It was just the normal chatter that one always encountered at the end of a school day, bouncing off the walls and echoing in every nook and cranny of the cafeteria. The kids just lounged around, taking those last tidbits of school life before summer break. The air was heavy with the odor of cafeteria food and the implicit excitement of freedom just around the bend. But the normal buzz was interrupted by a sharp intake of collective breath from Coreen's circle as she flourished a sleek, black ticket between her fingers.
"Check it out," she said, her voice full of smugness. "I'm the fifth student who got a ticket to the Howling Hunt for next year."
The gasp ran through the group, a ringed circle around her, eyes agog in an awed mixture. The Howling Hunt was just the most prestigious event
