Lycanthropy and Me: The First Semester(mlm)

Day 53, Tuesday Waxing Gibbous ☆*: .｡. Halloween.｡.:*☆

Day 53, Tuesday Waxing Gibbous Halloween .｡.:*☆

"Happy Halloween, Hunter."

"Happy Halloween Ms.Nunez!"

Stepping into the office, Hunter dropped his backpack in the corner and went to his usual spot in the corner. Sitting in his chair was the stray cat that wandered the building. He set his crutches aside and picked up the cat and placed it on the floor. Unperturbed, it strutted further under the desk and went back to sleep.

"Excited for the holiday?" Sandra Nunez asked, looking up from an unfinished e-mail.

Hunter gestured to his jack o'lantern beanie hat and glow-in-the-dark skeleton hoodie. "Oh gee, how could you tell? I thought I was being subtle."

With a chuckle and a head shake, Sandra turned back to her work. "I'm glad you're in high spirits, all things considered."

"Uh, right." Hunter bit back a nervous laugh. Since returning to campus he had been limping around, walking slower, and wearing bandages. All measures to keep up with the fabricated story SPOIPA had concocted for the school and press. As far as anyone else knew, he had been pulled off-campus as a suspect in an unrelated case then released back on campus, only to have a wolf drive him into the forest where a tumble downhill had resulted in multiple injuries, taking him back off campus for a few days.

No one believed it. But as Hunter already knew, truth is stranger than fiction.

As requested, Hunter wrapped up his shift at the office early that day. After grabbing a handful of Halloween candy from the bowl and saying goodbye, he stepped out of the office and almost bumped directly into--

"Professor Lugosi." Hunter looked up at the pale man with alarm.

"Reeds." The older man stared back down at him with clear disdain. "Setting up your alibi, I'm sure."

"What?" Hunter replied, confused. He had not seen Lugosi in what felt like ages, and despite their last exchange, he had not given the man's actions much thought either--the threat of werewolf jail had been far more pressing.

"Look, I don't know what happened on your end with the class switch or whatever..." Hunter began, "But I think we're past...Whatever this is." He gestured with one of his crutches. "Have a Happy Halloween." 'Dick.'

As he walked down the hall, Hunter could feel Lugosi's eyes on his back, but he continued on.

With one lecture, one work shift, and one strange encounter completed, Hunter drove over to the Kahlo building. As he parked the cart, he caught a familiar scent in the breeze. Tom was coming out of the building, immediately looking around with caution.

"It's been a while," Hunter said as he shuffled towards the door.

"I guess." Tom adjusted the strap of his bag.

"I've been playing catch up with school work, sorry." Hunter shrugged.

Tom shrugged right back. "I guess since the case is settled, you don't have to bribe me with that recording anymore."

"Guess not," Hunter replied, somewhat startled by the statement. It seemed ridiculous to him now. "But we can still hang out and eat casseroles if you want."

Tom blinked at that. "Maybe."

Hunter thought back to the beginning of the semester. The Tom he had encountered at the club fair had seemed like a different person. Maybe he had been trying to make a friend that day.

"Look, I'm sorry for the way things...The way I uh..."

"Accused me of committing a crime?" Tom asked with a deadpan expression.