The Pact

                                    

                                              
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"Oh my gawd, meat! Come on!" She glanced at me, excitement etched on her face as she grabbed my wrist pulling me to the table where the men sat. My stomach rumbled as delicious aromas wafted up from the tables we passed and tickled my nose. Baby J finally let my wrist loose as she slid happily into a chair thankfully that sat in front of Jai. I sat in the one in front of Scout whose smile didn't reach his eyes. Alarm spiked through me, but was soon set aside as hunger pains nawed fiercely in my stomach, as a female Nuekdae walked to the table. She smiled at me, with kindness showing in her heavily black kohl rimmed eyes. As she set a heaping plate in front of me. All the Neukdae wore the blacked rimmed eye makeup and lipstick even Jai, except the older man who watched me intently.
                          
 I forgot everything as I concentrated on my plate. A pair of chopsticks and a pair of mismatched tarnished fork and knife sat by my plate. I was so hungry I knew I didn't have the patience to try my hands at the chopsticks, so I picked up the fork, which I stabbed at the brown hunk that sat beside a mound of rice mixed with Krill and seaweed. The fork slipped into the slab easily and I used my knife to cut a small piece, fighting the urge to just pick the entire chunk up with my fork and bite off pieces. I slipped the tender bite into my mouth and shivers ran through me. I moaned from how good it tasted. I hadn't had real meat in months. Even with my family being considered well off, with my father being head researcher for Caesar Corporation before he stepped down, after only telling us, the family, that the research at the corporation was going in a direction he didn't wish to go. So he left. But even previous to that, we only enjoyed real meat on occasion, it being reserved for the very elite. How did the Neukdae get meat? The thought slipped into the front of my thoughts unwanted. But recklessly I set them aside, just wanting to enjoy what was before me. I chewed allowing the warm beef juices to fill my mouth... I scooped in the rice mixture and closed my eyes at how good it all tasted, having survived for the last few weeks on Soy Rash.

                          
"I think she likes it" Baby J said. I opened my eyes and found them all staring at me in various states of disbelief.
                          
I gave an embarrassed close mouth grin, setting my fork down and wiping my mouth with fist. Baby J gave me a disgusted look and I quickly picked up the clean, frayed cloth that seemed to be meant to use as a napkin and wiped the grease from my mouth. I picked up the chipped mason glass that sat in front of me, and dranked down the cool water. I felt slightly more human as the hunger pains dulled. I slowed down and began to eat slowly.
                          
Apparently noticing that I no longer behaved as if I was starved. The older man cleared his throat and said. "We don't get many guests. So excuse me if I seem surprised by your presence...Miss...?
                          
I looked up and slightly glanced at Jai as he frowned while cutting his meat. Although she didn't act like an animal like I did. I could tell Baby J was very focused on the small bit of steak on her plate, apparently a rare treat for the Nuekdae.  I realized the older man's question still hung in the air and I said quickly. "Dominique...Dominique Coutee". The man seemed surprised and afraid... then he seemed to get himself under control again.
                          
"Everyone here calls me Scout." He said. That non-eye reaching smile showing again. I quickly grabbed my water glass and took a long sip to give myself something to do under his scrutiny.
                          
 Sitting the glass back down I said. "Hello, Scout. I'm not really a guest, I've been kidnapped." Baby J sputtered, water shooting from the glass she had been drinking out of. She put it down a while laughing. Jai smiled and continued to eat.
                          
"Kidnapped? I see, well they're doing all types of things while I'm away." He glanced at Jai, who frowned slightly but still concentrated on his plate. "Well, if you have been kidnapped, I apologize. We usually do our best to keep those we don't know out. Not bring them in."