A Bowl of Spaghetti

[Backo]

It felt like an eternity as the Outcast stood there waiting for a response from her uninvited table companion. But the man across from her just kept slurping through her bowl of spaghetti. Did he not hear what she had just said? Or perhaps he simply did not care enough to reply? Eliza couldn't really know, but she felt uneasy and this time it wasn't because of the horrific pasta at hand. The more she stared at him with narrowed eyebrows and eyes pointed like daggers, the more the subtle absurdity of the situation caused her unexplained distress. Her eyes darted across the room and she quickly realized there was nobody else with them. The lack of clientele was explainable, but where was the bartender, the waiter, anyone looking over the place for that matter? Was it really just her and that crazed animal in front, consuming that bowl of disgusting pasta like his very life depended on it? Something here was off and Eliza knew it. Problem was she just couldn't put her finger on it, not yet at least. Valdez's azure eyes focused back on the white haired man that was feasting on her unpleasantly soggy meal. He was still as unfazed by the meal and her attempt at a conversation. The Outcast could feel the needlessness of her presence, it was like if she wasn't right there, right then, nothing of value would have been lost from the picture in front of her. The snake would continue consuming that full bowl of a crime against the Italian cuisine. Wait... Full bowl? Eliza froze on the spot, her gaze locked on the pasta. A smirk stretched across her face as she closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. The feeling of dread was all gone now. Eliza realized none of this was real. And just like that, as soon as she knew she was dreaming, the very fabric of disbelief was shattered and her dream soon ended. Maybe that midnight snack she had before bed was a mistake after all.

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Republic of the Sword and Sun