Page 9 of Shifting Forms For Clumsy Felines

"We wanted to ask you about Craig," Michaela says.

He frowns. "I'm not sure I can help, I don't know anything about him."

"Oh." Michaela slumps back in her seat. "I was hoping he was a ghost or something."

Dylan chuckles. "I'm afraid not. There aren't enough humans around here for there to be any ghosts. There are loads in the town centre though."

"That must be so cool to be able to see them," she says.

He grimaces. "Not really."

"So you don't know anything about Craig?" I prompt, hoping it takes him away from the subject he's clearly uncomfortable with.

"Nothing. What about you?" he asks Cyprus, inviting the other guy into the conversation.

"Nope, he's a mystery," Cyprus says. "I thought I saw him go into his room once. And Jeremy says that he can hear him on the other side of the wall."

"Oh and there was food in the fridge," Fiona pipes up. "Some leftover chicken or something like that."

"You mean today?" Dylan asks, a horrified expression on his face.

"Yes, why?"

"I kind of threw it away."

The whole table goes silent as his words sink in.

"Oops?" Michaela offers.

"It looked like it was turning bad," he responds. "I didn't realise it was Craig's."

"We can replace it on our way back tonight," I say. "It was from the chicken place across the road, right?"

He nods.

"Great, then we'll just get some more tonight, problem solved."

He smiles at me, seeming more reassured than before.

The door opens and I turn my attention towards it, hoping that it's Jeremy walking in.

"Oh phew, you're still here," Bernie says.

"We're barely getting started," Michaela assures the vampire. "Grab a seat and grab a drink, we're going to get you druunnnnk."

Bernie chuckles. "All right, just let me go get changed and I'll join you." She disappears again, though I know she'll be back quickly, she doesn't take very long to get ready.

"All right, let's get this party started properly," Michaela says. "What do you think, Ring Of Fire?"

We all groan. It may only have been a couple of weeks since term started, but we've already learned how deadly this game can be.

And how fun it can be.

"I'll grab the cards," Cyprus says, getting to his feet and grabbing them.

Michaela places a pint glass in the middle of the table and we all help spread the cards around it with their faces down.

The door opens but I don't look up this time, expecting that it's Bernie returning right up until there's a whiff of cologne right by me.