Jason Steele Eats Humans
My family kills people.
That's how it is.
Because that's what we are.
If we don't kill them.
If we don't eat them.
Eventually we will die.
But I can't accept that.
"Jason?" My mom said, as I helped her wash the dishes.
"Yeah?"
"How's school."
"Good."
"Are you sure? You've been missing a lot of your assignments recently."
Shit.
I forgot, I accidentally used my parent's email the day I made my campus account. This was back when I was eighteen.
"Ah. Well, maybe a little bit unwell, but nothing too major."
My mom set down the plate.
"You know I do not approve of the way you live your life."
I clenched my fist.
"Like you would understand my reasons, mom. What's wrong with wanting to live life as a person? You brought me here, didn't you? You let me go to school, didn't you? Dad let me hang out with these people and make friends. You both encouraged it."
My mom growled under her breath. A low, fierce, growling only something our kind could make.
"Do not mistake freedom with whatever you are doing now. In the end, you are what you are. You're not like them. Your father and I let you live your life because we understand the loneliness of living your life surrounded by humans. But eventually, you will have to give in. It is your biological need."
"I don't need this." I replied, as I ran up the steps.
"Jason!" My mom called out to me.
I panted, as I tried to get up the steps, but I ran out of breath.
My friend, Ronnie, had told me that my kind could survive till the age of twenty eight without consuming human flesh.
That was what I believed in, but he never mentioned the side effects that could happen before that.
One such side effect was my heavily reduced stamina.
It felt like I had asthma, whenever I exerted myself, my heart would feel like it was operating on overdrive. No matter how many times I went on a run, I would always be too lightheaded and dizzy to continue after fifteen minutes. Could it be I was just unfit? Maybe if I was human.
I went up the steps slowly, as I heard the door creak to my sister's room.
"Hey wimp." My sister said, as I noticed a human skull on her bed. She was nibbling at the ear. Her demonic form in plain view. She was only about five feet tall, but she was five feet of black shiny skin, spikes protruding from her back, her hair, black and wild and spiky going down her back and seating around her shoulders. Her bloodred eyes and demonic horns curling to the front of her jaws as she munched on the flesh. In the light of her room, her black, smoky aura and remnants of her demonic dark speed still in full view, making numerous mirages on her bed as if she had just used her speed to capture that poor guy that was now her late night snack.
I nearly fell on my back.
"HAHA! Pussy! What a sorry excuse for an older brother!" My sister jeered at me, as I stumbled out of the way to my room.
Allison "Ally" Steele, by the way. Aged twenty.
Ally, like me, was born looking like a human, but over time, she unlocked her demonic transformation at the age of thirteen when she was bullied by her classmates. I found it unacceptable that day when I found out my lil sis was being bullied and wanted to step in, and I actually was about to. Hiding in the trees, watching my sister get beat up by the mean girls.
But the moment I emerged, my dad appeared out of nowhere, in his demonic form; a hulking monster with bull like horns and flaming orange eye trails similar to a minotaur, slammed me into the ground. He told me that the physical bullying was what my sister needed.
And he was right. Because the moment my sister was pushed into oncoming traffic, the horror activated her defense mechanism.
And I watched my sister undergo her transformation for the first time, her hair turning wild and spiky, growing longer until it reached her waist, her demonic face complimented by fangs and curly horns similar to a goat, as she snarled at her bullies and killed them with her claws. All that training from dad, all that martial arts, suddenly awakening through a series of savage yet structured claw swipes. She then ate their corpses in front of me.
Mom and Dad were completely fine with the fact that their daughter had committed murder. They had a family friend act as the lawyer and chalk the whole thing up to a wild animal attack, obviously bullshitted, of course. But we then had her transferred to another school, where my sister would kidnap classmates and eat them.
By the time I got to my room, I collapsed on the bed.
Drama always made me feel nauseous. And every night was always drama when Mom or Dad mentioned about my lifestyle.
Every day I felt weaker and more unstable.
I knew that.
I just didn't know how it ended between the two of us. So talking to you... it made me hesitate a bit, you know?
My heart hurt as I clenched my teeth.
I heard my phone vibrate, as I rushed to it.
Was it her? I had finally mustered the courage to send her a text, but nope.
I made a disappointed face.
Yo. Jace. Wanna VC tonight?
"Ronnie..." I grumbled, as I opened my FacePage and hit him up.
"Bro... you look like shit." Ronnie said, as he chuckled.
"Shut up, dude." I replied, as I cracked open a soda and drank it.
"Bro did you ask her out already?"
"No, Ronnie. I didn't."
"DUDE. Seriously? It's your last year, hell, it's your last month in this degree. Once you graduate you're gonna be working a white collar job. Your love life is gonna be over."
"Thanks, Ronnie for being real supportive."
"I'm just trying to help you out man. It worked for me. I asked Jill out and now we're dating. On the last day of class too."
Easy for him to say. They were both living next door. She happened to be new to town. Everything was set up for them. But for me... she was already popular. Always was.
I rolled my eyes, as I glanced at the cheese sandwich I bought from the convenience store.
I took it out of the wrapper and munched on it.
It tasted terrible.
Like all foods. I always had to force it into my stomach.
But it was this... or...
I remembered watching my Dad cut apart the bodies of victims had had caught on his way home from work, extracting the meat for dinner.
A wave of nausea washed over me.
"Ronnie, you gonna help me for my final exam? It's coming up real soon."
"Ah, nah I can't bro. I have to hang out with my girlfriend."
"..."
"Bro I can't just ignore my girlfriend. That's not how relationships work."
"You said we would study together. You know I'm struggling real bad with class."
"Then just read the lecture slides."
"Dude! I've been doing that since-"
Connection Cut.
I stared at the frozen picture of Ronnie picking his nose.
"Daaaaaaaad! The connection went out! Go kill the landlord's wife or something!" I heard my sister shout from next door.
"Ally! We talked about this! Killing is for food only!" My dad bellowed from the top floor.
I sighed, as I went back and checked my phone.
Elaine had never messaged me back.
After all that talk on that last day of class about she never spoke to me because she was just unsure how it had "ended between us". So I forced the narrative that I was okay with it and that there was nothing bad between us. When I had friended her on FacePage, she had replied.
But now...
It was back on the ghost train.
I should have moved on from her, but it's hard to explain. When I have so much history with her over the past three years.
The phone vibrated again, as I checked it.
Voice call? Your internet sucks right. Ronnie texted me.
I pretended to growl at the phone screen. Pretending my demonic form was unlocked, which obviously it wasn't. Thank god.
"Yo. What's up shithead." Ronnie's voice boomed from my headphones.
"What do you want, shithead." I replied.
Banter was funny.
"Bro, I was at the library, and I found another book on the Anakals."
"What is your obsession with my- those things anyway?"
"What's there not to be obsessed with, Jace? Dark warriors. Ancient demonic beasts who fought like warriors but battled with a rage filled style. Their armor. The fact that each one has a special ability. The weapons could be different. Dude, lemme turn on my camera."
Ronnie turned on his webcam and showed me a page from the book.
"This one, it's wielding a giant waraxe! And his armor, a huge black arm guard. And his eyes, just red and bloodlusted. It's just so badass. The whole dark warrior theme."
My eye twitched in annoyance.
"Bro, also, I was studying up on their biology. You know Anakals are actually born human? That's insane. It's only through some kind of major trauma do their powers awaken."
"Oh wow. Great to know." I grumbled.
"If an Anakal doesn't awaken their transformation, they actually die. Damn. That's intense. Makes me think. Are Anakals basically like ancient demonic Spartans? Bloodlusted monsters from hell bred for battle?"
Not exactly...
We're people too. It's just... we need to eat humans to live. Properly, that is.
"I actually made a mistake. They don't die right away." Ronnie said, as he continued flipping the pages.
"They actually wither away. Crazy isn't it? They lose their strength every day they don't eat human meat. Nausea. Pain. Cramps. Emotional instability. Mental instability. If it isn't the physical pain, it's the emotional pain that eventually forces them to unlock it. That's insane bro. Must have been like something they evolved to get, so they would transform no matter what."
I was silent for a few seconds.
"You're staring at your messages, aren't you."
"No."
"Cap to the max, Jace."
"Shut up."
That night, Elaine never responded to my texts. Normally, this would have been an aw man, what a bummer moment. Maybe a guy would be depressed that their crush literally aired them. That's a normal thing.
But it wasn't for me, really.
I couldn't tell if I was just ultra sensitive, or if it was the aftereffects of denying my Anakal blood.
I was becoming more and more emotional each day. And it really messed with my mental health.
I went down the steps to the living room. Mom had already packed things up.
I opened the door, and went outside.
Maybe fresh air would take my mind off things with Elaine.
I walked down the street in the night sky. I wished my special Anakal ability was to know what Elaine was feeling. Did she find me creepy? Was she uninterested in me?
I just... couldn't tell.
All those times she was so friendly to me, was it all an act?
My mind continued shifting from one negative thought to another, then finally.
Well Jace. Looks like we're the only single guys out of the whole squad.
I remembered Ronnie putting an arm around me.
It was always a joke we had. Well, it was a joke that he always made.
And I was always okay with it because it seemed like I wasn't alone.
But ever since Ronnie had started dating, it was like I didn't exist to him.
He stopped cracking those jokes and as if never acknowledging the fact that he even made them in the first place.
Why was it so easy for Ronnie? And so hard for me?
She didn't even know I was an Anakal.
And this entire time, my heart continued hurting. Fresh air didn't do anything for it.
If I had revealed to everybody that I was a monster, at least there would have been a reason to be rejected. Honestly.
But even as a human, I wasn't accepted.
Imagine what would happen if they knew.
"Help me... help..." A voice startled me in the darkness, as I stood still.
Some middle aged man, sprawled on the ground. He was missing a leg.
I threw up in my mouth.
"Young man... please... please help me..."
I heard a low growling.
The bellowing grumble which had to belong to a very large beast.
No.
Not a beast.
"Dad?" I said, casually, but stopped.
Wait.
That couldn't be Dad. He was at home.
He only went out on hunts after work.
A large beast emerged from the bushes. He had four horns and had very ancient black armor cladding his body. His arms looked like they were equipped with very large blades.
"Oh? What's this?" The Anakal grumbled.
This Anakal was not my father.
I stumbled back in surprise, as the Anakal picked up the man and licked his lips.
"Fear. I love it when prey is afraid. They release such succulent juices when I bite down."
The man let loose blood curdling cries.
"NO! NO PLEASE! DON'T! I BE-"
CHOMP.
The man's body went slack as the Anakal chomped down on the man's head in front of me. I held back a scream, frozen in terror, as I watched the bigger Anakal finish off eating the prey.
Then he turned to me.
"Another human? No. You..."
I managed to get a few gasps from my panicked breathing.
"Y- Yeah... I'm an Anakal too. I'm one of you. I uh... I didn't think there would be more of us."
The Anakal tilted his head.
"Is that so?"
"Y- Yes?"
The Anakal suddenly smiled sinisterly, and rushed forward, impaling me with one of his arm blades.
Pain exploded in my body as I vomited blood, my eyes wide in surprise, and disbelief.
"Idiot boy. Are you sure you are an Anakal? Did your father not teach you anything about how we live?"
"Wha- Why..." My voice left me.
Everything felt surreal.
Was I...
Was I really...
I looked down at the massive arm blade that had sprouted from my t-shirt.
It hurt so much. I felt like throwing up and passing out.
But my adrenaline was keeping me awake.
The Anakal lifted me into the air as I began kicking my feet. Terror paralyzing me.
"You are trespassing on my territory. BOY." The Anakal sneered.
No...
I forgot what Dad had told me. When I had asked him why we never saw others of our kind. Why we were always surrounded by humans but never other Anakals.
Son. In time you will understand. But in time, I also wish that you never encounter another. For we are an extremely territorial species.
I had dismissed his advice. I always dismissed Mom and Dad's advice. Because I thought I wouldn't ever run into another of my kind. After all. I was always surrounded by humans. I might as well live as one.
But now...
I closed my eyes. I was losing consciousness.
"Why do you not transform, little Anakal? Or are you too petrified by an Alpha?" The Anakal chuckled, flinging me around as I screamed in agony.
I slammed into the ground, cracking the pavement as I felt a jolt run across my my body.
I couldn't move.
The dark figure of the towering Anakal, with his dark aura and mirage bending dark speed in full view. His arm blades, sprouting from his elbows and running down his arms elegantly. Covered in my blood.
I needed to transform. Otherwise I would die.
I had to.
It's only through some kind of major trauma do their powers awaken.
I was about to fricking die! Was that not enough trauma?!
Ally only needed physical bullying to unlock hers.
Why...
I clenched my teeth and roared at the sky, trying to summon some inside power. But there was nothing.
The Anakal tilted his head.
"Can you not transform, boy?"
My eyes widened, as the Anakal picked me up by the neck, laughing sinisterly.
"Do you know what our tribe calls Anakals like you? Strays. Because you are stray little boys who don't know any better than to trespass on alpha territory. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I'm not so nice. Maybe you were born unlucky that you ended up tussling with someone like me. I'm going to enjoy picking you apart."
Why...
As a twenty five year old...
"I asked her out first. She said yes, we both like each other." Ronnie told me.
This was the night he had dismissed my request to study together.
Ronnie had been dating from day one behind my back.
It was so easy for him. He didn't even know her for a month and they started dating.
Why was it so easy for everyone else.
Whether it's too find someone who loved them.
Or to achieve their goals.
Why is it so easy for them...
I screamed in agony as the Anakal broke my arm.
But I wasn't transforming.
Why is it so easy for them...
The Anakal dropped me face first into the cement and stomped on the back of my head.
...but so hard for me?
Tears leaked down from the sides of my cheeks.
Why can't I...
Succeed too?
"RRRRGHHHHAAAAAAHH!!!" I screamed, trying to force my transformation.
Ally was able to transform at 13.
Dad was able to transform from one duel with another Anakal when he was 15.
Mom was able to transform, a prodigy at the age of 8.
I was the odd one out.
And I knew why.
I had lied when I said I wanted to live a human life.
And reject my Anakal side.
The truth was...
The truth was I believed I didn't have what it took to be an Anakal. To be those dark warriors in folklore.
An Anakal who hasn't unlocked their demon form is only allowed to consume human meat once they are 18 years of age due to developing organs. During this time, they are expected to unlock their transformation early to begin feeding on human flesh, which is the only way one could feast without getting sick.
When I was 8, my Mom let me play alone to see if I could transform. I stuck a fork into the power socket and nearly got electrocuted to death. I didn't transform.
When I was 15, several hoodlums pulled me into an alleyway and beat the shit out of me so they could be initiated into a gang. I never transformed.
My parents were hopeful.
At 16. At 17.
But I continued failing and letting them down.
And when I hit 18, I gave up. I straight up told them I couldn't do it. I had watched Ally transform at 13, when I, at 18, couldn't do it.
My Mom told me to eat the flesh she had prepared, since I was now of age to eat it, but I refused.
She had slapped me that day when I told her I would live my life a human.
And I continued this lifestyle, for seven years.
My body would wither away.
Getting weaker.
My mental health, my physical health, both would get worse over the years.
But I didn't care.
No point.
I would always be a failure.
But now...
The Anakal stopped tormenting me as I stared at the distance. My blood making a mess on the pavement and the nearby trees.
My lower lip quivering.
Please...
I'm... I'm about to die.
Please...
I need to transform.
I'm sorry for saying I wasn't interested in the Anakal way of life.
Please...
I'm so sorry for being a failure but...
I need to transform... please let me transform.
"I've had my fun. Enjoy the afterlife, kid." The Anakal said, as he raised his armblade.
"Orion. That is enough." A familiar voice said, as I heard a clash. Orion skidded backwards as a large minotaur like beast stood before me, blocking him off.
"Zion. Is this your offspring?"
"Do not call me that. My name is Henry Steele to these people, and to my son."
"Once an Alpha Anakal. Always an Alpha Anakal, Zion. Your child was trespassing on MY TERRITORY. Did you teach this Anakal failure nothing of our ways?!"
Orion charged again, but Dad swung his sword, clashing with the other Alpha Anakal with frightening speed and force.
"Keep your hands away from my SON!" Dad growled, as the two Anakals exchanged sword and arm blade slashes.
I tried to crawl away, but I was losing too much blood.
Orion tried to slash from the side, but Dad dodged and launched a kick, roaring in defiance.
Dad then turned to me.
"Son, feast on the body. You're in critical condition!"
"I..." I gasped, as I stared at the decapitated corpse of the human being who was begging me for help. It was like I could still hear his voice.
I couldn't eat that thing... I...
"JASON STEELE." Dad growled from his ancient Anakal form, as I jumped.
"No one can help you, unless you choose to help yourself! Do you wish to live? Or do you wish to die? That choice is yours alone!"
I closed my eyes, as I crawled to the body. My inner Anakal senses drawing me closer to the mangled flesh. Overriding my nausea.
It looked good.
I wanted it.
I needed it.
I had to eat it.
My body craved it.
I grabbed the flesh and hovered my mouth over it, but suddenly, I heard a devastating crunch. I turned around, in disbelief. As I watched Orion impale my father with one of his arm blades.
"DAD!" I screamed, but Dad roared, his body charging up.
"Foolish Orion. You lecture me about teaching my son, yet here you are, not learning your lesson from the last time we fought!"
Orion struggled, as the energy continued building up.
"Your damn Unleashed Rage ability! Let go of me!"
Dad grabbed Orion and yelled, as a massive orange explosion of rage was unleashed from his body, decimating Orion and sending him hurtling into a bunch of trees. Knocking him out unconscious.
I was losing consciousness, as my Dad, still in his demonic Anakal form, knelt down and stuffed the flesh into my mouth, forcing me to chew. I swallowed against my will, as my body began to repair itself. My stomach definitely didn't thank me though.
"I can... walk..." I muttered.
"No, you cannot." Dad picked me up, as we made our way back home.
Our walk back was silent and awkward.
"Am I getting a lecture when I get back?"
"We're going to have a talk now."
My heart skipped a beat.
"I... I'm sorry! I mean it. I forgot about the whole territory thing. I... I..."
"Territory aside. I am very disappointed in you."
My heart sunk.
Of course I was just a disappointment to Dad. If even my little sister was stronger than me.
"I tried to transform. But I failed. But... even when I was younger, I always failed. I failed and failed."
"That isn't the reason why I am disappointed, Jason."
"Why then? Since Day One, I've always disappointed everyone in this family... and I never know what I can do about it."
"Jason, you are a twenty five year old man. You are a full adult. Yet you still are so reliant on us."
I paused, as Dad continued holding me in his Anakal form.
"Your mother and I never gave up on you, Jason. We were always hoping you would unlock your form. Your mother always wondered what your form would be. She was a dragonoid claw type. I was a taurus sword type. Your sister was a frenzy claw type. Orion, the Anakal you met, was a wolverine arm blade type. We were always waiting. No matter how many times you tried. We were always supportive."
Dad sighed.
"But what made us disappointed, was the fact that you gave up. Just because your little sister transformed before you did. The littlest thing made you give up and reject who you were. That hurt your mother a lot. And it hurt me a lot too. And from there, you refused to heed our advice. All those studies we gave you on Anakal martial arts. You would only learn the minimal and play videogames instead. And now you almost got yourself killed because you forgot one of the most important lessons we gave you about Anakal territory. Even if you never unlock your Anakal form, Jason, I will always love you, and so will your mother. Because you are our son. But what we cannot tolerate, is you throwing your life away by not listening to us. We cannot tolerate that at all."
