Chương 30: Chapter 29: The Promise From Simpler Times

They went into the dining hall, each taking a serving of white bread, a plate of ground beef, and a bowl of dry white rice. They took their seats in the corner, far from the loud and boisterous conversations in the main hall.

"I've been wondering." Jack took a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

"We're all eating the same thing, right?"

"Yeah," Alice said.

"So why is it that… Marley looks like he's getting bigger?" Jack said. Alice and Evelyn looked toward Marley. Indeed, it seemed the lad had grown a layer or two of fat around his cheeks and neck, or maybe it was just the lighting. Who knew?

"Yeah, I think you are getting bigger. No offense," Evelyn said.

"What? That can't be right. I'm practicing every night. I should be getting thinner." Marley licked off a smudge of oil on his lips.

"And how'd you figure that?" Alice said.

"Well, it should be obvious. Practicing makes me sweat and tired. It's like exercising. So that means I should be losing weight," Marley said.

"I don't think that's how it works," Jack said.

"Well, think what you want to think. Give me a few more weeks, and I'll be as thin as this fork," Marley said, taking a mouthful of ground beef. Jack chuckled.

"We'll see." Alice shifted her focus to her own meal. Her stomach growled in a bout of hunger, and she grabbed the plate of beef, mixing it with her bowl of rice. With her spoon and fork in hand, she greedily wolfed down her breakfast, barely leaving any scraps. But by the time she was chomping on her slice of bread, Marley had just finished his. I'm still a little hungry. She glanced at Jack's untouched slice of bread. Does he ever touch that? Maybe I could ask for half.

"Hey, Jack. You gonna eat that?" Marley said, but he was already reaching for the plump slice.

"Go ahead—" Marley snatched the slice of bread, tossing it into his mouth.

"Thanks." Alice's face fell. Oh… well, there goes that. Evelyn tapped Alice's shoulder, holding her slice of bread in the other hand.

"Want half?"

"Yeah," Alice smiled, gently licking the corners of her lips.

"Here you go." Evelyn ripped the slice of bread in half, giving the larger piece to Alice.

"Careful now, you don't want looking like Marley over here."

"Hey!" Marley said. Alice folded the slice of bread and began eating it bite by bite.

"It's probably fine." Marley clicked his tongue twice, then thrice, thinking.

"Maybe it's because of our practice? Doesn't that make you hungrier?"

"Not really. I've always been a big eater, especially back at home. But I can't ever gain weight for some reason," Alice replied.

"Of all the things you have, I'm most envious of that," Marley said.

"You could give Alice half your food," Evelyn teased.

"A win-win for both of you."

"What? Half? Are you crazy? Maybe a quarter, since she's helping me practice." Marley was taken aback.

"That would be nice," Alice said. Marley's eyes widened slightly.

"Uh… we'll see." After breakfast, they left their plates for the ghouls and came out of the hall just as quickly as they had come in.

"Are we going to the Garden?" Jack said.

"Yeah," Marley replied. Right as they emerged into the bountiful Garden, they stopped in their tracks and stared at the group of five boys sitting under an oak tree in the distance. One had red hair, three had black, and the fifth had blond. Their laughter carried across the Garden, and only when one looked back at them did the rest of their troupe grow silent.

"Aren't those…" Jack muttered. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Yeah." Marley strode forward— Evelyn grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

"It's not worth it. Let's just go somewhere else."

"Alright," Marley sighed. We're not going into the Garden? That's… that's a shame. They quickly turned back from whence they came, leaving the lush fields to those little cretins.

"We could have had them leave," Alice said.

"It's not like we own the Garden." Evelyn shook her head.

"And I don't want any more trouble for us."

"That's… that's surprisingly sound, coming from you," Jack said.

"My mother always told me, it's alright to have fun. Just don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong." Then Evelyn shot a slight glare at Marley. Marley rubbed the back of his head and murmured, "Sorry."

"I just don't want to make enemies," Evelyn replied.

"So, where are we going now?" Jack said.

"The classroom?" Alice tilted her head.

"Hells no. We've already spent three hours a day in that place. And you want to go back?" Evelyn said.

"Hm… why not my room? It's big enough to fit the four of us."

"Your room?" Marley furrowed his brows. Jack also cast a rather dubious stare.

"Why are you staring at me like that? It's gonna be fine," Evelyn said. They went up the stairs and then into the dormitory wing, stopping at Evelyn's chamber. Evelyn fiddled with her keys, unlocking the door with a few flicks. With a simple push, she opened the way and went inside. She turned back around, spreading out her arms in a T-shaped pose, and said with a wide grin, "Welcome to my humble abode." Alice's lips twitched as she took in the mess that was Evelyn's room.

Old clothes were strung over the chairs and tables, some even littered the floor. The two large books sat in the corner of her bed, one half open and the other shut tightly. And there was a sweaty smell in the air, though the others didn't seem to notice.

"I had my suspicions, but Goddess," Marley said.

"What? You're acting like it's the end of the world. It's just a little messy."

"Maybe you should clean up a little…" Alice said. Evelyn bit her lower lip, her face growing as red as a beet.

"Fine." She tossed the old clothes into a small basket and patted down her bed sheets, making them flatter than Alice's chest. She opened her windows, letting the cool morning breeze into her room.

"Is that good enough?"

"It'll have to do," Marley said, and sat down on the chair. Evelyn glanced at Alice, as though waiting for something.

"I'll help you clean later," Alice said. Evelyn let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks." She plopped down on the edge of her bed and tapped her sheets, gesturing for Alice to join her. Smells like Evelyn… a little too much like her. Alice thought as she sat down beside her.

"I guess I'll just have to sit on the floor," Jack mumbled, lowering himself onto the hard floorboards.

"Don't be such a crybaby. You're already tall as is," Evelyn said. Jack let out a confused laugh.

"How does that have to do with anything?"

"I dunno." Evelyn shrugged. Marley crossed his legs.

"How much longer do you think we'll be staying here for?"

"In my room?" Evelyn tilted her head.

"No, you oaf. In the Cathedral," Marley said.

"You getting tired of us already, Marley?" Jack said.

"No, it's just that… I'm a little curious. The priests said it will be soon, but they didn't really give any specifics."

"They told us that they'll let us go when they've solved our succumbing," Alice said.

"Solve? How do they define solve?" Marley said.

"Maybe until they kill whoever did this to us," Jack said.

"I'm sure they're doing their best. This will all be over before we know it. At least that's what my mother said." Evelyn smiled.

"Hopefully," Jack said.

"But even if we're let out early, let's keep in touch, okay?" Evelyn's voice reached a higher, more hopeful tone.

"We could meet up once in a while." Jack nodded in agreement.

"Though…" He cast a doubtful stare at Marley.

"You better not just forget about us when you get back home, Sir Austig." Marley laughed.

"Of course not. You're my friends."

"If you start treating us like paupers, I'll kick your butt," Evelyn scoffed.

"Well, that depends. If you're acting like a fool around my folk, I might have to pretend I don't know you," Marley said.

"You're such a meanie," Evelyn said.

"And you." She turned her gaze to Alice, placing her hands on the younger girl's shoulders. Alice gulped.

"Wh… what?" Evelyn playfully shook Alice back and forth.

"We'll keep in touch, okay?"

"Okay, okay." Alice grinned, moving her body alongside Evelyn's shaking. Evelyn giggled and removed her hands.

"How about this?" She stood up and rummaged through an open drawer until she pulled out a pencil and a piece of scrap paper.

"We'll write our home addresses here."

"And who gets to keep that?" Jack said.

"Well, me, of course." Evelyn pointed at herself with a proud smirk.

"I doubt any of you can keep it safe."

"And I doubt it'll last a day in this shed. That's not fair at all," Marley said.

"Yeah," Alice nodded in agreement.

"Then we'll make four copies! One for each of us." Evelyn took out three other sheets of paper.

"And make it count. Paper's expensive. I just found these sitting in the drawer." Alice's lips curled into a smile as she watched the babbling and rambling unfold. A warm feeling swelled in her chest. I think I like it here. I feel… happy. Happier than when I'm at home.