Where No One Dares

Chapter 3: The Incident With the Knife

"Good morning?" Marco raised an eyebrow as he walked into the kitchen. "Why are you up so early?"

Star paused from doing something but only glanced back at him before resuming. She was wearing a jacket over her nightgown, and she had even stuffed her socked feet back into her combat boots.

"...Okay, don't talk to me." Marco shrugged and got a bowl of cereal. He sat on a bar stool and sighed. Star suddenly felt her pocket vibrate, but she couldn't do anything about it with Marco sitting there.

"...Is death...friend?" Star asked solemnly, coincidentally yielding a knife.

"Uh...not really," Marco mumbled. "Most people actually fear death."

"Why?" Star pressed, frowning. "...Death doesn't pick...and choose."

Marco was about to ask what she meant, but got lost in thought instead. Star started cutting potatoes, humming 'London Bridge Is Falling Down'.

"...Uh, Star, why are you cutting potatoes?" he eventually asked, growing concerned. "I know it's the weekend but —"

"Potato fritters," she stated simply, cutting him off.

"...Of course." Marco rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm gonna go take a shower." He stood up and walked back up the stairs.

Star waited for the sound of footsteps to die down before taking out her communicator from her pocket and answering the persisting call. "Toffee?" she hissed. "What?"

"Well I'm dreadfully sorry, 'Your Highness', but I need to know where you are," said the sarcastic and poisonous voice of her doctor, Dr. Vincent Toffee.

"No," Star said firmly. "...Not going to Mewni."

"But Estella, you're the one who holds the deeds to the land."

"Don't call me Estella." Star shook her head. "...No point going back. I will die anyway."

"I already told you, that's not definite yet. There's no proof that it'll end that way."

"Yes, it will." Star dropped her voice to a whisper.

Dr. Toffee paused, and realized sadly that he had a real case on his hands. "...You really hate life, don't you?" He sighed.

She didn't answer, and then she disconnected the call and stuffed the communicator back into her pocket. She didn't hate life. Hate was a strong word. She just liked the idea of death.

"Shower's free." Marco's voice made her jump. He was wearing two towels; one on his head, and one around his body like a girl would wear one. It made Star want to snicker. "Mom and Dad are out today"

"I know," she snapped, getting back to breakfast. "...Want one?" she offered uncharacteristically.

"Really?" Marco raised an eyebrow. "You're being nice."

"Take it or don't," Star sighed. "...More for me."

"No, no I want one." Marco came up to next to her and stared at the round mounds of uncooked potato. Whether it was about where he was, or his reaction to what she had said, or something; Star tensed and felt a blush surface her cheeks. She hadn't reacted to someone in this way in a while, and she blushed deeper knowing that he was in only a towel.

Suddenly her hand slipped, and she accidentally cut half her forefinger finger off. Red blood spilled onto the plate before Marco whisked the plate away and away from the fine potatoes. Star winced at the pain, but she didn't cry.

"Oh my God..." Marco's eyes widened. He then grabbed her other hand and pulled her up the stairs after him to the bathroom. Star watched him scramble around for a first aid kit as she held her finger in a wrap of tissues. She momentarily studied the extent of the damage. She couldn't see any bone, but her finger was kind of hanging off like a hinge. She would need stitches.