Chapter 52
1065 Words
"Zack, do we really have to eat this?" Zoe's expression was as bad as Crystal's. She pouted and clung to my arm, whining.
I patted her head with a smile. "Don't worry. These worms just look gross. When they're cooked, especially grilled, they taste better than chicken. I'm worried you might complain there won't be enough to eat!"
With my assurance, Zoe mustered up her courage and nodded without saying anything. Seeing that everyone else was okay with it, Crystal kept quiet too, though the disgust in her expression was clear.
These past days in the cave, Crystal had been quite fierce. Even Mandy couldn't win an argument with her, let alone Stella. Although Susie was completely non-combative, Crystal alone seemed capable of overpowering Mandy and Stella together.
Seeing Crystal so scared made Stella smile brightly. She even strutted up to me, "Zack, let me help you cook. After all, I'm not as timid as some people here!"
Everyone in the cave got busy quickly. Zoe went to start the fire and boil water, while Crystal and Susie went to wash the vegetables. Mandy, Stella, and I handled the worms.
I held Stella's hand as we squatted in front of the basket, watching the wriggling worms. These worms were disgusting, and seeing so many of them squirming around together was even more unsettling. I couldn't help but comment, "This is a nightmare for anyone with a fear of clusters."
Even I found it a bit hard to look at them without feeling uneasy. Stella's face turned pale with disgust. She might have eaten worms before, but those were cooked and prepared, not raw and wriggling like that. The sight of these worms up close made her regret her previous bravado.
I watched her expression with some mischief in my heart and picked up a wood borer casually.
"Just do it like this. Pinch off its head and throw it into this bamboo basket," I said, pinching off the head of a fat worm. Green juice splattered, even hitting Stella's face.
"Ah! I... I can't!" Stella stepped back, stuttering. She no longer had the arrogance she had shown in front of Crystal earlier.
Seeing Stella stand there frozen, I found her current expression very amusing and adorable.
"What's wrong, Stella? Are you as scared as Crystal?" I knew Stella was very proud, so I looked at her and said this deliberately.
"Me, scared? How could you compare me to a coward like Crystal? You have no idea how tough I am. It's just worms, right? What's there to be afraid of?" Stella was a bit angry. She spoke these words bravely, but the timid look in her eyes, as she glanced at the worms, betrayed her inner fear.
I noticed she was starting to sweat on her nose and forehead. Holding back my laughter, I pretended not to notice her discomfort and casually handed her a worm. "You are amazing, Stella. I'll leave these to you then."
Feeling the wriggling, sticky, and cold sensation of the worm in her hand, Stella couldn't hold back any longer. She screamed and threw the worm away, then fell to the ground and started crying.
I didn't expect Stella to break down in tears so quickly. Seeing her tear-streaked face and red eyes, I felt a bit regretful, thinking I might have gone too far. I scratched my head awkwardly.
Mandy shot me a fierce glare. She hugged Stella and comforted her softly, making me quite envious.
"Zack, you knew she was scared and still frightened her deliberately. Apologize to her right now," Mandy scolded me, pointing at my nose.
The other girls also glared at me angrily, as if I had committed a serious crime.
I forced a smile and scratched my nose. Realizing I had indeed gone too far, I went over to Stella and tried to apologize.
"An apology won't work. I won't forgive you!" Stella lifted her tear-streaked face, glared at me, and then ran off to help Zoe with the fire.
Although she said she wouldn't forgive me, I could see her mood had improved, and she wasn't crying anymore. I really couldn't understand her.
This little incident didn't slow down our cooking process.
In fact, with Stella out of the way, Mandy and I processed the worms much faster.
In no time, we had cleaned all the worms from the basket.
I took out the helmet pot and put the worms in one by one. First, I added some spices and boiled the worms until they were cooked but not mushy. This was to remove the fishy smell and make them easier to fry.
Next, I took the animal fat we had stored and placed it in the heated pot. The fat began to melt, and after a while, the pot was filled with oil.
I scooped out the fried fat remnants and then added the prepared worms. With a sizzling sound, a strange but enticing aroma filled the cave.
Before long, I brought a pot of golden fried worms to the table. We now had a simple table, so we no longer needed to squat to eat. Everyone sat around together, creating a warm atmosphere.
Stella, feeling embarrassed in front of Crystal, was the first to grab a worm and take a bite. Her expression turned to surprise, and without looking at me, she continued eating happily.
"These worms taste like fried shrimp. They are very tender. So delicious," Stella commented.
Seeing her eat so happily and give such high praise, I felt quite pleased. The other girls, seeing Stella's enjoyment, also started eating.
The blizzard raged outside the cave. But we gathered around the warm campfire inside and ate delicious fried worms, talking, laughing, and feeling very happy.
Even Crystal, who had been very reluctant, was now eating with her mouth full of oil, too busy to wipe it off, afraid someone might take her share.
"Back at Sam's camp, even though we had food and drink, it tasted awful. It was like eating s**t every day. Life now is so much better, Zack. It's all thanks to you! I admire you so much," Crystal said, sitting next to me with a look of extreme admiration.
Crystal even started leaning on me. She held my arm and stopped eating her dinner.
Stella rolled her eyes, her fork nearly piercing the wooden plate.
- Writer
