Page 18 of Fresh Flesh

Lurg

I have begunto suspect that I am not the only one having sex with our servant Maisie.

It’s subtle, but I’ve noticed some exchanges between her and Joras, or her and Mlarx even, that make me wonder. They look at each other just a little bit too long, stand just a little bit too close, and she even makes my cohorts laugh just a little too much.

That, and I caught her coming out of Mlarx’s quarters the other day, and she had his smell all over him. She claimed she was in there cleaning his room. I’m not certain I can believe that.

Today, I have decided to keep her within sight at all times. That lasts all of three hours. She's such a sneaky little thing. She can vanish for hours or even all day and come traipsing back like nothing has happened.

I am a hunter, a warrior. A killer. I should be able to keep track of one little human woman. Yet that has proven nearly impossible for me. I remind myself that Maisie escaped another Grengoran camp once before. You don’t do that unless you are very good at hiding and sneaking around.

She is also most resourceful and intelligent. Maisie would not have survived if that were not the case, not in the wilds on her own.

In fact, the one major mistake she made caused her to roll down the hill and land almost literally in our laps. One could argue that mistake has resulted in her being fed, sheltered, and cared for. Not to mention she’s managed to keep herself off the menu.

I go and ask Mlarx and Joras if they know where Maisie has gone. I will admit, I seek them out hoping to find her in their company, but that turns out not to be the case. Both of them say the same thing. They expected her to be at home during this hour of the day.

I set out to look for her, starting with the woods bordering the valley. I can’t pick up her scent anywhere, not even after three circuits of the valley itself.

That makes me think she hasn’t left the confines of the farm. So where is she?

I head back to the camp proper, my gaze swiveling about. The humans who see me coming on the other side of the fence make sure to slink away, though not too quickly. Running might garner my attention after all.

I almost feel tempted to ask one of them if they’ve seen Maisie about. Only that would require talking to my food, which I’m not all that enamored of.

On my way back to the house, I spot Maisie walking from the opposite direction. My stride increases in speed and ferocity as anger bubbles up inside of me. Maisie notices my approach and plasters a wide smile on her face.

“Lurg, fancy meeting you here—”

I grab her around the throat and slam her against the fence, a portion of it that is not electrified of course. The fence deforms under her weight as I shove her hard.

“Where have you been?” I demand.

She doesn’t seem afraid. Instead, she looks almost sad.

“Lurg,” she says, her voice a bit tight from the grip I have on her throat, “could you ever change your diet?’

I cock my head to the side, confused.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think you could ever stop eating humans?”

“Why would I want to do that?” I say with a snort.

Her gaze darts toward a small group of humans gathered together in the shade of a tree.

“I’ve been talking to the others, the other humans I mean.”

“I see.” My eyes narrow. “That is not a good idea, Maisie.”

“I know, but I can’t help seeing them as…well, like me. They’re human beings. It’s hard for me to fathom that they’re being turned into food for Grengorans.”

“That is the way of things,” I say.

“Yes,” she replies, her eyes clear and bright. “But does it have to be that way?”

I open my mouth to say of course it has to be that way…but then I stop. Does it have to be that way?

All of a sudden, I don’t know what to say to her. My anger has largely flown away. I just stand there holding her throat, until she shifts a bit in my grip. I lower her to the ground, still not knowing what I should say to her.

Perhaps there is no easy or good answer. Whatever the case may be, she’s given me something to think about.

A lot to think about.

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