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Starfish Scares (13) : Starfish live in the sea. They do not live in freshwater rivers, lakes, or reservoirs with no connection to the ocean. Starfish are also not social creatures. And yet, here they are–in hoards. They can be found near any water source–and far from it. These starfish seem to be a unique species that are eager to travel and don’t seem quite bound to water, though they will seek it out. The starfish will latch onto just about anything they can to hitch a ride, even though they’re fast. They secrete an itchy, oozy slime after they’ve latched onto something, and though it seems as though they can absorb nutrients from any living creature, these starfish have an odd penchant for blood. You might as well have a colorful leech stuck to you as soon as you think one of these things crawling your way. Their bites are sharp and will leave the nearby skin itchy and painful. They are a bit difficult to remove but they can be killed; as soon as they have perished, they will rapidly dry out and crumble. However, it’s far more likely that they’ll escape before you can get your hands on them. Be vigilant; these things are pests–and smart enough to cling to people and vehicles alike if it means getting to where they want to go.
At no point in his life had Indra ever deluded himself into thinking he wanted to be a ‘cabin in the woods’ type of person. He had nothing against outdoor activities, but neither were they a staple in his daily routine. He could do without so much as stepping outside most days… And if he had his way, he would be as near as possible to all the amenities the city provided: grocery store, restaurants, gas station, gym, etcetera. He held a heavy preference for convenience over nearly anything else. Having a home outside the boundaries of civilization was so infrequently convenient.
But circumstances had brought him exactly here, to his small cabin nestled in the forests of the valley not far off from the reservoir. For two years, he’d called it home, and though it had been an insurmountable adjustment, adjust he did. Enough so that very little that could occur came as much of a shock to him.
Lightning took out the power frequently. A light drizzle would flood his cellar with a sheen of water. Raccoons, possums, and even the odd bear rummaged through his trash. All manner of arachnids and insects made their way into his home and cupboards, and there was very little to actually be done about it. All of that was normal; frustrating, yes, but Indra was accustomed enough that it didn’t spike his anxiety so hard as to make him deep scrub his entire home (anymore).
Color him surprised (and wary) when he stuck his hand down the drain to clean out his sink, and instead of coming up with a pile of unidentifiable muck, Indra held in his palm a fully intact and wriggling with life- Starfish?
That was… uncommonly odd. Indra turned it over in his hand, marveling at its lovely (and strange) blue-green coloration. He was hardly a wildlife expert, but weren’t these things supposed to be exclusively ocean-bound? And it would be bizarre if it could move so much as to maneuver all the way up his pipes. …And the oddest things in Destiny City usually came with no small degree of danger.
It was pretty, but the instant Indra felt a p***k into his palm, he hurtled the starfish well across the room, immediately on high alert for- for what? Danger? From this one small creature? He would’ve felt it if it was a youma… It smacked the far wall with a wet slap, then slid to the floor in a trail of thick ooze. He inspected his palm, just to see one small, dark bead of blood in the muscle near his thumb.
He could be poisoned… the creature was colorful enough.
But besides the sting of being- stabbed? Bitten? How did starfish injure people? He felt otherwise normal. Still, better safe than sorry. He snatched a small paring knife from his knife block and moved to apprehend the vivid-toned criminal that had broken into his home. Despite being on guard as he approached, Indra didn’t expect much by way of resistance.
Perhaps he should’ve. Because the thing (which he was now convinced was not a starfish) moved- Quite quickly and by a means that Indra did not understand. It shot away from him, gliding over his wood floors in a heap of ooze. It dove beneath his couch, so Indra shoved the furniture away from the wall. The creature zoomed under the table, so he flipped it sideways to use as a barricade- And why did he need a barricade against a starfish?! How was it so fast- what did it want- why was it here- how, how, how-
It snapped toward the cabinets beneath the sink, scuttled up them with surprising dexterity as Indra threw himself at the countertop, desperate to block what he now realized was the most viable escape exit: back the way it had come.
With a little ’pop!’ the starfish dislodged itself from the sink rim, seemed to twist around itself until it was no wider than a pencil, and dropped down into the drain. Quick as it had come, it was gone again, and the only evidence it had ever existed at all was the little bead of blood still welling up on Indra’s palm.
…And the trail of stinking ooze it had left behind. Maybe the cabin would need a deep clean from the terrors of this pest, after all…
[WC: 732]
