Star Eater
Chapter Twelve

Kai was still in a daze when he got home from school. He and Link had texted and agreed to meet up at the yogurt shop. Kai hoped that wasn’t totally silly. One: because he loved frozen yogurt and could eat it for every meal. Two: because he really had no idea what other things people his age did. There was a hum of anxiety running through him. What were they going to do after getting yogurt? Were they expected to just sit around and talk? What were they supposed to talk about?

Akuma had no helpful input on the afternoon. He was eager simply to sit next to Link who he insisted on calling hottie. It didn’t help Kai concentrate much.

“Kai, what’s this?” Dad pulled up a gallon jug of ammonia from a mail-to-order box, the second he walked in the door.

Caught off guard, since Dad was never home this early, Kai spit out the first thing that came to mind.

“Uh, it’s for my science fair project,” Kai said, glad of his liar’s instincts. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Oh,” Dad put the jug down. “Well, be careful. The carpets are new.”

 “Yeah, I’ll see if Mom will let me use a corner of the garage.”

His dad nodded sharply, but didn’t comment. A weird look crossed his face and Kai suspected that a situation was developing behind the scenes. It was almost like his parents were keeping secrets. Akuma followed his train of thought.

A divorce would be good, right? Akuma asked. No more fighting.

Kai picked up the box, which held two gallons of ammonia, and walked towards the garage.

The only thing a divorce will change is that the way they live their lives will be declared legal.

Kai did a quick glance around, but Dad had already disappeared into the kitchen. As he walked through the wall into the garage, Kai wondered what the hell Dad was doing. He didn't know how to cook. Shrugging, Kai phased back in. He set the box on a table and took out a jug, unscrewing the lid. The smell made him gag.

Ready? Kai asked.

As with the pills, Kai felt Akuma slide up his throat. In the bottom periphery of his vision, he saw the tips of black fingers burst from his mouth and felt ice cover his lips protectively. The scar at the corner of his mouth ached. His lungs and sinuses froze and he fought to breathe.

You can do this, Akuma said.

We have to hurry, Kai thought.

He tipped his head back and drank. He didn't feel the burning liquid rushing towards his core. Kai didn't feel anything. He was numb and glad of it. It took a while to consume it all. When the gallon jug was empty, Kai stood there, gasping for breath. Akuma retreated back inside, forming a hollow globe around the star, with the ammonia in between them.

Kai waited, wondering how this was going to turn out.

At first, he felt heavy, full, his belly distended from so much liquid. Kai had an image of himself pregnant, where the star was the baby, the ammonia the amniotic fluid and Akuma the uterus. It totally grossed him out. It didn't help that his insides gurgled, clenched, and rumbled. Akuma blocked the star and its reactions, but Kai’s body still knew something was going on and his stomach prepared to overreact. After a minute or two, the roiling feeling subsided. He watched his abdomen shrink and the bloating dissipated.

Well? Kai asked.

It’s not enough, Akuma said. He sounded concerned. Kai felt annoyed.

How much is it going to take? he asked, considering the other jug. He did not want to go through another feeding so soon. His phone buzzed, forestalling conversation. It was Link. A small flush of pleasure wiped away all the discomfort from the moment before.

Link’s heading out now, Kai said.

You should drink the other one, Akuma said.

I’ll drink the other one later. I still feel weird. Besides, you like Link. He’s warm, right? Come on. Without another thought, Kai headed out the garage door, leaving the other gallon of ammonia behind.

Kai arrived at the frozen yogurt place first. He went in and ordered, then snagged a seat outside, hooking his foot around the chair to pull it out from the table before sliding in. Akuma stirred restlessly in his shadow, fluttering like a curtain caught in the wind.

Chill, Kai said. You’re going to draw attention.

We need to feed the star, Akuma insisted.

I just did, Kai reminded him. Kai felt Akuma crawl out of his shadow and pool in his center. The demon wrapped tight around the star, making Kai shiver. He was sulking. Kai was about to comment on it when another shadow blocked out the sun.

“Hey,” Link said, plopping down on the seat across from him. 

The star needs more, Akuma said suddenly. Kai frowned at the insistence in Akuma’s voice. The demon had never been so concerned before.

“You okay?” Link asked.

Kai nodded slowly. Having a two way conversation was hard. “Yeah,” he said, “just out of it.”

Link chuckled. “You’re not going to fall asleep on me, are you?”

Kai smiled weakly. “I don’t think so.”

“Ok, I’m going to grab some yogurt then.”

Kai stood up and said he’d join him. As they walked into the yogurt place, Kai could feel the heat coming off Link. It was nice contrast to Akuma’s cold. As they stood in line, Link chatted about absolutely nothing important. He asked what flavors were good and told Kai how they didn’t really have frozen yogurt out on the East Coast. They ate something called water ice, which apparently was another phrase for Italian ice and didn’t sound that appetizing to Kai, but he was too polite to say so.

Link talked about L.A. and all the differences he had noticed, like the buses being environmentally friendly and the prevalence of Mexican food, and the lack of sub shops which Link, adorably, called hoagies. He talked about the weather, and how strange it was that it wasn’t snowing in October, and asked what Halloween was like and if they celebrated Christmas the same way.

“Is there another way to celebrate Christmas?” Kai asked.

Link blushed. “Well, it’s just not that cold here,” he said.

“It’s a coastal desert,” Kai pointed out.

Link eventually decided on banana and chocolate yogurt and after he paid, they took their desserts back outside. Link mentioned needing new shoes and Kai pointed out there was a mall not too far away, so they decided to walk in that direction. Link continued to talk while Kai simply basked in his presence.

This. This was awesome. Kai found walking beside Link was fun. The other boy had a flair to him. He was a good storyteller, chatting about his old life, reminiscing over funny memories. Kai was content to listen and try not to stare too long. Luckily, walking side by side made it hard to stare.

Akuma continued his sulky silence. Kai was vaguely aware of the demon’s ominous mood—not even Link’s warm presence seemed to alleviate it—but decided to ignore it. Kai realized this is what he had hoped would happen if he took Ava out, this easiness. Then he dismissed the thought. He didn't want to think about Ava. He firmly turned his attention back to his new crush.

Link was in the middle of a story involving his best friend Jeff and him gluing all the chess pieces from the chess club under the desks when Kai’s stomach turned sour. He frowned and stopped in his tracks.

“What’s up?” Link asked, stopping a few feet ahead and pivoting.

“Nothing I—” Kai’s stomach lurched this time, and he put a hand to it. Akuma?

The star is almost done processing the food, the demon said.

“You okay?” Link asked.

“I’m going to vom,” Kai said with certainty.

Link glanced around, and pulled Kai into a fast food restaurant. Link spotted the restroom sign first and pointed. Kai ran to it, throwing it open and locking the door behind him. He threw his empty yogurt into the trashcan in the corner and stood over the toilet. He didn’t really want to kneel, the floor was wet with who knew what. The room smelled of urine, which reminded Kai of the ammonia he’d drunk earlier. It was worse around the urinal, making Kai gag. The toilet was no better.

Instead, Kai leaned over to the sink and gripped the sides. Unbidden, Akuma’s essence climbed Kai’s throat and spilled into his mouth and out onto his lips, freezing him from the inside out. Kai didn’t have time to cry out in shock. Instead, he bent over, gasping for air as his insides heaved. White powder trickled down onto the porcelain. What the—?

Suddenly, the heaving became violent, and a ton of powder spewed out all over the sink. It sizzled as it hit the drain. Kai threw up more, covering the bottom of the sink with a neat pile of white powder. His stomach continued to heave and lurch, and Kai could only hold on to the sink, sweating, crying, and shaking, as he gasped for air in between expulsions.

Finally, when it was done, his stomach subsided into a dull ache. Akuma waited another minute, while Kai huffed. When both demon and boy were convinced it was over, the demon retreated. Even with Akuma curled back around the star, Kai felt cold all over. Shaken, he wiped tiny icicles and cold snot from his face with a paper towel.

In the mirror, he saw how pale his skin was and his lips were blue. Then he looked down at the sink, which was covered in white powder.

What is this stuff? Kai asked. Akuma shrugged inwardly. He didn’t know.

Kai unclenched his hands and breathed deeply. He grabbed another paper towel, wiping more sweat from his neck and hair. He wiped his mouth too, even though none of the powder had touched him. Akuma had made sure of it. He thought about sticking his finger in it, curious as to its texture and what it could be, but decided that might be gross. Instead, he turned on the faucet. And the sink exploded.

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