me, so I couldn't just ditch it in a trash can or anything. Hopefully I could hold it down for the night.

Scarlet had finished cooking while I wasn't looking, so she sat down across from me at a makeshift table. It was actually a large counter, likely key in cooking for some hundred kids three times a day. I looked at Scar's loaded plate and remembered what she had used. Four scrambled eggs and four slices of toasted rye bread. Rye toast, I guess. I couldn't fathom eating half of that in one sitting, let alone the entire meal.

Scarlet, on the other hand, was not phased. I mean, she made it, so she was expecting it, but still. With nothing but a single fork, she started piling eggs onto her toast as she ate. I guessed this was normal for her, considering how readily she ate it. God, just watching her eat it made me want to puke.

Scarlet must have noticed the look on my face, and paused her meal to explain herself, "I eat a lot of food when I can, so I don't feel bad about indulging myself. This isn't my daily breakfast or anything, but it's nice once in a while."

I nodded, having finished a single slice of rye bread. I didn't grab another one, "You cook a lot?"

"Yeah." Scar shrugged, speaking with a half full mouth. She wasn't always one for manners, "I cooked a lot with Sam and Max. They'd cook if I wasn't home, but I cooked whenever I could. I really like it."

I smiled, feeling happy she had something she enjoyed other than pot or beating the shit out of people. I laughed at the idea of her working at a restaurant, and decided it wasn't up her alley. Scarlet caught me laughing, and called me out for once.

"Does something look funny?" She spoke in an odd voice, "Do I look like a clown to you?"

I snickered, "No more than usual."

"Look who's talking Pinocchio." Scar rolled her eyes, "You're made of skin and bones, but you're saying I look like a clown?"

"No, you've got me all wrong." I tried not to laugh as I spoke, "You're not a clown like at a carnival or something. You're like one of those clowns in haunted houses."

"Do I now?" Scarlet dropped her fork, challenging me to... something. She hooked her fingers over her bottom lip to pull her mouth into an exaggerated frown and pulled her eyelids up, "Like thissshssh?" I laughed at the way she spoke.

"Exactly like that." I grinned, "You're a natural."

"I'll put it on my resume." Scarlet grabbed her fork again, "Skilled at looking like murderous clown. Think it'll help me get a job?"

"For sure." I grinned, "Unless you're applying to be a non-murderous clown. Then you're out of luck."

Scar laughed and flicked a piece of egg at me with her fork, "Fuck you. I'll get whatever job I want."

"Not with... that." I faked a gag.

"What?" Scarlet feigned offence.

"You know, this." I indicated my face as a whole.

"Oh yeah." Scarlet snickered, "No one will hire me if they know I associate with you."

"Fuck you!" I laughed, shaking my head.

"You'll need to buy me dinner first." Scar returned to her food, chuckling when she caught me blushing.

***

"Fuck, you weren't kidding." Scar whistled as she looked at me from afar. I had just puked out what little was actually in my stomach into a toilet, and now my throat tasted of bile. Scarlet was so nice as to approach me and rest her hand on my shoulder in support, "You wanna see a doctor or something?"

"No, I'm good now." I wiped my mouth, but didn't have the energy to stand up yet, "I'll just get some sleep and I should be fine in the morning."

"Okay." Said Scar, obviously not believing me, "Just make sure you wake me up if you get sick again, okay?

"Yeah." No way in hell I was doing that.

"Let's go to bed then, okay? That can't be good for your ribs."

"Yeah." I nodded weakly, realizing the burning pain that came from my ribcage, "Help me up? Still a little dizzy."

Scarlet pulled me to my feet in seconds, so fast it almost made me puke again. But I focused on standing instead, as my head was spinning terribly, "You okay?"

"Yeah." I said, taking a deep breath, "Just need some sleep."

"Okay." Scar still didn't believe me.