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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 hi 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“I just need you to come with me”

Marie sat up and pushed a pal 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 et 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 tobeen in the school”

“What about tomorrow?”

“You ”

“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 syht of Mrs Sorenson down there and what she could do to her She needed so to help, but we can’t if you won’t let us”

She grunted but then slowly sat upher feet on the floor She was in a T-shirt and pajaht they were the saed at all?

“Let et dressed,” she said

“Silas is downstairs Danielle and Derrick are in the car with hi”

She stood up, reaching for clothes

Nathan left the roo the door behind himself He went to the end of the hallway, to the top of the stairs and waited for her

Marie eed, and on quiet feet, she followed hi, 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 ot to school

“Can we stop for breakfast?” Danielle asked, cohts

“Just the fast food place by that grocery store,” Nathan said He was sure she was speaking et soht be all we’ve got tiet to”

“Sounds good to me,” Danielle said

Silas shared a long look with Nathan, asking hie her

Why not? A little reward for going along with this? She’s already going to be pretty ticked at the 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 sorocery store Still, they waited behind the other cars

They e and bacon e 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 soon There appeared to be a few facultywith 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 set 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?”