Page 58 of Mortis

It wasn’t that I disliked people.

I didn’t.

I could tolerate them. I just wasn’t particularly good at talking to them. There wasn’t any real reason why. I could happily chat to Grandad and Arlo until my voice went hoarse. And Kael had somehow found his way into that circle too.

But with the general public, I became awkward. More awkward than usual, anyway. So whenever possible, I avoided putting myself in situations where I had to interact with them.

Today wasn’t one of those days.

Sadly.

“Will you two be alright without us?” Grandad asked, looking between Kael and me.

“You’re going to a funeral,” I deadpanned. “Not marching off to war.”

Grandad crossed the room and pinched my nose, just as he’d done ever since I was little. Using his grip to wiggle my head from side to side, he laughed. I did too. I always did.

“You’re a cheeky little minx, Teddy Adler.” Then he cupped my cheeks in his warm, weathered hands and kissed my forehead. “Love you, kid.”

I poked him gently in his soft stomach. “Love you too, old man.”

He winked before returning to Arlo’s side.

“Close up for an hour,” he instructed. “Take the company card from the desk and buy yourselves some lunch.”

“You got it.”

Grandad pointed at me, but directed his next words at Kael.

“You make sure he eats.”

I rolled my eyes.

Seriously, a guy forgets to eat once . . .

Okay, maybe closer to ten times. Still, that didn’t mean I couldn’t be trusted with something as simple as buying lunch. But Kael, being Kael, nodded with complete seriousness. As though Grandad had entrusted him with an ancient quest.

“Yes, Mr Adler.”

Grandad smiled. “We’ll be back by three.”

“Don’t burn the place down,” Arlo added with a wave.

I waited until Grandad had turned away before flipping him off. Arlo simply stuck his tongue out and disappeared after him, leaving Kael and me alone. Neither of us spoke right away, so I tipped my head back to look up at him.

Unsurprisingly, I found him already watching me.

Kael looked at me the way most people looked at sunsets.

Like I was worth paying attention to.

“Hungry?” I asked.

His eyes drifted towards the refrigeration unit. Where the clinical waste bag was hidden at the back, filled with carefully sliced strips of human flesh. He shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. Almost as though he felt guilty for wanting it.

My mouth twitched.

As it turned out, I paid attention to him too.