Page 42 of Midnightsong
She opened her rice cooker to check the fluffy white rice inside.
Tonight, she was making luròufàn, or braised pork belly over rice, topped with bok choy and sauteed in oyster sauce and braised eggs, for lunch for the week. The smell of soy sauce and spices wafted through her small kitchen, delighting her senses. Luròufàn was the first dish Mama taught her to make. Where she normally would slow down and savor every step of cooking this simple, yet hearty dish, today, she only wished to put the dish together as fast as she could so she could get to bed and rest her body, and hopefully, her mind too.
The newscaster on her television’s words drifted across her apartment. “The search is still ongoing for four missing divers around southwest Alaska. We have reason to believe the mer are responsible...”
She swallowed hard while removing the five-spice packet from her pork belly, braised egg and vegetable mixture, turning up the heat to let the sauce thicken, and gave it a stir.
The newscaster’s voice drifted in and out of her ears. “...deeming the mer potentially dangerous.”
Angie’s rice cooker shut off automatically, making a joyful ringing noise—contrary to how she felt inside—and she grabbed five Pyrex containers, setting them out in a line. A test bite of the pork belly revealed it to be melt-in-her-mouth tender, just the way she liked it.
“...Mer-Queen Serapha was murdered, leading to concerns about mer retaliation. Parts of the eastern Aleutians have gone undersea, forcing evacuations further inland.”
Tamade. This wasn’t good at all.
“Governor Jena Taylor is ordering Alaskan residents to stay away from shorelines, deeming it ‘no man’s land’, and the National Guard has been mobilized...”
The usual temperate air in her apartment became stifling, and after shutting off the stovetop, she strode to the nearest window by her living room and opened it a crack, letting the cool air through.
Better.
The newscaster continued. “The mer have been informed that if any of them are caught within a mile of the coast, they will be shot on sight.”
What mer did they inform? How? To Angie’s knowledge, non-royal mer didn’t speak or understand human languages.
She couldn’t begin to venture a guess to the answer.
Angie scooped out the luròufàn into each Pyrex, topped each with two eggs, lined the edges with oyster-sauce, drizzled baby bok choy, and switched to another news channel.
“Washington State’s National Guard is still searching for three missing divers plus a divemaster who never resurfaced from their guided dive at Seacrest Cove two days ago...”
She couldn’t bear to listen to the news anymore and after marching to her television and shutting it off, she put her lunch in the fridge. Her appetite was gone.
The news reports from last night reverberated in Angie’s mind as she nibbled on a soy sauce braised egg in between classes.It was the first thing she’d eaten since last night.
The health science building’s cafeteria was bustling, students rushing to grab a bite before their next class began.
Bàba had sent over a list of staff on duty from the day of Serapha’s murder, mostly security guards, maintenance technicians, cargo handlers, and terminal truck drivers who usually transported fish, along with everyone’s phone numbers.
Reesa poked Angie’s triceps. “Next time you make something so delicious, make some for me. All I have is a shitty sandwich.”
“Your sandwich looks amazing though.” Angie motioned to her friend’s Italian sub.
“I’d take Leo’s, too,” Reesa continued.
Across from them, Leo was absorbed on his phone, chewing on his packed lunch of grilled fish, mixed vegetables, and brown rice, and his gaze flitted briefly to meet theirs. “Sorry, what was that? Was talking to Pops.”
“Nothing. Yours and Angie’s food looks good.” Reesa grinned.
Angie stirred her rice and took a bite. “You all see the news last night? About what’s going on with the mer in Alaska?”
She could have sworn Leo flinched, but she could have imagined it.
“Yeah, I saw. Is that close to where you lived? Does your family live there?” Reesa asked.
“Yeah. I live in Creston.” Angie inhaled deeply. She lowered her voice. “The mer attacked us last year.”
Reesa’s eyes went wide and Leo’s fork hovered over his lunch.
