JACK by Adrienne Wilder Read Free Book Online Page A

was trapped in a worse way. “I don’t know.”
    “You have to have some idea. You scared your family pretty bad.”
    I frowned. “I don’t have any family.”
    “You don’t?”
    “No.”
    “What about your sister Emma, and your brother-in-law Jonathan?”
    “Like I said, I don’t have any family.”
    He wrote some more and I wondered what he could be scribbling. “Tell me about the bridge and why you jumped off it.”
    “I wanted to get away.”
    “From who?”
    “Emma.”
    “Why?”
    “She thinks there’s something wrong with me.”
    “And what would that be?”
    “I don’t want to wear dresses and I don’t want to be called Jacqueline.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because I’m not a girl.”
    His gaze came up for a moment but his expression revealed nothing. Dr. Chance went back to marking in his notebook.
    “What are you writing?”
    Dr. Chance looked up. “The things you tell me.”
    “Why?”
    “To help you.”
    “I don’t need any help.”
    He smiled and took off his glasses. Dr. Chance looked younger without them. He set them on the desk. “I think this is enough for one day. You did really well.”
    “Can I leave now?”
    “You can, but I thought you might like to discuss moving into a new room.”
    I sat back down. “A new room?”
    “I’d like to move you into the main wing and out of the observation area.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “Your room will be on the outside wall. You’ll be able to see the garden, and your door will be unlocked.”
    The idea of a window and the ability to go in and out of my room whenever I pleased shouldn’t have been so exciting, but it was. “When?”
    “This afternoon if you like.”
    To have a room. To see the sun? “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
    *** *** ***
     
    I saw Grom again at lunch. I’d been avoiding him for the past couple of days and I think I meant to avoid him then too, but Noah sat at the table, smiling at something the old man said. I barely paid attention to what the lunch ladies put on my plate. I went over and sat down in the chair near Noah. He smiled while staring at his tray.
    “Ah, Just Jack, our young knight in training. How wonderful for you to join us.” Grom pointed a crooked finger at my tray. “Are you going to eat your sandwich?”
    The sandwich consisted of stiff white bread the texture of Styrofoam and a slice of dried-out bologna. The only upside was a fresh apple to go with it. “I’ll trade you my sandwich for your apple.”
    He held his apple out to me and I added it to the one already on my plate. I drank the milk and ate one of the apples.
    Grom talked with his mouth full. “Have you met Noah?”
    I nodded. “Yes.”
    “He is my apprentice.”
    Noah’s gaze shifted my way and he shrugged.
    “I’m going to have to fire him though if he doesn’t start practicing his spells.” Grom leaned over the table, spraying bits of sandwich everywhere. “He can’t even cast a simple glow spell.” He looked at Noah. More crumbs sprinkled out on the table. “Did you at least remember your wand today?”
    Noah’s cheeks turned pink.
    “C’mon boy. You know this place is infested with ogres. Where is your wand?”
    Noah’s hand disappeared into his pocket and he pulled out a wrinkled green straw.
    Grom laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s a good lad. No wizard is worth his salt if he does not have his wand.”
    Noah turned his gaze up at me. The way he looked at me from under his bangs reminded me of Mikey. “I’m not a wizard.” His voice was so soft I barely heard him over the noise of the cafeteria.
    I moved closer. “I’m not a knight.”
    He grinned. “Do you play checkers?”
    “I know how.”
    “Would you like to play a game with me in the dayroom?”
    “Sure. When?”
    “After lunch.”
    “You have spells to work on boy. No checkers until you work on your spells!” I have no idea how Grom heard him. I was only inches away and I could barely hear what Noah said.
    I held