Page 106 of Lesson Learned

For a moment, I think it’s worked. She relaxes in my embrace, and I realise how thin she is, every place I touch on her is skin and bone. The weight’s poured off her.

No wonder she’s struggling. She must literally be starving.

She pulls back and I release her, stepping just far enough away to give her some space. My throat hurts inside from all the emotion, matching the bruised outside to a T.

Floss looks nervous but determined as she stands tall beside me. “James stole photos of me. He threatened to release them to my family if I didn’t do what he asked and they…” she trails off, shaking her head. “I couldn’t let that happen. That’s why I told you those lies.”

“No. I heard the voicemails you left him.”

And Floss frowns. “What voicemails? I’ve never left anyone a message in my life. That’s what texts are for.”

“And what about—”

Marnie breaks off as a voice booms across the lobby. “I don’t care what the protocol is. You had one fucking job and that was to keep my son safe. Since you couldn’t do that, you better believe you’re helping me find the culprit. I don’t care if we have to torture every shitty kid in this place, I’m not leaving until I know who killed James.”

The voice is massive, thundering along the corridor even though it’s not shouting. Easily audible, even atop the combined chatter of the gathered pupils.

“That’s James’ dad,” Marnie says, her face going white. “But he wouldn’t…” Her panicked eyes seek mine out. “He doesn’t ever leave his home.” Her face creases even further. “What does he mean, his son’s dead?”

She stumbles in his direction, coming to a halt as he strides into the lobby. It’s easy to see why his voice carries. The man’s chest looks to be a metre broad, shoulders stretching at the confines of his suit, towering a full foot above the head teacher, who has at least half a foot on me already.

“Once we call the police, they’ll be able to request information through the correct—”

“No police,” he snaps. “Try listening.”

“It’s out of my hands,” the head says, skittering around him like a mouse darting around a cat. “Once the ambulance officers arrived—”

“And who the fuck called them?” the man thunders, walls practically shaking.

“Our security staff called them,” she says quietly. “It’s part of their training.” She tries to touch him, and he shoves her away, breathing heavily. His distress palpable. “When they couldn’t revive—”

“Who couldn’t they revive?” Marnie calls out, hands wringing in front of her. “What did you mean your son’s dead? It’s not James.” Her voice calms, becomes more confident. The same voice that once eviscerated my school’s debate team on the national stage. “James isfine.”

The man crowds her, hope springing into his eyes. “What’s that? What do you know?”

“It can’t be James.” Her voice sounds like she’s explaining a basic fact of life to a toddler. “James proposed to me. We’re getting married. Look.” She tugs a large engagement ring from her pocket and pushes it onto her finger. “See? I was just waiting for the right…” She frowns, her confident expression faltering around the edges. “See he was going to get it resized because it’s so loose. Because I lost too much weight.”

She turns, then grabs hold of me, pulling me closer. “You know. Tell him.”

I try to keep my voice gentle, hating to see her broken. “Know what, Marnie?”

“You know it can’t be… You were just talking about him a minute ago. You said he was threatening Floss.” I reach for her shoulder, to comfort her, but she jerks away from my touch. “Tell him, you guys. Tell him.”

“Marnie.” This time I manage to clutch hold of her wrist, swallowing hard as I see how skeletal it is. When she tugs free, the arm of her blouse rides up, showing deep bruises on her forearms.

“Why don’t you have a seat?” Floss suggests, trying to take her other arm. “This is a shock.”

But Marnie pushes her away, shoving at her back.

Then her eyes sharpen. Her hands hitch onto Floss’s waistband, lifting her loose shirt to reveal the gun nestled under her belt.

In an instant, the world slows, everything happening at a quarter speed.

My heart gives a beat so loud it’s like thunder cracking in my ears, then it stops, holding, my entire body on pause in the long moments it takes for her to grab the butt of the weapon, to tug it free.

“You…?” Marnie gives a garbled cry. “Youkilledhim?” She takes a step back, the gun shaking in her hand.

A sharp jolt of fear propels me forward. Awash with heartache that James has wrung the vitality out of her, replacing it with his cracked worldview. My hands reach towards her, scared by her actions. Scared he’s snapped a vital component. Scared that it’s gone beyond brainwashing, that he’s hurt her so badly she’s lost her mind.

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