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Marie was in bed, her body bunched up next to a pillow. She picked her head up quickly and then threw darts with her eyes at him. “What are you doing here?” she whispered hoarsely.
“We need to get you to go to school today,” he said.
“I don’t want to,” she said.
“You don’t have to go to class.” He stepped in and closed the door behind him. He kept his voice low as he stepped softly over to her. He squatted down, sitting on his heels to be more at her level and hopefully appearing less threatening. “I just need you to come with me.”
Marie sat up and pushed a palm to her face, rubbing at her eyes. She yawned. “Why? I don’t want to go.”
“Just for a little while,” he said. “This will help get you out.” He didn’t tell her it was to get Danielle to go along with this more than her. “It’s part of the process. When we get there, you’ll both sit in a room quietly and take a test. That’s all.”
She rolled her eyes. “Ugh.”
“It’s not what you’re thinking,” he said. “Just do your best. And we need to be able to mark you as having been in the school.”
“What about tomorrow?”
“You may still have to show up, but the same thing.”
“More tests?”
He shrugged and shook his head. “I don’t know. It’s a process.” He leaned in, his knees on the carpet, and focused on her, trying to appear sympathetic. This place, it was dark and dreary, and the thought of Mrs. Sorenson down there and what she could do to her... She needed something more than this. “Marie, trust me. We’re trying to help, but we can’t if you won’t let us.”
She grunted but then slowly sat up more, putting her feet on the floor. She was in a T-shirt and pajamas, and he wasn’t totally sure but he thought they were the same as he’d seen her in the other day. Had she changed at all?
“Let me get dressed,” she said.
“Silas is downstairs. Danielle and Derrick are in the car with him. They’re waiting.”
She stood up, reaching for clothes.
Nathan left the room, shutting the door behind himself. He went to the end of the hallway, to the top of the stairs and waited for her.
Marie emerged, and on quiet feet, she followed him. They took the stairs slowly. Marie wasn’t as quiet as Sang, but it was good enough to escape without waking her mother.
Nathan opened the door that led out into the garage. Marie went out and he followed, locking the door behind himself.
Marie got into the back of the car. Nathan got in front. The car rolled backward, and soon Silas had them on the way to the school.
Scenery rolled by as Nathan’s thoughts drifted. It might be the only minute he had of quiet until they got to school.
“Can we stop for breakfast?” Danielle asked, completely breaking Nathan’s thoughts.
“Just the fast food place by that grocery store,” Nathan said. He was sure she was speaking more for herself, but maybe it was a good idea to get some food. He needed to be able to keep up today. “Might be all we’ve got time to get to.”
“Sounds good to me,” Danielle said.
Silas shared a long look with Nathan, asking him silently why he’d encourage her.
Why not? A little reward for going along with this? She’s already going to be pretty ticked at them for making her take a test today.
The line for breakfast was a little long, as Nathan suspected most lines would be anywhere near the school. It would probably be faster to grab something quick from the grocery store. Still, they waited behind the other cars.
They emerged about twenty minutes later with several egg and bacon muffins and plenty of orange juice. Everyone ate in the car. Silas stuffed what he could of the food in while driving.
As they passed in front of the school, there were cop cars near the front, and with so many policemen there, they blocked view of what was going on. There appeared to be a few faculty members there as well, along with a couple of students on the sidewalk near the front doors of the school. There was one fire truck blocking the lane and access for any other vehicles to get to where the cops were.
Nathan sat up, staring into the small crowd, but Silas passed a bit quickly to get into line near the entrance. “What the hell is going on now?” Nathan asked.
“Don’t know,” Silas said. “It wasn’t another bomb threat, was it?”
“This early?” Derrick asked. “Wouldn’t a student wait until class started first?”
He was probably right, but the position of the cops and the fact that people were still dropping off kids along the side of the building didn’t seem to match up with the bomb threat theory anyway. But something was incredibly off.
Silas parked far back in the student lot, almost next to the baseball field. They all climbed out. Derrick walked ahead of them, heading into the school and catching up to a few of the other students going in that direction. Heads were turned toward the front of the school. No doubt everyone was curious as to what was going on.
Nathan slowed to create distance from them. Silas followed his lead as did Marie.
When Marie slowed, Danielle flat stopped. “What are we doing here?” she asked. Her book bag that seemed mostly empty slid off her shoulder, and she caught it with her elbow. “We said we didn’t want to...”
Marie waved to her, motioning to be quiet. “Just go with it.”
It was the first time Nathan heard Marie speak up to her. He was rather proud of that. Danielle tended to be over dramatic when things weren’t going how she wanted and often needed to be convinced to change course. Her mood swings often revealed how intolerant she was. “Just go in with us,” he said, backing up Marie. “We’ll explain. You wanted out. This is what it takes.”
Danielle kept her frown but put her book bag back into position on her shoulder and proceeded to walk forward with them. “This better not be a trick,” she said.
“Like one of yours?” Nathan asked and turned from her to head toward the school. “No. We’re not like that.” He bit his tongue, immediately regretting what he said. He was supposed to be befriending them.
She flashed him an angry glare and then looked away. He doubted she’d forget his comment. He was probably going to get it from her later.
They entered the far side of the school, the long part that extended around the gym section. The hallway was mostly clear.
“I’m going to check out what’s going on up front,” Silas said. “Bring them to the music room.”
Nathan wanted to know what was going on, too, but he agreed. He needed to keep the girls focused. Unless Mr. Blackbourne or someone else said to alter the plan, they needed to stay on course.
“We’re not going to class?” Danielle asked.
“We’re taking a test,” Marie said.
Danielle groaned loudly. “You’re kidding me.”
Nathan led the way to Music Room B. He held open the door for them and closed it behind himself once they were inside.
A folding table had been plac
ed in the middle, and a couple of the chairs sat next to it. Sang sat at one of them. She shared a wide-eyed look with Nathan but otherwise kept where she was with her hands in her lap.
Dr. Green stood by the piano with his usual happy expression. “Welcome!” he called to the other girls and then did a short wave to Nathan. “Hey. You made it.”
“What’s all this?” Danielle asked.
Dr. Green picked up a couple of manila files. There were names on the front of each. He placed one in front of Sang. “I need you two to do me a favor. You can leave your bags here, but I need you to go to homeroom once the bell rings.”
“I thought we didn’t have to go to class,” Marie said, looking over at Nathan for confirmation.
Dr. Green held a palm over his heart. “I promise, it’s just to homeroom. We need your teachers to mark you present. That’s the report that ensures you’ve arrived and gets you off the phone call list. After that, you’ll come back here. I’ve some paperwork and some testing to complete with you. Sang’s going to stay here and do the same.”
Nathan hadn’t been aware of this part, but in a way, perhaps it was for the best. If Sang was willing to go along with it, it might help keep the other girls in line.
It was almost a complete waste of time for her but maybe it was better like this. She’d be safe today, out of the way of whatever was going on.
Sang had a cup filled with pens and pencils that looked like it came from Dr. Green’s desk in his office. Smart of her to bring it along in case Marie and Danielle hadn’t brought anything. She took one of the pencils from it. He noticed her hair was up, wearing a couple of pencils in a bun. Where was her clip? She lose it?
The bell rang, indicating everyone on campus should be heading to homeroom. Dr. Green checked his phone and then waved to Marie and Danielle. “Remember to come here after. We’ll start as soon as you get back.”
Danielle and Marie left their bags, and they walked out together. Their heads tilted toward one another, whispering.
Sang popped up out of her seat as soon as they were gone. “Did you see North’s Jeep? What’s going on out there?”
