The group of teenagers sat in the room, the eerie silence of their surroundings broken only by the faint rustle of leaves which they found weird. There were sounds of leaves but there was no tree. Chase, as usual, kept to himself, his gaze scanning their temporary camp, while Arthur fidgeted beside him.
Suddenly, without any warning, a plate materialized in Chase's hands. It shimmered faintly, as though imbued with some otherworldly energy. On the plate was food that defied description.
Strange, translucent cubes wobbled like gelatin but emitted a faint, golden glow. Some were dark green, with tiny sparkles that blinked on and off like distant stars. Others were shaped like spirals, emitting a faint, warm steam that carried a tantalizingly sweet aroma. There were strips of meat, but it was no ordinary meat—they were iridescent, shifting in color like an oil slick under sunlight. Tiny specks of what looked like silver dust clung to them, shimmering faintly with every movement.
Beside these were rounded orbs that appeared liquid but held their shape. They shimmered in blues and purples, reflecting the dim light around them, and their scent was an intoxicating mix of honey and something sharp, like citrus.
Arthur stared at his own plate, which had appeared just as suddenly, his jaw slack.
"What the hell…" he muttered, poking at one of the translucent cubes with a finger. It jiggled back. "This is food? It looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie."
"Maybe you shouldn't eat it," Chase said cautiously, though he wasn't looking at Arthur. His eyes remained on his own plate, suspicion etched into his expression.
Arthur snorted, already shoving a piece of the iridescent meat into his mouth. "Are you kidding? I'm starving! If this kills me, at least I'll die happy."
Chase watched as Arthur chewed enthusiastically. His face lit up like a kid at a candy store. "Holy crap!" Arthur exclaimed, licking his lips. "This is amazing. It's… it's like—" He paused, searching for words. "It tastes like roasted chicken… but also like caramel? No, wait. It's spicy too. And it's… fresh, like biting into fruit?"
Chase raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"Just eat, man!" Arthur said, rolling his eyes. He didn't stop stuffing his face. Within seconds, he was tearing into the gelatinous cubes, the liquid orbs, and even the shimmering spirals. His cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk as he chewed, moaning dramatically. "This is the best thing I've ever had!"
Chase didn't touch his plate. Instead, he leaned back, his sharp gaze fixed on Arthur. His companion was eating like a man possessed, but Chase didn't fail to notice the subtle changes. Arthur's eyes gleamed brighter than before, and the slouch in his posture straightened.
"Arthur," Chase finally asked, his voice low, "are you alright?"
Arthur looked up, his face smeared with some glowing residue from the cubes. "Huh?" He blinked, then grinned. "Of course I'm alright! Why wouldn't I be? This stuff is incredible!" He licked his fingers noisily, then flexed his arms. "You know what? I feel great. No, scratch that. I feel amazing. Like I could fight a whole horde of those freaky beasts by myself!"
Chase's eyes narrowed. "Energetic?"
"Hell yeah!" Arthur punched the air for emphasis, nearly dropping his plate. "I'm telling you, man. Whatever this stuff is, it's like magic."
Chase gave a small nod, his suspicions confirmed. Only then did he shift his attention to the others. The rest of the group had similar plates in front of them, and though they hesitated at first, hunger won out. Like Arthur, they devoured the strange food with gusto.
Satisfied that no one was keeling over, Chase finally picked up a piece of the shimmering spiral from his plate.
Arthur, who had just polished off his last orb, watched Chase closely. His eyes widened as realization dawned. "Wait a second," he said slowly, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "You sneaky little—"
Chase took a bite, chewing methodically, ignoring Arthur's growing outrage.
"You used me as a freaking guinea pig!" Arthur shouted, pointing an accusatory finger. "You didn't want to be the first to try it, so you waited to see if I'd drop dead!"
Chase didn't respond. He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the food's effects. Just as Arthur had described, a wave of energy coursed through him. His fatigue from earlier battles melted away, and even the dull ache in his muscles vanished.
Arthur was practically foaming at the mouth now. "Unbelievable! You could've just said, 'Hey, Arthur, why don't you risk your life for me?' But no! You just sat there all cool and collected while I—"
"Thank you for the confirmation," Chase interrupted flatly, setting down his plate. He stood, brushing crumbs from his hands, his expression unreadable.
Arthur glared at him, but his indignation was undercut by the glowing smear of jelly still stuck to his cheek. "You're welcome, oh mighty experimenter. Next time, why don't you—"
"Get ready," Chase cut him off, his voice dropping to a whisper.
Arthur froze mid-rant. "What?"
Chase's eyes darted toward the edge of the clearing. "Something's coming."
Arthur swallowed hard, all traces of humor vanishing.
"What is it?" he whispered, suddenly hyper-aware of the stillness around them.
Chase didn't answer. He stared into the shadows, his body tense like a coiled spring.
The atmosphere shifted, the air growing heavy with an oppressive weight. Even the others, still busy with their meals, paused, sensing the change.
Arthur leaned closer to Chase, his voice barely audible. "You know, this would be a really bad time to tell me you're just messing with me."
Chase didn't so much as blink.
Arthur groaned quietly. "Fantastic. This is how I die. At least let it be something quick, like a giant rock falling on my head."
Chase smirked faintly but didn't respond. His focus remained unwavering, his sharp gaze piercing the darkness ahead.
Whatever was coming, they would be ready.
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