Free Ten Thousand Truths by Susan White

young as she used to be. Her aching muscles were telling her that loud and clear. This was her thirty-first winter here, and even though she always tried to keep herself in the present and be grateful for the life she had, sometimes it hit her hard that she had been exiled to this place. Almost her entire life had been spent running this farm and caring for other people’s children. She had always tried to convince herself that she had chosen this life, and it wasn’t the horror of her face that had driven her to hide herself away. She rarely let herself have any thoughts of how different her life could have been.
    As Amelia turned to dump the shovel, she saw Rachel walking toward her. “The greatest snowfall officially reported in Phoenix, Arizona, was one inch,” she said, happy to have her thoughts interrupted. “The first time they got that much snow was on January 20, 1933, and then another inch fell again four years later on the same date.”
    â€œThat wouldn’t be much to shovel, would it?” Rachel replied.
    â€œWould you finish the path, please?” Amelia asked her. “I’m going to head into the house and start making a stew for our supper.”
    Rachel lost herself in thought as she watched Amelia walk away. Amelia had never once mentioned the rude outburst she’d had two weeks ago or punished her in any way. But the look in Amelia’s eyes had stayed with Rachel and made her think more about how her mean thoughts and words had hurt this woman, who’d never done anything to hurt her. She would not call Amelia that awful nickname again.
    Rachel sat in math class, willing the day to end. Her class had been taught by supply teachers for the last two days while her regular teacher, Mrs. White, was off with a sprained ankle. And today a new woman was standing at the front of the room. Rachel was already having enough trouble in math, and having three different teachers definitely wasn’t helping.
    â€œDo review questions 1, 2 5, 8, and 10 on page 157,” the teacher said, wrapping up the lesson. “Your test will be tomorrow.”
    Rachel opened her notebook and slowly wrote the date and page number, trying to use up as much time as she could. She had no idea how to do any of the questions she’d been assigned. She probably would have asked Mrs. White for help, but she had no intention of letting this stranger know she didn’t have a clue how to do any of the questions.
    Rachel looked up at the clock and saw that there were only a few more minutes of class left. She put her head back down to the page, returning to the intricate doodling of a meaningless picture.
    â€œRachel, what question are you on?” asked a voice from above.
    Rachel looked up from her book and saw that the supply teacher was standing right behind her, looking at the doodles in her notebook.
    â€œI don’t understand this stuff,” Rachel mumbled, hoping the bell would ring and save her.
    â€œIf you were having trouble, you should have told me,” the teacher said, looking at her watch. “I don’t have time to help you now. I suggest you get your mom or dad to help you tonight.”
    Rachel did not respond.
    The bell rang and everyone started moving. Rachel picked up her books and rushed from the room. As she walked through the doorway, another kid walked in and Rachel bumped right into him.
    â€œGet out of my way, asshole!” she screamed, pushing him with her free hand.
    A few minutes later, Amelia received a call from Mr. Harrison, Rachel’s principal, informing her that Rachel had assaulted a fellow student and would be required to do an after-school detention.
    â€œI was unaware of Rachel’s anger issues, Miss Walton,” Mr. Harrison said in what came through as a slightly accusatory tone. “I am very disappointed that you and Rachel’s social worker didn’t provide me with that information. I’ve always tried