Blood Red (Adopted by Cannibals)

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Jace slowly took a seat on the edge of my bed, similarly how a parent would sit to talk to their child in bed. He held on to my hand tightly and forced me to look him in the eye with his other hand. I know that whatever explanation, whatever reason they have for eating humans needs to be good. They made me eat it. Made me into a cannibal.

"We kill to protect our family." He started, his brown eyes staring deeply into mine. "the outside world is dangerous and the only way to protect our family is to kill."

"But why, why eat-" I stopped myself once again. I can't even say it. I don't want to say it.

"Why do we eat people?" I nod, tears glistering in my eyes at the thought of killing and eating Dawn. I remover he lifeless blue eyes staring back at me. I can't hold it in any longer as I let the tears flow free once more. I'm surprised that I'm still alive I must look weak in their eyes with all my crying.

"We are cannibals for two main reasons. The most obvious is for hunger and protection. Our ancestors were poor farmers, we didn't have a lot of money and we live too far from any town to get a job. So when people started coming onto our land stealing food we spend all year to grow to sell and eat, when people started vandalising our home we had to do something. So the people who came near our land we killed them. We ate them to fill our stomachs and help us survive." He smiled up at me. I can almost understand where it is coming form why his ancestors did this, hunger makes people do stupid things, but it's wrong. Cannibalism is inhumane.

"What about the second reason? You said there were two." He nods with a small smile, happy that I am paying attention and curious.

"The other reason is that it helps solve overpopulation. There are too many people and with the number of children, people have it only makes it worse. So we kill people and gain food. It works well together." Okay, so he has a point, we are overpopulated but that doesn't mean you get to kill innocent people. There are other ways to solve a problem like this. How has the police never realised that people go missing around here?

"Nova look, this is your life now. You need to get used to it. We will and eat people. It's our custom and now yours to. We have our reasons and you know those now so the sooner you accept them the more you will enjoy this new life." I open my mouth ready to object, ready to tell him I will never to get used to being here and eating human meat. But before I can do so I am already cut off by Jace continuing. "I'm sure your birth family had weird or different traditions of their own. Well, this is ours. You need to get used to them quickly because there is no room in this family for the weak." With this, Jace stood up and walked over to the door. He turned back to me one last time, staring into my wide tear-filled eyes before making his way out my room and back downstairs probably to help clean up. He will probably help cut up the body and clean away the blood. I'll be happy if I never have to see another dead body again although I know that is wishful thinking. I'll be lucky if I don't need to clean up the blood tomorrow. I can feel the vomit once more in my mouth at the thought of the blood, the body, and the mat. I sprint to the bathroom where I empty out my stomach's contents once more. I let my tears flow once more knowing that in this room I'll be safe. Although looking around and seeing only a bloody red colour doesn't give me much rest. I am constantly reminded of dawn, of her blood dripping onto the floor of how Jace killed her and how I was forced to cut out a chunk of her thigh and eat it.

After several minutes I managed to gather myself up and change into my pyjamas. The bed is soft and m muscles finally relaxed after such a stressful evening. Hopefully, I'll be able to escape soon. With that thought, I fall into a restless slumber.

--

The next morning, I am awoken by Dad. He has a wide smile covering his lips. Curious about the occasion, yet not wanting to ask about it I just whisper out a good morning Dad instead. As I get out of bed, I get a cheery good morning in return as I watch him exit my room. I might have imagined it but I swear I saw a skip in his step as he let my room. I wonder what that was all about. I don't think I have ever seen Dad so happy. I quickly take a shower and get dressed. I'm sure that Ann would like some help with breakfast. I need to set my plan into action, I need to make them trust me and the only way to do that is to fit in and help.

By the time I get downstairs, a delicious smell fills my nose while simultaneously makes my stomach quell. Walking into the kitchen I notice all plates already filled with scrambled eggs and bacon- no not bacon, human meat. I shoot my eyes up and over to Ann in fear. They can't make me eat this, not now, now in the early morning. I continue staring wide-eyed over at the place with eggs and meat. A hand is placed on my lower back, guiding me over to my seat. I don't struggle. I feel numb instead. The thought of eating this so soon again terrifies me. My plan was to fit in, but I know that this will be a struggle when it comes to eating the meat. I cannot. I won't. But I will have to. Sitting down I look up at Xavier as he too takes his seat beside me. Looking around I notice Jace and Dad at the door opening discussing something while Ann is still at the stove. It took only a minute more before everyone was seated at the table and eating happily. Slowly I cut up pieces of the meat, eating it as fast as possible trying to get it out of the way. Unfortunately, it tastes just as good as I remember it to be from the past week. If I put aside the thought that this was once a living breathing human, I could enjoy the meat. However, I know the truth and I can never unsee her death, cutting her up, and now eating her- again. I need to get out, I need to save others from the same fate Dawn met last night.

"Nova, darling." I look up at the sound of Ann's voice. "We have a little something for you, a present." She continues with a bright smile. I stare at her in confusion. Why would they get me a present? Especially after last night when I all but fell apart, showing weakness something they don't want in their family.

"She handed me a small little package wrapped up in plain brown paper. I gently open it revealing a gorgeous white journal covers in delicate gold designs. I remember asking for a journal when Xavier when into town, however, I never thought he would bring me one back. Next Jace hands me another small package. This one was shaped narrower and more rectangular. Inside the package are multiple colours pens: pink, purple, green, orange and red. As well as this packet there was a whole second packet of plain blue pens. I look up over at Xavier who smiled brightly down on me, much like how an older brother would smile to their family. I smile a little and whisper out a small thank you as I look back down to my new journal. It'll be nice to escape reality by writing in the spare moments I get. I'd write about a world so much better than the one I must live in. I'd make a place where no one would ever have to worry about anything. But then again, I guess this family is also trying to give that to me, protect me from the outside world. They don't want me to worry, they want me to be safe, and to them, I am safe here. Yet they kill people. They killed my entire family so that I'd have no one to go back to. I am all alone, I have no family. No that's not true. I do have a family.

No, I slightly shake my head, shaking the thought away. Luckily the movement was so little that the rest of the family didn't notice. I cannot give in to them so quickly. They kidnapped me, killed my family, and made me into a cannibal. I don't want to be here. I want to be free, I want to go outside and run around like I used to so. I want to feel the wind in my hair, run barefoot on the grass. I want to be free. I wish I could ditch the stupid plain coloured knee-length dress and instead wear my usual shorts and t-shirt. And on the colder days, I'd wear a jacket. I want my old life back, with my parents. But I know that will never happen. No matter how much I will it to be true, it is impossible. I'll be killed before I get out and that is a fact.

Yet if I follow their rules, I am safe here. So why do I want to leave so badly? I am safe. Safe. I have never been safe before, always looking over my shoulder for the killer. Now I live with a house full of killers and yet I feel safe.

I look over each one of them, a ghost of a smile appearing on my lips as I remember the little things, they have done for me. If I block out all the bad things, the kidnapping, the pain the cannibalism, then I can feel the happiness I have longed for. I quickly finish the last bit of meat and eggs. No matter how much I may enjoy it, when the opportunity arises I will escape, I will try. Until then I won't form any escape plans though, I will wait, I will learn their customs and I will enjoy it. I am safe and I will stay safe as long as I follow the rules and stay with them.