Runaways (Orphans 5)

"I'd advise you and Raven to turn around and return to your room before I give you twenty demerits, too."

I was about to respond when we all heard Gordon come up the stairs.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing. It's under control," Louise said quickly. She seemed terrified of him. He glared at Raven and me and then looked at Louise and saw the cigarettes. "Whose are those?"

"I have it under control, Gordon," she said a little softer. "The guilty parties have been given their punishment."

"Lucky for them it was you and not me," he muttered, the muscles in his jaw straining. All sorts of rage erupted inside Gordon Tooey, I thought. One day he was just going to blow apart. He was, as Crystal often said, combustible. He marched past us, his boots pounding the wooden floor down the corridor toward their private quarters. Everyone, even Louise, released a trapped breath.

"This isn't fair," I said. I was going to say more, but I saw Crystal shake her head and practically beg me to remain silent. "Ridiculous," I mumbled, turned myself and Raven around and retreated.

After we heard Louise leave, we snuck back to Crystal and Butterfly's room. They both looked stunned, Crystal slamming her books and grumbling to herself.

"I just have to get to the library to use the computer. There are some things I need to finish my papers," Crystal complained

"Just write out what I have to get and go to the library for you, Crystal," I offered. She sank in her seat.

"Who did this to us?" she asked, bewildered by the speed of the events.

"I don't think I have to take too many guesses," I said. She looked up. "Sweet Megan Callaway. She's been plotting to get back at us for days, especially after I embarrassed her in the dining room."

"Then why didn't she put the cigarettes in your room?"

"She probably thought it would hurt you and Butterfly more to be confined than it would me and Raven," I said. "And she knew that what happens to you, happens to all of us."

"I hate this place," Crystal moaned. She wasn't one to say it so vehemently. "It turns us all into . . . monsters."

"I'll take care of Megan," I said.

"It won't do me any good now," Crystal wailed.

"I don't like staying in the room all day," Butterfly whimpered. "Especially when it's nice out. Little flowers need sunshine," she added, mouthing something she often recited, something her stepmother had told her.

"Give some more thought to my suggestion, Crystal," I said, fixing my eyes on her. She stared at me for a moment, glanced at Butterfly and then turned back to her books.

Some of the other kids had come out of their rooms to see what had caused the commotion. Megan and her roommate were at the far end of the hall and I could see the look of satisfaction on Megan's face when everyone passed the news down the corridor.

"I'm just going to go down there and let her know we're on to her," I told Raven. I turned to walk toward Megan, but Raven held me back.

"I have another idea," she whispered. "Come on."

Confused, but intrigued, I followed her down the stairs. We went to the supply room and Raven snapped on the lights. She nodded at Patty Orsini's Polaroid camera.

"It has film in it too. She's saving the last t

hree pictures for a special occasion. She told me yesterday," she said.

"So?"

"I have the special occasion in mind," she continued with a sly smirk, taking the camera off the shelf.

"You can get fifty demerits for this," I warned her.

"We'll just borrow it. Don't worry." She stuffed the camera under her blouse and we quickly retreated, returning to our room where she outlined her idea.

"Raven, you little devil," I said excitedly. "Why didn't I think of that?"