“Oh! My—my goodness. I’m sorry, Haley. I didn’t see you there.”
“I know, Mrs. Adele. Your mind has been elsewhere lately. Is there anything I can help you with before I get started in the kitchen?”
“No, no. I just need to get this shift over so’s I can go home and get a few hours of sleep before I go out searching again.” Mrs. Adele had given up the coveted day shift to devote time during the daylight hours in the search for Ray Percy. Percy had been missing for two weeks.
“Now, don’t you go running yourself down. You need to eat properly and get plenty of rest. Or, you’re not going to be fit to work or search for him.” Haley patted her shoulder gently.
“Thank you, Haley. You’re so kind. I’ve been meaning to thank you for spending your last two off days helping with the search. I know it’s hard to help on the days you pull two shifts. I really appreciate your kindness in my time of need.”
“I would do anything I could just to see you smile like you used to, Mrs. Adele.” Haley’s eyes glisten as tears welled up.
Mrs. Adele’s eyes widened and she took a step back and smiled. Haley felt she was looking at him for the first time in her life.
“Mrs. Adele, both of us have tomorrow off. Why don’t we go on the search together? If we don’t find Ray, I’ll treat you to a nice dinner at my place.”
“Well, no. I . . . I don’t know. I wouldn’t want you to go to any more trouble.”
“No trouble at all. Why, I got me some real French cookbooks and I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen. Everything is cooked and frozen. All I have to do is thaw it out.”
Mrs. Adele hesitated but shook off her indecision. “Well then, I guess it would be okay. Pick me up at eight. We’ll go to Ray’s cousins and get with the others.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be there on time,” Haley said wearing a grin. Mrs. Adele continued down the hall, and he returned to work.
The next day, Haley, Mrs. Adele, and four of Ray’s relatives took an hour ride south to Shell Beach. Ray had mentioned the day before he went missing he might go fishing, and Shell Beach was a favorite fishing spot of his. No one knew for sure if he had actually made it there or not, both Ray and his car were missing.
The day was long. The flies and misquotes only added insult to their unfruitful mission. The investigation had come almost to a halt when the police learned that Ray had some sizable gambling debts. The family too had given up hope in finding him but was willing to continue the search as long as Mrs. Adele felt the need.
By five o’clock weariness had overcome the crew. Everyone exchanged hugs and made the drive back to the city.
*
“Haley, are you sure you’re not too tired for this?” Adele asked.
“No, ma’am. All the food is ready. All I have to do is heat some things up.” Haley had sat Adele at the kitchen table. A beautiful new white cloth adorned the table and a dozen yellow roses in a ceramic vase set in the middle. Yellow roses were Adele’s favorite flower.
“I’d like to begin the meal by serving an aperitif.” Haley removed a bottle of Moet&Chandon White Star champagne from the refrigerator.
Adele’s expression showed confusion, but took on relief when she saw the bottle and watched Haley pop the cork. “I wasn’t sure what aperitif meant. I love champagne.”
He filled two glasses and sat next to Adele. “A toast to you, Mrs. Adele. That you may find all the happiness your soul desires.” Haley raised his glass in anticipation. Adele smiled embarrassingly and raised hers to his. The glasses clinked together and each took a sip. Haley’s gaze never wavered from her soft-brown eyes.
“Oh. The bubbles tickle my nose,” Adele giggled.
“I have something prepared to go with our champagne.” Haley rose and came back with a covered dish and water crackers. He removed the top and placed the dish on the table and arranged some crackers around it.
Adele’s expression showed confusion again.
“I’ve made us a pâté to have before dinner.” Haley sliced the mixture of liver, fat, and spices into squares to accommodate the cracker.
Adele looked at it curiously before putting it in her mouth. “Oh, it tastes like liver cheese.”
Haley winced for a microsecond and replaced it with a grin. “Yes, the two do taste similar. I guess.”
“This is so good! I never had liver cheese taste this good before. I can’t believe you made this.” A bit of cracker clung to the corner of her mouth.
“The meat must be fresh to give it such a rich flavor. I have a friend that’s a butcher. I can get the freshest meat in town.” Haley was glad Ray hadn’t sniffed glue or huffed spray paint. That would have ruined his liver for sure.
“I can’t stop eating this. This is so good!” Adele gobbled another up.
“Let me get the next courses warming.” Haley went to the refrigerator and removed two pots. He put them on the stove and turned on the burners.
Adele excused herself for eating so much and had another glass of champagne. Haley picked up the plates to ready for the next course. The two continued to talk like teenagers on the third date.
When the soup was hot enough, Haley filled two bowls and placed a piece of toasted bread on top. He then layered on two different chesses and dashed on some paprika. After five minutes on broil in the oven, he removed it. The cheese had melted, cascading over the side of the bowls all bubbly and golden brown.
“French onion soup,” he said placing the bowl in front of her. “I made the Consommé myself.”
“Oh, my. This looks delicious,” she said scooping a spoon of cheese, bread, and broth. “Mmmm . . . Ha-ley. This is so rich and tangy. I never had any soup like this before. How’d you learn to cook like this?”
“I got a couple of French cookbooks so’s I could cook like they do at Le Feu. But when I started, it just seemed to come natural. Maybe I have some French blood in me from my ancestors,” he said, knowing that he had a famous French chef in him for dinner on more than one occasion.
After the two finished eating, Haley cleared the table and removed a bottle of wine from a cabinet. “This will complement our entrée perfectly.” He held the bottle for her to see the label.
“Zydeco Rosato . . .” Adele’s voice trailed off. “That’s the same wine Ray used to drink for special occasions.” Adele fought back tears.
Haley smiled. “It’s been my favorite for a long time too,” he lied. “It’s dry and will go well with the Beef Burgundy.” He called it beef even though there was no beef in the stew. Haley poured them each a glass of wine, prepared two plates of the stew, and sat down to eat.
“Haley, you’ve been so sweet. I want you to know you have come to mean a lot to me. Ray is gone, and I miss him so. But you have made his absence a little easier to handle.” Adele reached out and squeezed his hand.
“You mean a lot to me too, Mrs. Adele. You always have.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze back, picked up his fork, and began eating. He didn’t want her to get too emotional, at least not now.
“You know,” Adele said after finishing a bite of meat, “being with you tonight makes me feel like Ray is right here with us.”
He is here. And after he makes his way through your intestines, you can say hello to him when you pass him in the morning. Haley did all he could to keep himself from bursting out laughing.
Adele had finished about three quarters of her food when she put her fork down and wiped her mouth on her napkin. “I just can’t eat another bite. That was the best tasting food I’ve ever had. Every dish was special. I would be big as a house if I ate like that every day.”
“A man would be so’s lucky to cook for you every day, Mrs. Adele,” Haley said with a wanting in his voice.
Adele blushed and abruptly rose from her chair. “Here, let me help you clean up. It’s the least I can do after you went through all this work.”
Haley sensed her discomfort. The two gathered the dishes and put them in the sink. “We’ll just l
et them soak. I’ll take care of them in the morning.”
Adele looked toward the ceiling, and said, “I feel like I’m watching a movie. Like I’m waiting for the next scene to happen.” He voice drifted and she continued to stare in silence.
“Would you like some dessert, my Little Boo? I can make Banana’s Foster.”
“What did you call me?” Adele asked.
“I called you ‘my Little Boo.’”
Tears rolled down Adele’s face. “When we were alone, Ray used to call me Little Boo.” She reached out and pulled Haley’s body tightly against her, crying on his shoulder. Haley returned the embrace, patting her gently on the back.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to be upset. I’ve had such a wonderful time tonight. I feel safe with you just like I felt with Ray,” Adele said doing her best to choke back tears.
Haley pulled her away and wiped her cheeks with his handkerchief. He looked deep into her eyes and gave her a gentle kiss. Adele smiled.
Haley gave her a longer kiss. She kissed him back. He took her by the hand and led her to his bedroom. She didn’t protest, and the two shared a night of passion.
*
Haley awoke when the sunlight peeked through the bedroom window. He rose from his bed and went to the bathroom, leaving Adele to sleep in. Haley had a good feeling Adele wouldn’t want to go looking for Ray that morning or any morning ever again.
He sat in his living room and picked up a book strewn on his couch. Mind Hemorrhages, a collection of twisted tales by Dane Hatchell. He had read most of the book. It contained some of the most imaginative tales he had read in a long time. He opened it to the table of contents, and his mind drifted over the past events of his new life. Becoming a cannibal had brought nothing but good fortune his way. In fact, his life couldn’t be going better if he had written it himself.
Hmm. Written it myself. His eyes drifted to the old IBM Selectric typewriter on the desk and the half-typed page yellowing in the carriage.
Haley had attempted to write a horror story many years ago. It took him hours just to type the meager half page. He had always meant to go back and finish the story but didn’t know how. Now he thought there just might be a way.
Haley looked at the cover of Mind Hemorrhages again, focusing on the author’s name. That son of a bitch is a fantastic new talent.
A clear plan formed in his mind. Next month he was scheduled for two weeks of vacation. Tomorrow, he would go to the public library, get on the internet, and find out where Hatchell lived. He had two weeks to find him, eat him, and hopefully go back home and begin a writing career. He might even give up one of his shifts if it worked out as he hoped.
I wonder what other things I’ll pick up from this Hatchell character? I hope he’s not a freak, and I sure hope he likes women. I don’t think I could ever get use to the taste of tube steak. Haley laughed aloud. He could always crack himself up.
The End
From Severed PRESS
Alien microbes mutate with the DNA of the dead, reanimating corpses to life. A cop, Rico, and a junkie streetwalker, Angie, barely escape the onslaught of zombies. As they head for sanctuary, a jealous pimp seeks revenge, and Angie’s drug addiction, become a greater threat than the undead.
Soul Mates: Higher learning through Cannibalism Page 3