Flat on her back, her tray scattered, tomatoes staining her hair and uniform, Angela glared up at Ruth. “You pushed me! You deliberately pushed me. I'm going to report you to the Warden.”

“She didn't touch you, Angela.” Patience hauled the furious Angela to her feet. “It was just an accident.”

Angela will never believe that, thought Ruth. I think if the roof fell in she'd blame me for it. Maybe it is my fault. I really wanted something horrible to happen to her. She picked at her lunch and left most of it uneaten.

The day dragged on. She broke two dishes on kitchen duty, just because her hands were shaking so. It was almost a relief when the summons finally came.

“Ruth, go to the Warden's office.”

“Skipping dishes is getting to be a habit,” Faith joked quite kindly.

Ruth smiled weakly and scurried down the corridor to the Warden's office. She knocked very softly. Maybe he won't hear. Maybe he's been called away.

“Come in.”

She pushed the door open and drew back. Oh, no! Not just the Warden, but all four of them, the Custodian, the Protector and the Initiator as well.

They were all seated on the far side of the Warden's desk, with the evidence of her crimes in front of them. From the door she could see the painting of a red-haired girl, a pile of her essays and stories, and that awful, insulting picture of the Web.

“Sit down over here, dear child.”

Ruth managed to creep across the room and collapse into the chair the Protector had indicated. She wound both her legs out of the way around the legs of the chair. Then she twined her fingers together in her lap and stared at them.

“It's really very clever,” said the Protector, so unexpectedly that she looked up and saw him holding the Web painting. “Do you really see us like that?”

“I don't know, Protector. I suppose I must. But I didn't mean ... '' Her voice trailed off.

In the silence the Custodian took over. “My dear, we have spent some time going over your drawings and essays - in fact all your responses to class situations for the last few years, and we are very puzzled. It is almost as if you were living in a different world.”

Ruth's mouth opened. How did they know? The Custodian waited for her to speak, and then went on. “Let's look at this drawing of the girl with red hair. It is most imaginative, but rather confusing. For instance, do you know what she's holding in her hand?”

“It's a kind of pole, Custodian.”

“But what is it for? Do you know what the girl is supposed to be doing?”