Josh awoke early the next morning, when he heard an unfamiliar clang from outside his room. It was chillingly dark, but a light was showing through the crack beneath his door. His clock said it was a little after 4:30. It was fortunate he'd gone to sleep early, this must be his roommate.
He got out of bed, clearing the sleep from his eyes and looking toward the kitchen. He could see Coral's blood-red tail trailing nearly back to her own room, and heard the microwave running. Turning the corner, he saw that her body had taken up most of the kitchen's space as it lay slack behind her upper body. She was intently focused on whatever was in the microwave, though he couldn't see enough of it to hazard a guess. "Good morning, Coral."
She visibly flinched, then raised herself back to her upright position. "Oh, shoot. Did I wake you up?" Her eyes darted to the microwave, and back to Josh. "I'll by more considerate next time. Go back to sleep."
Josh didn't budge, rubbing his eyes again. "I need to start waking up earlier anyways. So, what're you up to?" Coral angled her head, but he wasn't sure what emotion she was trying to convey. Her facial features didn't seem to move much.
"I'm getting ready for my morning meal." Her eyes darted to the microwave again, then back to him. The part of her tail that was nearest Josh flicked, bumping his shin. "And I don't want to be watched like some zoo animal. Go back to sleep."
"I mean no disrespect, but how long have you been eating alone?"
There was a pregnant pause. "When I was...In...A couple years? I think?" She looked back to the microwave, but this time didn't return to looking at Josh. "It's fine. I haven't wanted people to see."
It was Josh's turn to think about what to say. "That's not healthy for a human mind." Coral returned her focus to him. "But, if you really want me to go, I can play an app or reorganize my clothes. Be sure to tell me when the kitchen's open so I can get my breakfast." He started the trek back to his room.
"Wait." Josh turned around, returning to his spot outside the kitchen. "Why do you want to talk with me so much?"
He scratched his head. "Honestly, I came out here to try gene mods. My hometown was pretty small, and what few mods it had were really expensive. I've often considered more extreme mods as pushing the limit of technology, so you seem like the ideal person to get first-hand experience from."
"Oh, is that it?" She pulled in more of her body, looping in on herself to remain completely in the kitchen. "For a second there, I thought you were trying to get into my pants, as they say." The microwave beeped, signaling its completion. Coral immediately opened it, pulling out a chicken on a plate. She set it atop the counter. "So, you want to learn about drawbacks of a body like mine?"
"I'd like to learn as much as-"
"Alright. For starters, you can see how my eating habits have been affected by my body."
Coral took the complete chicken in her hands, then opened her mouth to wedge it between her jaws. It was clearly too large to fit in her mouth. Josh heard the sound of muscles stretching and bones popping as Coral's jaw seemed to continue to widen. She shoved the chicken into her mouth with her hands, and her throat bulged as it went further in. After it made its way fully into her neck, she washed her hands as her jaw started to pull back into the way it looked a few moments earlier. She then massaged the chicken to pass deeper down her body, until it settled about 6 feet into her. The bump still remained, but it was mostly indistinguishable compared to when it was in her throat.
She looked to Josh. "There. See why I don't tend to eat around others?"
He nodded in return, still focused on where the chicken currently lay in her digestive tract. "Fair, though you really should find friends to eat with. What happens with the bones?"
"I regurgitate those when I build up enough of them. You can watch that too, if you'd like."
"Sure. Should I wear protective gear?"
She squinted her eyes. "You're still actually serious about extreme modding?"
"I've seen more than my fair share of guys trying to choke down a meal in two bites. Your way has been, by far, the cleanest. Why would that change my mind?"
"Very well. How about you come with me for my morning chores, so you can see just how restrictive it is to be me?"