Omori X Basil Novels & Stories

“What is that thing?” “Medicine.” Was all the woman said as she poured the content into another leaf, bigger than the first. With her bare hands, she crushed the bigger leaf and the powdered content into another container and added water to make a paste. “Aloe vera and the gill of a fish” She added as she walked towards Ejima, “Would kill the bacteria, just in case the wound has been infected.” “I feel fine,” Ejima grunted, disgusted by the foul smell. The woman laughed.

Did I do something wrong? "It smells like basil. I'm severely allergic to that. Aros, if I eat this, I'll probably die. Should I?"

They almost match the green of the plants around her. “Well, we actually have a question,” I say, to which the woman smiles brightly and nods. “It’s about a plant.” “Oh! Well, you’ve come to the right place,” she says. “Is it Ocimum basilicum? Or how about Borago officinalis?” Nancy and I look at each other again, then shake our heads. “No,” I reply. “It’s… toxic ashroot.” The woman’s smile suddenly fades and she narrows her eyes at both of us.

I said, grinning. “Your expression says a lot” I widened my eyes innocently. “What expression?” “That one.” He turned back, setting the ingredients on the counter, peppers, onions, pasta, tomatoes, and…. Something suspiciously green and leafy that I didn’t trust at all. “What is that?” I pointed at the leaf thing. “Basil.” “What is basil?” “A herb.” he deadpanned. It obviously did not look like basil. “Are you sure?” His jaw twitched. “Lyra, go sit down somewhere.”

Sabrina's POV The kitchen in Dominic's mansion was twice times larger than my apartment. I stood at the massive marble island. A heavy cast-iron pot sat on the stove. The scent of roasted garlic, fresh thyme, and seared beef filled the air. I crushed a handful of fresh basil leaves. The green scent mixed with the rich meat. I dropped the leaves into the thick red sauce. The tomatoes came direct from my parents' farm. I spent all of last year perfecting this hybrid crop. The skin was thin. The flesh held a perfect balance of acid and sugar.

Five minutes later. They were already disagreeing. Lucien held two brands of pasta sauce. "They're identical." "They're not." "They're both tomato sauce." Sera sighed dramatically. "One has basil." "The other doesn't." "I can't taste basil." "That's because your taste buds gave up on you." "My taste buds are perfectly functional." She placed both jars back. "We're making the sauce ourselves." Lucien looked horrified. "...People still do that?" She laughed so loudly that a nearby elderly woman smiled at them.