Chapter Text
It repeats over and over in his head. It invades his fragile sanctuary inside his head and makes his already intolerable guilt grow until it pierces his whole being. The next day the boy refuses to go to the kitchen and earnes a burning slap on the cheek. It sends him flying onto the floor.
The kitchen swirls around him and the sight of meat makes his insight twist more than ever. His hands and fingers trembls so much he cuts himself several times on accident and the pieces are more uneven than ever.
He handles them carelessly, wanting nothing to do with them. Dominic touches the juicy flesh only when it's necessary tossing them around quickly. His every nerve of body protests and squirms with absolute disgust while detailed images of Grolamn’s fat fingers and the steak resting seemingly innocently on the plate are flashing on his mind.
His heart races as if it has tries to burst out of his chest and the lump on his throat tightens to the point it's almost impossible to breath.
Everything around him is just a flashes of color and incoherent noises. The noise back of his head warns him of slip-ups and punishments but it's quickly drown by his own disgust that's more strangling than ever. The guilt and shame are swallowing him.
He has felt it before. It has always been there but never like this. Never overtaking his every cell and corner of his being.
It even invades the most sacret. His own make-believe-sanctuary he has carefully crafted. The faces of his family are weirdly melted and disfigured. Their mouths repeat the same words over and over. His room crumbles around him as his scattered thoughts can’t keep the illusion up.
The supervisor is closer than ever and sometimes Dominic thinks he feels its's hot breath tingling on his neck. The judging stare never leaves him and its presence closes Dominic more in the iron bubble of chaotic rotten feelings.
It continues and repeats after that day like a circle. The days melt into each other and sometimes it’s even harder to tell his illusion apart from reality. Sometimes Dominic thinks he sees a glimpse of blue blanked on the floor. Sometimes he is almost certain that his sister hops through kitchen with her ever so lively steps. The monsters are awaiting him in his mind instead of his parents.
It’s all a mess which is hard to grasp and hold on to. It’s as unclear as a fever dream.
What pulls the boy back to clarity is that he's is once again called to dining hall.
Only warning he gets is a growl from the supervisor and a squeezing grip.
As if Dominic was back to
that
day again. Shortly he wonders if that’s possible or if he somehow got even more lost inside the maze of his horror and he is reliving it in his head.
Or… Grolamn is back. Here to train him again.
His heart is pounding painfully fast. Like a fist punching him on the inside thoroughly. The air around him is too thin and the boy shakes head furiously.
Not again, he can’t –
The monster has none of it. Of course. Dominic can kick or scream as much as he wants but it will not make the difference. The Supervisor only holds on tighter ignoring the boy’s desperate gasps for air and struggling.
He looks around with paranoia trying to spot Grolamn’s gray, massive figure among the sea of customers but the limbs almost merges with one another. Faces are only a quick mixed flash of vague mass of eyes, furr and skin as they march forward. Dominic can’t really tell if Grolamn really is there or not.
It doesn’t calm him down. Far from it.
The boy even remembers the place they sat last time and when they pass it he keeps looking at it waiting for Grolamn to appear somewhere and wobble to sit there.
But instead they walk to the very back of the restaurant. The manager is waiting and this time it isn’t nervous. Dominic can see from how it glares him how irritated it is. It doesn’t even bother to think of any excuse to scold the boy of anything he has supposedly done or didn’t do. It only growls and signs them to follow.
It leads them to table which three serious looking monsters sit. One of them is tall and lanky and the head is hanging at the end of the long neck sadly. It looks like it could fall off at any minute. Its’ skin looks slimy and milky white with gray spots. It doesn’t have eyes at all just a mouth full of tiny needle-like teeth and on its' hand there are three long fingers that are all wrapped around the fork, covering it with mucus.
The second one is covered in brown fur and it’s mouth seem to be jammed on a permanent grimace. It looks like a weird mix of a monkey and a wolf. Its’ buggy eyes are nailed at Dominic right away. The boy forces himself to keep his eyes on the beast even though the eyes are trying to suck him in in the worst possible way.
The third one reminds the boy of something between a deer and a bird. The combination is so bizarre his eyes are by force drawn to the peak that is curved sharply downward. Big, wet deer-like eyes are looking back at him almost sadly and two horns are connected together on the top of its' head. Dominic has to admit that the bluish-black feathers look beautiful in the dim light.
All of them are wearing suits and even though it's not uncommon in this place the boy has to wonder how these creature even manage to wear one or even tailor them. Dominic stands there awkwardly waiting for the demands and trying not to think what it would cost him this time.
"Human cub," the tall, lanky one starts with the raspy voice, curling voice. "Did you make these dishes?"
The whole set up is too similar and that nickname or whatever makes Dominic squeeze his other arm and shift his legs. He purses his lips together as if trying to prevent himself from answering. The boy can feel all of their eyes on him and he wishes they would just stop staring already. The boy glances the meals and indeed manages to recognize them. Three files on a plate with caramelized vegetables.
"Yes..." He mutters and he hates how his voice trembles for a second. Now they would get even more excited. Like bunch of bloodhounds just before the hunt.
Just like Grolamn.
They all just nod like confirming something.
"The food is indeed top quality," The bird monster notes with surprisingly high voice which takes the boy off-guard with it's pleasantness. He's about thank the thing apathetically when he realizes it isn't said to him. The other two nod along.
"So we propose it in the council?" The wolf-monster asks with a booming voice, lifting the hand on its' jaw and brushes it.
"Excuse me," the manager starts voice full of irritation. "But this installment doesn't have enough room and Grolamn - "
"Grolamn isn't the only member of the council, Mortimeus," The lanky monster notes. "And we simply want to test the possibility. We are more than happy to provide help with any problem you come across."
Dominic stiffens as he practically feel the air turn colder. He doesn't like the tone of the conversation or the fact that somehow it considers him. The boy knows better than to ask but he tries to make sense of the words being said.
So Grolamn isn’t at least in power in the council… That much he gets. It doesn’t exactly evoke peace in him but he gains satisfaction from it. The monster can’t do anything he wants even if he clearly wanted Dominic to think so.
Still, the realization that there is a whole world of them out there hits him harder than ever. Dominic has always known. Of course. But his life is strictly limited to the kitchen and slaughterhouse and nothing more. These three strangers brought little piece of outside world with them and the boy acknowledges that it can affect him.
The threat he’s walking on is now so, so much thinner and the boy never thought it could be so. The boy can hear the monsters argue but it flies over his head. He stares at the neatly set table and the cutlery that shine invitingly despite the greasy stains on them. Even forks and knives are bigger here and they look sharper, more threatening.
Dominic has never noticed before. There has been no rhyme or reason and it has been more important to stay on his toes, keep his guard up –
”- We will inform you further about this matter.” The bird monster cuts his thoughts and they all stand up, clearly ready to leave. The boy tears his eyes away to glace the manager.
It has both of its jaws clenched and it’s clearly displeased how the conversation has progressed. The boy wants to believe it would mean some good news for him but the angry manager never means such a thing.
”Please come again any time,” The manager hisses between its' teeth. It has folded the upper pair of arms and the other hands are clenched into fists. The boy tries to be as invisible as possible, as expressionless as possible. He keeps staring at the dining table still keeping an eye on the monster from the corner of his eye.
The tension stays even after the guests leave. But Dominic is shoved back to kitchen immediately. There’s still half of the shift to endure and he has no time to ponder the conversation during it. But it’s there, back of his mind and it surfaces the minute he is back in his cage. Dominic rewinds the lines, goes them word by word trying to make sense of it. It must have something to do with him since he was brought in in the first place and they asked him about the food.
The boy doesn’t want surprises anymore. But he knows his new world would give him one after the other. Especially since he knows next to nothing of these creatures – apart from their culinary habits.
Dominic closes his eyes and breaths in and out. In… And out. He lifts his trembling hand to touch the white, rough wall. He curls his fingers and pictures his own wall. The wall is still there. So are his parents. They are just standing on the endless sea of blue blanked staring with their dead eyes. But they are there.
And so is Dominic. He survived another day. He’s in tact. And that’s enough.
Has to be.
It continues like before. Like the conversation never happened. After days pass by without new nightmares emerging Dominic starts to push the whole thing back. It would only be an extra package. A waste of emotions and stress.
But then they appear.
They are pushed in his room harshly, both of them swearing and hissing to the supervisor like they had nothing to fear.
Dominic freezes on the spots and his heart stops at first before starting to pound like a hammer. His eyes widen and he starts to tremble. The boy has to lean to the wall as he stares barely registering what is in front of him.
A boy and a girl. Around his age.
Humans.
Dominic is swallowing their features with his eyes. He looks at their two arms and legs. Their even pair of eyes and listen to their voice which don’t have growling or sckreeching undertones. And the normal, tanned skin without fur or scale. Their teeth are little crooked and the boy is missing one from the front but they are not pointy or razor sharp.
Their hair is dark brown and messy. The girl’s is reaching to her upper back and the boy’s is uneven and messy, like someone has used knife or just snipped here and there with their scissors. Their face are angular with little bit hollow cheeks. They are shorter than Dominic and thinner too even now. The boy has never been as muscular as Jack, who actively played soccer, but he used to have some built in his body. Now it has withered making him look like a hungry stray cat. But compared to these two he looks relatively fell fed. Identical black shirts hang loosely on them and the worn out jeans can’t cover how thin and bony their legs are.
When they finally turn to look at him the boy can see their brown eyes which has so much humanity in them –
Dominic tries to find words but he’s too overwhelmed and his thoughts are spinning. The emotions are bursting inside him hopping from relief to joy and then to confusion and again back to relief. Maybe they could help each other. Maybe this could be the way out…
On the other hand the boy doesn’t understand why they are here. The monsters don’t want living humans on their lands so why? What changed? It’s unlikely that they would just suddenly not to kill someone –
”What is he staring at?” The boy asks, tilting his head. The way he looks at Dominic is sharp and harsh. He scans the other boy from head to toy and his lips curve into a mocking, cold smile. He folds his arms and seems to have reached a conclusion.
”Ain’t you a fancy one,” he snorts like there was something funny about the situation.
In his past life, Dominic would have just rolled his eyes and answered something snarky back but right now, the boy feels like the most friendly being he has ever seen.
It’s all still so surreal so Dominic just keeps watching, imprinting the two of his kind on his mind sucking their human features with his eyes.
”I think he’s simple,” The girl’s voice is uncaring and cold. ”Let’s just try to figure out how we’re getting out of here.” She starts investigating the wall like expecting some kind of secret doorway or weak point.
”You can’t,” Dominic hears himself say hoarsely. ”I’ve – I’ve tried.” He doesn’t want neither of them getting punished. They might not know and it’s better if they don’t.
The girl glances her and on her face lies the same mocking grin the boy has. They’re not taking him seriously. The boy tries to find the best words to stop them. How can he explain the filthy tools and dull bloody bodies waiting them? How can he bring the images to life with his own voice when he doesn’t even want to think about it?
”Then we better not get caught,” The boy answers going to his… sister? ”You damn idiot what’re you even doing?! There’s a vent right there!” He snarls, pointing to the opposite wall.
”Yes but it’s screwed shut,” Dominic can’t help to comment. ”And you don’t get it! You’ll… they send you to the slaughter house and – ” A lump rises on his throat and prevents him from continuing. The boy closes eyes, inhales and forces the words out of his mouth. ”They call it ”education trip” but it’s just a sick way of punishing us.”
”So we just need to work in the slaughterhouse for a while?” The girl asks and her voice actually has some curiosity in it.
Dominic blinks. They really don’t get it. Are they in shock? Don’t they realize where they are or what dragged them here?
That must be it. Maybe are in denial. Maybe they haven’t seen the slaughterhouse like Dominic has.
”Yes… but… it’s….” It’s still not easy to spit the story out. ”They eat humans here… and the slaughter house – ”
It’s quiet for a moment. The boy doesn’t want to see the fear on their faces so he just looks down on the floor letting the silence stretch.
”So?”
One flat word from the girl’s mouth. That’s it. There’s no horrified disbelief or even denial. The fact doesn’t wake anything in the girl.
Dominic's head jerks up. The girl just stares at her blankly, almost bored. The boy can’t understand it. Doesn’t want to understand it. Doesn’t she realize that humans are being killed and eaten –
”You… You don’t understand…” Dominic still tries. He can’t accept it. He refuses to believe the only humans he has encountered wouldn’t care at all. All these people are someone’s parents, children, spouses…
Surely… Somehow… They must care.
The boy takes few steps to Dominic glaring him. His steps are quick and slick and in a millisecond he’s in front of Dominic.
”You don’t get it, cattle,” he spits, pushing the other boy from chest with his thin, bony fingers. ”We don’t care about the likes of you.”
”Let him be, Tim”, the girl comments leaning against the wall. Her eyes are nailed towards the vent as she inspects it. ”They put us work tomorrow. We could steal some tools from the kitchen.”
Tim turns away from Dominic. He crouches on the floor measuring the vent and pulling the bars testing them.
Dominic just stares at them. Cattle… But… they are the same… how can they be like this?! The excitement and relief are turning into ugly disappointment and anger. ”We’re humans! I am a human! Just like you!”
There’s no way they don’t care. They have to.
Both of them are unimpressed with the outburst. Tim just looks annoyed and he opens his mouth to spit more bitter words out –
”Just leave it, Tim. He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t know anything. You’re wasting time.”
The anger squeezes his guts. ”I know that people are dying,” he growls.
Tim rolls his eyes. ”Cattle,” he mutters like Dominic was a moody child.
Grolamn’s words and his disgusting fat face appear in the boy’s mind. He remembers the smug smile and the amused melted looking eyes.
He isn’t some goddamn –
Without even processing it, he has pressed Tim against the wall. He stares the boy with darkened eyes. His jaw is clenched and his hand is squeezing the fabric of the shirt. He’s trembling with the anger and his whole body feels tense and the blood is rushing through it.
The boy wants to make them see. To make them understand –
A hand grabs Dominic’s arm. It squeezes him painfully and the dirty nails are digging into the boy’s flesh. The girl’s glare is harsh and cold. There’s frown between her brows and her jaw is tense. ”Let go.” She commands not giving the boy any room for negotiation.
Another order… The boy feel so full of simple commands spit on him. Day after the day he barely hears anything else and even now –
He doesn’t want to listen.
There is a temptation to just keep going. To show –
…What is he thinking?
He can’t. It wouldn’t change anything. These people may be weird and off but they are still first humans Dominic has seen in a very, very long time.
Slowly he lets go. He’s still trembling and his body is still pumped with adrenaline. The space feels too small now that they all three share it. The walls are closer to each other and the air feels much thicker.
Tim just glares him and goes back to plan with his sister. Dominic sits on the floor and hugs his knees.
The two start feeling like a dream. Or a hallucination. Dull disappointment is swirling in his head as he repeats the mismatched conversation over and over.
They talk with each other and it’s not exactly kind. It’s full of snapping and harsh words and time to time it escalates to an almost argument.
Dominic learns that the girl’s name is Tamara. But she's called Tam.
He learns that Tim's full name is Timothy.
And all this just makes him think about Ellie. He used to be so annoyed by her sometimes. At least these two have each other. At least they are in this together.
For a horrible moment Dominic wishes someone else had been trapped with him. He imagines how Jack would have gotten angry too – maybe even more than Dominic. How he would have always managed to make even the most terrible moments to feel a notch lighter.
He hates himself for even picturing it. Even worse he feels comfort about the thought.
Dominic buries his head on his knees and tries to focus on the dark. His breath is warm against his knees and the sibling’s conversation gets muffled.
….Jack wouldn’t have been any better than Dominic in here. The boy knows it. The blond is the sunshine of their classroom. Everyone is drawn to him and it’s almost impossible to hate him.
Maybe they would have looked harder if it was Jack.
Maybe they would have already found –
Stop it! How can he be bitter?! Did he seriously just wish briefly his best friend would switch places with him?
”It’s alright, I get it…” Jack’s words are so understanding as always. Dominic is actually confused how easily this place comes to him after all this time. It’s still miss matched and messed up. The window is crooked and the blanked is melting on the floor. The bookshelf is lying on the floor merging with it.
Everything is off expect for Jack who is so striking in this place with his freckles which decorate his cheeks and nose bridge. The blue eyes hold seriousness for once and the blond hair is a bit messy like he had just come out from his training.
”It’s still shitty…” Dominic mutters looking away.
”Everything about this is,” Jack comments walking closer and sitting next to Dominic. His face is starting to flicker. It’s unstable.
The boy can’t deny that.
They don't acknowledge Dominic the whole night. The boy pretends he's alone too. Maybe later, he would try and reach out for them. Maybe they are just confused or the harsh words and actions are just a defense mechanism against the madness.
But at that moment the boy can't feel any familiarity with those two teen. They feel just another alien creatures and it's weird how well they are holding up. How well they are already fitting in this world. Despite their obvious anger and and frustration they don't ask panicked questions or cry. Their breath don't quicken and they don't shiver.
The boy can hear them planning their possible escape with calm tone and clarity. They don't question anything they have seen so far.
Is it shock? Are they simply in denial?
Is there something wrong with them?
Is there something wrong with me?
Dominic is only one who has raised his voice against the rules of consumption and gluttony. Seeing humans like that... Sliced and cut and skinned until their humanity is completely stripped and all that is left is pile of red, edible substance.
How can anyone just...
The boy doesn't know. There's so much he just don't know and can't comprehend.
Their voices starts to sound more and more quiet until it resembles the cackling of fire. It's calming on it's own way.
Little by little it helps the boy to sleep.
They are still there the next morning. And awake before Dominic. Shortly he wonders if they stayed up the whole night, trying to find even the smallest crack or hole so they could slip away. Somewhere far away from sharp teeth.
They are put to work too.
Now Dominic's cooking is accompanied by the sound of dishes clinking together under the running water as Tamara washes the greasy or oily plates and cutlery. Time to time he catches a glimpse of Timothy's bony frame as he cleans the kitchen, sweeping the floors and assists other cooks.
Dominic's body is tense and heavy. He thinks he even hears Tamara hum at some point.
They have it so easy. Their work does not require them to take part in massacre. The boy cuts the meat with strong movements staring at it. He had to beg for his life and it only got him here!
So why are they working with so mundane tasks? So much easier and less cruel tasks -
We're on the same boat, Dominic tries to remind himself. There's no point of holding a grudge against them. They are not the real threat in here.
Still, he can't help the bitterness swelling inside of him.
They have their own personal supervisors. He doesn't see Tamara's but he can hear threatening growl when ever something clanks a bit too hard (perhaps she dropped something?)
It's hard to ignore Tim's when it's crawling with its' multiple limbs on the floor level. Dominic can't say where the hands and legs begin and where they end or how they are even connected. Its' gray slimy skin is leaving marks on the floor and the creature knows this very well and grins – it looks more like a grimace – while the cooks glare at Timothy for not cleaning fast enough.
The boy just meet their gaze blankly and keeps going. The slime and the wetness from the mop make tiny bubbles on the floor.
Dominic squeezes the knife and regrets the childish train of thoughts.
He's busy himself and it's not much but alongside his tasks Dominic swipes tables quickly and in passing. He makes sure he doesn’t drop anything to the floor. He doesn’t let grease or anything else stain the stove or the oven.
It would be easier for the chefs too if Tim cleaned after the kitchen was empty and not full of creatures wobbling, running or crawling around shouting with their hoarse, booming voices. But the boy suspects they don’t want to have risk of Tim – or anyone else in that matter – to escape.
And oh how they love to humiliate their new little humans! Dominic knows that all too well. They are puppets in the hands of violent toddlers. They enjoy watching Tim scrubbing the same corners over and over. They drop food on purpose call him for cleaning it and make comments how handy it’s to have new fresh ingredient just on their reach. They comment and joke how they would manage to get at least something from this human despite his thin little legs and arms.
Tim turns his head and Dominic can’t see his expression.
The audience is even more intolerable than usual. If one human is a sight for them to behold, three causes a wave of eager whispers and touching hands and limbs.
They have never gotten this handsy.
Dominic’s whole body freezes and his skin is crawling under claws, slimy skin and tarty, wiry fur.
He sees that they pull Tam by her hair and as much as anger burns in her eyes the boy notices the trembling hands and clenched jaw. He can see Tim stand straight and stiff like a statue. There’s shadows on his eyes as his gaze circulates the crowd spitefully.
Dominic has always thought he had heard every question about them imaginable. To his intelligence from the “lack of his limbs.”
But the customers are bursting with the terrifying innocence. Their voices are a mismatched choir, drowning each others words.
In a way it’s a relief. Dominic doesn’t want to hear or understand.
But he can’t close his ears from the answers the manager gives both mouth spitting oily words with the pretense as every time.
It can’t fool him. Its’ movements are bit too sharp and impatient. The words that come out are said just a bit too quickly and impatiently.
It clearly isn’t happy about this.
Should’ve thought of that before trapping us here.
“Where did you found these two?!” The question is crowed loud and clear. The boy can’t help but the curiosity get the best of him. He glances the two and then manager again. He knows it will lie. Probably another sob story of his generosity towards poor, poor human children who he couldn’t leave alone out of pity.
“Ah, you see! The border was kind enough to offer them!” For once, there’s a hint of a genuine eagerness on its’ voice. The lower mouth is curved into slimy slime while the upper one is spouting oily words.
The siblings look away. Tim is clenching his jaw and looks like he’s about hit the nearest monster pulling his hair being astonished by it. Tam is looking away, focusing on the wall her mind wondering somewhere far away from the situation.
Maybe she’s doing the same Dominic is? Maybe she has created a home inside her mind as thin and fragile as piece of paper. Would it eventually collapse like Dominic’s has?
Jack is there but only because he has always been so positive and bright. No matter how bad day people had the boy always found a way to make it a little bit more tolerable. A bit brighter. His boyish grin is mischievous though it lacks the actual energy. “I mean… they look horrible but some of them just look stupid. Does that one have an elephant snout?”
His actual friend would have probably come back with something more sharp. More clever. But Dominic is tired. It’s been so long and the jokes they had are slipping from the boy’s memory as well as so, so many things.
It still causes a dull sense of amusement somewhere in him. He even wishes shortly that he could share it with the other two.
A giant mismatched body with an elephant snout is however glued itself between them. And both of them are refusing to look at Dominic.
So he’s left with his own fragments of images of fading golden hair and freckles. He can almost see Jack in there shooting jokes and grinning his bright, vivid laughter echoing in the room, joining the others.
It’s humorous on its’ own way. Jack laughing at monsters like nothing. Maybe he could have even convince them to leave him alone with his charisma alone.
He hears a weird sound: It’s dry and cold but there’s something familiar in it.
He’s… laughing.
Or not really. Chuckling is more accurate. And it’s hollow. The sound doesn’t even resemble something that would leave from a human being. It’s from someone who knows the concept of laughter but have never heard of it or hasn’t done it themselves.
He stops as soon as he realizes it.
Couple monsters have noticed it. They are staring tilting their overly long necks and blinking their small white eyes in sync. “What’s it doing?”
Ah… much like Dominic took long time to learn the facial expressions of monsters they can’t seem to understand his. Though the boy isn’t quite sure how this works anyway. Monsters are so different in shape so… alien looking in many ways it’s hard to understand how they even read each other.
The manager is uncomfortably close in a millisecond. The boy tenses as he feels two of the slimy hands on his shoulders. They barely touch him this time. But it’s almost worse than the usual hard squeeze. The brushing fingers cause shivers down his spine. Now that there’s no pressure or pain, the boy notices that the skin is sticky. He looks at the floor waiting the new grant speech. This monster is the one holding the strings here. The one Dominic has to endure the most.
So he endures.
“It’s laughing! It’s expressing happiness and satisfaction!” The smugness in its’ voice is disgustingly honest. It has turned his numbed, hollow joy – or at least what’s fragment of it. And turn it into a sale speech.
Dominic needs to gather all of his willpower not to shove the manager on the nearest table. Instead, he tries to look as apathetic and unenthusiastic as possible. He stares at the long neck monsters with the blankest look he can muster.
It is a dull satisfaction to see the customers glancing at the manager with doubt. “I… see.”
Now the hand presses on his skin. The boy doesn’t even need to look at the monster in the face. He already knows what he would see all too well.
The predatory squeeze is a warning of course. Dominic knows what he should do. What would be wise. But the dull satisfaction hasn’t yet faded. He has finally struck a point in this long game with rules that are so against him.
But the boundaries he could push are so thin.
And he needs to reminds himself where he is. He’s not alone with the manager. He’s in the middle of the sea of weird and strong creatures who wanted to swallow him, cut him into peaces and boil him to fit their miss matching maws.
Cold, icy waves pass through him and he tries hard prevent himself from shuddering. Pushing through. That’s what he needs to do.
A child – at least Dominic assumes it is one - approaches him. It has weird, monkey-like face and five eyes scattered around the face like it was some kind of abstract painting. Its fur is dirty brown and hands are too big for the round, big body. The mouth goes vertically right in the middle of the face and drool drips between the jaws. Round, fluffy ears look almost ridiculously adorable attached to such a thing.
It waddles in front of him with gaudy, colorful balls on one hand. Dominic stares at it and it stares back just as intensely.
The boy wants so badly to just kick it away from him.
“What do you got there, little one?” The manager coos with the most disgustingly patronizing voice he has ever heard.
The balls are shoved on Dominic forcefully as the child grins like the Christmas has come early. “Do a trick!” It shrieks loudly. It pierces his ears painfully making them ring. It echoes through the restaurant attracting the other customers’ attention.
All chatter goes ceases and all eyes are on the boy.
He squeezes the balls in his hand. They are plastic and they all come with gaudy, happy colors which shine obnoxiously in the softness and dimness of the restaurant: Orange, yellow and pink. Dominic stares at them his mind trying catch up the situation.
The silence stretches and the boy glances the manager dubiously. It stares at him too. It can’t openly show the coldness and cruelty with its’ facade of an emphatic human owner but the smile on both of the mouths are tense and the look holds coldness and harshness. If it tries to mimic somewhat fatherly or gentle expression it fails miserably. But the audience is waiting for their human to perform.
Cold sweat makes his skin slimy and clammy. The plastic surface is suddenly sticky and glued to his hand.
His heart is pounding fast and heavy and his throat his tightening up. The twisted faces eagerly waiting are just blurry mess in his eyes. He doesn’t know what they want him to do. The boy doesn’t know any tricks!
Did they want something specific? Has the manager gone its’ way to spew lies about him? Is he now an actual circus monkey?
No. It would have let Dominic know first. It would have made sure the boy wouldn’t embarrass the restaurant.
It doesn’t help him.
The moment and silence just stretches and stretches. The child squints its’ narrow eyes with doubt and disappointment. Some monsters whispers still holding Dominic hostage with their attention.
His mind races. His breath is getting stuck again.
The boy tries to think back his normal life. He tries to recall his class clowns and their antics. The pictures are hazy and quick.
Still… there is something. A distant echo.
Him laughing and shaking his head when some “clever hero” started to juggle with teachers things while mimicking her.
Slowly Dominic starts juggling, keeping his eyes on the balls. Orange, yellow and pink flashes go through the air.
A shrieking, obnoxious laughter cuts the air with clapping and Dominic’s already fragile focus is shattered into pieces. The balls fall down hard bouncing back to the air little before they roll around.
The boys stomach sink. He can only stare at them and twitch at the sound they make against the floor.
He messed up.
Dominic can’t look up. If he can’t appease the guests –
Another, loud laughter. The boy nearly jumps and finally looks.
The child is laughing so much it’s nearly bending in half.
The boy slowly let his gaze wonder and he sees the audience’s smiles. Some even chuckle. They are looking at him fondly like he was a puppy.
Why?
It’s different from the gluttonous gazes from the cooks or from the calculating way the manager observes him.
He has no time to process it anymore since something nudges him.
When Dominic doesn’t acknowledge it he feels another much sharper and demanding nudge. It’s Tim who gives him a quick irritated look before he runs after the balls far too exaggeratedly with his sister.
And the audience love it. The happy chatter and chuckling fills the air more and the tense thick air loosens up.
Dominic catches up and starts chasing the balls too. He moves clumsily and tensely but it only adds to the monsters’ amusements.
It’s humiliating and the boy’s cheeks are burning up but this is still better than standing there and waiting under the pressuring anticipation.
They roll the balls further on purpose. They bump into each others and try to steal them from each other.
Jack would have been good at something like this. Dominic can see him there with them. Giving him suggestions and cheering him on.
Try to distract her…
Kick the ball little further away.
Hey, at least you don’t have to cook for them, right?
They keep it up until they are sweating and panting. The manager claps its’ hands and tells everyone that the show is over. The audience claps and starts scatter back to their tables.
The ugly monkey creatures goes to Tam extending its’ hands clearly demanding its’ precious items back.
The girl gives them to it careful not to touch the wide, plumb hands. She clearly resists the urge to just throw them to the monster's face.
The creature takes them grinning ear to ear clearly happy that it got to see three humans run and bump into each other. Making fool of themselves. It runs happily away, probably to its’ parents.
The show is over and the manager seems satisfied. It doesn’t glare at them – in fact it doesn’t even acknowledge the trio as it waves it hands to their supervisors to lead them away.
Dominic glances the two. There is a part of him that wants to thank them. The boy wouldn’t have been able to pull it off alone and he doesn’t even dare to think about what would have happened had it been just him.
But the earlier comments are still burned into his mind and they still sting.
Could have been just stress.
This isn’t far away from hell after all.
He eyes their backs on the way upstairs trying to find right words and courage. They both are walking side by side and it’s as if their backs are forming a solid wall which hides its’ own little world. Dominic fears to step in it unsure if he’s even accepted or if he has any right to do so.
“Wait here,” one of the monsters say when they have stepped in the room – as if they could do anything else – “we’ll bring you your dinner shortly.”
The moment the door is closed the pressing silence lands between them. The siblings simply sit against the wall not bothered by it. Meanwhile Dominic squirms trying to spit the right words from his mouth.
He can’t help but to feel like something is wrong with the two. He needs help and he can’t afford to be picky. He has no choice.
But they look at Dominic like he wasn’t even a human.
“Still… You need to survive,”Jack looks at him his blue eyes full of untypical seriousness. “At least try.”
He can’t quite look at them. “Thanks,” he mutters quickly squeezing his other arm. There’s no response and at first the boy think they didn’t even hear him.
“For what?” Tam asks flatly.
“For… before… When that… well, that - “
“Just try not get us killed in the future.” Tim’s voice is condescending and cold.
It makes Dominic’s blood boil again. It’s not his fault they are in here! Yes, this is horrible, nightmarish and hellish but it doesn’t change for the better by using Dominic as the punching back!
He’s about to finally ask what their problem is when the door opens and Dominic’s supervisor steps in.
All the anger vanishes and the sharp words are forgotten as he smells it: The same scent that haunts him in the kitchen and in the dining hall.
The boy’s stomach twists into knots as he looks at the white tray with three platter on it…
Brown lumps float on thin watery soup with some miserable limb and wilted carrots.
Bitter, burning liquid starts to rise on Dominic’s throat and his stomach is cramping. His skin gets cold and sweaty. The flashes return and for a moment the boy is sitting across Grolam who’s ugly, melted eyes are piercing him -
The boy pictures himself pushing the tray on the floor and slipping past the monster. Running far, far away until there would be no meat, or monsters or greasy kitchens.
“Since there are three of you, it’s too much bother to prepare individual dishes for all of you,” the monster just notes before it sets the tray on the floor and leaves.
Ah, so they get leftovers. Once again the rules of the game Dominic never wanted to be a part of have changed. The boy is losing. He’s not going to make it to the finish line.
His mouth remembers the texture and the taste. The boy covers his mouth with both hands and swallows his own saliva furiously trying to wash his mouth in vain.
The siblings sit on the floor and there’s no trace of disgust or distress on their faces. They grab a piece bringing it on their mouth -
“Wait!” The boy has to stop them. They has to know right? There’s no way they don’t. And it doesn’t make any sense. Why would they - ?
Tam’s brows are knitted together as she glances Dominic with annoyance. “What?”
“That’s… Human meat...” He barely can muster the sentence. It makes this all so much more real and blocks the least bit denial he might have left. But he has to. He has to make them see -
Tam just stares at him. “Yes?”
What…?
It’s cold and toneless. Dominic just stares looking for something. Desperation, regret or denial. Nothing. Her eyes are clear and her face is stern.
His cheeks feel hot and all the boy’s insides are turning. “But… no… you… you don’t… That’s - “
“It’s food.” Tim snaps. He puts piece in his mouth biting hard as if trying to make his point clear.
Dominic crouches to floor just barely keeping it in.
They are as bad as them.
And Dominic is locked in with them.
He turns his back, closing his eyes. But he can hear them munching the meat and slurping the liquid.
The noises echo in his head even after he has covered his ears.