Chapter Forty-Two
“Be good,” I whispered in Mari’s ear, giving her one more kiss on the head outside her classroom.
The students all sat at desks facing the teacher, who pulled up images that covered the entire wall with a tap of her fingers―a picture of rows of crops growing in sandy soil with a diagram showing the water flowing beneath. With a swipe of her hand, the crops were replaced by a chart ranking insects by their usefulness in plant protection.
“You be good, too.” Mari hugged me and went to join the room full of strangers. She didn’t show any fear as she slipped into a seat and the rest of the class started to whisper.
I hoped they were whispering about how Mari had survived the attack at the depot and the trip from hell. I knew they probably cared more about us being orphans
