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The ride on the school bus was strange. He hadn’t seen these people in months, and they saw him yesterday.
The goon squad stood in a knot in the back of the bus. One of them sat down, and there was Raymond, the center of their attention.
One goon nudged Raymond and pointed at Toby, and the collected stares made Toby feel like a pork chop in a piranha tank.
Toby turned back toward the front and watched the scenery. Another thought crossed his mind; is this Raymond from months ago?
But Raymond had been in Dúnbarnaugh the whole time, right?
Was this Raymond out of sequence with Toby?
Is ‘out of sequence’ even a thing?
The usual pandemonium ruled the bus, but Toby wasn’t listening. His mind wandered to the warm sunshine and spring flowers he’d left only yesterday in Dúnbarnaugh.
A cold front moved through last night, bringing gray, wetter weather. Some of the maple trees had changed. The cotton fields were white.
His eyes saw no ragweed, but his sinuses begged to differ.
The bus came to a stop at the school, and he got in line to file off.
Toby tried to remember his first class in the main hallway when one gang came behind and kicked at his feet. Toby let the first kick go.
With the second, Toby spun around. “You want something?”
“Ooh, look at loser boy,” he said in a mocking baby voice.
Toby tried to hold his tongue, but the look on that moron’s face was too much.
“Walk away.”
The goon pushed Toby, but Toby didn’t move. The goon’s face gave away his surprise.
Raymond grabbed his goon partner, “Not here.”
Toby looked down one hallway packed with students. He looked down at another: both looked familiar, but he could not remember his class schedule. Who could he ask?
“Hey, Toby,” said a girl.
He turned. “Hey,” and it took a second to remember, “Mina.”
She continued up the hall.
Other memories came back: her father worked at the same construction company as Dad. She and Toby had two classes together, first period English Lit and fourth period; what was it?
Earth Science, right after lunch.
He trotted over, and they walked up the hallway.
“Did you finish your book report yet?” she asked.
“Almost.”
“What are you reading?”
“Ivanhoe.”
“I’m reading The Crystal Cave: it’s about Merlin. I just love stories about castles and magic stuff, don’t you?”
He tried not to react.
Was she from Dúnbarnaugh? Was she a spy from Dúnbarnaugh, or working for the cops?
His heart started beating in his neck.
“Did you hear me?”
“Sure. I mean, yeah, it’s a good book.”
“You alright?”
“Yeah.” He kept walking, kept trying to look normal.
“Toby?”
What now? He turned, and she was behind him.
She pointed to their classroom. “Where are you going?”
He recognized his English Lit teacher writing something on the dry-erase board.
“I, um... I’ll be right in.”
He kicked himself for being so obvious. Mina an Earth kid, just like he used to be.
***
The rest of the day was uneventful. His gut told him to sneak out the back, even though it was about to storm.
Wow.
He smiled and shook his head; old habits came back in a hurry.
When the last bell rang, he collected his things and boarded the bus.
The ride home was not exactly quiet, but the goon squad left him alone.
The bus finally pulled to a stop near his house.
Toby climbed off, but he wasn’t alone.
A hand grabbed him and spun him around. Raymond was inches from his face.
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Toby stepped back but said nothing. He kept his gaze fixed on Raymond and peripherally watched the gang move into a semicircle.
“Hand over the money,” Raymond said.
“Spent it.”
Raymond sneered and reached toward Toby.
Toby blocked the grab, and as Lela had taught him, he turned Raymond’s weight and momentum against him. Raymond stumbled off to one side and nearly fell.
With the gang’s view blocked, Toby pulled open his shirt and showed the Mark.
Raymond’s expression didn’t soften, but he glanced down at Toby’s chest.
Raymond circled past Toby and stood by his gang.
“Let’s get him,” one goon said.
Raymond grabbed the goon’s shirt. “Not here.”
“But you said–”
“Witnesses!” Raymond swept his hands around, pointing at the various homes. “We’ll have our chance.”
All but two gang members seemed confused. Then Toby remembered seeing them at school and in the dining hall in Dúnbarnaugh.