A Smile to Hide (CYOA/WWYFF)

Chapter 10

    So here’s the cafeteria.”  Zandra opens one of the double-doors and there’s more activity than you expect or are prepared for.  Almost no one is in glamour so you see just how much diversity this school supports.  There are some that do naturally have human shapes, or can naturally shape-shift into a human-like form for easier maneuverability through the crowd, but the color of their eyes or skin, a set of horns, or backwards limbs give them away.  Those that don’t have a natural human form, or can’t shape-shift on their own, are in full colors and shapes with nothing to hide.  Back home, even though beings were allowed within the city limits, they kept to themselves.  It was as if the town was split in two, so you never really got to know anyone else besides Quanisha.  There’s a weight of intimidation on your chest. 

   “Are the students allowed to eat outside of the cafeteria?”  You try to sound curious about the school’s eating policy rather than have the question sound like you wanted to bolt out of there.

    “Yes.  Anywhere except for the Rose room, which is the cathedral part of the school with the rose window, the classrooms, library, the dormitory halls, but you can eat in our rooms, or the cemetery, which is out back.  Make sure you clean up after yourself or the teachers will hound you and you’ll be limited to only eating in the cafeteria.

    “Now, on to how you get your food.  It’s a little confusing at first, but it’s really quite simple.  You get in that line,” she points to the left side of the massive room of stone walls and linoleum tile floors, “the person behind the register takes a look at your badge and gives you your human’s choice of menu.  Then you go to that line,“ she points to another line adjacent to the first line forming on the wall opposite of where you two are standing, “and order, stating that you’re new here.  You’ll tell him your name then your choice of food.  He’ll give you a card with your name and number, and then you wait around until your number is called and get your food over there,” she points to the booth right next to the place you would order your food.  “Understand?” 

A.   “Say that again?”

B.   “Oh!  It’s kind of like the deli place back home.  I wonder what the menu will be like.”

C.   “Oh, yeah.  Very simple.”  You then think, I don’t have a clue.

D.   You call that simple?

E.   I’m sure I can figure it out, you think.

F.   “I kind of get it, but I’m sure I can figure out the bits that I don‘t get.”

G.   I’m sure I can just ask someone while I’m in line.  No big deal, you think.

H.   “It’s a little different from back home, but I get it.  I’ll be fine.”

    As you take your first steps into the rowdy mass of beings towards the first line, Zandra stops you.  “I wouldn’t go just yet.  You see the last person in line?”  She bobs her head in that direction.

    The being is tall, as tanned as burnt peanut brittle, and rippled with muscle under his shawl with a human-like torso, but a steer’s head, complete with horns that had the tips cut like the Spanish bulls for matadors, and a bull’s legs and tail.

    “That’s a minotaur, part of the chimera section in your survival guide.  He’s not bad or anything, minotaurs are rather quite peaceful, but it will be bad if you insult him because they have short fuses; however that’s not why you shouldn’t get in line yet.”  Zandra closes a hand over your ear and whispers, “His gas is pretty rank.”  She backs up and continues, “It could make flies drop.”