Chapter 21

Gaius’ POV

I throw in the rest of the butter from the transparent wrapping into the pan and watch as it sizzles, melting into its oily altered form and spreading to the round corners of the pan. The creamy aroma that follows is thick and momentarily clogs my throat.

When I’m satisfied with the molten state of the butter, I grab the jar containing crystal white sugar and pour most of it into the pan. Now, the aroma has changed to that of sugary sweet, and I inhale in the vapor greedily before reaching for the last ingredient, the bowl of corn, and emptying it into the butter-sugar mixture.

I rush to place the lid on top of the pan and hold down on it, waiting for the corn to start popping. It takes a while, and I’m about to open the pan to see if there’s anything wrong when I hear the first popping sound. The others follow in quick succession, and soon, I feel the pressure of the already-done popcorn lift up against the lid.

When I’m sure there are no