Introductions
Chapter 7
"Has it always been like this?" Kaito asked. Surprised to hear his voice, Cinna smiled.
"Oh, now you talk," she teased.
He smiled back. "Yeah. My correctional officer's not around anymore."
She laughed.
"Yeah, unfortunately we've been through this before. Most people here are too scared to even leave the building after seeing what those freaks can do. I doubt anyone's eager to cross paths with them." She tried to laugh it off, but Kaito caught the strain underneath it and decided not to press. Clearly a sore subject.
"By the way — I haven't eaten anything since yesterday," he said, changing the subject to lighten the mood.
"Sure, we've still got some fresh bread." She smiled, cheerful again.
"You look a lot better with a smile," he said, teasing.
"Was it that obvious?" she asked.
"I don't know what you mean," he said. She smirked.
"Thanks," she said, as they headed out of the medical room.
"By the way — don't think I introduced myself properly. Kaito Martinez. I know, my dad took my mom's last name."
Her expression said it all. He looked half-Asian, but darker than she'd have guessed — if she hadn't known better, she'd have assumed he grew up somewhere hot, like Egypt or Namibia.
"I'm Cinna Clover. Nice to meet you, Kaito." As they walked down the hall: "Let me guess — twenty-five, right?"
Kaito laughed. "Close, but no cigar." Was it the hair? he wondered. "Actually, I just turned nineteen a few months ago."
She gasped, a little in awe, a little stung — she was five years older than him — just as they reached the cafeteria.
People were scattered around, some eating, some gossiping about the state of the building, others quietly debating when they'd have to abandon the hotel if things got bad enough.
"What'll it be?" the lunch lady asked, facing Cinna.
"Hi Doria — this is my friend Martinez. He got here yesterday with Chase. You know how Chase is — I just found out he never even offered him anything to eat. What a monster."
"Unfortunately all the good stuff's dried up," Doria said. "Only thing left is a pack of biscuits."
"How— Why— When—" Cinna stammered, caught off guard. Just the other day everything had been fine. Now they had a food shortage. Something was clearly happening she hadn't been told about.
"Thanks," Kaito said, grabbing the biscuits.
He read the room carefully. Just as he was about to ask where the main entrance was so he could slip out, one of Chase's men burst in, covered in blood, crying — and the whole cafeteria dropped into panic. Anyone who feared for their life bolted for the exit; the rest just stood there, frozen.
"What happened?" Cinna asked, helping him into a chair. His breathing was heavy and ragged, like he'd been running nonstop.
"We didn't know they were there," he said, gulping down water.
"Who? Who did you meet?" she pressed, worried.
He locked eyes with her. "The freaks. Not just one or two — a whole horde of them." The words sent a chill down the spine of everyone in earshot. This wasn't just bad news. If anyone in that room still had the sense to listen, leaving right now, running in the opposite direction as fast and as far as possible, would've been the smartest thing they could do.
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