Page 77 of Rat

“No, thanks.”

Ollie snatched his piece of paper and stood up. “Here it is. Rory’s piece. Or his attempt at one.”

“I hate you,” Rory mumbled with no real heat. Ollie stuck his chin out and lit up with a gloating smile.

Mrs Mason frowned. “And can you explain your picture?”

Rory gestured to it. “It’s nothing, doodles, a stickman battle.”

He blushed.

Sebastian laughed from the front, and Rory’s face filled with more heat.

“Who’s fighting in this battle?”

Rory shrugged. “Two armies, I guess.”

He’d not really given much thought to it, but the more he looked at his own work, the more it looked like everyone was fighting everyone, and it was a big mess.

“Where do you see yourself in the piece?”

Rory frowned at Mrs Mason, then shook his head. “What kind of question is that?”

“Are you in the picture?”

“No, they’re stickmen. They don’t represent anyone or anything.”

“I think Sebastian is in it.” Ollie snorted. He tapped the picture. “This one with the massive coc—”

“It’s a gun.”

Sebastian flexed his biceps. “I’ve got massive guns too.”

Mrs Mason narrowed her eyes and studied the drawing. Rory shuffled in his seat, and his hair stood on end. He didn’t have a clue why, but her judging his random doodles was unsettling.

“Jesus.” Rory smirked, trying for humour. “It’s only a stickman picture.”

Mrs Mason’s smile was full of pity. “Sometimes drawings are a window into our subconscious.”

“Only to crazy people.”

“Hey!”

Rory turned around and looked at one of the officers.

The officer’s arms were folded, and his eyebrow lifted when their gazes met. “Any more of that and you’ll be out, understand?”

“I’ll be happy to leave,” Rory said, snatching his picture from Ollie. He ripped the page in two. “Art never was my thing, andI’d rather not be psychoanalyzed for my lack of skills with a pencil.”

The officer came at him at top speed, grabbed his biceps, then hauled him to his feet.

“You’re going back to the wing.”

Pauly got to his feet. “I’m going too.”

The officer narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“Got a bad case of the runs, and I’d rather not shit myself in here and ruin the lesson.”

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