Amalaric Study
Nutrition Recognition
Chapter 2: Pillow Bitters
The importance of potassium in vampires isn't talked enough. In fact the DOHRCC has a name for a condition that vampires go through because of low potassium.
Low potassium in vamps hurts the much needed teeth to grab neck. Many elder vampires have loose teeth and rely on dentures.
The condition, Pillow biting was coined by a halfie in the Growden family. Ester Bell (Belly) Growden had an awful impulse to bite the thin air when her diet was low. Potassium helps the muscle, blood pressure, and bodily fluids.
Ester Growden suffered from malnutrition to the point she had urinary retention. She was diagnosed with Kidney failure at the age of 36.
Ester Growden was model in 1950s. Though her modeling career didn't take off until after her death when she confessed to be a frequent user of cocaine. Ester admitted that she made her infamous Sugar Muffins with the drug and was sold at the family bakery.
Ester died at 42 from severe health complications. During her drug trips, her modeling adviser told in a article that Ester did cocaine nine times a day. She had it in the morning with a glass of hot water by her bed, she had it in her foods such as pancakes, cookies, milk, bread, and eggs. But one thing she always added was sugar. Ester mixed 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/4 cocaine.
She was cautious with her drug use and so obsessed with cocaine. She substituted it for glitter in her modelling shows.
She was disowned by her father during her funereal. To quote Billy Growden, '…Maybe it's my fault, maybe it's God's. I can't have such damage in my family anymore.'
Some medics thought Ester had OCD which made her so attached to the drug. During several therapy visits. There is one tape that recorded Ester being dedicated to cocaine.
Ester: If it wasn't for the powder, which I call it--
Interviewer: You thank the powder for your beauty?
Ester: Absolutely. I have a strong jaw because of the powder. I put the powder on my cheeks, that I also mix with regular makeup. It helps me think! Recently, I found out another way to use it.
Interviewer: How did you use it before?"
Ester: I put it in hot drinks. I add it to my cakes. It actually very useful for cooking…
Ester Bell Growden owned five different shops. She started a job as a ice cream sellswoman. It was well know in and outside the family that Ester was a chocoholic. She upgraded her obsessions from chocolate to lollipops, teas, sodas, cake, pies, and pudding.
Her doctor at the time told that Ester had 33 cavities, tooth decay, and gum inflammation. With her heavy use of the drug, Ester lost nearly all her teeth except for three at 25.
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We headed to the river by foot. We were handed pans so we suffle for gold. We went down the slope, across the bridge, and made a turn onto grass and continued through the woods.
I had Zoey-Rose by me and held her hand as we walked. It was so peaceful I thought of nothing else until she pulled my arm down. "I saw somebody in the trees…" her face looked drained. "What did you see?"
"It was a man in the thicket." she pointed to a crowd of trees with some broken bushes. "You see the tree with the hole in it?"
I really tried to focus my eyes. "I saw him over there. He had like a white shirt on."
I looked at the hole in the tree and for a moment I started seeing a shade of a blackness move. "Hopefully it was just a squirrel."
We made it to the river but I kept looking behind me. I told Zoey to stay as close to me as possible. "Alright, we need some gold!"
"What are we getting gold for?" asked Somebody. "Well," Juliette went on. "This plantation works with fine liquors, jewelry, and animal skin. We need to get gold to create the accessories we sell. Zebedee Growden makes about 5k off his own brand of jewelry."
"Impressive," said black man lazily. "It is!" Don't do that. I roll my eyes as I listen. "The Growden have partnerships with models and other clothing stores."
"What the brand?" I ask.
"Peacock!" why does she say it with joy? "The Peacock! Brand sells jewels, drinks, and even toys for the children. Has anybody heard of Pea Park?" she raises her hand. We all answer no.
"Well, Pea Park is a Park owned by Zebedee." she bites her lip. "I promise, it's wonderful over here. We have fun; games, trips, and work isn't even work. It's… so good to have a family."
Zoey looks up at me, "Mokiri… I had a family."
Same.
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We dug under the soil in the river. I had to tell Zoey how to do it. "You see you got a filter at the bottom of the pan. Dig user the little rocks, pull it up and shuffled the top around. Kind of press it through."
"And you get gold?"
"It comes from like… rocks pressing something."
"So like a pebble?"
"More like heat…"
"Oh…" she looked off to the side. I doubt she understood me. "I DO!" she furrowed. "Damn."
"AY!" I slap her shoulder. We picked up gravel and wrung it through the pan. We never had any gold.
This is straight up slavery.
"Mokiri, I'm tired…"
I looked at her and gazed at Juliette on the damn phone walking in circles. "Stand in front me and look at the trees. Give me your pan." she hands me the pan and I work for the two of us.
Every once in a while I look at Juliette and I think I can hear. But I know Zoey is a vamp. "Zoey…"
"Huh?"
"Can you hear?"
"I can make a butterfly…"
"With word?"
She nods. "Try to hear her…"
"Butterfly ear…" she mutters. About four butterflies of a golden tone appear. "Go high. Land soft."
The butterflies move up and gently make their way towards Juliette. One of the vamps hisses. It's older black man, "the fuck y'all doing?"
I wave him off, keeping my eyes on Juliette. There's a butterfly on the tips of her fingers while the rest land on her back. "…I can't make it Tuesday, I have work." says Zoey. "I can't make it Friday, either. I don't gie a shit if you licked my damn pussy or not. Much like in bed I'm not coming!"
We all had stopped and blinked. Zoey shrugged, "She's on the phone…" she puts her hand near her ear. "I paid you. The coven is almost at max…"
"Wait a minute, the coven?" says a body.
"Are they bringing her back?" asks a woman curiously.
"Aleigha has the realm…" a little blonde girl drops her pan. "They can't do it if he's around right?"
"Mable didn't attack every child. So what the fuck?" sneers a nigga. Zoey flaps her hands in front of her, "A crucifixion!"
"Hush! Not so loud--"
"Ok, ok. When I get the money, I'll send it but these fucking vampires--Don't you fucking yell at me! I don't care about child support, I'll send one of them to rob you!"
"Little baby, who is she on the phone with!" asks a fat woman in torn jeans. Zoey looks behind her then at me. "Her magic doesn't work like that." I say.
I look at Zoey and lay my pan in the water. "Are you sweating?" I grab her hand and pull her towards me. I scoop up some water and flick it at her face. "Zoey, why are you breathing like that?"
She starts turning her head to the clouds and damn near tripping while standing in place. "I don't--"
I look at her eyes shrinking small. She snaps her jaws at me. I pick her up by her arms. "Zoey!" She kicks me. "I'm not going back!"
"I'm not takin--ZOEY!" she thrashes, biting the space between us. Her eyes glow pink.
"yedO!"
"What are you saying--" she opens her mouth and a bunch of flies swarm in my face. I end up dropping Zoey. My vision clouded by flies. I hear the splashing in the river.
"HEY!"
I can't see. I kneel and plash the water in my eyes. I still hear buzzing. "LITTLE GIRL!"
I blink and I blink. "Zoey?" I bounce to my feet, catching her running into the forest. I give chase. As soon as my foot hits the other grass, my shoulder hurts.