Imagining the haven that awaited him in only a matter of hours, he got brave enough to peek around the corner.

The room held eight beds.

Seven of them were made up, with rich blue spreads stretched tautly from top to bottom. Only one, a lower bunk, was covered just by sheets.

Luke felt as desolate as that bed looked. He knew it was his. And he knew he wouldn’t get to be alone in this room.

He probably wouldn’t be safe, either, not if any of his seven roommates were anything like Rally.

He edged his hand into his pocket, his fingers brushing the note from Jen’s dad. What if he just pulled it out and read it now, right in front of Rally?

He didn’t dare. The way the last ten minutes had gone, Rally would probably rip the note to shreds before Luke even had it completely out of his pocket.

And Jen’s dad had acted like, it was secret. If Ms. Hawkins wasn’t supposed to see it, there was no way Rally could be trusted.

Rally hit Luke on the shoulder.

“Tag! You’re it!” he hollered, and took off running. Panicked, Luke chased after him.

Three

Luke managed to keep up with Rolly only because Rolly slowed to a dignified walk when he began passing classrooms instead of sleeping quarters. But it was a fast dignified walk, and Luke was terrified that Rolly might dart around a corner unexpectedly and disappear. Then Luke would be totally lost. So Luke dared to jog a little, hoping to keep pace.

A tall, thin man with a skimpy mustache came out of one of the rooms as Luke passed by.

‘~Th’o demerits, young man,” he said to Luke. “No running allowed. You know the rules.”