Chapter Seventeen

August walked purposefully to the front of the room. As she passed behind Kara and Maddy, she ran a finger along their backs – a secret gesture, a promise between her and them. Kara had started this story, and now August and Maddy were finishing it. With everything that had been written in between – soul stones, The Beautiful Land, good poisons, and she asked for it – in the end, the meaning of it all came down to the three of them. And they were ready to deliver.

August came to a halt at the front of the class. She studied her first few lines. Lifting her head, she glanced around the room, making sure she looked directly at Ken and Julie. She smiled. “It was the day before the full moon,” she began. “Farang’s sixteenth birthday. There was no party for her, of course. Everyone ignored her as usual. That night, they were going to spit their pain onto her the way they always did – that was the only present she’d get. Except that now there’d be no poison in her food. Since the high priestess’s death, no one poisoned Farang’s food. She was still getting the tribe’s pain, which did hurt her, but no poison. So she was growing stronger inside herself. Y’see, poison keeps you weak and sickly. Now that Farang wasn’t getting the poison anymore, she was strong and healthy. This made her very different. For years, she was always weak. Finally, it was starting to feel good to be alive.

“The morning of her birthday, some people rode into the village. They came from the capital city of the kingdom of Faraway. This was a long way off, and where the high priestess got her PhD in Evil. At the head of this group was a woman – the high priestess for the main temple in all the land. They went to the temple in the village and met with the priestesses. The villagers were curious. Hardly anyone came to their village, ever.

“That night, everyone gathered together. Things went as usual. Farang waited in the bushes while the people danced and sang. Then she crawled out and they spat their pain onto her. But Farang was now so strong and healthy, she barely batted an eye. She crawled into the cage and ate the food. Then she lay down and relaxed. The people danced faster and faster, but Farang just lay there, enjoying herself. Because she was healthy, their pain was no longer a big deal. The villagers couldn’t do much to her anymore, and she knew it.

“The high priestess from the capital city watched and was impressed. There were rumors about a village pain eater of great power, and she was here looking for her. This pain eater was predicted in the ancient holy books, and a special star was now showing up in the night sky. So the high priestess stood up and stopped the dancing. She called Farang out of the cage and bade her kneel before her.

“‘Farang, you were to die in three months’ time,’ the high priestess told her, ‘but I have come to offer you a great destiny. Instead of dying, you will come with me to the capital city of Faraway. Because the king needs a new pain eater. The king’s pain eater has to be better than all the others. There are special pains for this pain eater to eat. But the king’s pain eater lives differently from other pain eaters. You will have a lovely apartment in the castle. Fine clothes and food will be brought to you. Servants will bow as you pass. For you will be the king’s pain eater, and know all his secret woes. Once a month you will suffer, and it will be terrible. But the rest of the month will be a life of luxury and ease. Everyone will envy you.’

“The villagers whispered in excitement. They couldn’t believe this was happening to Farang, their pain eater. Such an honor for the village! The high priestess had to raise a hand to quiet them.

“‘I await your answer, Farang,’ she said. ‘Will you be the king’s pain eater?’”

August paused. The class sat silent, their gaze fixed on her. Maddy sat with the rest, the blood thudding in her ears. Whatever August had Farang choose, Maddy would have to follow up on it. She darted a sideways glance at Kara, who was watching August with an approving half-smile on her lips.

August lowered the pages she was holding, and turned to face Ms. Mousumi. “That’s the end of my chapter,” she announced. “But it’s not the end of The Pain Eater. There’s still one more chapter, and that one belongs to Maddy Malone because she got skipped two weeks ago, when it was her turn.”

A look of surprise crossed Ms. Mousumi’s face. “Is this true, Maddy?” she asked, turning to look at Maddy.

Maddy felt the eyes of the entire class descend upon her. “Yes,” she managed.

“How did I miss you?” asked Ms. Mousumi.

“You weren’t here,” said August. “A substitute teacher was here for three classes, because you were sick.”

“Oh yes,” said Ms. Mousumi, her expression clearing. “Well, then—”

Ken’s hand shot up. “This isn’t fair,” he said briskly. “Maddy should’ve said something back then, if she wanted to. We all had to follow in order.”

“Oh, I don’t think that matters,” said Ms. Mousumi. “Everyone gets a turn – that’s the point of the exercise.”

Julie’s hand went up. “But the story was going a certain way,” she protested. “Now Maddy’ll step in and change it.”

Ms. Mousumi’s eyebrows rose. “Of course, she’ll change it,” she said. “Just like you had a chance to change it, and everyone else.”

“But they knew,” Ken broke in. “Maddy and August – they’ve known for two weeks. Why didn’t they say something sooner? Because they wanted to take over the story for themselves, and end it their way. Not really fair, I don’t think.”

Ms. Mousumi frowned. She glanced again at August, then at Maddy. “Is this true, Maddy?” she asked. “Have you and August been conspiring for two weeks to take over the story and end it your way?”

Maddy grimaced, groping for the right words. “No,” she blurted. “It just…happened that way. I mean, I knew I got skipped, but I didn’t say anything at first because…” She paused, losing out to the flush that had taken over her face. “It just happened,” she repeated lamely. “I was upset, I guess, about…other things, and I didn’t say anything.”

The teacher’s gaze softened, and she nodded. “We all have those kinds of days,” she said warmly. “And I’m actually the one at fault, for not noticing. I don’t think Maddy should be penalized for my error. And, personally, I would love to hear Maddy’s contribution to The Pain Eater. So the class will be hearing from you, Ms. Maddy Malone, two days from now on Wednesday. Okay?”

At the front of the class, August broke into a brilliant grin. Beside Maddy, Kara whistled softly.

“Okay,” said Maddy, her heart exploding in her chest.

“All right then, August,” said Ms. Mousumi. “Thank you, and you may sit down. We’ve got a lot to do today, and since this wasn’t the final chapter, I think we’ll reserve class comments until Wednesday. Now, if you’ll all open your books to…”

August rounded the back of the teacher’s desk and came up behind Maddy and Kara, en route to her own desk. Lifting the pages she had curled in her right hand, she bopped Maddy gently on the head.

“It’s all yours now, Maddy,” she whispered, and walked to her seat.

. . .

One hour later found Maddy and Kara sitting on bright orange stacking chairs outside Vice Principal Vaughn’s office. August hadn’t been able to join them due to a dental appointment, but Kara had been filled in on all the pertinent details, and was wearing a determined, don’t-mess-with-me expression. It made her look remarkably like August. Maddy wasn’t sure if this made her feel nervous or possible. Her growing friendship with these two girls was changing so many things. Was she ready for all of it? Did it make any difference if she was ready?

“This man is a lot more popular than he looks,” muttered Kara, twisting a loose strand of her long brown hair around one finger. “Come on, Mr. Vaughn – we’ve got life waiting for us sometime this century.”

The door to Mr. Vaughn’s office opened. “You can go in now, girls,” said a secretary, nodding at them.

They stepped into the office. With a smile, the vice principal closed the door and sat down behind his desk. “Take a seat, ladies,” he said. “What can I do for you?”

Kara sat down, then leaned forward. “We’re here because we’d like to know what’s happening with that assault on Maddy,” she said. “When those guys tried to pull her into the can. It happened last week – five whole days ago.”

“Yes, I remember,” said Mr. Vaughn. “Well, Maddy, I spoke with all three of them, and we reviewed the footage from the security camera posted in that area of the hall. Some of the incident was recorded, though most of it was at an angle the camera doesn’t catch.”

“And?” prodded Kara.

Mr. Vaughn cleared his throat. “The boys say it was a harmless prank, a spur-of-the-moment thing,” he said. “They weren’t intending anything by it. They’ve apologized and served some detention time.”

A frown crossed Kara’s face. “They didn’t apologize to Maddy,” she said.

Mr. Vaughn’s eyebrows rose slightly. Steepling his fingers, he tapped them together. “You’re right,” he said. “I overlooked that, and I apologize. It’s a bit late in the process now, but I can set up a meeting for an apology from the boys if you’d like, Maddy.”

Maddy watched his fingertips tap together. She thought of the three boys, the contempt that had twisted their faces. Come over to my house to play. Come over to my house to fuck, Mad Maddy. Any apology from those guys would be a mere formality – it wouldn’t mean a thing. Mr. Vaughn knew it, and Maddy knew it. But she understood why Kara was pushing for it.

“Did you call their parents?” Kara asked.

Mr. Vaughn nodded. “Parents are routinely notified in cases like these,” he said.

“Mine weren’t,” blurted Maddy. Her voice came out hoarse, an explosion in her throat.

Mr. Vaughn looked surprised. “I’ll double-check on that,” he said. “It is policy. They should have been.”

“Well, they weren’t,” Maddy said.

Mr. Vaughn wrote something down on a notepad. “I’ll get to that right away,” he said.

Maddy ran her gaze over him – the expressionless face, the natty striped tie, the once-again steepled hands. Dislike engulfed her. She sat up straighter. “They’re lying, Mr. Vaughn,” she said gruffly. “They wanted to get me in there and rape me. I know, because it’s happened to me before – rape. It happens a lot, you know. It would’ve happened then if August hadn’t rescued me.”

Mr. Vaughn’s eyebrows rose again. “None of us know what might have happened,” he said. “And I can’t punish the boys for something they didn’t do. But I will certainly bring them in to apologize to you, if that’s what you would like.”

Maddy took a long, raw breath. “I don’t know if that’s what I’d like,” she said. “But yeah, that’s what I want.” As Kara swelled with pride beside her, Maddy leaned forward in her chair, strengthening her focus on Mr. Vaughn’s face, intensifying it. “Because this is serious, Mr. Vaughn,” she continued. “I’m not a bump on a log, I’m a person. I’m important. And I deserve an apology, whether they mean it or not.”

Mr. Vaughn observed her silently.

Whether you mean it or not, Maddy added in her head. She got to her feet. “Don’t you have to go babysit your neighbor’s kids?” she said to Kara.

They left Mr. Vaughn’s office without saying anything further to him, then stood in the empty hall outside the main office door, thinking over what had taken place. “He wasn’t even going to get them to apologize to you!” Kara fumed. “He was just going to ignore you, like you weren’t hardly even involved. But you told him, Maddy! You told him just fine!”

“Yeah?” asked Maddy, glancing at her.

“Yeah,” said Kara, her voice punching the air. She took a deep breath. “And I have something for you. Just a sec.” Sliding her knapsack off her back, she rooted around in it and pulled out a single piece of paper. “I wrote this for you last night. It’s a poem. Not a masterpiece, so don’t expect Shakespeare. Here.”

“This is for me?” asked Maddy, surprise welling up through her as she accepted the piece of paper. White with blue lines, it was a regular piece of foolscap. Still floating in astonishment, Maddy read the hand-printed words:

A Poem for Maddy Malone

Now sky is my sky.

I feel the sun rise up my throat.

I speak starshine, moon wonder, flying meteors.

Until the end of the world,

I am here to begin.

Warmth washed Maddy’s face. She blinked swiftly. “That’s way better than Shakespeare,” she said. “Thank you.”

“I was sitting on my bed after doing homework and I got to thinking,” Kara told her softly. “About how when things get really crappy, it can feel like you’re over. There’s no chance for a change, something better to happen. Like with Frank.” Her voice trembled and she stopped, staring at the floor. “I guess sometimes it really is like that. But not always. Not with you, Maddy. Okay?”

Their gaze locked, and Maddy saw that Kara was teary-eyed too. “Okay,” she whispered.

“Okay,” Kara said again, and they were quiet a moment. “Well,” she sighed, “I have to go babysit. Will you be okay walking home on your own?”

“Yeah,” Maddy assured her. “Kids’ll be home by now. No one’ll be hanging around.”

Kara nodded. “See you tomorrow, then,” she said.

A smile opened suddenly in Maddy, flashing up from her toes. “Yeah, see you tomorrow,” she said. “And thanks again for the poem. I love it.”

They parted, and headed out of the school into their separate lives.

. . .

Maddy walked into her bedroom after supper dishes to find her sister sprawled across her bed, examining Maddy’s phone.

“What’re you doing with my phone?” Maddy blurted, too shocked to be angry. “And how come you’re in my room?”

“I’m reading your mentions,” Leanne replied without looking up.

“No, you’re not!” cried Maddy, lunging at her, but Leanne slid the phone under her butt and lay on her back, simply looking at her.

“What’re you gonna do?” she asked. “Go tell Mom and Dad?”

Maddy backed off. There was no way she could take on her jock sister in physical combat and win. And Leanne had obviously read enough of her mentions to know Maddy couldn’t complain to their parents. Or could, but for some unfathomable reason, was choosing not to.

“How’d you get my password?” asked Maddy, crossing her arms.

“Just watched you,” said Leanne. “You might as well display it on a billboard, you’re that obvious.”

Maddy flushed. “Okay, so what’d you find out?” she mumbled. For a while now, she’d been blocking most of the accounts tweeting at her – if tweets didn’t come from family or a close friend, she no longer saw them. But she couldn’t do anything about new accounts in her mentions. She’d stopped checking her notifications – hadn’t opened that tab in days.

Leanne’s expression was unreadable. “Half the school seems to think the other half of the school has fucked you,” she said. “Multiple times.”

Maddy’s flush deepened. “Oh, that,” she said. “That’s old, Trucker. Very, very old.”

Leanne observed her silently. Then, as Maddy watched, her sister’s face softened. “Come on, Maddikins,” she whispered. “We’re not enemies. I’m on your side. I always was.”

Maddy’s face twisted and she fought off the urge to cry. “Since birth,” she conceded.

“Conception,” said Leanne. “Come here.”

Crawling onto the bed, Maddy lay down beside her sister and let Leanne put an arm around her. “It took me a while to catch on,” said Leanne. “I was mad at you for shutting me out, so I unfollowed you. I knew something was going on, but because I was mad at you…” Her voice trailed off. “Well, I was hurt, I guess. I heard some things – just mean stuff, nothing like this – but I ignored it. Kids wouldn’t say the worst things around me, I guess. Then, at the tournament this weekend, I heard some more…stuff I couldn’t believe I was hearing. But Sunday night when I got home, the homework I had to catch up on was crazy. And I was pretty sure if I asked you straight out, you wouldn’t tell me what was going on, because if it was happening to me, I wouldn’t be talking, either. So I decided, first chance I got, I’d check your phone.”

Leanne’s arm tightened convulsively. “Maddy, that stuff is garbage. Sewer thinking. You’re not psycho, and you’re not the world’s least choosy slut. You’re my little sister, same as you always were, and I want to know why this is happening to you.”

Maddy stared up at the ceiling. Enveloped in her sister’s warmth, in the coconut scent of her hair, she wanted to give in, to surrender to the closeness that had always connected them, at least until the last half year. At the same time, something inside her resisted – something that pushed back; something that locked tight into itself.

“And that gives you the right to steal my phone and invade my privacy?” she demanded, stalling for time.

“Yup.” Leanne’s voice revealed not the slightest twinge of remorse.

“I don’t think so,” said Maddy.

“If you don’t tell me now, I’m going to take your phone and show it to our beloved parents,” said Leanne.

Maddy’s heart started its deepest, most painful thud, battering her from the inside out. “I talked to Mr. Zarro,” she blurted. “Today. He let me join an after-school club for stained-glass making.”

“Cool,” said Leanne. “Two minutes, Maddy. Then I’m going to Mom and Dad.”

“Wednesday,” Maddy bargained. “Just give me ’til Wednesday after school, and then I’ll tell – you and Mom and Dad.”

Wednesday was the day she was due to give the closing chapter of The Pain Eater, and Maddy had to contribute the last word on Farang’s destiny on her own – without helpful, well-meaning interference from her sister, her parents, and whatever would come out of telling them about the gang rape. Because if she told them, something would come out of it – something definite and immediate. And she needed more time – two more days – to work out Farang’s story, her own story, and how the two intertwined, by herself.

“Why Wednesday?” asked Leanne.

“I’ll tell you on Wednesday,” said Maddy. “After school. I’ll walk home with you.”

“I have a game,” said Leanne. “A home game.”

“I’ll come to the game,” said Maddy. “We’ll walk home after.”

“No way – you’re actually coming to one of my games?” said Leanne.

“Sorry,” said Maddy. “I’ll come to every single one from now on.”

Leanne lay silently, considering. “That new mural you’re working on in the tree house – does it have anything to do with this?” she asked.

Maddy stiffened. “Did you look at it?” she asked.

“Not since the first time,” said Leanne. “Too creepy. Thought I’d check your phone first.”

“There’s a reason for the creepiness,” said Maddy. “Wednesday, you’ll know why.”

Leanne pondered further. “Well, you have been better this past week,” she admitted. “But I still don’t like it. Kids are saying ugly, ugly things about you, Maddy. I want to know why.”

“Wednesday,” repeated Maddy. “Promise. Cross my heart, hope to die.”

Leanne let out a whoosh of air. “Okay,” she said. “But you’re eating lunch with me tomorrow. And you’re walking to school with me in the morning. That’ll be early – I’ve got practice.”

Maddy groaned. She could just see it – plodding alongside her sister while Leanne laid out the entire day for her: when they were going to meet up, what Maddy should do and say when harassed. Two full days of being broadsided by her sister’s love…. Well, it was better than being ignored. And she would bet her last dollar that none of The Masked Avengers would dare to even glance her way while Leanne was within punching distance. There were advantages to having a senior jock sister nicknamed Trucker, bossy or otherwise.

Maddy surrendered. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll come watch your morning practice tomorrow. To make up for the games I missed. Pax?”

“Pax,” said Leanne.