Now his aunt was here, gently attending to him. “You came all the way from Ironville by yourself?” she asked while she rubbed his neck and arms with a cleansing wipe to remove the tear gas residue.

“I just wanted to see,” Crosby said meekly. He was still trembling. Still shaken by the mayhem and brutality he’d been trapped in. He hadn’t been arrested. The police officer put him in that squad car for safety and then went to look for more injured marchers. When the backseat of the car was filled with gasping, nearly blinded rioters, the officer drove them to the hospital emergency room.

“You have to stay away from them, honey,” his aunt said softly. “They’re haters and racists. Do you really want to be like that?”

Her soothing voice and gentle touch were enough to make Crosby break down and cry. The water from the eyewash cup spilled down his paper gown, leaving a dark stain. As he sat sobbing, feeling broken and empty, he felt his aunt’s arms go around him.

“Listen,” she said. “I may not be a psychologist, but it’s plain as day to me that this is about your mom being so sick. With your dad not around, you must be so worried about the future.” Crosby sniffed and nodded.

“You don’t have to be scared,” Aunt Mary whispered. “I’ll always be here for you. You don’t have to join some white supremacist group to feel wanted. I’ll always want you.”

School had just ended. The boys’ room was empty.

Squad tactician Goofy Foot enters the pissorium to test the new and improved advanced caramel loogie projectile. Goofy Foot has already popped a piece of caramel into his mouth. Spit adhesiveness is increasing. The countdown begins:

Ten…nine…Saliva/mucus mixture approaching desired state of viscosity.

Eight…seven…Gathering saliva/mucus ball behind front teeth.

Six…five…Adjusting lip cannon to appropriate launch angle.

Four…three…Rolling of tongue and compression of lips initiated. Deep inhalation to follow.

Two…one…fire!

The light brown loogie rocketed out through his lips.

Upward it shot.

Zach was certain that it would soon join the other loogies hanging from the ceiling.

But then, just an inch from impact, the loogie stopped.

For an instant it hung motionless in the air.

Then it plunged back down.

Splat!

Caleb and Emma walked together toward the computer lab. Ms. B had asked the eSports club to meet for a semester wrap-up.

“I sure hope you got rid of that spray can,” Caleb said in a low voice as they walked down the hall.

Emma caught her breath and felt her body tense. “I had a feeling you remembered.”

“Dark coral,” Caleb said. “From our underwater landscape.”

Emma’s insides churned. Would he tell? Was he furious at her for doing something that ended the eSports club for the rest of the semester? Would he hate her forever? “I had to do it,” she said. “It was the only way I could make them understand what they were doing.”