Any Humans on the Menu?

Any Humans on the Menu?           

Prologue

 

The soft silk of the covers slid across my face as I felt warmth caress me. I stretched slightly and yawned as my eyes adjusted to the dimness of my room. I got up slowly and regretfully from my bed and slugged over to the curtains and opened them to let the sunshine in. My feet began to pick up speed as every step jolted me awake slightly. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, did my business, and took a quick shower. After my hair had dried enough to slightly curl at the ends I changed into my usual shorts and t-shirt. I hummed a song under my breath that I didn’t quite remember the lyrics too as I made my way downstairs. I glanced at the clock to see it was 5:00. I reached the refrigerator and pulled out all the usual ingredients, milk, flour, eggs, strawberries, chocolate, and baking powder. I was careful not to make a racket as I pulled out the necessary pans.

An hour later I had finished making enough pancakes for my family and set them on the table, knowing they would be waking up soon. I ate two chocolate chip pancakes, washed my plates, and went back to my room to get ready for school. My stomach churned slightly for no apparent reason as I pulled on the school uniform. I heard the clinking and scraping of the forks and knives tapping the plates faintly downstairs. I pulled out my homework from last night and worked out some I missed, but not before long my heart seemed to accelerate as I felt like something was going to happen. It was quiet, too quiet. My eyebrows clashed together as I felt like I was missing something. What was it? I heard a slight creak on the stairs. My heart hitched up the speed again. Suddenly the door burst open while I jumped out of my seat and face-planted onto the floor. I had seen what was going on before my face hit the floor. I saw three warm faces smiling with a cake in their hands and then it hit me, it was my birthday and then the floor hit me. My body relaxed as I got up off the floor with a sheepish smile.

My mom smiled warily while my brother and dad hugged me to death. I smiled as my dad kissed me on the forehead and said “Happy Birthday Kitty” I grimaced slightly at the nickname but of course I was getting used to it. My brother, Shaun hugged me again, lightly this time, and said “Happy Birthday sis!” I smiled at him and tousled his jet black hair. My mother had a thoughtful look on her face and she led us downstairs and into the kitchen. She placed the cake in front of me. The cake had strawberry frosting and in white, delicate writing it said ‘Happy 14th Birthday, Kat!’ After they sang me the happy birthday song, I had to make a wish. I thought about it for a little while and thought ‘I wish today would be one of the best day of my life’ and blew out my candles. Not a very good wish, I thought sourly, but it was a wish. We only ate a quarter of the cake, seeing as we ate lots of pancakes already, and saved the rest for later. I waited in the living room while Shaun got ready, though I was in the last year of middle school (8th grade) and he was in 10th grade, the schools were close together and so we walked to school every day.

I started to head out once I heard Shaun’s vigorous feet bounding down the stairs. “Bye Mom! Bye Dad!” I heard two faint bye’s echoing back as I stepped out onto the porch. I heard Shaun behind me locking the door. We began to walk in comfortable silence; the school was only two blocks away.

“What do you think you got for presents?” Shaun asked wagging his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes and shrugged with disinterest. I didn’t really care what I got, nothing I really wanted. Shaun groaned beside me as I glanced at him with my eyebrows raised. “I forgot to study for finals today!” I smirked at him, knowing he was going to pass either way, he knew everything.