“Listen,” said the boy. “I won’t cut you any breaks next time, understand? You won’t just lose your job, you’ll lose your life as well. I get to you before they put you in prison. You won’t be able to escape.”

“I...understand...” sobbed the man on the floor.

The boy then took his foot off the man’s head.

He crouched down and looked the group home manager dead in the eyes.

“Not so useless any more, am I, Mr. Grimes?”

10

Max stepped into the hall, closing the door to Mr. Grimes’ office behind him.

He wanted to do more to the evil man, but he figured that would be enough. Plus, it wasn’t like he actually had a powerful ability to hurt Mr. Grimes with at the moment. Also, he now had Mr. Grimes under control. That was better than a new unknown slimeball who could take over.

He walked away from the office and paused in front of another door.

Sarah’s door.

He didn’t like goodbyes. Not since he was little. Growing up in an orphanage you got used to them though. You made a friend one day, then a nice couple would come in a few days later and adopt your newest friend. The friend would tell you they’d visit or write, but they never stuck to their word. Why would they? Who would want to remember being stuck in a home with a bunch of other desperate kids without parents?

Max gulped. He knocked on Sarah’s door.

She didn’t respond.

Max realized she might think it was Mr. Grimes outside her door.

“Sarah,” he said. “It’s me.”

The door opened, rapidly. Had she been standing behind the door the entire time?

The girl grabbed Max in a tight embrace.

“Max,” she sobbed. “I thought you were dead.”

She cried into his chest for a moment and then pulled away.

“Wait...” she said. “You’re standing up. You’re walking. What happened?”

Max told her the story as quickly as he could.

“Listen, I don’t have much time left before I have to go back,” he said. “We won’t be seeing each other again after this. So I wanted to say goodbye. I don’t think I would’ve been able to get through all these years with Mr. Grimes without you.”

Sarah sniffled. “Me too. What will I do here without you? Who will protect me from him?”

“I made sure he won’t harm anyone in here ever again,” Max said. He handed the flash drive over to her. “If he even thinks about it—which I highly doubt he will after my talk with him—you just let him know you have one of these flash drives and know how to contact me.”

“How will I contact you?”