The Phantom Touch

Picnic

At six o'clock, the shop closed for a couple hours to give the night crew time to set up. I said goodbye to my coworkers and stepped out onto the sidewalk with my head high and my back strong. It was the first day during my time at Whisper Valley, that I felt like part of the town. I wanted to hold on to that feeling as tight as I could since I'd be making my way to the hotel next. There I'd get a free dinner, but I'd also have to take my food to go since the hotel's paying guests didn't particularly like having a human eating alongside them.

"Hey Del!"

A warm, friendly voice pulled me from my predictions about what Spencer would be serving that night and turned me to a spot down the sidewalk. Bungee strode up to the store with an eager spring in his step and a wide smile on his face.

"Oh hi, Bungee," I replied with a wave. "I'm sorry, but the store just closed. However, they're opening again at eight and though it will mainly be vampires there, meat will still be on sale for zombies who couldn't make it in the morning."

"Oh yeah," he said with a nervous laugh, stopping a little ways from me, "I was working an early shift at Hen's so I didn't make it out for the festivities. I heard it was fun. I had one of my friends at the commune buy some meat for me and he said it was a good time. He even won one of the door prizes! I think he got some artisan spice that's supposed to be good on the meat, but I know he wants to have some unseasoned flesh first. It's been so long for us that I know most just want to savor the taste for now." He paused and then, with an apologetic twist of his lips, he continued. "I hope that doesn't creep you out."

"I've been trying to think of it as pork, makes things easier," I said with a shrug. "So all I really heard was your friend wants to enjoy some all natural pork."

"Yeah, that's about right," he said with a laugh, that eventually died out into an awkward silence. I waited for him to continue, but when he didn't, my stomach urged me to move our conversation along.

"Well, I'm heading off to the hotel to get dinner." I tried to curve my words so that they didn't sound too brusque. I wasn't trying to avoid Bungee, but if he was just saying hi on his way to where ever he was going, then I really wanted to move along and get some food.

"Right," he said, perking back up as if my words sent a jolt of electricity through him. "That's actually why I'm out here. I didn't come for the store, I...I came for, uh, well, you." Again there was that nervous laugh and I watched him sway with a fidget as I tried to understand his meaning.

"You came by to say hi?" I asked.

"Well, yes," he said, straightening up, though his green eyes kept to the sidewalk. "That and hoping to hear how your first day of work went. I thought maybe you could tell me about it...over dinner." For a moment the bugs chittering in the long grass went quiet. The birds perched on the rooftop turned to watch us. And the wind gently brushed my cheek, reminding me to answer.

"Um, did you mean you wanted to come to the hotel to have dinner too? I think I recall filling out an order for Spencer. In fact, I believe he ordered a full human..."

"Oh no, I mean, yes I hoped to have dinner with you, but not at Spencer's."

"Then, where?" My words came out slowly, my brain struggling to calculate what was happening.

"Well, you see, I went ahead and made some dinner for us. I've put together a picnic to have at one of my favorite spots." Again things went quiet, but this time I had the added pressure of Bungee's hopeful gaze, watching me from the side of his eyes. It was then that I noticed Bungee looking a bit more round and full than he had been when I first met him.