Page 194 - Demo

194When she woke up, he wasn%u2019t there. The bed was empty except for her. She felt a deep emptiness and a pang of loss like part of her had died.She found him in the kitchen with the fridge door open and him devouring everything he could take out.%u201cAh, there you are. I guess you%u2019re hungry then?%u201dA voice in her head, %u2018Not eaten for days.%u2019%u201cI see. What do you normally eat?%u201d she asked as he munched through a whole portion of blue cheese.%u2018Fungi. Drill worms. Crunch moles.%u2019%u201cI%u2019ve never heard of the last two.%u201d She told him.%u2018They live deep in the earth. Not close to surface. Your food is unfamiliar. Like cheese. Sour taste. Good.%u201d%u201cOkay. I have to go out shortly. Will you be okay here?%u201dHe stopped eating and looked up at her, his large black eyes widening. A tear fell from his eye, and he started shaking.%u201cWhat%u2019s wrong?%u201d%u2018Scared without you. Not used to this world on surface. Can you take me with you?%u2019%u201cIt%u2019s not safe for you. People will recognise you as not like us,%u201d she explained gently.%u2018You take me inside you. They not see me then.%u2019 He told her.%u201cWhat?!%u201d%u2018I fold and desiccate. Very small. You carry me with you, inside. You water me later. I rehydrate and come back to size.%u2019%u201cDo you have a name?%u201d%u2018Yes. Name, Corfu%u2019.%u201cI%u2019m Sarah. I%u2019m sorry. I still don%u2019t understand,%u201d she said.%u2018I show you. Water me after with lots of water.%u2019The Sink Hole