The Assassin's Kryptonite

Clenched Jaw

Clenched Jaw

“You have a f*****g meat storage right here and you made me wait hours for the fish we ate earlier?!”

I can’t help but raise my voice and glare at him. I almost fainted from hunger earlier, not knowing that these jars were right here containing what felt like the best food I could possibly eat here!

“How could you!” I almost grabbed one of the bowls in this shed so I could hit his head with it. He just ignored me and continued digging for meat. Well, he should because I feel like I could devour everything in that jar!

He finished what he was doing, took the basket, closed the jar and walked towards me. He was about to carry me again when I stopped him.

“Let me smell that first,” I exclaimed with wide eyes as I stared at the brown salted meat. I grabbed the basket and dipped my nose in it. It smelled very pork…. And a little like wine. He was just staring at me as I smiled brightly at him.

“Let’s cook this now!” I gave him the basket as I excitedly stood up. I tried limping towards the outside of the shed, but he grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing?”

“Walking?” I was confused by his question. What does he mean? “Oh! Limping I mean,” I tried joking around because I was in such a good mood. I can eat meat! As in cured meat! And it’s not just one! There’s a lot! I usually take this thing for granted, but being stranded here on this island made me realize how lucky I am to be able to eat so much delicious food. And the thing is, I didn't even eat a lot when I was in our mansion! I literally just eat a piece and call it a day!

“Hold this,” he exclaimed as he gave me the basket. He then proceeded to carry me bridal style again.

“The KITCHEN is near,” I exclaimed, putting emphasis on the word kitchen, because I’m not sure if I can call those rocks and that table, kitchen. Well, they do their job and serve their purpose, so I guess I can consider it some sort of kitchen? A poor man’s kitchen! I can’t help but giggle thinking of all these silly things. “I could probably just limp,” I added.

Well, I appreciate him carrying me almost all day long, but he’s literally holding a very delicious meal and I want him to cook it immediately!

“Your ankle will take longer to heal if you force yourself,” he explained briefly as he put me down the wooden chair near his cooking rocks.

He took out the collapsible wooden table and put it on my side. He put the basket with meat on top. He started putting wood in the middle of the rocks. He walked away and when he came back, he brought dried leaves and what looked like a metal grill! We’re having grilled meat!

“What kind of meat is this?” I asked curiously as I inspected the meat again. Well, I’m just asking to start a conversation, but to be honest, I don't care whatever it is, because I’m salivating already!

“Wild Pig pork,” he answered as he started lighting the leaves to start a fire.

“Wild pig? Did you hunt?” I asked curiously. I remember him telling me that he hunts because I thought he only ate fish.

“Yes, last week,” he answered. He’s really improving his communications skills, huh?

“Hm…. The salting was smart, huh? I remember taking a class in home economics that talked about different kinds of preserving meat,” I exclaimed.

“I have no choice. There’s no refrigerator and I can’t eat a whole wild pig in a day.”

“Now that I’m here, maybe we can?” I asked teasingly while laughing. I’m actually surprised by my appetite lately because I’m usually conscious of what I eat. It’s just that I have a gorgeous body to maintain. But well, there’s literally no one here who knows the perfect Camille Louella Herrera Montellano. Camille who’s always glamorous. It’s only Trevor who literally saw me in my worst state already. So, I guess it’s fine?

“Maybe,” he said as he put the grill on top of the rocks, then grabbed the basket and put the meat on top. The fire was already out, and I saw pieces of lighted charcoal which would cook the meat.

“How long do you think that would take?” I asked as I stared at the meat. I swear I can almost taste them in my mouth!

“Not long,” he answered as he suddenly stood up. “Can you wait here?” he asked.

“Sure,” I answered without taking my eyes off the meat. “Where are you going?” I looked at him when he started walking towards the forest.

“I’ll just get something,” he answered without looking back at me.

“Fine.”

I literally just stared at the meat, scared that it might burn as I waited for him. I heard his footsteps after almost ten minutes, but instead of walking towards me, he walked towards the shed. He came back and put some banana leaves, a cloth, and ceramic bowls on top of the table. I didn’t need to be told as I started wiping the leaves. Well, I guess I can do that now.

“You went to the forest to get leaves? There are banana plants here,” I exclaimed, stopping from wiping, and pointing at the banana plants near us. That is where he got the leaves we used last time.

“No, I went for these,” he answered, which made me look at him.

“Potatoes! Omg that would be perfect for the meat!” I exclaimed excitedly as I saw him grilling the potatoes beside the meat.

“Did you plant that? Do you have a lot of vegetable plants in the forest?” I asked excitedly as I started wiping the leaves again, careful not to ruin them because Trevor Helios might snap again.

“There’s a lot of food inside the forest, you just have to look.”

“So, you didn’t plant the potatoes yourself?”

“I planted the potatoes but most of the vegetables were already in the forest when I got here.”

“When did you get here?” I started to become curious again and I’m not really sure, but I think I saw him flinch at my question. But he immediately displayed his calm expression and posture. “When did you get here?” I finally let my curiosity win over me. I just really want to know! Was he kidnapped too? Is he also rich like me? Is he some kind of a scion? But he has clothes here though. That doesn’t look like someone who was kidnapped.

And he knows all of these survival things like he was raised this way. All the scions I know are all weaklings who get by because of their money. That’s why no matter how much their father convinces my father to let their sons meet me, I always say no to dad, and he would always listen to me. He trusts me that much.

“When did you get here?” I repeated the question because he didn’t seem to hear what I had just said. I saw him clenching his jaw and I knew that I was supposed to stop already because he might get mad, and he might not let me eat the meat! But I just really want to know.

“A few months before you got here,” he finally answered, and I just nodded my head. A few months? Just a few months and he had already mastered the ways of living in a secluded place? I don’t think so, he really was raised like this. I’m almost quite sure.

“Were you kidnapped as well?” and I couldn't help myself but asked more questions! You should stop Cami!

“No.”

“No?”

“No. I was banished here,” he exclaimed with a hint of sadness in his voice which made me curious even more! Banished? What does he mean? Who banished him? And why would they banish him? Who would be this cruel to let a man live alone on an island with nothing more than his skills? Who would do this to him?

“B-Banish? W-Who banished you here?” I can’t help but startle because, for some reason, I was trembling. And it’s not because it’s cold but because I was getting mad. Not just mad but livid! I’m fuming mad with whoever did this to him and I don’t even know what happened! What if he’s a bad person, huh Cami? Maybe that’s why they left him here because he was such a danger to other people!

I was trying to come up with a plausible reason why someone would banish a person on a secluded island, but even when I thought of a few, I still feel mad because I know, even after just a day of being with him, that he’s not evil!

There are moments where I catch his emotionless eyes filled with emotions in them. Emotions of loneliness and sadness and I just really feel bad for him that I feel like I’m going to cry! I was clenching my fist as I bit my lower lip hard when he suddenly looked at me.

I saw him crease his forehead and his expression softened. See? His expressions! How can someone be bad enough to be banished when he’s looking at me like that!

“Why are you crying?” he exclaimed, which shocked me. What? And then I touched my cheeks and confirmed that I was indeed crying? What the f**k? Why am I crying?

“Why are you crying?” he repeated his question as he walked towards me. He kneeled in front of me and touched my cheeks. He started wiping my tears with his thumb as I felt my tears continuously flowing.