The Long Road

As Lottie trucked along the power lines, everything was set to go smoothly. Or so I thought, until my stomach rumbled and I got up to get something to snack on.

The pod's kitchen was tiny, but my parents had it stocked well before I had left. So it was a little surprising to see just how little food was left - none of Dad's casserole, of course, but even the glasses full of soup were becoming shockingly sparse. And the small fridge didn't look as full as it could be, either.

"Huh."

I closed the fridge door, and opened it again, just to check. Maybe I hadn't looked into it properly. But no. There was still just a can of fizzy cactus soda, half a lemon and something that should definitely be taken care of by a cleaning bot. I shuddered.

"Hm."

My gaze went back to the cupboards. Maybe I had overlooked something there? But when I opened them, only dust and emptiness greeted me. Great.

My stomach rumbled again, louder this time. And I could feel myself get more annoyed, as well.

"Urgh."

Well, that meant another unexpected detour from their optimal route. But wasting a little bit of time was better than to stay hungry, right?

"You sound annoyed."

"You're getting better and better at reading me," I sighed.

I really didn't want to antagonize Emelyse, but I was getting more irritated. Deep breaths, I thought. I can do this.

"We have to get more food," I explained instead. "This should only take a while."

I sat down in the cockpit, and messed with the route I had originally put into the navigation system.

"Are you sure you want to change the route?" Lottie asked.

"Urgh."

Was I sure? Of course not. But I was hungry, and getting more food for the next few days sounded like the best plan, definitely.

"Unclear answer. Are you sure you want to change the route?" Lottie asked, again.

"Yes, please change the route," I answered this time.

"Understood! Then, we're on our way to Old Brooks."

"Great."

I leaned back in the seat, hoping that it would be enough to stop my hunger. But no. This time, my stomach made sounds that were far too loud and far too long to go unnoticed.

"Are you sick?" Emelyse asked.

"No, just hungry," I said.

"Then, why don't we eat?"

"I told you, we don't have much left. And we can't survive on tea and coffee."

"We can't?"

I shook my head. She was strange, and I wasn't sure if she was joking or not. But no matter her intentions, she did make me feel better.

"You're right, actually. Enduring the hunger won't do me any good. Let's see what we can scrounge up."

"That sounds good. Terran food is quite different from what I would usually consume, so please, tell me what I should do to help."

"Huh? What do you usually eat?"

She clicked her mouth, a sound that I simply couldn't replicate. "Ah, well. Usually we liquify our nutrients, and consume them according to what our bodies need. Right now, with your Terran food, I'm a bit out of balance. It's not a bad feeling, though. I don't think I have eaten this much sugar in my entire life."

"Uh..."

I couldn't help but blush. I knew that my diet wasn't that healthy, but it wasn't that bad, right?

"It's good for the soul," I said instead.

"I see." She nodded. "That's what you mean by soul food, then?"

"Right."

Maybe we could make something, anything, with what we had left.

"Lottie."

"What is it, Toma?"

"Do you have an inventory of everything on the ship?"

"Of course!"

"Then please, tell me what food we still have left."

"Sure! We have

[1] can of lentil soup

[12] cookie crumbs

[4] chocolate bars

[0.25] bread

[0.5] butter stick

[1] jar orange marmalade

[0.5] lemon

[1] cocoa bag

[3?] carrots???"

"Uh. Right."

That didn't sound too good, especially those dubious carrots. But it wasn't all that bad.

I had forgotten the bread, even though it was one of those things that Mom put in the pod at the last second. It'll taste best when it's still warm and fresh, she had said. And I took her word. After the first day, I hadn't touched it again.

Maybe now was the time to get rid of it, once and for all.

"Well, Em, are you ready for some food?"

"Yes!"

We went and prepare the thick, dark brown bread slices.

"Let's toast them a little," I said, and slid them into the all-in-one cooking machine.

Emelyse watched me with glittering eyes while eating a spoonful of marmalade here and there.

"Lottie? Some music, please," I said.

Even though I was hungry, I was slowly getting into the vibes. As the bread toasted, a rich, earthy aroma filled the tiny kitchen. But at least, the music masked my rumbling stomach now. And when I took out the slices, they came out perfect, warm but not burned and crisp, yet still soft enough to the touch. The butter was at the perfect temperature, easy to spread thickly onto the slices in a stark contrast of light and dark. It melted on the edges a little, and sank into the bread.

Finally, we topped our slices with a thick spread of marmalade, the tiny bits of orange skin in the shining, translucent orange jelly reminding me of amber. The colors looked more intense than I had ever seen them in my life, and I could smell not only the warm bread, but also the sugary orange. My mouth watered, and the urge to just shove it all into my mouth was almost too much to bear.

"Well, then, enjoy," I said, and took one slice.

"You enjoy as well, Toma," Emelyse said while mirroring my movements.

The first bite was heavenly. I wasn't sure if it was just the best piece of bread in the entire human history or if it was because I was really, really, really hungry, but it flooded my mind, and it felt like I could taste it with my whole body. The outer part of the bread had a pleasant crunch to it, while the middle was still nice and soft. The butter was thick and creamy, and the marmalade so sweet and juicy than it tasted even better than real oranges.

I couldn't stop at one slice. Even though we didn't have many - two for each of us - I ate the second one without much thought, and only stopped as I automatically reached for the next one.

"Ah... sorry," I said.

Emelyse tilted her head. "Don't worry. You can have it."

"Are you sure? You must be hungry, too."

She laughed. "Not really. I enjoy eating with you, but it is not necessary for my survival."

"Well, living is about more than just survival, right?" I grumbled.

Then, I blinked. I was getting defensive again, and for what?

"Ah, I mean, I'm thankful for you offering me your piece, but it's still yours. And you should enjoy it. Really."

She continued to smile at me, and shook her head slowly. "I enjoy watching you more."

"Uh, yeah. I noticed that."

I looked at her once more.

"Are you sure?"

I had to confirm. She nodded.

"I am sure, Toma. Please, take it."

"Then, thank you."

I took the slice, and it was probably the best out of the three I had. Just as warm and sweet and wonderful. But on top of that, to think that she would share with me - it made it even sweeter. I didn't even mind her looking at me all the time, and in her head, surely taking more notes.

When I was done, I leaned back, looking at the ceiling above us. Dad - or Mom, maybe - had stuck little glowing stars up there, and even now, in the morning sun, they glittered and glimmered in different colors. They were no match for the real thing, though.

"We are set to arrive in Old Brooks in ten minutes," Lottie let us know.

"Great." I stretched. "This shouldn't take too long, I hope."

"I can't wait," Emelyse said.

"Oh, right. You haven't seen many towns yet, right? Maybe we can have a little tour, then."

"I'd love to!"