The Death Cake
By PhoenixWolf, aka Alexander Huffman
Background music by Smartsound
 
Jorib padded up the ramp into his spaceship, a white box bouncing in his hands with his excitement. Behind him a human male in his early adulthood years stood wide eyed, gazing at a large stack of green sheets of paper in his hand. Jorib didn’t have any idea of how money worked on this planet, but he figured fifty thousand units of the human’s currency was more than enough for this purchase.
The ramp closed and Jorib felt the inertia buffers turn on as the ship ascended into a safe orbit.
“Norgat!” He squeaked out as he broke into a run down the corridor. “I got it! Come see quickly!”
Jorib made excited giggling sounds as he entered the dining hall. Just as he placed the box on the table, Norgat shuffled in rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Norgat was a short and stocky example of his species, just like Jorib. His head stalks, which usually stood straight up from the top of his head, were askew to one side, and dark lines creased his grey skinned face. The telltale signs of his most recent nap being deep and way too comfortable.
“What?” Norgat said drowsily.
“I got that human food item that I was telling you about! The confection that was named for bringing death upon those who dare eat it,” Jorib said with a dramatic wave of his stubby hands.
Norgat stifled a yawn, ‘Okay…so, what are we going to do with a deadly dessert?”
“What else! We’re going to eat it!”
“What??” Norgat was definitely awake now.
“I have prepared everything we need. We will not only brave this deadly confectionery, but survive to document its effects for science and posterity!”
“By we, you mean me, don’t you?”
“Not this time! I plan on consuming this human creation too. Just after I document your experience with it first.”
Norgat stared at his companion for a silent moment. “You just want to see me suffer.”
“No! Your physical health is important to me. How else will I learn from these humans without your expert assistance and experimentation?”
Norgat’s stare turned into a dark glare. Not that it mattered much, once Jorib got an idea in his head, he was very difficult to dissuade. Jorib started to lift the lid of the box, but its corners caught part way, causing him to struggle and grunt as he tried to wiggle it free. Norgat watched this struggle for a few moments, enjoying Jorib’s growing frustration.
Norgat grew bored waiting, he grabbed the lid with Jorib and helped lift. It came free and slid smoothly off its base with a satisfying rush of air filling the space the lid occupied. They immediately jumped back with their nose holes wrinkled at the smell that filled the room.
“Uhg! That’s horrid!” Jorib cried out.
They retreated to the furthest wall away from the open box and waited for the smell to dissipate.
“If I start smelling like that after I eat it, my clutch-mate will replace me when we get home!”
“She still hasn’t forgiven you for bringing that Durian Fruit home?” Jorib asked.
“I had to sleep in the bog for a week!”
Jorib shuddered in sympathy.
“I think the smell is mostly gone now.” He motioned for Norgat to approach the box again.
Norgat rolled his eyes, but walked up to the box again. He took a cutter tool and carefully cut the corners of the box, letting the sides fall down to reveal the contents in all their glory.
“Oooh!” They both exclaimed at the sight. The cake was dark brown, almost black. It was also very tall, the top being made perfectly smooth, with dark brown flower-like embellishments arranged around its edge.
Jorib reached out with shaking hands toward the cake, but stopped short as if touching an invisible barrier. “Wow. Norgat, feel the power!”
Norgat gave him a sideways glance and eye roll. “Okay, let’s begin documenting.