The First Supper Pt. 2

The phone barely had the chance to ring once before Cress's mother, Cindy, answered.

"So my daughter finally finds the time to call me back," Cindy said. Her graying brown hair was tied up into a messy bun that made her head look like an onion and her toffee eyes looked tired.

"It was one day, Mom. Not talking for a day isn't going to kill you."

"You say that now, but you'll regret ignoring me when I join your father."

"Stop being so dramatic," Cress sighed, adjusting her phone so the camera was centered on her face. She didn't want her mom to see Illia if she happened to come out, so she headed to her room.

"I'm not being dramatic! I'm fifty-eight Cress. I'll be dead before you know it."

"That's not even that old. Didn't grandma live to ninety-three?"

"Don't even. Your grandmother only lived that long out of spite. I swear, the woman was fueled by her hate for your father and that's why she didn't die until after he passed."

"How could you say that?! Grandma was a kind, loving woman. Why do you always make her out to be some wicked witch?"

"Ugh. You don't know the half of it. She was only sweet to you and your cousin. The rest of us she treated like dirt."

"If you say so. But was there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Do I need a reason to want to hear my only daughter's voice once in a while?"

"God help me, it's always like this," Cress thought, stepping into her room and closing the door behind her. "Her voicemails made it sound like she was at death's door or something."

"Anyways, how long do you plan on staying in your Aunt Kathy's house? She let you move in because you were going to school in the city, but you haven't been enrolled in over a year now!"

"It's fine," Cress said sitting on the edge of her bed. A small chirp warned her that William was coming to her and she held out her hand for him to land on. "Auntie said she doesn't care as long as I pay for the utilities. It's not like she's coming back home anytime soon. She just got a new boyfriend."

"Don't remind me. Why that woman thinks it's okay to date men half her age…"

The call continued for twenty minutes, with Cindy doing most of the talking and Cress just absently agreeing with whatever her mother said and occasionally repeating the last thing said as a question. Her mother loved to gossip and in the short time they'd been on the phone, Cress listened to her mother rant about her Auntie and how the neighbor's son was almost ready to graduate with a degree in Biomechanical Engineering.

"…And then Lori said that-"

A soft knock on the door interrupted Cress's mother.

"I apologize for disturbing you, but the food courier has arrived. I was unsure if I should let them in."

"I'll get it," Cress said, cursing at herself for forgetting the food. She knew what was coming next.

"Who was that? Do you have guests? Why didn't you tell me! I'm here chattering away while you have someone over. Is it Vianna? Tell her I said hi and to have her mother call me."

"It's not Vianna, Mom. You don't know them."

"Since when does my little shut in have friends I don't know about? Last I checked your only friends were Vianna and that promiscuous dark haired girl."

"Her name is Kirian and stop calling her that. She's really nice and who she dates is none of our business. I have to go, the food I ordered is here."

"Fine, fine. Just make sure whoever your new friend isn't trying to take advantage of you. Don't you remember that one boy from-"

"I'm going now. I love you."

Cress didn't wait for her mother to answer before hanging up. Knowing her mother, she would have carried on for another hour or more, going from topic to topic until Cress wanted to throw her phone out the window.

"Sorry about that," Cress said, finally making it out of her room and walking to the front door. "My mom likes to talk my ear off."

"It's fine. To my understanding human families are often quite close."

The words "human families" caught Cress's attention, but she put her curiosity on hold until after she grabbed the food from in the hall. She hated interacting with the delivery people so always had them leave it for her. She just refrained from telling Illia so she had an excuse to get off the phone. Otherwise, she'd be talking for hours.

"Here we are," Cress said, waving her hands at the half dozen food containers spread over the coffee table. "Is there anything you want to try?" She looked to Illia for any hint of what she might like, but to her surprise, Illia's nose was wrinkled and her extra eyes were squeezed shut.

"I… I will try whatever you recommend," Illia said. She smiled, though Cress could tell it was out of politeness.

"What's wrong? I got a lot hoping you'd like something, but you don't have to force yourself."

"It's nothing. Please, let me try…" Illia hesitated before pointing at the container of chicken and green beans.

"Of course!"

Cress quickly put some of the food on a plate along with some steamed rice and handed it to Illia with a plastic fork. She could feel Illia's reluctance as she took the plate and she was certain the spider princess was forcing herself to try the food. Sure enough, she struggled to swallow a piece of the chicken before giving Cress a nod and smile.

"It was… unique," Illia said, setting the plate on her lap. "Thank you."

Cress's heart sank to her stomach. She had ordered so much food, some of which she knew she wouldn't eat herself, and it was obvious that none of it suited Illia.

"I'm sorry. I got a bunch hoping you'd like at least one thing, but you seem put off."

"You are not to blame," Illia said quickly, holding her hands up in front of her. "I am at fault. Oily foods have a pungent odor akin to soured meat to me."

"You should have told me. There are plenty of other places I could have ordered from."

"I did not wish to be an inconvenience and I feared sharing my preferences would… upset you."

"Do you… eat bugs?"

An amused laugh filled the room and it took several seconds for Illia to regain her composure.

"On occasion, though, they are not the small insects you imagine. In truth, I dislike cooked meat in general."

"That makes sense I guess. Should I go to the store and get something raw? But then I'd have to take the bus. I don't have enough money left in my account to afford a ride service after ordering all this food and going out with Vianna and Kirian the other night. And I don't get paid till tomorrow."

"Fret not, Cress," Illia said, pulling Cress from her thoughts. "It is normal for my kind to hunt for their meals. I will find something for myself later."

"That… may be a problem. There aren't any animals to hunt in the city."

Illia's head tilted to the side in what Cress was noting as the woman's way of expressing confusion. "But I observed a plethora of small fowl when I followed you here. There are some now."

Cress followed Illia's finger as she pointed out the glass door to the roof of the building across the street and her appetite faded. Dozens of pigeons were gathered, sitting and strutting around.

"The pigeons?"

"If that is the name of the fowl gathered there."

"You can't eat…" Cress racked her mind for a reason, but nothing came to mind. If Illia was fine with it, why couldn't she? It's not like anyone would care. "I guess if you're okay with it, it's fine."

"Wonderful! I shall return presently."

Before Cress could say anything, Illia opened the balcony door and stepped outside. She stood perfectly still for several seconds, observing the unsuspecting birds and Cress realized too late what was about to happen. Her body broke out into a cold sweat, her eyes unable to look away as several translucent threads shot from Illia's open palm and wrapped tightly around one of the idling birds, creating a puff of grey and white feathers.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Cress's heart pounded in her chest and she scrambled off of the couch, falling on the floor. She scrambled toward her room, stumbling on her feet before tumbling inside and slamming the door behind her, gasping for air.

"What the fuck was I thinking? There's no way. I can't. I can't why the fuck did I think this would work?! She wants to eat a God damned pigeon! Why, why, WHY?!"

A knock came at the door.

"Are you well?"

"I'm — Fine." Cress replied through deep breaths. "I'll — Be — Out — Soon."

She waited to hear Illia walk away from the door, only to quickly realize she'd never heard Illia make any sound unless she was talking.

"Jesus Christ. How is that even possible? If she wanted to, she could sneak into my room any time she wanted and…"

Cress's baggy hoodie suddenly felt suffocating on her, like it was squeezing her body. Flailing her arms, she threw it off and hugged her knees tightly. Her glasses hung haphazardly on her face as her body rocked back and forth, and she tried to focus on taking deep breaths. After a couple of minutes, she managed to calm down.

"She can't stay here."