“So one big Scream Room?”

“More like one big specialized study hall. I think we’re squandering some of our most talented and creative assets. Do you know what ‘squandering’ means?” She winks at me.

“Yes, ma’am.” I smile despite myself.

“I’ve got my eye on you, Mr. Mitchell. Tomorrow is another day and another opportunity to make better decisions.”

Epilogue

Sometimes you have to find your victories where you can.

Nehemiah, Rodrigo, and Twon scramble about, playing army with Lego weapons. It’s raining outside, thus our Discovery Time choices have been reduced to indoor games. Legos is always a popular choice, but Mr. Blackmon forbids us from constructing anything that vaguely resembles a gun. No Lego rifles. No Lego lasers. No Lego cannons. We manage with Lego grenades. Hurled correctly, the pieces splinter and fly farther about the room. Our version of army almost resembles dodgeball.

Mr. Blackmon only half pays attention. He’s busy studying with Pierce. All I picture while watching the two of them is Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog. They each have jobs to do. The past is forgotten and today is a new day.

“You have ten fingers up in your face.” Mr. Blackmon sits across from Pierce, wiggling his fingers. “Take away two and how many are left?”

“Too many.” Pierce cradles his head in his palm.

“How many?”

“Eight.” Pierce slams his pencil down on his desk.

“All right. All right. Next . . . you know what nine minus eight is.”

“One.”

“You know what? I shouldn’t interrupt.” Mr. Blackmon leans back in his chair. All Pierce needs is the proper encouragement. “You got this. Do it your way and knock it out.”

I tumble onto the couch. Brionna hogs the remote, determined to watch the end of The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking. What Brionna sees in that live-action Raggedy Ann–looking girl, I can’t fathom, but it keeps her quiet. I perk up when RaShawn enters the room. Sullen and tired, he hands a note to Mrs. Horner.

Mrs. Horner sets the note on her desk and claps twice. “Okay friends, I need you to gather around for a special community circle.”

Twon rolls behind the couch to avoid taking fire. A Lego grenade explodes behind him. Rodrigo and Nehemiah close in on him from both sides, intent on taking him alive.

“I have an award and treats to hand out as soon as everyone is ready,” she says a little louder.

That cuts through the noise of war. The trio scoops up all stray Lego pieces in a flurry of motion. They fill out the rest of the couch, though Twon stations himself on the floor in front of me.

“I know last week was a rough week. We’ve had some ups and downs. More downs than ups, I’d guess. But I want to acknowledge our ups when they happen. Nehemiah, can you come over here?”

Nehemiah casts about, his body jerks like a puppet whose puppeteer had its strings tangled and can’t get the head fully up. He drags himself over to Mrs. Horner. She presses him to her side.