Page 12 (2/2)

The part of Thoutans and Hastings and Suerencies, wanted very much to not hold still, but rather, punch the boy in the nose before he could get punched himself But the part of hientlest of woolly randneous rock) and thebetter than anything else: talk to a thing that does not want to listen

Thoaze He lowered his fists a little—but not all the way Thomas was not a fool He made his eyes into deep, endless pools with soft stars in the mud of their bottoht he had probably learned it fro button eyes of his scrap-yarn wombat But when he did it, it ic spell: Look into my eyes and I’ll take your talk Thomas put on his best eyes and said in the very softest, kindest, most seductive of voices:

“What’s your name?”

“What? Nothing Max”

“Why are you so mad at me, Max?”

The boy blinked He tried to look away fro at his chin

“’C…’cause you were talking to your desk like a freak My dad says freaks and hobos are scum”

Thoym rolled and reflected in them

&nb

sp; “Max! Do you mean you don’t talk to your desk?”

“N…no Why would I? That’s stupid,” Max sneered

Thomas blinked slowly His eyes shone “Why is it stupid, Max?”

Max’s voice began to shake “’Cause…’cause they don’t talk back, dummy”

“Are you sure? Maybe yours doesn’t Maybe you got a dud Or maybe it can’t talk But that doesn’t mean it isn’t lonely and sad because you haven’t even said hello to it My cousin had the mumps when he was little and he can’t talk at all now But he listens and laughs at jokes and he canJust because you can’t use words doesn’tis the best thing in the whole world, I think Talking is Sos happen just by saying the right words, in the right order, at the right volus instead of tohts instead of staying ho to bed early You can make a toy appear in your arms and chocolate appear in your cup”

Max was breathing slow and heavy The Other Children leaned in, theirfiercely