Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Leigh caught Ryley pushing a younger child on the playground when she arrived at school. The air was bitterly cold, but at least a dozen children of different ages ran about.

"What are you doing?" she asked Ryley, but he just shrugged and moved off to lean against the wall. It was too cold for Leigh to stand around, but she didn't want to leave the children on their own. She put her hands in her pockets and walked around the yard. Some of the children waved to her, most ignored her. It was a relief when the bell rang and she could go inside. Someone else would watch the children now.

Despite all her efforts, Ryley had barely uttered more than a grunt. He wouldn't read or do math on the board. Leigh decided that if he wasn't disrupting the class she would let him alone for now. It couldn't stay that way long, she had a job to do, but she needed a way to reach him.