Chapter 19: You really know how to set a mood
The setting sun painted the ruins of the school in warm shades of amber and gold, but Adam looked at it without much awe. There was no room in his eyes for the beauty of colors.
He sighed heavily and scratched his head.
"Guess I’m sleeping here tonight," he muttered, turning back toward the interior.
He walked back into the school and made his way to one of the classrooms on the ground floor. The door creaked softly as he opened it, and the room greeted him with a chill and the scent of old dust. He dropped his backpack to the floor as if that gesture alone confirmed it would be his shelter for the night.
He sank onto one of the desks in a classroom that had once likely been used for biology. Now, only peeling paint and crooked chairs remained. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a water bottle and an energy ration. He chewed slowly, reluctantly, as if each bite was another slap to his dignity.
"This is disgusting," he muttered. "Next time I need to find a place where I can cook something decent."
"Finally, you’re speaking some sense," came Valeria’s voice as she appeared in the doorway like a shadow. "I can’t wait to taste your cooking."
Adam blinked at her.
"Do you even need to eat? And who said I’d cook for you?"
Valeria smiled sweetly.
"I don’t have to. But I enjoy it. And you should be honored to cook for a creature as beautiful as me."