Cascade

House Guests

A day had passed. I'd stayed by Sil's side as long as I could, but eventually I'd had to drag myself away to clean up and eat something. I'd taken advantage of the fact the showers in the gym still worked. Even with cold water, it was nice to finally have a real shower.

Sil had remained still, save for a few moments when he would blink or grumble at me in his sleep. His wounds had stopped bleeding, crusting over in scaly crimson patches.

I'd since draped one of the furs over him in an effort to make him more comfortable. I doubt he noticed, but I liked to think it helped.

I'd managed to get him to drink some water. However, my attempts to get him to eat were less successful. He'd wrinkle his nose at the canned broths or soups I'd offer, taking only little sips and making moaning sounds.

Another day passed. I couldn't tell if his wounds were healing or not, but he grumbled more. The short moments when he was actually awake grew slightly longer. I'd run my fingers through his hair and he'd murmur at me, his eyes only open to thin slits.

It was the third day when I grew more concerned. He still refused to eat, the only thing I'd managed to get in him being a fourth a can of beef tips. But he'd only thrown it up. Perhaps it was the gravy? Or maybe it was that it was cooked? Could cannibals only eat raw meats?

What did you feed a cannibal?

I thought back to things I'd heard. That they only really ever ate meat. Humans, animals, rain creatures. Bart had once told me a story about how he'd seen a cannibal eating off a carcass that had been rotting out on the outskirts. It'd been on that pavement for weeks, the thing's skin slicking off in a slime and the smell bad enough to strangle a tongue beast.

I shuddered, nausea climbing my throat, and pushed the thought from my mind. Well, at least I didn't have to worry about giving him something old.

Still, I couldn't hunt. So what could I do?

I glanced to the doorway, the blood stains catching my interest. Didn't he have a food storage?

I furrowed my brow and swallowed. Oh boy.

I glanced back at Sil. He slept a little more soundly than before, but his skin was a shade whiter. I'd heard his stomach growling last night, this couldn't keep on.

I hissed in a breath and got up, stalking my way into the hall. The red smear across the floor trailed the length of the hall, curving around the right corner and out of sight.

I followed it down a hall filled with offices and storage closets where it curved down a hallway on the left. From there I was lead along a series of turns, the air taking on a sticky texture. It grew as I went, a salty flavor ever rising, touched with sweetness.

My throat gagged in protest as the crusted red curled to spill into a pool at the base of a door. A door that was closed, yet the smell was enough to have me wheezing.

I brought my shirt up to cover my nose, body shivering. Tucking my nose into the collar of my jacket, I raised shaky fingers to the handle. It had a crumbly texture to it, a shower of red powder falling to join the dry puddle on the floor.

I swallowed, throat dropping to my stomach, and turned the handle.

I took one step into the room, my flashlight spilling light onto the floor. Another step. The floor was red here, the texture of it sandy under my shoes.

I lifted the beam higher, the light falling on a gelatinous blob in a corner. The mass had a brown tint, streaked with red and speckled with tufts of hair that sprouted from its form.