The Blood that Binds (storyline)/Cully the Cannibal (vignette)

The Blood that Binds, Chapter 2 Vignette: Cully the Cannibal

Addey made her way home to her cot at the church thanks to Pher, the local artist who escorted her from the festival grounds after she’d snuck out when Mistress Khoiya was gone for the evening. The Minister and Mistress Khoiya did honestly care about the children – Addey was grateful for that because she’d seen her share of those who only wanted to take advantage of the street children’s ability to be anonymous and sneak into place normally inaccessible. She knew a good thing when she saw one and had no intention of messing this one up. That’s why she was extra careful when sneaking out and in not getting into trouble with the locals. If she made too big of a mess, they may kick her out and she didn’t want to go back to being homeless.

She snuck out a few times a week from the church. She was grateful for the place to sleep and the opportunity to have some regular food in her stomach, but she couldn’t just sit around in that place all the time. Her parents were attacked a few years prior, and Addey had quickly learned the ways of being stealthy when needed to just survive until Minister Ezaihas took pity on her and a few others. During her time on her own, she’d discovered that most times, folks didn't pay much attention to street kids because they either didn't feel they warranted any attention or just flat out avoided them. It made it super easy to observe what isn't always intended to be overheard. That turned into an income of sorts for Addey, keeping food in her stomach and occasionally the ability to stow away at a warm Inn for the night with a few tossed coins to the resident cook or a sympathetic server.

Tonight, when sneaking back to the festival, she had not considered that her adversary, Cully the Cannibal, would be able to distract her thoughts so easily. She didn’t want to be eaten. Of course, she was thinking about that above all other things when she snuck into the ivory silk tent where all the auction attendees were socializing with Pher. She slipped up and let herself be seen when she tried to hastily hide upon discovering Daenamarticullis was still there with the others. That was a rotten turn of luck – Addey was terrified of that one and her ‘fresh meat’. Truthfully, at first, she was in awe of Cully but it quickly changed when the terrifying young woman revealed that she eats humanoid bits. Addey didn’t understand how the adults just stood around and nonchalantly engaged with her knowing that she was a cannibal. Minister Ezaihas had warned the children about venturing outside of the town limits due to the discovery over the last few months of travelers who were attacked on the road between towns. She didn’t know all the details, but she overheard enough during her time away from the church to understand that sometimes all that was found was bits of the traveler. It was so obvious to Addey that this must be what happened to Thanela, and Cully was the culprit! She often found that adults focused on the wrong things and would miss the obvious right in front of them.

Thankfully, Addey escaped any real damage from the cannibalistic young woman, and she now hunkered down into her covers, using her lifted head to create a tent over her pillow where she had a scrap of paper she’d stolen from a local bookstore when the owner was not looking close enough. She usually used it to draw pictures, but tonight she was creating the lyrics to a song. Across the top of the page was the title – Cully the Cannibal. Biting her lower lip in concentration, she hummed a few bars to herself quietly so as not to disturb the others who were sleeping nearby.

Cully the Cannibal 
Written by Addey
Cully the Cannibal is mostly scary.
I bet you it’s because she’s super hairy.
She’s a mean kind of lady, a mushy bad banana.
Beware of the nails and the long, long hair – she’ll trap you by setting her snare!

One, Two, Three, Four!
Here she comes, get on the floor.
Cully the Cannibal will get you if you don’t be careful.
She’s a mean kind of lady, a mushy bad banana.
Feet, noses, and all kinds of pieces – that’s her treat and she’ll catch you to get one.

She’s a monster – she’s slick like an eel.
Everything she touches is goopy like a boogie.
She’ll offer you sweets, and you’ll think she’s neat.
But she’ll stuff you in an oven, and then you’ll be her treat!

Five, Six, Seven, Eight!
Here she comes, hide in a crate.
Cully the Cannibal will get you if you don’t be careful.
She’s a mean kind of lady, a mushy bad banana.
Feet, noses, and all kinds of pieces – that’s her treat and she’ll catch you to get one.