Star Eater
Chapter Eight

“Why weren’t you home this morning?” Dad demanded.

Kai blinked. They had been driving for almost twenty minutes without conversation and Dad never noticed when Kai wasn’t home in the morning. He was never awake that early. It threw Kai for a loop, but his liar’s instincts kicked in.

“I tried out for the swimming team,” he said, thinking of his morning encounter. Dad seemed to accept the excuse.

“Oh,” he said distractedly and nodded. He clearly didn't care as long as there was an excuse. If he had cared he might have thought that his narcoleptic son in a pool was dangerous. Or he might remember the fact that Kai’d never learned to swim.

“I talked to your mother this morning,” Dad said.

Kai’s stomach twisted. So that was why he was awake. And they usually saved their screaming matches for the middle of the night. Where was she again? Somewhere in Eastern Europe?

“She’ll be home at the end of the week,” Dad added.

Akuma snorted in disbelief. Even the demon knew that didn’t mean much. Kai shrugged. It was about that time of year. Mom would come home sometime in October, stay through the holidays, and then be off again after New Years when the company budget was fresh.

“Okay,” he said to fill in the space.

That was all that Dad seemed to require. He stabbed at the phone until it turned on again. Then he called his assistant asking about napkin colors. It was one of those times Kai wished he didn't understand Japanese, so he could just tune the conversation out.

Do you want to get frozen yogurt after we get home? Akuma asked.

Yeah, Kai thought.

And then we can go to the base and develop the film, Akuma pressed.

Kai nodded. In his periphery, he noticed Dad glance in his direction and realized he was nodding at no one. To cover it up, Kai turned towards the window and debated which flavor of frozen yogurt to get. He felt rather than heard Dad’s attention shift back to the road and the phone conversation.

We will need to feed the star again soon, Akuma said.

Okay, Kai thought.

I think we will need something stronger, Akuma said.

Kai was surprised at that. Why?

It feels weird, Akuma said.

Is that why it rippled this morning with the coyote? he asked.

The demon shrugged. He didn't know. Ever since Kai had acquired the star, and the demon with it, the star had needed a bottle or two of hydrogen peroxide every six months. The first time, Kai had been four. Together, the two spent an afternoon toddling around the house sniffing every bottle they could get Kai’s hands on. The demon knew by smell what he needed and settled on the brown bottle conveniently under the bathroom sink at kid level. The hydrogen peroxide fed the star, which in turn fed Akuma.

In eleven years, this was the first time Akuma requested something stronger.

What should I drink? Kai asked.

The demon shrugged, sending the shadow at Kai’s feet rippling. Luckily, his feet were in the footwell and Dad couldn't see it.

Well, that’s not very helpful.

On his phone, Kai opened a web browser and headlines flashed about an FBI arrest in L.A. Briefly, he wondered if this had to do with what Mrs. Sumner was talking about, but then the demon prodded him and Kai typed in ‘stars’ in the search bar. He realized he probably should have investigated this already, but then he’d never had to worry about it. Between Google and Wikipedia, he learned what he needed to know.

Stars burned from a thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium. Does that mean I can fly? Kai wondered. He certainly didn’t feel lighter, though did he burp a lot. Okay, so the real star food is hydrogen. That makes sense, hydrogen peroxide. So I need something with more hydrogen in it. Kai thought. I wonder if I can just buy it wholesale.

He tapped at his phone trying to replace a supplier. After five minutes of frustrating searching, Kai swore silently in French, because French curses were mellifluous and dirty at the same time. The internet wouldn’t sell him pure hydrogen. It was a regulated material and, apparently, damn hard to create.

“God, I hate chemistry,” Kai complained.

Through the speakers, Dad’s assistant fell silent mid question. Dad spared Kai a reproving glare. Grimacing, Kai apologized and went back to his research. Dad ordered his assistant to continue. The boy sighed and stared at the search engine results, trying to formulate another angle.

We need to get some, Akuma said.

I’m trying, Kai said. It’s not like I can just whip this out of nothing. Kai bit his lip. Could he convince Mom that it was for a science project? Let me ask.

He dialed Mom’s number. After three rings, it went to voicemail. She’s screening calls, Kai thought irritated. He switched tactics and wrote a text.

“Hi, Mom,” it said. “I have this big science project due soon, and I’m having problems getting one of the key components. I was hoping you could help me out on this? Give me a call when you have a sec.”

Kai pressed the ‘send’ button. He scanned the search results again and spotted ammonia. That he could get in large quantities. He placed an online order for some gallon jugs. Ammonia was stronger than hydrogen peroxide, right? Maybe it would be enough. If not, he’d talk to his mom about it. I’ll take care of it, Kai promised the demon. Relieved, the demon curled around the star while Kai refocused on more important subjects. He decided on lychee frozen yogurt.

The assistant principal led Link and his father around the campus, talking incessantly about how advanced the school was. That was the word she kept using ‘advanced,’ like it was some futuristic society that Link was joining instead of high school.

On their way to the cafeteria, they passed a small storefront where a coffee shop was set up. Kids occupied the seats drinking iced lattes and talking or playing on their phones. Link blinked at that. Even his dad seemed surprised by a coffee shop in the middle of campus.

“The coffee shop is very popular,” the assistant said, smiling. “We replace that kids need a comfortable space to relax on their off periods. After a student vote a few years ago, they decided to put in a coffee shop. Funded it themselves, and it’s a great place for group work.”

Link snorted and felt his dad give him a warning look.

“Aren’t you worried about the amount of caffeine?” his dad asked.

“Caffeine is a stimulant, Mr. Palmer,” the assistant said. “And it’s been linked to lowering the chance of cancer and improving short-term memory. We replace it helps with the afternoon slump.”

They arrived at the cafeteria for lunch. Link did admit it was a much cleaner cafeteria than his back in Philly.

“Our cafeteria food is all natural, no preservatives, and sourced from local farms,” the assistant principal stated.

All Link heard in that sentence was ‘no cheesesteaks.’

They continued on through the sprawling campus and Link thought it felt like a miniature college. Back in Philadelphia, the high schools were square brick buildings that spanned maybe a block. The inner city schools sometimes had basketball courts on the roofs. The suburban schools, like the one Link had come from, had lawns and fields, but for normal sports like football. This school had an archery course, an ultimate frisbee field, and a rugby pitch.

The regular lockers sat outside under covered walkways in case of rain. They even had a small gym devoted entirely to the karate club, which was a thing.

“We have one of the best karate programs in the country,” the assistant principal bragged. “It’s a young karate team, started only three years ago by one of our honor students, Mason Wright. There’s a good chance they’ll win Nationals this year.”

“That might be a good thing for you to check out,” Mr. Palmer said. Link knew his dad meant ‘check out’ as an order. Great. “Martial arts teach discipline.”  

“I can certainly let Mr. Wright know you’re interested,” the assistant principal said.

Link worked on not rolling his eyes. They continued the tour through the auditorium and art studios and a chemistry lab that apparently outmatched the LAPD’s forensics lab. Or so the assistant principal said.

“Are you sure we can afford this place?” Link muttered. His dad threw him a dirty look to be quiet, and Link fell back into silence.

Awesome, he thought. Not only is he sending me to this rich-kid school, but now I have to be grateful for it too. I don’t know if I even want to go to college.

At long last, the tour ended. Link hadn’t expected a school tour to take so long, and his feet hurt. The kid he’d met earlier, Kai, wasn’t in the office anymore. Link felt a stab of disappointment. He could sure use a friend. Plus, his dad would hate it if he became friends with a kid that got in trouble. That, in Link’s eyes, was a benefit.

While his dad signed all the paperwork, Mrs. Sumner handed Link his schedule.

“If you come back here before first period tomorrow, I’ll have someone show you around, okay?” she said.

“What about that kid Kai?” Link asked. “Can he show me around?”

Mrs. Sumner smiled secretly, but shook her head.

“Unfortunately, Kai will probably be asleep,” she said. “But I have someone else ready.”

Link nodded. He hoped whoever they assigned wasn’t a jerk. As his dad gestured for him to follow along, he thought, I already deal with a jerk on a daily basis. I don’t need another one.