Free Witherwood Reform School by Obert Skye Page B

wouldn’t forget to use the lock this time.
    â€œYou might want to lie down and take a nap. You will be picked up for service in about three hours.”
    â€œWhat kind of service?” Charlotte asked.
    â€œDinner service. We’ll start you in the kitchen. We have extra menus and work to complete before the parade next week. Student Morale Day means a lot of extra work for me.”
    â€œSorry,” Charlotte said.
    â€œThat doesn’t help.”
    â€œSo, where are the other students?” Tobias asked. “The ones who sleep on these other cots?”
    â€œThey’ve graduated. Now, lie down.”
    â€œAre there any blankets and pillows?” Charlotte asked.
    â€œPlenty,” Ms. Gulp answered.
    â€œCould we get some?”
    Ms. Gulp laughed, and spittle flew from her mouth. “We don’t just hand blankets and pillows out,” she said with disgust. “You’ll have to earn them. And you can start earning them this evening in the kitchen.”
    Ms. Gulp took her large, boxy body and interesting speech skills and left the room. She slammed the door behind her, and it clicked.
    â€œI don’t like Ms. Gulp,” Charlotte whispered.
    â€œMore like Big Gulp,” Tobias added.
    â€œWell, I don’t like Big Gulp,” Charlotte said. “I can’t understand half of what she’s talking about. She almost makes me miss Orrin. We have to get out of here.”
    â€œI know, and I think Fiddle might know how.”
    â€œI don’t think Fiddle knows anything,” Charlotte said sadly.
    Tobias yawned. “I think he does, and we’ll ask him as soon as we can, but right now I’m going to sleep.”
    Charlotte yawned even wider as she lay down on her cot.
    â€œDo you think Dad is worried about us?” she asked drowsily.
    Tobias was already asleep.

 
    CHAPTER 10
    S TARTING FROM S CRATCHES
    Ralph Eggers slowly opened his eyes. A flood of white light was covering his body. He blinked twice and then snapped his eyelids shut again.
    â€œHello?” A soft voice beckoned.
    He opened his eyes to see an angel in a nurse’s uniform standing beside him. He displayed a weak smile while she showed off one of her strongest grins.
    â€œYou’re awake,” she said happily. “Let me get the doctor.”
    The beautiful nurse hurried off, leaving Ralph alone. He peered down and saw the tube running into his left wrist and the thin beige blanket covering his body. He tried to lift his right arm to scratch an itch on his forehead, but his arm wouldn’t cooperate. In fact, it was in a white cast and impossible to move.
    Ralph Eggers looked around the room, wondering where he was and if he was even awake. A big machine next to his bed beeped a few times and then went silent. He wiggled his toes and shifted his legs under the blanket. There was a small TV up in the corner. The sound was off, but on the screen was a woman wearing a shawl and holding a bird—looking at the picture made him more confused.
    The beautiful nurse with the soft voice came back, a gray-haired man trailing behind her. “Doctor,” she said nicely, “our patient’s awake.”
    â€œThat’s good to see,” the doctor replied. “How do you feel?”
    â€œFine,” Ralph said. “My head hurts a little.”
    â€œThat’s not surprising. You sustained a minor concussion—nothing too serious. And as you probably noticed, your arm’s broken but it was a clean break and should heal well.”
    â€œThat’s good,” Ralph said. “So what happened to me?”
    The doctor smiled the way doctors do when they need to say something unpleasant in a pleasant way.
    â€œWe’re not sure. You were found walking through the desert this morning by a rancher. He said you were speaking incoherently and staggering around. He thought you had been drinking, but the tests show there’s no alcohol in