When We Were Still Human by Vaughn Foster (mobi reader android TXT) 📗

It was a lovely home, the furnishings reflective of the classy exterior. The dining room housed a beautiful, solid oak table with a polished glass face. An elaborate chandelier hung overhead, lighting the room with a near sun-like glow. Paintings of the couple decorated the walls, along with whom Val assumed to be family members.

“I am so happy dinner was already prepared before we had to head out earlier,” the woman continued. “You look like you haven’t eaten in days, dear. Here, start with this soup. Franklin and I will fix you a plate.”

Knowing it wouldn’t fill her, but unable to turn down her stomach’s protests, Val raised the spoon to her mouth. The taste of fresh crab meat and shrimp exploded on her tongue. She bit down on her lip to stop from moaning as the creamy, ambrosial sensation coursed through her mouth. It had been over a year since she’d eaten seafood, and even then, it had never been of this caliber.

As Val savored the soup, she remembered what Crystal had said about her metabolism. If she burned food calories, then perhaps she could eat slow enough to get out of the house without incident. Val continued to formulate a plan, one sip at a time, but her train of thought was soon interrupted by the other woman introducing herself.

“I’m Elaine, and that’s my husband, Franklin.” Val looked up and could see her more clearly. She was a small, plump woman with curly silver hair. It was almost comical to see her beside her husband, who was all skin and bones and at least six feet tall.

“Thank you,” Val mumbled between mouthfuls.

“No problem at all,” Franklin replied, taking his seat at the table. “Like Elaine said, it just wouldn’t have been right to leave you out there.”

“But I look like a mess,” Val said, dropping her gaze to her filthy clothes. “Most people would have been afraid…”

“See that picture over there?” Elaine asked, pointing to an old photograph of a man in his late twenties. “That’s our oldest, Edward. He wasn’t a bad kid, not at all. He just made some bad choices and needed a helping hand to get back up. He got mixed up with some gang, and the drugs turned him into someone else.”

Val gulped. “What happened to him?”

“Well,” Elaine continued, “it took him a while, but he’s finally back on his feet. You wouldn’t even recognize him now: a stable job, married, even has a little one on the way.”

“That’s incredible,” Val said. She pulled her gaze from the picture and looked back to Elaine. “What—what brought him back?”

“Anyone else would tell you it was the counseling, but if you ask me, it was love. We saw where he was but remembered who he used to be. That person was still in there and he deserved a second chance. When we saw you, we couldn’t help but think about Edward. When he came back to us, he was scared and alone. But he made it through in the end. Whatever you’ve got yourself mixed into, it doesn’t make you any less of a person than me or Franklin; it just means you got a different battle that ya gotta fight through.”

“And not to contradict Elaine in the slightest, but we have our conceal and carry permits,” Franklin chimed in with a laugh. “If you were to try anything, we’d be okay.”

There was something about his bluntness and humor that put Val at ease. As she paced herself through the meal, she found herself smiling and engaging in small talk with the couple, which eventually evolved into a full conversation of families, friends, and work history.

In reality, a conversation may have been a bit too strong of a word. Franklin and Elaine did the majority of the talking, often to each other, reminiscing on some person or place. Val knew that she needed to leave but couldn’t bring herself to step away. She had been running for so long, and for the first time in over a year, she was talking to actual humans. Despite her stomach’s rage, Val forced her smile to persist, genuinely enjoying the couple’s company.

The meal began to subside, and Val saw the mountain of empty plates in front of her. Even after pacing herself, she was still starving. As much as she tried to ignore it, the scent of her hosts was beginning to burrow its way into her nostrils. The lavender scent from their laundry still enveloped them, mixing with their natural aromas until it began to call, begging her to make a move. The sweat that moistened their skin gave it a glistening sheen under the light of the chandelier. She tried to ignore the way their muscles flexed at their slightest movements, but she couldn’t. The beast inside was crying out. The main course still awaited.

“I won’t!” Val screamed. She shook her head violently and smashed her fists into the table.

“What’s wrong, dear?” Elaine cried, running to the girl’s side. As soon as her hand rested on Val’s shoulder, it was over. The human contact was too much. The older woman’s rapid breathing and heartbeat shoved Val over the edge.

“I’m sorry,” Val whispered. She turned her head to face the older woman. A deranged smile slowly cracked across her face, and her mouth began to open— only to snap down on Elaine’s arm.

Chapter 7

It had been nearly a week and Val still couldn’t get all the blood from beneath her fingernails. She still couldn’t shake the memories from that night. She’d been so consumed by hunger that she didn’t hear the dull thud of Elaine’s hand hitting the floor. She didn’t hear the gunshot from Franklin’s nine-millimeter as he lunged across the table to save his wife; she didn’t feel the bullets as they tore through