Private (Private 1)

Ms. Johnson. Mr. Carter. Mr. Cross.

held on to my fingers and bit back the tears. I had to keep trying.

And then, finally, at the end of the hall, I found it. Mr. Dramble.

Three feet away was another window. Once again I pressed my

I grasped the handle and turned. It was, mercifully, unlocked.

hand against it, held my breath, and closed my eyes. I pushed. And Perhaps, like the dorms, none of the teacher’s rooms were ever

the window slid open.

locked. There was, after all, an honor code around here. Perhaps Yes! I was saved.

the brass at Easton felt that was enough to keep people like me out.

I shoved my head inside the cool dankness of a basement stor-

Oh, well.

age room. Desks and chairs were stacked all around the perimeter I fumbled through the office, slammed my foot into a chair, and and beneath the window was a long, metal desk. I turned around

eventually groped my way to the desk. As my eyes adjusted, I found and went through backward. The metal slider rail of the window cut a desk light and flicked it on. Dangerous, I know, but I was com-into my legs, then my stomach as I shimmied through, but I ignored pletely unfamiliar with my surroundings. Unless I wanted to break the pain. I dangled for a second, then dropped onto the desk with a something or injure myself, I needed light. Dramble’s computer

bang that reverberated throughout the world. I closed my eyes and was on a low cart next to his desk. I pressed the on button and held nearly burst into tears. There was no way that had gone unnoticed.

my breath as the computer whirred to life. It took forever to boot up Apparently I was unfit for a life of crime.

and I wished I had grabbed a watch on my way out. I had no idea how But it didn’t matter. I had to go. Somewhere on the first floor much time I was wasting here. Five minutes? Ten? It felt like five was Mr. Dramble’s office. I still had to find it, then find the test, hours.

then get the hell out of there and back to Billings.

Finally the desktop appeared. A picture of a miniature schnau-

I raced to the door and whipped it open, not even checking to

zer in the center. Various folder icons were lined up on the right see if there was anyone around. If they were, they were already on side. My breath caught when I saw that one was marked “Senior

their way thanks to my spectacularly unstealthy entrance. May as Physics.”

well get as far as I could.

Hands trembling, I grabbed the mouse and double-clicked the

I found the stairwell at the back of the building and ran up to folder. There were at least two dozen files named “quiz_9_21,” “quiz the first floor. The only light came from a red exit sign that cast the 9_28” and “exam_1,” “exam_2.” And on and on. Which exam was it?

walls in a bloodlike hue. I ran along, checking the names on

Had they already taken one or was this their first? Crap. I would just the brass plates next to each wood-and-glass door.

have to print out a few.

160

K A T E B R I A N

I opened the first four exam files and sent them to the printer.