Trouble School

24}}PB and A

The lunch lady was dead. By this point, Syd was no longer surprised. "Y'know," she said, swallowing, "I really don't feel like eating anything right now."

Through the corner of her eye, she saw Tom nod. "Me neither."

Just behind them, Didi remained silent, and unresponsive. Syd swallowed, looking at her classmate over her shoulder. It was a little awkward with Tom's arm slung over it, but she managed. "Doin' okay there, Dee?"

Didi looked at her, eyes empty, hollow. "Not really," she said softly. "I don't really feel like having lunch right now... Or ever..."

Tom grunted. "Can't say I blame ya."

Syd let out a slow breath. They would eventually need to eat something. A glance at the clock told her it was already about a quarter after noon. After a minute she asked, "D'you s'pose the kitchen is clean?"

"Of course. All the gory shit's out here, and we've only got one lunch lady. Why wouldn't the kitchen be clean?" His tone wasn't harsh, nor condescending. He was always like this, she'd come to realize. Blunt and straightforward. There was never any doubt what was on his mind when you had a conversation with him. Still, it never failed to throw her off just a little.

She blew out a sharp breath. "Has anyone ever told you that you're too blunt?"

"What?"

She looked over at him, his expression genuinely confused. For some reason, it struck her as the most hilarious thing she'd ever seen. She bit her lip in a futile attempt to keep herself from laughing. Needless to say, she couldn't contain it. It was just too funny!

Her laughter must've been infectious, because in spite of his obvious confusion, Tom's lips twitched into a half-smile. "What? What'd I miss?"

She shook her head, trying to control her giggling fit as tears pricked at her eyes. She failed, doubling over and clutching at her aching stomach, but she couldn't stop. "You're just... just so... haha..."

"Just so what?"

She looked up at him, then her gaze flicked past him to the bloody grinning head on one of the tables. Her stomach twisted in on itself, instantly bringing an end to her helpless giggles.

Tom noticed, and he grimaced. "Tell me later," he said. "Let's just check out the kitchen."

Syd nodded, though her appetite was still on hiatus. Still, it would give them something to do. She grabbed Tom's arm again, slinging it over her shoulders. She knew — even without looking — that he was rolling his eyes and trying to look annoyed. Except he still favored his bruised foot and leaned on her.

She would let him pretend he was only doing it to make her feel better. In a situation like this, she'd let him have his moments of petty manly pride.

Didi followed after them, though that was a loosely applied term. Syd was almost certain that the girl would just stand there, blank as a fresh sheet of paper, if Tom wasn't literally holding her hand.

Just outside the kitchen door, Tom tugged her to a stop. "Hey," he said, his low voice practically a whisper. "Do you hear that?"

Syd frowned, listening. She shook her head. "I don't — wait!" She closed her eyes, focusing entirely on her sense of hearing. She could just make out the faint murmuring coming from the kitchen. She swallowed. "Someone's there."

"No shit."

She flashed him a quick glare before ducking out from under his arm and tiptoeing towards the kitchen doorway. "Wait! What are you doing!? Syd!" He hissed, just above a whisper.