Chapter 30: Favorite
Kaya
Ray gives me a knowing look, as if I’m some kind of sandwich connoisseur, and I try to return it with an awkward smile.
"You want one?" he asks, his eyebrows lifting expectantly. "You look like you haven’t eaten in days!"
He’s exaggerating, of course, but the gnawing hunger in my stomach makes it feel like he’s not far off. Before I can answer, he plucks a wrapped sandwich from a basket on the counter and slides it toward me, his face alight with anticipation.
Barbecue sauce and tuna.
Just thinking about the combination makes my stomach churn, but I accept the sandwich anyway, peeling back the wrapper slowly, as if delaying the inevitable might somehow improve my chances of survival.
Taking a deep breath, I force myself to take a generous bite, closing my eyes to block out Ray’s eager stare.
It’s awful.
Sam was right—who in their right mind would think barbecue sauce and fish belong together? The taste is so jarring that for a second, I wonder if this is some kind of twisted joke. The chef back at Dark Wood never experimented like this.
Still, I’m in no position to complain. And the last thing I want is to get on the bad side of the man who controls the food supply.
So instead of voicing my dismay, I just keep eating, forcing down each bite as quickly as possible, barely bothering to chew.
By the time I near the last bite of my sandwich, I’ve stopped thinking about the taste entirely. The mere presence of food in my mouth fuels my appetite, and before I even realize it, my hands are empty—yet my stomach still grumbles for more.