Page 22 of Dead Wolf Walking (Bad Moon Academy 1)
“Do you want a tour?”
I glance at the giant chandelier hanging where the stairs start. It’s covered in dust. “Is everything else as dirty?”
He looks at the light. “Well, it’s a large school and the last maid we had…” He trails off and scratches his forehead. “She took another job.”
Right, obviously I don’t believe him, but I’m not ready to dive into the drama of the staffing at Bad Moon Academy.
“I’m a bit hungry, honestly. Is there a cafeteria?”
Carter beams at me. “Now that I can help with. The cafeteria is this way.”
We walk to the other side of the first floor, down a hallway, through a door and a fancy room, and into another which is filled with round tables and chairs. There’s a buffet line against the far wall. This place is so clean, it’s a shock. There’s not even dirty dishes left behind on the tables. At least I know it’s safe to eat the food.
Taking the path along the outside of the tables, we head to the end of the buffet. Carter hands me a plate and grabs one of his own.
“You don’t have to eat because I am,” I say, picking up the spoon for the mashed potatoes and dropping a big scoop onto my plate.
“I’m eating because I’m hungry.” He nudges me with his elbow. “Would you rather eat alone?”
“No.” I use tongs to grab a roll and pick up salad, piling it next to the bread.
There are three choices of meat, which is way beyond what my schools ever offered, and I watch Carter grab large helpings of each kind. With wide eyes, I grab three slices of brisket.
“You’re not hungry?” he asks, giving my food a quizzical look.
“Uh, this is a lot of food by my standards. I’m obviously not a garbage disposal like you are, but I can put away a good meal.”
“Huh. I guess you are still adjusting to your new metabolism. Don’t complain to me when you’re hungry again in two hours.”
“I’ll be fine.” I scan the room, noticing a few people scattered throughout. Unlike all of my prior cafeteria adventures, there’s no rhyme or reason to the seating arrangements as far as I can tell. “Where are all the students?”
Carter flicks his gaze around the room. “Around,” he says. “Where do you want to sit? I like the tables by the windows, but you can pick this one time.”
I laugh. “How generous of you. The windows are fine.”
He snags the table off to the side of the large panes of glass. I sit so my back is facing the wall and set to work eating my brisket. Carter eats like a proper gentleman, cutting small pieces of meat and holding his fork the fancy way—you know, upside down, and gingerly placing it inside of his mouth.
When he catches me watching, I glance out of the window, taking in the bright green grass which spreads out as far as a football field might stretch before the turf gives way to the forest. The trees are so dense, it’s hard to see into them even during the middle of the afternoon.
“What do you think of your schedule?”
I swipe a piece of brisket through my potatoes. “I have yet to form an opinion other than it’s fucked up.”
He sets his fork down and takes a drink of water. I pop the starch covered meat into my mouth.
“You’re not alone in feeling this way. When I first came to the academy three years ago—”
“How old are you?” I ask with my mouth full, then quickly swallow so I don’t look like a total mess.
“I’m twenty-five.”
I stab another piece of meat and spin it around in the potatoes. “Okay, when you came to the academy three years ago…” I trail off so he can finish.
Setting his cup on the table, he picks up his fork and knife, slicing through a chicken breast. “Well, when I was brought here three years ago, I was pissed. I’d been so close to graduating with my master’s in education when I was bitten. Being changed destroyed my life.”
“You don’t seem miserable now.”
He nods. “It took a year and a half for me to accept my fate. Now I focus on the future rather than dwell on what could have been.”
