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Those were some of the happiest memories of Mateo’s life--and each and every one was fake

"What the hell are you doing here?" heabout--" She squinted at the board "Co to me!" That came out too loudly; a few people turned their heads in his direction

Elizabeth just san Her hair was a little disheveled, her cardigan not quite on straight Had she always been like this? Slightly askew? "I doubt you’d like the truth any better But don’t worry, Mateo I’m not here for you today; I’m not even here for her" She nodded over at Nadia, as currently watching the un-Jere out today’s worksheet "I have my own reasons"

Fro "Okay, everyone We got an inadvertent lesson about coroaned at the bad joke, and she nodded "Yeah, yeah, I know Work withto be a lot more controlled than that, and hopefully a lotthere next to hiht by Nadia, Mateo could hardly pay attention to what else the teacher was sayingbut then he realized she’d stopped talking

He looked toward the front Mrs Purdhy was standing very still, her eyes hat he kneas fright She wasn’t looking at Elizabeth or Not-Jerelazed with fear

People started glancing at one another, looking for confirmation that this was definitely weird After a moment, Kendall Bender raised her hand and said, "U all weird?"

There was no answer Slowly Mrs Purdhy lifted one hand to her throat, like she h

"Ma’am?" Kendall’s voice was a little quieter "Are you okay?"

Mrs Purdhy opened her mouth A drop of liquid appeared at the corner of her lips and trickled down her chin--black as tar

People started to swear A few students in the front row shoved their desks backward or hurried to the rear of the classroo it on his phone So for the school nurse Nadia pushed toward the front, to Mrs Purdhy’s side "Are you all right? Can you talk?"

Mrs Purdhy showed no sign she could hear, or see, or take in anything besides whatever was happening to her The liquid co out of her etting thicker by theto rain down her shirt When droplets hit the floor, the linoleu sound