Chapter 12: Chapter Twelve – Quivering Dead Girl

While the fruits Harriette regularly provided me looked like things I recognized. It was only after I saw them in their uncut and unpeeled forms that I realized they looked completely different in this world.

Green watermelon rind was yellow here, and the fuzzy brown peel of a kiwi was actually bright red. Yet once cut open, their insides were identical. It was like the gods of this world copied Earth’s homework and changed one little thing so they wouldn’t get caught.

I’m onto you Fred, I see how lazy you’ve been.

At least this world still had a few unique things, like the turtleberries I’d seen before. Not that any of the unique fruits I’d found had been edible. Most were described as bitter when I used [Analyze] on them.

“Do you know if Lady Otrea has a favorite fruit?”

“We cannot eat anything,” Kyra replied shuffling uneasily. “So we usually don’t accompany Master during meals.”

“Are you ok Kyra?” If I didn’t know better it almost looked like she was doing a pee dance. Like a child told to hold it and struggling to do so.

“I’m running out of time.”

That got my attention. “If you need to return to your room, you can.”

“…I don’t think I’ll make it.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem right, You and Adelita can see in the dark, she’ll be fine.”

“No…” Kyra’s shoulders stiffened and then her entire body began to shake. The moment she gazed at me with watery eyes I knew… I was with Adelita now.

“Umm… Adelita, I’m not going to hurt you. You should know by now, I’m a soft gentle bun. I played games with Kyra a few days ago remember?” I spoke softly, taking a few tentative steps towards the quivering undead girl.

“It’ll be ok. You can go back to your room if you want. I’m not going to keep you here.”

Curling up on the ground and hugging her knees tightly Adelita looked up at me. “I’m c-claustrophobic.”

Oh, Otrea… How did you ever make such a hopeless undead?

“Ah, the hallways are a little scary aren’t they. I could hold your hand if you’d like. We could go together.”

Even though I’d been told Adelita disliked outsiders, and she’d tried to chuck a lit candle at me, I couldn’t just leave the girl alone. If she’d allow me to help her, I was going to help her.

I could see the mental warfare going on behind Adelita’s eyes. She wanted someone to help her, to save her. At the same time, she really didn’t want that someone to be me. It was possible she would just ask me to go get one of the other girls to guide her to her room, but I wasn’t about to offer such a solution.

This was my chance after all. If I could win over Adelita I was certain Otrea would be impressed with me. Especially after she said it’d take a decade for me to do so. Also getting the girl used to dealing with me sooner rather than later would make visiting Kyra a little less awkward.

“What about it, willing to give me a chance?” I asked closing the distance between us and holding my hand out to her.

Adelita gazed warily at my hand as if it was a poisonous snake. I began to think she’d slap it away or start crying. After what felt like an eternity of silence between us she finally hesitantly reached out with her own, laying her hand in mine.

“Good girl.” I cooed. “Now let's head back to your room. I’ll hold your hand the whole way, I promise.” 

Hesitantly Adelita guided me out of the food storage room and began making slow, halting progress through the caverns. Occasionally she’d shiver violently and hug my waist with her free hand. Clenching her eyes shut until whatever imagined horror she saw had passed and she felt comfortable to continue.

It was a little surreal for me. Adelita was taller than me, and most likely far older. Yet she felt far younger. I felt like I was guiding a terrified child through a haunted house that I’d grown too old to be fearful of. Honestly… it was adorable.

Everybody is always saying how small and cute I am, it makes me wonder if they’ve ever spent time with this girl. She’s too adorable, I just wanna squeeze her!

If I was Otrea I’d certainly be giving this little cutie far more attention than I gave myself. Then again, Otrea seemed like the type that liked to bully people, and Adelita seemed the type to just break down and sob. It probably wasn’t quite as fun.

Our little walk was interrupted when Harriette stepped into the hall. Without a word, Adelita reached desperately for the Dragongirl. It was heartbreaking. I felt like a parent who’s child preferred their partner.

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“Adelita?” Harriette gazed at the two of us confused before stepping forward and pulling the quivering undead into a tight embrace. “Kyra lost control while she was with you?” Harriette asked, petting Adelita’s head.

“Yeah. Started doing a little pee dance and then next thing I knew she was gone.”

“A pee dance?!” Harriette guffawed, trying and failing to hold herself together.

“You’ve never seen her dance?”

“I never connected it to needing to pee, no.” Harriette lifted Adelita up into her arms. “Let's get this one back to their room. No use torturing her by having a conversation out here.”

“For someone who said she doesn’t have any little sisters, you certainly seem like an older sibling to Adelita.”

“More like a mother.” Harriette gazed back at me. “Little sisters are usually a bit more unruly and disobedient.” 

“Are you trying to imply I’m disobedient?”

“Are you trying to imply you’ll do everything asked of you without ever making a fuss about it?”

“I think you’re trying to trick me.” I huffed.

Harriette chuckled at me, pushing the door to Adelita’s room open.

Once we entered the room Harriette deposited the poor undead onto her massive pile of blankets. Then picking up a teddy bear from the floor she handed the toy to the girl who clutched it tightly against her chest.

“I’m really impressed with you Bernice.”

“How come?”

“Adelita avoids outsiders as if they’re made of flesh melting fungus. The fact that she was holding your hand when I ran into the two of you is quite the feat. She might warm up to you in a matter of months instead of years.”

“Is flesh melting fungus a thing?!”

“That caught your attention huh?” Harriette chuckled. “I guess your world didn’t have such a thing?”

“Not that I was aware of.”

“Well don’t worry about it, I’ll keep you safe. By the way, what was it that Lady Otrea needed?”

“She’s having guests over in a few days and wants me to make something they haven’t had before. I was given free rein to do whatever I wanted, though honestly that makes the task harder than if I had an actual goal. Maybe you could tell me, are there any fruits or foods that Otrea is particularly fond of? Something I could incorporate into a drink?”

“She is pretty fond of oranges. I wonder if you could make something out of that, beyond just crushing them for their juice.”

“Do you not do anything with the peel?”

“Is there anything you can do with it? We just throw it away.”

My lips curled in a delighted smile at Harriette’s words. Immediately my mind began concocting the recipe for an iced orange herbal tea, with candied orange peel as a garnish. If the peels were something this world had yet to find a use for, I was certain it’d be unique enough to fit Otrea’s criteria.

“There is certainly something I could do with it. Serve as many oranges as possible for dinner tonight and bring me the peels, along with some sugar. I’ll show you something amazing.”

Otrea better prepare herself. I’m about to blow her mind.

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