Hades' Gates - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lunch Ladies and Secrets1

Lanie hurried out of the classroom, rounded the corner and half ran – half stumbled into Kaz. “Oh, sorry…I didn’t see you.”2

Kaz toppled over onto the red-white tiled floor and glanced at Lanie. “It’s ok.” Suddenly he was slightly embarrassed about waiting for Lanie – he realized the corridors were deserted, everyone having headed for the cafeteria.3

Hesitantly, Lanie stuck out a hand to help Kaz up, while massaging her knee with her other. “Sooo…Kaz, right? Whatcha doing here…it’s lunch time…”4

His face turning slightly red (his tan skin not allowing it to get very bright), Kaz mumbled something about “forgetting his books,” hoping that she wouldn’t look back and notice that the classroom was empty.5

Reaching out to push some of her curly dirty blonde hair behind her ear she said, “So…why don’t you go get them? Oh, are you afraid of Ms. Flanek? She seems scary at first, but trust me: act afraid and humble and she’s really not that bad. Trust me, I have experience. That whole thing back there was pure acting. I would have liked nothing better than to spit in her eye and say ‘so what?’” 6

“They weren’t there,” he lied, his voice firm. He just glanced at her as she babbled about Ms. Flanek: He wasn’t about to admit he was scared (he was, but for different reasons. Not many would want a teacher who looks like Medusa).7

“Right…let’s just get to lunch,” without waiting for Kaz she began to walk down the hallway, littered with trash from what seemed like years back, towards the cafeteria.8

Kaz simply shook his head and followed Lanie: he wondered if she had noticed Ms. Flanek’s transformations. “Hey Lanie… Did you notice anything… unusual about Ms Flanek?”9

Lanie turned back to Kaz, slightly annoyed, “What? You mean besides her uncanny way of making kids feel horrible about themselves? Nope, not a thing. Now I suggest you stop talking and start walking, it’s pizza day and it’s all going to be gone by the time we get there!”10

Kaz cocked an eyebrow and continued walking… It amazed him that all she could think about was pizza when Medusa was walking around in their classroom. Unless he was hallucinating – a far more probable answer.11

Without a second thought about Kaz, Lanie turned around and walked towards the cafeteria at high speed, hoping the pizza wasn’t all gone. However, she couldn’t push away a strange thought that kept tugging at the back of her mind that there was something about Kaz that wasn’t as it seemed.12

* * *13

Kaz grumbled to himself as they waited in the pizza line (wasn’t it weird how the line seemed to travel backwards??) until they reached head of the line. Kaz picked up a piece of grease slathered, floppy pizza and a plate, and was about to walk out when something strange caught his eye. As one of the cafeteria ladies reached to pick up a slice, the piece moved around the tray away from her hand, floating about a half an inch in the air. As he studied her face closely, her image flickered into that of a gaunt man, his eyes hollowed with hunger. He shook his head and the image disappeard.14

Slightly annoyed the Kaz had gotten to the lunch line first, Lanie muttered loudly to herself when Kaz stopped just as she was almost to the pizza. “Come ON Kaz! Move it already. I’m hungry!” 15

Kaz stepped forward and found a table by the doors with one of his friends, Mark. Dread filled the pit of his stomach when he looked back and the cafeteria – well, man. He was going crazy, he knew it – complete with hallucinations and voices: Ms Flanek’s assignment must’ve gotten to him.16

Emerging from the cafeteria line (she wasn’t quite sure how she had survived) Lanie looked around the packed cafeteria before slowly walking over to a deserted table. She sat down slowly on one of the only intact seats, hoping it wouldn’t break. She glanced at the dirt covered surface and cracked seats and sighed. This was the table that Lanie sat at every day, every lunch. Grimly, she picked up the slice of pizza and once more cursed Kaz under her breath for making her so late that the only kind left was broccoli. 17

Noticing Lanie sitting alone at the demolished table, Kaz winced sympathetically and berated himself for not realizing her situation before. In fact, he hadn’t noticed her at all until today. “Lan- !” he began, before Mark shook his head, a warning look in his eyes.18

Lanie looked over at Kaz, startled. She watched as Mark shook his head at Kaz and sighed again. Mark was right of course, it was better for no one to be her friend. 19

Kaz looked questioningly at Mark, who elaborated and said, “Seriously, Kaz. There’s a reason she always sits there.” When he saw the look in Kaz’s eye, he added, “But do what you want. It’s your reputation.”20

Kaz didn’t have a chance to answer as the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.21

Lanie gathered up her Styrofoam lunch tray and dumped in the large garbage bin. She wandered out of the cafeteria, dragging her feet, trying to avoid the large clump of people making a rush for the door. At her locker Lanie picked up her Latin books and began to trudge towards her class.22

* * *23

Kaz dropped his book bag on the table, causing a loud thumping noise. His mother barely looked up from her pot, where she was stirring what looked like spaghetti. “Hey Kaz,” she said brightly, though he didn’t miss the strained tone in her words.24

“Hi, Mom,” he said, and he was pretty sure his mom didn’t miss the strained note to his voice, either.25

Kaz’s mom smiled slightly, “It sounds like we both had a tough day…why don’t you tell me about yours?”26

Kaz smiled reluctantly. “Oh. Um. It was ok, I guess. Just some teacher troubles.”27

His mom raised her eyebrows but said with a downtrodden face, “My book was rejected from another publisher…” 28

“Which book? The one with the Greek Myths?”29

“Yes, they aid ‘this book is completely unnecessary, there are millions of books just like it.’”30

“Hmm. I’m sorry,” Kaz said, though he didn’t find that in the least bit surprising.31

Kaz’s mom sighed, “The thing is, it isn’t like any other mythology book…let’s just say that…well, I have first-hand experience…” She took a deep breath. “Look, Kaz, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”32

33

Previous chapter: http://storywrite.com/story/185086