When I, your spirited narrator, said that things would soon get much worse, "soon" ended up being about six months later. How unfortunate for him.

Steaky had grown used to life with the Food Family, although he still sorely missed his old friends and mother. He'd gotten to know the others there quite well though. They could likely never replace the others, but they didn't need to. They just made him happy in a different way. Penny, of course, was still one of the members closest to him, although he didn't get to see her as often as he liked. The elder, Alan-a-dale the Aspic, was also quite amiable towards him. Truthfully, Alan never used his full name, so Steaky didn't know quite what kind of object he was, but he didn't ever feel the need to ask. The man was caring for him and all the other kids in the building, providing housing, food, and all the like. So if he wanted to keep his full name quiet, then Steaky was under no requirement to pry.

The little food object was informed early on that in order to stay there, he had to pull his own weight. That mostly involved doing chores however, so he found himself floating along quite easily. Honestly, it was the least he could do to thank them for taking him in. He used his work time as an opportunity to get to know the other children there. He found they were a lot like him. While doing the laundry or sweeping the floors, he would speak to them about all sorts of things, including how they ended up here. He didn't recognize most of them, but there were two or three that he heard had gone missing ages ago. They seemed as fine as the rest of them.

The other children also had to leave their homes and had nowhere else to go. But the Food Family always graciously took them in, kind as they were. Their infinite generosity was more than they could bear, and they felt enlightened and simultaneously horrified that their previous lifestyle would have dug them an early grave.

Steaky turned 11 a few months into his new life, and he was having a perfectly nice time. Until he was requested to do something... peculiar.

...

Alan strolled into Steaky's room, gently calling his name.

"Steaky~ I have got a VERY important job for you!" His voice had the exact same sugarcoated intonation to it that all the elders of the Family possessed. The tone that lulled the child into safety and warmth.

"Oh, what is it sir?"

"You shall see," Alan replied with a grin as he dragged Steaky out the door and downstairs. "And come now, you know you do not have to refer to me as sir."

"I know, I know. I just... want to be polite." Being rude reminded him too much of his last conversation with his mother. Steaky was led to the front living room and watched quizzically as Alan pushed a bookshelf out of the way. He gasped at the reveal of a secret tunnel leading down into the darkness.

Alan took note of his excitement. "This building goes much deeper than you think, little one." He grabbed Steaky's hand once again, and began to explain his new job on the way down the stairs. The eerily cold and metallic sheets of stairs were only lit by a few lanterns hooked on to the wall. The spiraling stairway really seemed to go down forever and ever and the duo's voices simultaneously echoed and were muffled by the walls.

"You see, as a collective Food Family, we like to spread our knowledge about health throughout the world. It is our duty, in a sense, to help others grow happier and heartier. Unfortunately, many people... disagree with our notions, and even despise us." They finally exited the spiral and he shut a large door behind them as they entered a tall room with many pillars and corridors. "Sometimes... they even try to hurt us."

"What?! That's horrid!"

"Indeed it is," he responded sadly. "Your new job is related to them."

Steaky tilted his head in confusion, "I don't think I understand sir..."

"Well, we managed to capture one of these bad people attempting to sneak in, and we want you to help us deal with them."

Incensed, the child responded without hesitation. "Oh you bet I will! I'll give them quite the talking to!" Steaky pumped his fist in the air, eager to help this person understand what they did wrong.

Alan-a-dale kneeled down to face Steaky. "Yes, of course child. Think about it. They tried to hurt us, to KILL us. They were going to destroy us from the inside out!" Steaky clenched his fist in fear and anger. "That enrages you, can't you feel it?"

"I do," he nodded.

"Does not that just make you want to teach them a lesson? Does that not just make you want to give them back in kind?"

"Yes. Yes it does."

"It makes you want to kill them, does it not?"

"Ye- Wait, WHAT?!" Steaky took a step back and Alan furrowed his brow. With that one word, a spear of terror shot through the boy's heart. "Kill them?! I don't- why would I- I don't wanna hurt anyone!"

"But you simply must. It is our job, our way of life." The older man's eyes darkened though his expression of feigned confusion remained the same.

"But it's not- it's not right! I could never kill someone, never never ever!" Steaky was shaking with a mixture of anger and fear and his voice had trouble forcing its way past his lips.

"But you are a part of our family. This is your job. You cannot stay here if you do not commit to your job."

"Well... if..." Steaky paused and thought out a response. Alan cocked his head in interest, urging him with his body language to dare and speak a retort. "If I have to KILL people to stay here, then I don't wanna stay here!"

And that was exactly what he was looking for. Alan took a step forward, looming over the child. "You have nowhere else to go. You know your fake family will not take you back."

"I don't care! I'll figure out something on my own! I'd rather be on the streets than a murderer!" his voice cracked out. It was difficult to distinguish what was fear and what was disgust, but such things didn't matter anymore. Steaky stomped towards the door and jiggled the knob.

It wouldn't open.

"Oh dear. Are you looking for this?" Steaky turned around to see Alan spinning a large key around his finger with frightening grin on his face. The sort that sent chills racketing through his bones.

Alan snapped his fingers and a group of objects emerged from the adjacent corridors. Steaky instantly flattened himself against the door in raw panic. He began to hyperventilate as they drew ever closer. What was this apprehension, this terror digging into his skull? Why couldn't he pull enough air into his tiny lungs? Why did he suddenly feel as if his eyes were bulging out of his head?!

"You know, I am a little disappointed. Usually we don't have to begin re-education until much later into the process. It is a rarity for the first assignment to be the first denied. I suppose I... we all overestimated you."

The objects grabbed at Steaky's puny, squirming body and heaved him away from the door.

"Still, it is always exciting to witness a new member be educated. The pleading is my favorite part of the whole process. They really think their lying emotions are better for them than what we have to say."

"AAAUUGH! GET AWAY FROM ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" Steaky kicked one of the objects in the jaw as the group began to lift him in the air and tried to pry himself away from the torrent of tightly shackled arms.

"Hmm? What is this? I thought you did not wish to hurt anyone." Steaky attempted to swallow the nervous bile that was building up in his throat, but the hungry glare the older object was shooting him was making it a terribly difficult task.

Alan-a-dale nodded to one of the objects. "You know where to take him."