Since when do cannibals fall in love with their food?

8. Since when do cannibals fall in love with their food?

CHARLIES POV

I'm whittling or at least I think I am. My focus is going in and out because I'm exhausted. I shake my head trying to stay awake. I need to be. What if Food wakes up? What if she needs me?

I run a hand through my hair. What if she doesn't wake up?

I set down my knife, and wood and stumble into the bedroom. I rub my eyes and then put my fingers on the inside of her wrist. There's still a pulse, I let the breathe that I didn't know I was holding go. Then I walk back into the kitchen. Even getting up doesn't help how tired I am.

I'm trying to whittle to wake myself up but all that does is make it so that my eyes close and the knife slips. I curse quietly and stand up. I grab a napkin; making a face.

I've dealt with way to much blood tonight. When it's done bleeding I realize that I now have a huge gash across my hand. I sigh and quickly wrap it up with some bandages. I'm definitely going to need more of those soon.

If I think about it I know that I'll need a lot of things soon. Probably sometime in the next month. But if I have to go into town there's no way that I can leave Food here. I sit down at the table again and when I pick up the wood my hand throbs a little so I loosen my grip. I look at it and see absolutely nothing. I sigh.

I can't tie Food to my table for the whole day. And I can't just leave her here she'll escape.

I could just eat her before the time comes. I could just eat her now.

I shake my head, I don't want too. I should at least let her ride Oliver before I kill her. That would be decent of me right? Let her do one really great thing before I kill her?

How am I going to do it though? I don't think I could stand to see the fear in her eyes. I could do it while she slept. But I wouldn't want the blood all over my bed. I should have just let her bleed out.

I put my head into my hands. I doubt I'll even be able to kill her. I'm such a pathetic monster.

I faintly remember a movie from my childhood. It was about a monster- he was blue and hairy with green spots I think his name was Sully- he wanted to protect that little girl that called him 'kitty.' Even though it meant he would lose his job and be shunned forever. It worked out for him. But of course that was just a stupid kid movie and I'm not some cartoon that has to scare kids for a living. I'm a cannibal that eats people.

I do this because I want too, not because it's my job.

I close my eyes and rest my head onto the table. I'm so tired.

I think about all the time I've spent with Food and how eventually no matter what it will have to end.

Either I'll eat her, or she'll run away. Or maybe I'll let her go. She would never just stay here with me.

Though she is the only person I've ever met that treated me like a person and not some loser. Even before I ate that first human sandwich I was shunned.

I was that kid you shoved into lockers, and chased around the school. I had one friend.

I shake that out of my head. I don't want to think about her. I never want to think about her again.

A few minutes later I find it to difficult to open my eyes again and I spin into memories of the girl I had long ago banished from my thoughts.

I'm five years old again. Chasing Lippy around the play ground.

She's laughing and then I get grabbed from behind. I'm thrown onto the ground and I'm getting dirt kicked into my face. I get kicked in the side and I look up to see who it is. I see Lippy over me laughing. I'm now ten.