Corpse As Body, Corpse As Meal

7

NATALIA peeked at the gap on the window. It was already deep into the night yet the president’s guards were still patrolling around the yards of Malacañang.

‘Now the going gets tough. I thought, being close to the higher ups would make it easy for me. I didn’t think about the possibility that my movements will be limited once I live in Malacañang.’

Natalia closed the sliding window completely and looked around her new bed room. The floors and walls were shiny and made of varnished wood in pale brown color. A four-postered bed was centered against the right side of the room with white sheets and a soft mattress. The room was so neat, she was getting worried about the possibility of defacing it soon. She could still recall that time when she was still in Aunt Hilda’s apartment. She was only in Citadel for a few months. She still had some energy back then and tends to throw a fit because of her hunger. As a result, he broke some fragile decorations and tore the sofa . . .

The very thought of Aunt Hilda made her eyes water.

On the outside, she was pale and lifeless. It was as if she was a cold, unfeeling corpse, but deep down, her heart was crushed at the thought that she will never be with Aunt Hilda again. In spite of being this monster, she still grieves for losing the only person left for her. The person who helped her sneak in Citdael. The only person left who understands her true nature . . .

The door opened, making her jumpy. She did not lock it, because she was still planning to sneak out and find a corpse to eat. She had dinner earlier, courtesy of the president, but it was only human food and not the kind of food that the monstrous side of her was asking for . . .

She saw Cjay, propping the right side of his body by the door’s frame. Natalia immediately covered her mouth and nose. She should not smell him! She shouldn’t!

Cjay glared at him. “You’re really enjoying this, huh? Showing it to my face how I smell like crap?”

“Why are you even here?” she asked instead of answering him. ‘You didn’t even bother to knock!’ she continued at the back of her mind. As of this moment, she was trying to be a little nicer to him. Natalia was reminded that she was already his assistant, and she wouldn’t want to risk her chances and be kicked out of her new place by being rude to this idiot.

“The Hilda died?”

What a foul-mouthed idiot. Was it that hard for him to call her ‘Aunt’ Hilda? How dare this idiot to address her aunt as if she wasn’t a person.

“Is it that hard to be a little more respectful and call her Aunt Hilda?” She put down her hand that covered her mouth and nose. An inexplicable courage ran all over her body that shut the despicable man, her first achievement against that idiot which she was going to make sure that wouldn’t be the last. “Yes. My aunt just died. Do you want to know why?”

“Why?” He had the audacity to lift an eyebrow at her while crossing his arms.

“Because of a zombie like you,” she spat spicily. “She got bit by your likes. That’s what killed her.”

His eyebrows knitted together while his eyes intensely glared at her.

“See? Innocent people get harmed because of . . .” ‘Shit. I’m salivating again!’ She was about to blame zombies again but in her fear of drooling in front of Cjay, Natalia immediately turned away from him. Loads of spit were starting to rush up her throat, filling her mouth.

Meanwhile, Cjay found the way Natalia turned her back on him a little dramatic. He thought that she was hiding the vulnerable look on her face, her being emotional, because of Aunt Hilda’s death. He had no clue that it was his scent that made her look away from him . . . the hunger that his mere scent and presence intensified.