Rabbit’s family had been living on the football field here at the school, in the campers the government set up for the homeless, ever since the flood, months ago, so Rabbit thought he ran things now. He claimed to sneak into the school after dark and go through the teachers’ desk drawers. Rabbit had lived in the Cumberland River Court and every one of the trailers there had floated away in a jagged line on the flood. Most folks had been able to move in with family or friends but Rabbit’s parents hadn’t had anyone. Rabbit had been picking on Justin for years now, long before the flood. Ever since first grade. Justin should have been used to it by now, really. But there was no getting used to something like that.

At recess was the worst. Rabbit took someone’s phone and showed everyone the video of Asher. The kids all gathered close and they had a big laugh together when the video zoomed in on Asher crying out “We’ve got to quit this judgment!”

Rabbit clicked the phone off right after that and they all turned their heads at once, like a family of owls, to see Justin watching them from his perch on the swing. The December air bit into his face and his nose had numbed from the cold—the teacher had said they could stay out only a few minutes, since it was so cold—but he didn’t mind. The cold reminded him he was still alive and not a ghost-boy spying on the playground.

Then they were laughing and pointing and some kind of power came over him and he yelled: “Shut up, you stupid-asses!”

Rabbit ran hard toward him and before Justin realized what was happening, Rabbit had knocked him out of the swing and was on top of Justin, like a wall falling onto someone. He pinned down Justin’s arms and situated his chin on the back of Justin’s head, grinding his face against the soured mulch.

Most of the other kids were yelling and laughing—Justin could hear one small voice screaming “Quit! Leave him alone!” but he didn’t know who that was. Then Rabbit brought his knee up into the small of Justin’s back and he felt a start of electricity run all the way up his spine and into his neck. He actually saw light at the corners of his eyes. He felt like he was going to pass out but in that brief time he felt shimmering all around him and he could hear everything slowed down and magnified. He could hear the sky moving. He thought how he had lied to his father, because he didn’t believe in God. Not really. This was what he believed in. The Everything.