Page 32 of The Intruder

She grits her teeth. “I said, Go fish.”

“Are you thirteen?”

I’ve pushed too far—Eleanor has had enough. She puts down her cards and purses her lips. “What’s the difference?”

“I was a teacher,” I explain. “I just wanted to see if I could guess your age correctly.”

“Were a teacher?”

“I’m taking a hiatus.”

“Why?”

The last thing I want to talk to this girl about are the reasons why I am not allowed back at Brigham Elementary School. The last time I was in the building, I sat in front of Principal Loredo’s desk flushed with shame as she peered at me over the edge of her half-moon glasses.

What were you thinking, Casey? she said to me. How could you do that?

I…I’m sorry. I got carried away.

You’re a good teacher, she acknowledged. And I know you were upset, but I can’t protect you after what you’ve done. I’m afraid that you’re terminated. Starting immediately.

I thought about getting down on my knees and pleading with her. My teaching job was everything to me, and I couldn’t believe I had done something so stupid and impulsive as to get myself fired. But I knew the principal didn’t have a choice. Her hands were tied after what I did.

“It’s complicated,” I finally say.

“Why is it complicated?” She blinks up at me as a flash of lightning makes her face glow. “Did you get fired?”

“No,” I lie. Or is it a bluff? No, it’s a lie.

“Were you a good teacher?”

I won Teacher of the Year three times, but I don’t want to brag. “Yes, I believe I was.”

“Then why did they fire you?”

“I told you, I wasn’t fired.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Did you lose your mind then? Is that why you’re living out in the woods?”

Maybe a little bit, I want to say. If I told her the whole truth, how would she react? “How about this? I’ll tell you why I’m not teaching anymore if you tell me your last name.”

She put down the knife to eat and then to play cards with me, but now her fingers curl around it once again. “No deal.”

My gaze darts down to the knife, then back up to her face. I’m not sure if I believe she would really hurt me, but then again, why was she covered in blood? This girl may be capable of more than I think. Although by the looks of her arms, whoever she did this to likely deserved it. “You don’t need to defend yourself against me. I won’t hurt you.”

“I don’t know that for sure.”

“I would never. I infinity promise.”

Eleanor stares at me and doesn’t loosen her grip on the knife. Her voice is flat. “It feels like you make those kinds of promises a lot. I’m not even sure if you can keep them.”

“I swear.” I lay a hand on my chest. “I would never hurt you. You don’t have to worry.”

“Maybe,” she says softly, “you’re the one who has to worry.”

I look down at her fingers gripping that knife. There is still blood caked in her fingernails. As I am staring at them, the lights overhead flicker one more time, and then they go out for good.

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