Peach Pie

[Miriam]

The day was a Wednesday and a quiet one at that. Her Master was off going his own.. Master-y things someplace somewhere else. Miriam could really care less about the specifics. He did his thing and she did hers, plus the occasional errand. Most of the time those errands involved names, but names just made games more fun!

Fun and games only got a little girl so far. Eventually empty tummies caught up to skipping feet and steered them straight to the next immediate location - the kitchen.

Humming happily the girl turned from the hall, to the dinning room, and headed straight for the kitchen. There was always good things to be had there! Well - good things as long as the pantry was stocked. It had gotten kind of trashed a few months ago but it wasn't completely barren. For the little girl there was only one true reason the kitchen might be empty or not, and that was if there was peaches!

Peach season wasn't technically for another couple months, but there tended to be a few floating around yet. Most of them were frozen or dried but they were still pretty good. Frozen fruit was saved for the boogies. Few slaves ever got to eat them during the winter and early spring months. The same went for nuts and vegetables, but old bread and 'anything-you-can-find' soups only went so far.

Nearing the kitchen door Miriam slowed and her rust colored eyes widened. There was something yummy going on in there! Slowing down she tip-toed like a mouse, just barely easing open the door to take a peek in. Good news! There was something wonderful smelling being made inside. Bad news? That also meant being found there by someone else. But who could resist? She smelled peaches!!!

Peering in she could see someone moving about, someone biiiiig. Being small was almost invisible! The kitchen was horrible for hiding places, but one only needed to keep in the one place their seekers couldn't look! The moment it moved by again she scuttled in and right upon their heels. That was the wonderful things about humans, they couldn't see directly behind themselves without turning their heads - and if they did turn their head - the blind spot only moved. A quick pair of feet and small statue should surely be able to follow it easily enough, right?

Some slaves were denser than rocks. One could practically walk right on in, do whatever they wanted, and they still wouldn't be noticed! Ah well - whichever the case this way Miriam was up for it. She could already think of a million different excuses for being there, and if worse came to absolute worse she could always get them to forget she was even there. Miriam had to do her absolute best from giggling at the thought.

Anything to get closer to those peaches!

[Elric Vlarintos]

The day found Elric chewing quietly on a toothpick pressed between his teeth. He enjoyed how the wood could give under the pressure of his enamel when he clamped his jaw and then spring back to its original shape. Of course, doing this repeatedly would eventually splinter the wood, but that just released a little bit more of the wood's flavor into his mouth.

He had been busying himself with cleaning the kitchen while also baking a pie. With some rare luck he had found a few cans of peaches earlier in the day. Something his mother had done when he was younger was bake peach pie. It seemed like an unusual experience on the rare occasion he shared it with other children. As far as others were concerned it did not sound appetizing.

They simply did not know what they were missing, Elric thought.

Gauging from the smells wafting out of the oven, Elric knew the pie was almost finished. It was something of a relief, since he had just finished cleaning up the kitchen. But wasn't there something out of place?

Elric turned about, confident that he heard something. However, it was like the sound of the shadows shuffling; the sound existed only in his mind. He turned, but again he heard the sound. Elric actually started feeling paranoia slipping into his mind. He simply had to settle this once and for all.

The man turned his attention to the oven and started to walk in that direction. As he passed a counter he suddenly took a step to the side and looked to where he had been not half a second ago. Let's see if his phantom will show up now.