01- Clearly, we are hungry people this week.
She began, as always, in the produce section. Today, she found herself ogling the apples, which looked especially vibrant today-- the Granny Smiths in particular, with their bright green, yellow-flecked skins. While Cass didn't paint still-lives, those apples almost made her consider it (which reminded her, she was low on cadmium yellow). She picked up a couple of apples, dropped them in a flimsy plastic bag, and pushed on further to the citrus fruits.
Her mind wandered as she combed through the grapefruits. Her leg was beginning to bother her again; she might need to get something stronger for the pain-- which meant she'd have to make some calls. She wasn't sure if she could talk her way into a prescription for something stronger from Dr. Parker; she'd all but run out of favors with him. She didn't want to raise too many red flags, and get herself labeled as either abused or an addict. No, she'd need to go a more unconventional route, which meant a call to Sari.
Cass had known Sari since the fourth grade. Having only recently begun traveling, Cass had all but withdrawn from the other students. Sari was the new girl who'd exhausted all of her options in public schools, and was now working the private circuit. She was naturally drawn to the outcasts, and so the two got along quite well. Sari made Cass feel confident, and Cass made Sari behave. They made it through the rest of school like an upper middle class Thelma and Louise. They terrorized the mall, snuck out to concerts, kissed the occasional boys. They grew apart a little when Cass went away for college, but Cass still considered her a good friend. Sari had always respected her need for space, and never asked questions about her... quirks. Cass knew that Sari knew she was different, though she was unsure how much she knew. It was probably better that way.
Cass had since wandered to the butcher's section. Before her, a man was making a rather hefty order-- several pounds of beef liver, some steaks, some lamb shoulder. Cass eyed the man-- he was huge, like a wrestler, and overly-tanned. He was wearing jeans and an ill-fitting turtleneck (as though anything could fit well on him, as huge as he was), even though it was warm outside. Cass couldn't help but notice the multivitamins and iron supplements in his basket, and his mangled wrist as he pointed to the meat behind the glass. The man was most definitely a vampire junkie, stocking up on essentials. The man behind the counter didn't seem to be fazed, as this was becoming more and more common, these days.
Cass had learned about vampires in her early teens-- the vamps called it the Great Reveal, when news stations all over the world were visited by local vamps, smiling their fangy smiles and declaring themselves harmless, having been feeding off of synthetic blood for years. Cass had been a little uneasy-- she'd thought that the monsters were only in her dreams-- but her mother was unfazed. After all, she was a businesswoman, and surely vampires had finances they needed to keep in order.
Now, the vampire- friendly businesses were booming. Every grocery store kept synthetic blood in stock; what was once a decaying downtown was now a vibrant club spot, as with the vampires had come other creatures that go bump in the night, and all of them wanted a piece of the fiscal action. Sari worked at a burlesque club called La Belle Morte, which was vampire-owned but had all kinds of dancers working there. Sari was one of the few humans employed there; she worked behind the bar. Cass would visit her at work sometimes, and enjoy the glitz and glam. Vampires and their supernatural brethren didn't scare her-- those things had to play by society's rules, and they could be killed. The things she saw when no one was around-- those things were scary.
"Thanks," Cass said to the butcher as he handed her a tightly-wrapped package of salmon. She dropped it in the basket and pushed onward towards the dairy section. Her leg began to throb some more, and she winced. It could hold her weight, so it wasn't broken, but clearly the ibuprofen wasn't going to ease the pain. It was time to call Sari. Cass fished her phone out of her pocket and punched the speed dial. She was eying the eggs when Sari picked up.
"Hey, girl," came Sari's voice, friendly but tired. Sari worked nights, and consequently slept through most mornings. "What's up?"
"Hey. I need a favor." Cass's voice was pleasant, but direct. She was very aware of her leg pain, and suspected it would only get worse as the day progressed.
"Mm." Sari knew what that meant. The only "favors" Cass ever needed were the medicinal kind. Sari didn't really consider them favors, since Cass was her best friend and always paid. But she played along, all the same. "The usual?"
"Yeah," Cass replied, putting a 12 pack of eggs in the basket. "I had a little... accident. Hurt my leg."
"Ah. Are you alright?" Cass was always hurting herself in some way or another. Sari used to worry that there was something going on in her house, but she'd lived alone for years and still had mysterious injuries. Sari didn't ask questions; she just helped out when she could.
Cass slowly made her way to the milk. "Yeah, yeah," she assured Sari, extracting a half gallon of milk from the freezer, "I just, y'know, need something."
"Well, come over tonight; I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, sweetheart." Sari was the only person with whom Cass used endearing terms. "I'll see you tonight. You want pasta?"
"If you're making it, then sure." Cass could hear the smile in Sari's voice. Cass loved to cook, and Sari loved to eat her cooking. It worked out well.
"Awesome. I'll see you tonight." Cass turned off her phone and shoved it back in her pocket. Painkillers and pasta-- it was going to be a good night.
Her mind wandered as she combed through the grapefruits. Her leg was beginning to bother her again; she might need to get something stronger for the pain-- which meant she'd have to make some calls. She wasn't sure if she could talk her way into a prescription for something stronger from Dr. Parker; she'd all but run out of favors with him. She didn't want to raise too many red flags, and get herself labeled as either abused or an addict. No, she'd need to go a more unconventional route, which meant a call to Sari.
Cass had known Sari since the fourth grade. Having only recently begun traveling, Cass had all but withdrawn from the other students. Sari was the new girl who'd exhausted all of her options in public schools, and was now working the private circuit. She was naturally drawn to the outcasts, and so the two got along quite well. Sari made Cass feel confident, and Cass made Sari behave. They made it through the rest of school like an upper middle class Thelma and Louise. They terrorized the mall, snuck out to concerts, kissed the occasional boys. They grew apart a little when Cass went away for college, but Cass still considered her a good friend. Sari had always respected her need for space, and never asked questions about her... quirks. Cass knew that Sari knew she was different, though she was unsure how much she knew. It was probably better that way.
Cass had since wandered to the butcher's section. Before her, a man was making a rather hefty order-- several pounds of beef liver, some steaks, some lamb shoulder. Cass eyed the man-- he was huge, like a wrestler, and overly-tanned. He was wearing jeans and an ill-fitting turtleneck (as though anything could fit well on him, as huge as he was), even though it was warm outside. Cass couldn't help but notice the multivitamins and iron supplements in his basket, and his mangled wrist as he pointed to the meat behind the glass. The man was most definitely a vampire junkie, stocking up on essentials. The man behind the counter didn't seem to be fazed, as this was becoming more and more common, these days.
Cass had learned about vampires in her early teens-- the vamps called it the Great Reveal, when news stations all over the world were visited by local vamps, smiling their fangy smiles and declaring themselves harmless, having been feeding off of synthetic blood for years. Cass had been a little uneasy-- she'd thought that the monsters were only in her dreams-- but her mother was unfazed. After all, she was a businesswoman, and surely vampires had finances they needed to keep in order.
Now, the vampire- friendly businesses were booming. Every grocery store kept synthetic blood in stock; what was once a decaying downtown was now a vibrant club spot, as with the vampires had come other creatures that go bump in the night, and all of them wanted a piece of the fiscal action. Sari worked at a burlesque club called La Belle Morte, which was vampire-owned but had all kinds of dancers working there. Sari was one of the few humans employed there; she worked behind the bar. Cass would visit her at work sometimes, and enjoy the glitz and glam. Vampires and their supernatural brethren didn't scare her-- those things had to play by society's rules, and they could be killed. The things she saw when no one was around-- those things were scary.
"Thanks," Cass said to the butcher as he handed her a tightly-wrapped package of salmon. She dropped it in the basket and pushed onward towards the dairy section. Her leg began to throb some more, and she winced. It could hold her weight, so it wasn't broken, but clearly the ibuprofen wasn't going to ease the pain. It was time to call Sari. Cass fished her phone out of her pocket and punched the speed dial. She was eying the eggs when Sari picked up.
"Hey, girl," came Sari's voice, friendly but tired. Sari worked nights, and consequently slept through most mornings. "What's up?"
"Hey. I need a favor." Cass's voice was pleasant, but direct. She was very aware of her leg pain, and suspected it would only get worse as the day progressed.
"Mm." Sari knew what that meant. The only "favors" Cass ever needed were the medicinal kind. Sari didn't really consider them favors, since Cass was her best friend and always paid. But she played along, all the same. "The usual?"
"Yeah," Cass replied, putting a 12 pack of eggs in the basket. "I had a little... accident. Hurt my leg."
"Ah. Are you alright?" Cass was always hurting herself in some way or another. Sari used to worry that there was something going on in her house, but she'd lived alone for years and still had mysterious injuries. Sari didn't ask questions; she just helped out when she could.
Cass slowly made her way to the milk. "Yeah, yeah," she assured Sari, extracting a half gallon of milk from the freezer, "I just, y'know, need something."
"Well, come over tonight; I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, sweetheart." Sari was the only person with whom Cass used endearing terms. "I'll see you tonight. You want pasta?"
"If you're making it, then sure." Cass could hear the smile in Sari's voice. Cass loved to cook, and Sari loved to eat her cooking. It worked out well.
"Awesome. I'll see you tonight." Cass turned off her phone and shoved it back in her pocket. Painkillers and pasta-- it was going to be a good night.