I love that we're back to updating this story. It's oddly been on my mind a while back.
Hungry Like the Wolf: Part Two
Turns out that Jacin doesn't have any "real food" in his mini-fridge. When he opened it, all he had was half an energy drink and half a protein bar. It takes him a moment of being unable to conjure a memory of the origins of those foods before he closes his fridge. Being conscious of not having food makes him hungrier than usual and now his stomach is screaming at him to get something to eat or else he'll die.
Besides, he told Winter he'd get food. They're still on the call but he muted it for now since Winter wasn't there at the moment. Last he saw her, she was at the fridge water-falling some milk and shoving yogurt and ice cream into her mouth with overflowing spoonfuls after he bit straight into a ghost pepper.
Pepper aside, it was hot to watch. Hilarious too.
Jacin might as well get something to eat before curfew so he puts on headphones and his phone in his pocket. There's still nothing on Winter's end as he steps out and walks through the dorms into their communal kitchen. Curfew is in twenty minutes so not a lot of cadets are around, but it makes more sense when he enters the kitchen.
Iko is sitting on the countertop, holding a preparation bowl full of food to her chest as Kinney blasts a fire extinguisher on the stove. Jacin doesn't even hear the smoke alarm until she slides off one of his headphones. He grabs a broom to the side and turns off the alarm on the ceiling, nearly stabbing it through.
"Thanks," Kinney says, huffing as he puts the fire extinguisher down.
"What the stars are you two up to?" Jacin asks.
"I decided to make a garbage bowl from the leftovers in my mini-fridge," Iko says proudly, referring to the giant mixing bowl in her arms. It's almost like her firstborn child. Jacin bites his tongue on making a joke about seeing the resemblance.
"It was actual garbage." Kinney points at the foaming mess on the stovetop they now have to clean. "Seems flammable."
"Look at it."
Jacin peers beside and isn't quite sure what Iko concocted that resulted in a blended smorgasbord on a budget. He can spot leftover hamburger scramble, French toast hash, olive slices, fries, pasta salad from lunch earlier, bacon pieces, and Sriracha drizzled on top.
Jacin can't distinguish a smell and now better understands what Winter meant when she could pick apart the vegetables in her spring roll. He doubts there are any vegetables in this bowl which kind of makes it better. Sometimes, he wonders how any of them are alive but all the weird and questionable food will come back to bite them one day.
On any other day, those foods together would be unpalatable. Is it bad that his mouth is watering?
"This food is so good that I can never eat any other food again," Iko says as she stirs her creation around with a wooden spoon. The odd sloshing sound is shockingly appetizing. "I don't care what the fire alarms are telling me."
"Or the Health and Safety Department," Jacin mutters.
"Them too."
"Maybe Poison Control."
"If we reach them."
Kinney's cringing continues. "I can't wrap my mind around your garbage bowl."
Iko rolls her eyes. "You're not supposed to. Wrap your mouth around it."
"Ew. Your cooking is so bad that it'll give people letumosis."
"You can't get that from food."
"Believe me, your cooking is that toxic."
"Shut up and taste it."
Iko scoops up some for Jacin, making sure a bit of everything is in it. He doesn't hesitate to eat it because if he takes another second to think, he'll chicken out. Kinney grabs a fork before helping himself. Iko watches them in suspense and the two boys look at each other. They're not sure what's in their mouth but it's creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet, and spicy all at once. Every time he chews, he tastes something different. Kinney looks like he's about to spit it out but keeps chewing.
"I'm tasting seafood?" Kinney questions, peeking back in the bowl.
"Is that imitation crab?" Jacin asks, poking at a red and white cube in the bowl. "Where the stars did you get that?"
"Probably the back of the fridge."
"A beautiful fusion," Iko commends herself as she eats some with her wooden spoon. She kicks her feet excitedly, nearly bursting at the seams.
"Your brain is full of guac," Kinney tells her.
"Should add guac to this," Jacin suggests, sneaking another bite.
"I made that meal and felt like my entire life changed," Iko says.
Kinney also gets another bite. "Thank god I'm not a food critic because I have no words to express what I just experienced."
"Compliments to me, the chef."
Jacin's about to get some more but heard Winter coming back to the call. He takes his phone out and disconnects his headphones for Iko and Kinney to see. They both wave as Winter lies on the countertop, sweating and panting. It's like she hasn't slept in a week rather than had a ghost pepper suck the life out of her. Winter barely lifts her fingers to wave back but she manages to scoop some rice in her mouth with a few grains missing the mark.
"Aces, Winter, you look like you were running laps," Kinney says.
Winter heaves for air as she looks up, wiping the rice on her face. Jacin guesses that she ate all the dairy in the house and resorted to grains.
Winter: Running laps would take less out of me. Maybe I should try that and just get some cool air in my mouth. My mother would be disappointed in me from all the way up to the stars.
"Amen, Sister," Iko says, "what are you up to?"
"She ate a ghost pepper," Jacin explains to them.
Kinney sucks a breath, immediately shaking his head. "Why?"
"Should add that to the garbage bowl."
Winter: He made me!
Winter points at Jacin. Kinney and Iko are now frowning at him.
"Did not!" Jacin yells, grinning.
Winter: What are you making there?
"My garbage bowl!" Iko exclaims, tilting it so Winter could see. The foam mess from the fire extinguisher is in the background, really setting the scene. "I'll make you one sometime, Winter!"
Thanks to this chapter, we'll be seeing Iko's Garbage Bowl again.
Updates will be weekly until the end of this arc.