Page 14 of The Harbinger
Smiling, she placed the tray on the sturdy table and lifted the silver domed lid. A white bowl with broth, fish, potato, and carrot filled the bowl halfway. The aroma and steam caressed my senses, urging me to dig in and swallow it all in one gulp.
I grabbed the spoon on the tray, scooped a chunk of fish and potato, then scarfed it down, swallowing the contents before I could chew.
“Thank you…” I paused from chewing as she reached across and placed a napkin down beside my shaking hand. “What’s her name?” I asked Sacha as her tattoo became visible.
I’d seen that somewhere before… A solid black vertical line, morphing into a sideways eight and intersecting the line at the top are two more horizontal lines.
“Olga.”
Sacha’s brows pulled together as he watched me as if he wanted to know what stopped me from eating.
“Thank you, Olga.”
I shoveled another spoonful as she backtracked to the front of the plane.
My stomach twisted, but I scooped another spoonful and then another, devouring the soup, when he reached across the narrow table and wrapped his large hand around my wrist.
“Eat slower, or you’ll become sick.”
As Sacha jerked the spoon from my grip, my potato plummeted back into my bowl with a hot splatter.
The plane grew silent except for the brawl of the engines, and my hair stood on end.
“If you cannot listen, your life will become more difficult than it already is.” He dipped the spoon into the broth and brought it to my lips. “Eat.”
I opened my mouth, and the broth drizzled onto my tongue, my gaze locked with his. The blanket slid off my bare shoulders, brushing each fine hair along my arm until it rested at my waist.
Sacha took another spoonful of fish. “Ukhais to be savored. Not eaten in haste.” He placed the spoon in my mouth, and I swiped its contents off with my lips. “Chew slowly.”
Ivan cleared his throat, and Sacha dropped the spoon into my bowl with a clank and leaned back into his seat, his face now buried in his phone.
I moved the piece of soft fish around in my mouth, working the bits with my teeth, and then swallowed, my fingers twitching with hesitation as I picked up the spoon.
Sharp bubbling cramps erupted throughout my abdomen, forcing me to double over my food, my silverware clattering across the table. I wrapped my arm around my waist and moaned, the pain like ice picks.
Ohgod.What if he poisoned me? What if Olga did? Another bout of cramps drew another involuntary groan.
“You poisoned me?”
Laughter broke out among the men across the aisle.
“Pomolchi.”
The men ceased laughing like someone had cut their vocals, and Sacha leaned forward. “If I wanted you dead, do you think I’d put you on my plane and fly you across the world to do it?”
I wiped an errant tear from my cheek and shook my head.
“Alright then. Now allow your stomach time to adjust to your food, then try again.”
I scooted back in my seat, drew my knees up, and rested my forehead against them as I breathed through my nose. If eating after starving feltthisterrible, I’d never take another bite of food again.
A few moments later, Olga replaced the dome over the top, took my tray of food, then pressed the button for the table to slide back into place.
“She’ll need a check-up when we get there,” Sacha said.
“I’m fine.” I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hands, then pushed the towel on my head back up. “I’ll be fine.”
Sacha switched to Russian, and I clenched my jaw, grinding my teeth together. It’d be a lonely existence if he were the only person I could converse with. His clipped responses, radical emotional changes, and unpredictability… I think I’d rather be back on the streets bumming food off of people.