Kyle was driving home with a massive smile on his face. After all, his team had won the game!
Due to an uneven number of football teams in their district, the school with the best win-to-loss ratio was sent straight to the semifinals. His team was guaranteed to play in the semi-finals!!
After such a spectacular season, one might expect this to be a given, but Mountain View High School had a lot of fresh talent carrying the team. Kyle had never been on the team during a year when they had made it past the quarter finals before.
This moment was something new entirely! Not to mention the most exciting part… Semifinals and finals would take place in none other than Lambeau Stadium, the official home of the Green Bay Packers!
Kyle had dreamed of playing in that stadium since he was not but a wee lad, throwing around rocks he called "footballs." At age 6, he received a football for his birthday, perhaps as a response to his request for a football themed birthday party.
His parents had turned the backyard into a miniature stadium, and Kyle had been craving the real thing ever since.
He was so close, he could practically taste the cheers of the crowd, screaming from above and all around, excited to watch the game be played.
~~~~
Kai had worried Kyle's excitement would be gone by the end of the game, but it seemed that his forced patience had paid off. Kyle was so excited Kai could practically taste it.
He watched the football dreams form in Kyle's mind, constantly shifting between the glorious kickoff and when he imagined he would inevitably win the game.
Kai was easily able to control Kyle's body, as he was on autopilot, focused on his dreams.
Afraid to lose such a tasty meal, Kai sprinted upstairs and shut the door behind him. After sitting Kyle down on his bed, he stepped out of the body and let himself feed.
It was glorious, better than he had imagined. As he took the energy into himself he could taste the sweet victories like honey, the steadfast confidence like bread, and the smooth women on top like butter. It was sweet like desert, yet filling like a healthy meal.
Kai tasted the clouds of the heavens, the sweet nectar and ambrosia of the gods.
He smelled roses and pollen and fresh fallen rain, forests and leaves and burning incense.
He felt wrapped up in the fluffiest blanket, yet refreshed as if taking a hot shower.
He heard the silence chirping to the most wonderful of songs.
His whole being was filled with pure energy, the essence of excitement and joy.
By the time his stomach felt nearly full, Kai was practically on top of the clouds himself.
Too elated to consider the roots of his thoughts, Kai could only think one thing. He wanted, no, needed more.
~~~~
As he was headed off to bed, Kyle got a text from Logan.
[Isn't this wonderful! We're going to Lambeau!]
Kyle set down his phone. After a second, it buzzed again. He glanced over at it and mechanically picked it up.
[I'm so excited, bro! I know you've been dreaming of this since we were kids. Aren't you excited!?]
He stared at his phone screen for a second before typing out a short response.
[I guess.]
Kyle turned off his screen and plugged in his phone before heading to bed.
As was now the usual, he had an empty and dreamless sleep.
~~~~
As Kyle lay asleep in bed, Kai could not bring himself to do the same. Filling his belly had been different this time. Intoxicating, somehow. The intensity of Kyle's excitement was addictive.
He couldn't stop thinking about how it felt as the flavors washed over him, filling him up inside.
He couldn't stop remembering the fulfillment he had felt as he had licked his metaphorical lips clean, savoring the last wisps of Kyle's mental energy.
He couldn't help but imagine feeding again, but from an untouched, untainted human.
Kai couldn't help but desire.
He wanted, no, needed to feed on emotions of that intensity once again.
As the Earth continued to spin, the sun approaching the horizon, Kai had begun to understand the point of the messiness of human relationships.
The laughter and joy of camaraderie, the anger and grief when they inevitably fell apart, the careful hand of love and the jealousy that followed, and the emptiness inside when none of it was left.
Kai may not have understood what these things meant to humans, but he did know what they meant to him.
A full stomach and happy mind.
If Kai could stir up those feelings, he could feast once again.
He mulled his thoughts over and over again. Who would be the tastiest? The easiest? The most entertaining?
Names and faces flashed through his mind to be analyzed, and then either kept or discarded.
By the time the sun had risen, Kai had a plan.