The Werewolf Cheerleader

Book One: Chapter 8

Lunchtime!

If only the line wasn't too damn long. God! The line ended inside the hallway! How hungry was everyone?

My stomach grumbled like an angry lion. If the line doesn't move faster, I'm going to eat someone soon!

God, the food smelled so yummy!

Finally, I approached the food counter where the lunch lady gazed at me. "What will it be, miss?"

"The usual," I said.

She placed a salad bowl and one apple juice carton on my tray. "Enjoy."

Yeah, I better enjoy it. I'm starving like a hungry wolf!

From the counter, I scanned the cafeteria and spotted my friends at the corner table. Good spot to avoid the weirdos trying to take our phone numbers. We cheerleaders know where to handle our businesses.

"How are you doing, Jessica?" Tiffany asked when I sat down. "Sorry, what happened to Mark. Are the cops still looking for him?"

I stirred my fork in my salad. "I guess. I have heard no reports yet."

"Don't worry," said Malaya. "Mark is a strong guy. I'm sure he will turn up soon."

"You should have gone to our party." Holly bit her peanut butter sandwich. "That forest is dangerous."

"What exactly happened there?" Tiffany asked.

"Some kind of animal attacked us," I answered.

"An animal?" Holly asked.

"Yeah, but it is weird. It looked like a wolf, but it was walking on two feet."

"Like a werewolf?" Holly asked.

Tiffany widened her eyes at her. "A what?"

"A werewolf. Have you ever seen the movie, The Wolfman in New York?"

I shook my head.

"It is about a journalist who gets bitten by a wolf," Holly explained. "After he returns to New York, he transforms into a wolf monster and attacks people. It is a good movie."

"What does that have to do with the animal who attacked me?" I asked.

Holly nibbled her carrot like a bunny. "Well, the way you had described the animal, it reminded me of that movie. You should watch it."

"Werewolves don't exist, Holly," said Tiffany. "A man probably attacked her."

She could be right, but I swore the creature looked totally real. If it was a man in a costume, I would have seen a zipper or rubber skin beneath the fur coat. And how could his yellow eyes glow in the shadows? Maybe they were headlights or something. Not to mention the bite ripping through my skin hurt extremely badly. Did he put knives in his mouth too?

Geez, I could never forget that.

"So in the movie, the journalist got turned because the wolf totally bit him?" I asked.

Holly sipped her milk. "Yes. It is the most cliche thing in horror movie history. Once you get bitten, you are totally screwed."

God, my stomach rumbled like boiling eggs. If the wolf creature bit me, does that mean I will become one too? Come on, it was only a stupid movie. I must be over-exaggerating myself.

"Geez, Holly," said Tiffany. "Don't scare Jessica. She has been through enough."

Yeah, like totally true!