The day had left a bitter taste in my mouth.
There was nothing left but anger simmering beneath the surface.
My fists were clenched as I walked the long, sterile halls of the base, my boots echoing against the cold concrete.
I wasn't mad at anyone in particular, at least, not anyone I could name.
It was everything.
The looming threat of goblins, the death toll rising outside the walls, the relentless monotony of this military life.
And now going to be sent outside of the wall.
No break, no rest.
The emotion was there, raw and throbbing, and it needed somewhere to go.
The cafeteria was buzzing with life when I entered.
Soldiers filled the long, metal tables, their laughter and chatter blending into a chaotic hum.
The fluorescent lights flickered faintly, casting a dull glow over trays of unappetizing food.
My stomach growled, reminding me why I was here.
I grabbed a tray and lined up, eyeing the offerings with disdain.
Mashed potatoes that looked more like paste, meat that was probably older than me, and something green I refused to identify.
But food was food.
At least it would give me something to do, something to focus on other than my spiraling thoughts.
With my tray loaded, I scanned the room for an empty spot.
Most of the tables were packed, groups of soldiers huddled together in tight-knit cliques.
I found a corner table, isolated and quiet, and made my way over.
I sat down, letting the noise of the cafeteria fade into the background.
The first bite of food did little to improve my mood, but I kept eating, more out of spite than hunger.
And then they appeared.
What will make my mood more worse.
A group of soldiers, four of them, swaggered over like they owned the place.
I recognized them.
Those bastards who slammed my table.
Their leader, a burly guy with a crooked nose, stopped in front of my table, smirking.
"Well, look who's sulking all by himself," he said, loud enough for half the cafeteria to hear.
I didn't respond.
I just kept eating, shoveling the bland food into my mouth as if they weren't there.
"Too good to talk to us, huh?" one of his lackeys sneered.
I could feel their eyes on me, waiting for a reaction.
But I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.
Not yet.
Crooked Nose leaned over the table, his shadow falling across my tray.
"You know, people like you don't last long out here," he said. "Maybe we should help you get used to losing things."
Before I could react, he slapped my tray off the table.
The crash of metal hitting the floor silenced the room.
My food scattered across the ground, a pathetic mess of mashed potatoes and mystery meat.
The group burst into laughter, their voices grating against my nerves.
"Oops," Crooked Nose said, feigning innocence.
I leaned back in my chair, folding my arms as I stared at the mess on the floor.
They were still laughing as they walked away, throwing insults over their shoulders like it was a sport.
The cafeteria slowly returned to life, the soldiers around me pretending not to notice what had just happened.
Typical.
Nobody wanted to get involved.
I stayed seated, staring at the spot where my tray had been.
My stomach growled again, but the anger in me burned hotter.
I was struggling to keep my cool.
For a moment, I thought about retaliating, about marching over there and showing them exactly what I was capable of.
But that will only attract unwanted attention.
But then a thought crossed my mind, one so sudden and clear it made me smile.
A quiet, almost amused chuckle escaped my lips as I muttered.
"Why don't I try it in a more entertaining way?"