“Deal.” The cafeteria was quiet at this hour, just a few early visitors scattered among the tables, the smell of coffee and toasted bread thick in the air. Lily chose a window seat that looked out over a row of enclosures, her notebook already open beside her juice box. Caleb stood in line, scanning the board.
The cashier looked half-awake, the espresso machine hissed behind the counter, and the only sound was the faint hum of chatter. Then, from somewhere beyond the cafeteria walls, a deep, rolling sound tore through the air, a roar so powerful it made the glass tremble in its frame. Every head turned. The room fell silent.