Chapter 68: The Price of Desperation
The silence of the Kimo household was suffocating. Mina crept down the stairs, her bare feet making no sound against the polished wood. Her heart felt like a trapped bird, fluttering frantically against her ribs. Every creak of the house sounded like a thunderclap in her ears. She stopped at the landing, her eyes darting through the shadows. Was her mother awake? Was Lai still in his room? The darkness seemed to breathe with her, heavy and ominous.
Satisfied that she was alone, she slipped into the kitchen. The stainless steel surfaces glinted coldly under the moonlight. She reached for the refrigerator, her fingers trembling as she pulled open the heavy door. The pale light spilled out, illuminating the stacks of food. She grabbed a package of raw meat, the plastic cold and slick in her hands.
"This is frozen, girl," Michael's voice hissed from within her skull, dripping with venomous disgust. "I do not want ice. I need the warmth of life. I need fresh meat... meat that still remembers the pulse of a heart."
Mina's stomach churned. She looked at the frozen block of beef, then slowly placed it back on the shelf. The hunger inside her wasn't her own, but it was consuming her nonetheless. Driven by a primal fear, she turned away from the fridge and headed for the front door. She didn't grab a coat; she didn't grab her shoes. She just walked out into the biting night air.
As she walked down the deserted street, she felt a sharp, stinging pain in her gums. She reached up, her fingers brushing against her teeth. They felt different—longer, jagged, and terrifyingly sharp. The parasite was changing her, molding her body to suit its own grisly appetite.
"I need money," she whispered to the wind. "I can't just walk into a butcher shop and ask for blood."
She reached the city's commercial district, where the night was alive with neon lights and the roar of engines. In a large plaza, a massive crowd had gathered for a car showcase. A sleek, silver prototype sat on a pedestal, surrounded by flashing cameras and cheering people. It was the perfect cover.
I've never stolen anything in my life, Mina thought, her eyes welling with tears. But if I don't, this thing will eat me from the inside out.
She forced herself into the thick of the crowd, her small frame disappearing among the towering adults. She stood still for a moment, her senses overwhelmed by the smell of expensive cologne and street food. Directly in front of her stood a massive man, a bodybuilder with shoulders like boulders, laughing loudly with a friend.
As the man leaned forward to cheer for the car, Mina noticed a glimmer in his friend's pocket. It was a pouch of Golden Repose—small, high-value tokens that held the same weight as gold coins in the Sector.
With a shaking hand, Mina reached out. Her fingers moved with a phantom-like grace she didn't know she possessed—perhaps Michael was aiding her. She slipped the pouch out of the pocket and began to turn away, her heart hammering so hard she thought it might burst.
"Hey, girl!"
The voice was like a physical blow. The bodybuilder's hand clamped onto her shoulder like a vice. Mina tried to bolt, to disappear into the legs of the crowd, but the man was too fast. He yanked her back, spinning her around with enough force to make her head swim.
"Look at this little rat," the bodybuilder sneered, his face twisting into a mask of mockery.
Mina looked up, her face pale, her lips trembling. "Please... I... I didn't..."
CRACK.
The man's open palm struck her across the face. The force of the slap sent Mina sprawling onto the cold pavement. Her vision blurred, and the iron taste of blood filled her mouth. The crowd, once cheering for the car, now formed a silent circle of voyeurs, watching the spectacle.
The bodybuilder didn't stop. He stepped forward and drove a heavy boot into Mina's side. She let out a choked gasp, curling into a ball as the air was forced out of her lungs.
"Stupid brat," the man spat. "You thought you could rob us?"
Across the district, Lai was sprinting through the streets. He had found Mina's room empty and the front door ajar. A sense of impending doom had guided him toward the plaza. He pushed through the outskirts of the crowd, his eyes scanning frantically until he saw the circle.
Inside, the bodybuilder had reached down and grabbed Mina by her hair, forcing her to stand. Her face was bruised, and a trail of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. His friend snatched the pouch of Golden Repose back from her limp hand.
"Let's break her bones," the friend suggested, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Teach her what happens to thieves in this Sector."
The bodybuilder chuckled, raising his fist for another strike. Mina closed her eyes, bracing for a blow that she knew would break her jaw.
"Get your filthy hands off my sister."
The voice was cold, sharp, and laced with a terrifying stillness. The bodybuilder froze, his fist hovering in mid-air. He turned to see Lai standing a few feet away, his chest heaving, his eyes burning with a protective rage that made even the massive man hesitate.
Lai stepped forward, his movements deliberate. He reached out and pulled Mina away from the man's grip, shielding her behind his back.
"She tried to steal our money," the bodybuilder said, regaining his bravado. "She needs to be punished. I'll tell you what—you have two choices. One, you leave this little beauty with us. We'll show her a 'good time' at the club, and maybe we'll call it even." He let out a disgusting, throaty laugh. "Or two, you pay us double what she tried to take, and maybe I won't snap your neck too."
Lai didn't hesitate. He didn't argue. He reached into his own belt and pulled out three Golden Coins, slamming them into the bodybuilder's palm.
"Take it," Lai hissed. "And if I ever see your face again, I'll make sure you never walk another step."
The bodybuilder looked at the coins, a smug smile spreading across his face. He nodded to his friend, and the two of them backed away, disappearing into the crowd toward the nearest neon-lit club.
"She was cute, though," the man whispered to his friend as they walked away. "With that money, we're going to have an even better night."
Lai didn't look at them. He turned to Mina, who was shivering and sobbing quietly. He saw the bruises on her face and the blood on her chin. His heart broke, but his mind was clouded with questions. Why was she here? Why would his sister—the girl who wouldn't even hurt an insect—try to steal?
"Mina..." he whispered, his voice trembling. "What is happening to you?"
Mina couldn't answer. Deep within her, Michael was laughing, a soundless, vibration that shook her soul. The hunger hadn't gone away. It had only grown sharper. And now, she had a new problem: her brother was watching, and the secret under her skin was becoming harder to hide.