|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terry heard the words but couldn't process them. ''Attacked . . . ?" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Bobby and his friends were walking through Magog when Matty jumped them." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Yes. And he did a real good job, because Bobby's face and neck are covered with scratch marks. The doctor thinks there'll be scars." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"No . . . oh, God . . . I don't know what to say. I'm sorry. I don't know where Matty is . . ." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Well, I'm sorry to hit you with this, but we're pretty upset. I think you'd better have a serious talk with him. I also suggest you consider getting some help, because, according to the boys, he was out of control." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Out of control?" What did that mean? "Yes, okay . . . thank you." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"You know," said Betty before she hung up, "there's a rumor that some of the kids at Butler are experimenting with drugs." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The word bloomed in her mind. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I'm not saying Matty is one of them, but from the sound of his behavior, it's possible he was on something. The boys said he went at them like some kind of wild animal." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
She hung up the phone and turned around. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Matty was standing behind her. He was covered with filth and blood. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Nothing happened? You've been gone for three hours, you come home with your face a mess and covered with mud, your shirt torn and you tell me nothing happened? Will you please stay still?" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There were welts on his left cheek. His right eye was puffy, and a purple shiner was blooming under it. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Terry grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around. "Damn it, Matthew, tell me what happened. Right now." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
His eyes were red, maybe from crying. The pupils were dilated, |
|
|
|
|
|