The Corner Table

Mariza bounced her red sneakers against the linoleum floor of Dickinson High's cafeteria, scanning the crowded tables for an empty spot. Her turquoise hair streaks caught the fluorescent light as she turned her head.

"New student alert," whispered Jake from behind her.

Mariza followed his gaze to a corner table where a girl sat alone. Dark green hair fell like curtains around her pale face, hiding most of her features. What Mariza could see made her pause—one eye had a black X mark, while the other bore a black plus sign with a bright neon green star glowing in the center.

The girl wore a long-sleeved black jacket despite the warm October day.

"That's Lena," Jake continued. "She just transferred here yesterday. Nobody's talked to her yet."

Mariza grabbed her lunch tray tighter. She'd been the new kid once too, eating alone while everyone stared. Her bright green eyes studied Lena's hunched shoulders.

"Maybe I should go say hi," Mariza said, already taking a step forward.

Raw Truth

Mariza walked across the cafeteria, her sneakers squeaking against the floor. As she got closer to Lena's table, she noticed something odd sticking out of the new girl's lunch bag.

"Hi, I'm Mariza," she said, sliding into the seat across from Lena.

Lena looked up, her strange eyes blinking. "Hello."

"What's that?" Mariza pointed to what looked like a black wing poking from Lena's bag.

Without hesitation, Lena pulled out an entire raw crow. Its feathers were still attached, and its beak hung open. She bit into it like it was a sandwich, crunching through bones and feathers.

Mariza's mouth dropped open. "You're eating a whole bird!"

"It's normal at my house," Lena said between bites. Blood dripped from her chin.

Other students at nearby tables started pointing and whispering. Some pulled out their phones to record.

"Want to come over after school?" Lena asked, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "My mom makes great crow soup."

Mariza's stomach churned, but something about Lena's lonely eyes made her nod. "Sure."