The next afternoon.

Alarm clock ringing off the walls, the hyena groaned as he slammed down the button. Could he have five more minutes, please? Rubbing his eyes, the young adult read the numbers on the time device. Woah, it was one in the afternoon? He slept so late! Was this that mythical jetlag he had heard about so many times? Maybe so.

Hair pulled up into a high ponytail, matching spoon hairpins and earrings had been clipped into his hair and ears. Sitting crisscross upon the top of his bed, he wondered. What should he make today? Snapping his fingers, he had a eureka moment. Oh, he should make a nice juicy steak with a salad on the side! That would be a perfect way to signal off his debut back into the cooking world at home!

But, as the chimera lifted himself upward from his bed, he swore he could see a large steak shaped shadow from behind him. Huh? What in the world is that? Could it be that silly steak monster he was told about? But, he shook his head. No, no, there was no such thing as ghosts! And, of course, there was no such thing as food monsters either, right.

Slapping on his do not kiss the cook, it's gross apron, the hyena cracked his knuckles. It was time to make a lean, mean juicy steak! It had been so long since he had stepped foot in his home kitchen! Hands scrubbed almost into oblivion, he put on his heart checkered pattern gloves. It's time to get prepping!

Kitchen feeling awfully cold, the chimera broke into a shiver. Had Pira turned the air on this morning? Air conditioners all off, he shook his head. How strange, not a single one them of that been blowing air. Maybe mother turned the heat off? Gazing at the thermostat, such had not been the case. Ah, maybe a window was open, of course.

Windows all closed, the confusion continued. How could this be? Something was not right here. Shrugging, he headed for the freezer. He needed to get his head out of that occult gutter! It was time to get cooking! Packaged steak removed from the freezer, the hyena removed veggies from the fridge as well. Here goes, it was time for Cooking With Siorc Ingne! But, he let out a little laugh. Haha, as if. He never had the guts to start that cooking vlog.

Defrosting the meat, the hyena turned his head towards the right and left. Why did it feel like someone was watching him from somewhere? His siblings were at the farmers market like they always were during the afternoons in the summer. Had a bug flied in, or something? Maybe. There wasn't any time to think about such things.

As the chimera cut up the lettuce, he swore the headed leafy food had an angry face on it. Had his mother started collecting funny face foods, or something? Hearing screams as he cut into the soft cranium, the college graduate closed his eyes. Ugh, are the neighbor kids screaming while playing water tag again? They were so loud! Chopping away, he listened carefully at the shouts.

"Stop cutting, you're hurting me!" a voice cried.

Continuing to chop, the screams continued. That lettuce head, did it just talk to him? Knife hammering down, he tuned such out. No, of course not, it most certainly wasn't! What was this, a food horror story? Of course it wasn't, he was thinking way too hard about that steak monster he heard about yesterday, that's all!

Lettuce thrown around into a little bowl, he swore he could hear the lemons and tomatoes break out into tears as he diced them up. Apple screeching as well, he pinched his wrist. Was he dreaming right now? He had to have been, for sure. Joint stinging, he clicked his tongue. Okay, maybe he wasn't? What gives?

Painting on the barbeque sauce, the hyena gazed downwards at the slabs of meat. Was it just him, or did these little creatures have eyeballs? Shrugging, he turned on the stove. Slapping down the veggies next to it, he kept his hand steady. These juicy barbeque steaks are going to come out so good, everyone's going to enjoy them so much.

But, as the first steak had been about to finish, the chimera could feel his breath fade away. Gloved hands becoming one with his neck, the hyena could feel a an intense wave of dizziness. Who's there? Who came in here? Digits squeezing tighter, he tried to let out a scream. Did someone break in? Oh, no, he's done for.

"You'll pay!" a voice cried. "Die!"

Letting out a scream, the chimera could feel everything go limp. Twisting the knob on the stove, he attempted to break free. Jumping back, he could hardly believe his eyes at the sight before him. Gigantic steak with cartoonish hands and feet, the hyena's heart skipped more than two beats. Where did this creature come from?! Knife in the palm of his hands, he sliced forward.

"I'll get you next time for burning my children!" the cartoonish steak cried.

Creature running out, the chimera huffed a weak breath. Hacking up a storm, the hyena almost dropped onto the tiles beneath him. What in the world was that just now? That story Strix told him about, could it have been true? Removing his phone from his back pocket, he typed in the search prompt, food ghosts spotted.

Multiple articles everywhere speaking about sudden hauntings of food ghosts, the hyena shook like a leaf. Bottom text of an article reading, if you can see food monsters and ghosts, then, I'm sorry, you have the power to summon them around you. Be careful when cooking. Eyeballing such, he broke into a sweat. No, did he have that power? Reading the article further, he could see another portion towards the bottom.

Anonymous blogger stating that multiple people had been attempting to deal with these creatures around the world, the food enthusiast wondered. Should he do something about them, too? Maybe he should. Leaving a comment on the blog post, he closed his phone. Ha, it's not like this person will answer him, right? Probably not. But, he supposed, if he did, maybe he'll take care of this issue.

Steaks finished, the chimera plopped down in his room. Man, he could use a little nap. Curling up underneath his bed, he closed his eyes. But, he swore as he did, he could hear someone telling him he would pay once again. Shrugging it off, the young adult had been about ready to be dragged off into dreamland. But, one last thought hammered down upon him as he caught some zzzs.

Did he have the power to summon food ghosts around him?

That better not be the case. He'll deal with this later.