Boniface Daka replied and, at the same time, raised a question. Jabari liked to go out almost every weekend drinking and clubbing.
"No, I want to see you guys do what you do best." Well, that was a complete lie. He wanted to cast his eye on Veronica—his heart had already been captured by her dark spell.
"Do you have any food cooked? I'm super starving."
"No, dear. I'm planning to cook something soon." Sometimes Jabari Dakarai liked to share certain foods with Boniface, a human. He didn't restrict himself so much to a vampire diet.
"Uncle Jabari, let us combine our efforts. You can prepare the relish, and I'll prepare nshima." Boniface had been used to calling Jabari "uncle" from the time he was young, also because it was respectful in this community. It was a custom, particularly in Pragatoscal City—not that Jabari cared.
"Do you have anything in mind that I can cook?"
"Chicken and green beans are a lovely accompaniment to nshima. And I'll also pick up some beer or whiskey, if you like?"
"I prefer beer to whiskey when I don't have wine on my table." He literally meant wine, not blood. At times, vampires referred to blood as wine.
Jabari expressed joy at the mention of beer. He quickly said, "Great! Beer will suffice." Jabari loved drinking different types of alcohol.
Jabari walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge door, picked up a whole chicken, and laid it in a dish. He filled the dish with water to defrost the chicken, then went to the garden to pluck some green beans.
Back in the kitchen, he sliced the green beans into small pieces. He switched on the gas stove and started frying them. The chicken was removed from the water, and Jabari added spices—chicken Portuguese, black pepper, chicken spice, garlic, chili, and olive oil. The chicken was placed back in the refrigerator to marinate. After three minutes, he put it inside the grill and adjusted the knob to give it the right temperature.
Later on, he added onions and tomatoes to the green beans and left them to cook for ten minutes.
As Jabari lingered in the kitchen, a lively voice called out, "Hey, Uncle Jabari! I'm back. I managed to pick up the beer. Could I open one for you?"
Jabari Dakarai was thirsty for a beer the moment he'd heard about it. He couldn't wait to feel that cold, cooling taste.
Abruptly, he responded, "Yes! A beer before eating really increases my appetite. Did you bring me a Budweiser?"
"Yes, I know you like it." Satisfaction was clearly visible on Boniface's face, along with a proud smile.
"Thanks, brother! Now it's time for me to enjoy myself to the fullest." An infectious grin colored Jabari's cute face.
A special combined aroma wafted into every corner of the house.
"By the way, the food smells amazing!" The scent forced Boniface to make a comment. You couldn't help but notice it, poking at your nostrils.
"You'd better get to work yourself. I'm almost done with my duty," Jabari Dakarai reminded Boniface Daka.
"Okay! You're right. I'm on it." Boniface smiled broadly.
The green beans were all set. Jabari turned off the stove, then sat down on his favorite chair. He kicked back, sipping his alcohol while waiting for his grilled chicken to get ready.
After a number of sips, he fell into a trance where he saw Veronica approaching.
Her voice was extremely lively. "Hi, Jabari!"
Veronica was walking toward him inside the garden. She gave him a mischievous smile that made him feel illuminated, free from tension and anxiety, and brought him a calm, tranquil atmosphere.
"Hello!"
Her smile grew even wider.
"I fell in love with you at first sight. I couldn't hold it anymore—I might explode. So I've come to confess how I feel about you."
"I'm in love with you too, Veronica!"
"Oh my goodness! Are we floating in the air right now?"
"Yes, Veronica. Can you feel my energy in you?"
"Hell yes! It's fantastic and fabulous!" she replied.
"I guess it's the bond of our two energies, making us defy the law of gravity."
"I guess so. Mister Jabari Dakarai, may you kiss me with all your deepest passion and love?"
"Uncle Jabari!" yelled Boniface. "Please! Check the chicken—there's too much smoke in the house."
Right away, Jabari suddenly awoke and rushed to open the grill and pull out the chicken.
"Boniface, we were lucky this time. We could have burnt all the chicken to ashes. I was lost in a reverie just now. It's a good thing you're here."
"The nshima is ready," Boniface Daka notified Jabari.
"Wow! Let's dive in right now." Jabari exclaimed. The food had already been served.
After dinner, Jabari decided to take a nap.
Late that night, at 7:45 p.m., Jabari heard the sound of drums beating, then an accompaniment of voices followed thereafter. Automatically, Jabari Dakarai knew what that meant. It was indeed a custom at Dystopian Community to welcome visitors with singing, dancing, acrobatics, and drumming.
The next minute, he was inside the Dystopian Community Hall and made himself comfortable. His eyes were on auto-search for Veronica. However, Veronica was in her own world, not noticing those deadly, piercing eyes ready to spring on her.
Upon finding her, Jabari's eyes uncontrollably darted here and there in Veronica's direction, hoping to catch her gaze. Unfortunately, their eyes never met.
Well, for Veronica, things were different. She immersed herself in the music and the humans dancing on the stage. They were quite thrilling, authentic, and pleasurable to her hearing and sight.
Jabari could only imagine the joy and happiness she experienced through her bright, beaming face.
*What a world! If I could cross this dark path and entwine myself with this beauty, I would see, hear, feel, taste a whole new sensation. Maybe attain ecstasy as I drill deep down into that masked soul. I want you to the fullest. If I were a witch, I would cast a spell all over you. I would be the only person you ever think of all day long. Well, I have an idea. If all things exist in the human imagination of a man, you are mine, Veronica. Your heart's desires will be the light in my soul. You will be thirsty and pant after me. You will never be satisfied with another man, except me.*
Jabari marveled as a voice in his head exclaimed these thoughts. Then he dropped the thought and smiled.
Veronica was in an entirely new world. She was from Western Canstania, thousands of miles away from home. She didn't want to think about anything else apart from the scene unfolding right in front of her. The culture was entirely new and different from her birthplace in Western Canstania. Therefore, she had to take in the whole newfound world.
The singing and dancing came to a close. The audience erupted into a big round of applause for about one minute and thirty seconds.
The moderator walked onto the stage. "Hello, everyone! Did you have an exciting moment?"
"Yes!" cheered the crowd.
"I would like now to call forth Alexander to come on stage and introduce our guests."