Page 5

“That makes two of us.” I paused. “Kate told us to do whatever you had to say, otherwise we would regret it.”

Blessing threw back her head and laughed. “I like that woman.”

“You told me that I should trust my gut and let people in, and it would make all the difference in the world. What does that even mean?”

She held out her arm. “Walk with me.”

I took her arm, and we walked down the hall to the front desk. A younger woman in a similar apron was talking to a Marine.

“Do you mind showing me that photo again?” Blessing asked.

I pulled out my wallet and gave her the tattered photo.

“Cute kids, Brady and Grady, huh?” She turned it over. “Jasper Creek. This is a good place. I feel it. I imagine that if a man is feeling aimless, he might find what he needs, even when he’s not looking for it.”

“That makes no sense. I am looking for something in Jasper Creek.”

I was getting frustrated.

“But Kai, is it the right thing?” She looked down at her watch. “You better hurry. You don’t want to miss your plane. Say hey to Mike for me.”

I couldn’t help it. I gave her another gentle hug. “I will. You take care.”

Now I was even more worried about what I’d have to tell Mike.

1

I couldn’t believe I’d left my phone in my classroom. What a dork. I’d been wanting to film this general assembly for weeks, and there I was, without my phone. I would have run, but I was wearing one of my cute pair of heels, and running wasn’t an option, not on these linoleum floors.

Phone in hand, I was almost back to the assembly when I heard laughing. That was odd; everybody was supposed to be at the assembly, and this sounded like students.

“Kick her again.”

That I heard clear as day. Then I heard a girl laughing. I kicked off my heels and started running, slipping, then running again, down the hall until I turned the corner. In an instant, I saw what was going on. Two girls had hold of another. One was dragging the girl down the hallway by her hair. The other girl was kicking at her. I saw a third girl who I recognized out of the corner of my eye. Cindy. She laughed as she filmed the attack.

“Stop this right now!” I roared.

The two girls assaulting the one girl froze. The girl holding the victim by her hair released her. The injured girl’s head landed on the floor with a sickening thud. I ran to her as the two girls, one of whom I recognized, ran off.

When I got to the girl, she was moaning and trying to get up.

“Stay still, honey. Help is on the way. I looked around frantically. Cindy was standing a few feet away with her phone pointed towards us.

“Cindy, stop filming and call 911.”

She giggled and continued to film.

“What’s going on?”

I looked up and thanked God when I saw Sue Rankin rushing down the hall. She taught eleventh grade AP English and was one of my best friends. “Sue, call an ambulance. This girl has been hurt.” I didn’t bother to look to see if Sue was doing as I asked. I knew she would. Soon she was beside me.

“What happened?”

I pushed back the girl’s hair and recognized her from my math class. Alice Daly. She was trying to get up again.

“Kim Laughton happened,” I said bitterly. Everyone knew she was a bully. “She was dragging Alice down the hall by her hair. When I yelled, Kim dropped her. Alice hit her head hard, on the floor. I don’t want to move her. The EMTs need to look her over.”

Alice tried to move again. “I’m fine,” she whispered. She looked different without her glasses. I looked around and spotted them at the end of the hall.