Fluttering her eyes open, the first thing that Penny's brain registered was pain. She hissed through clenched teeth, her eyes shut, as her shoulder radiated a burning coldness like someone was slicing her with a knife. Her limbs were desperate to move. Her brain shrieked at her to hold still. Her shoulder pulsated with each wave of pain and her breathing became labored.
Penny tried to clutch her shoulder. Her limbs were rigid and locked. It was like they had a mind of their own and they were too terrified to move. With another gasp, Penny next tried moving her head. Her neck muscles were tied into knots, stiff like a board. The pain continued to seep along her body. Her efforts to move grew desperate. With a burning sensation growing in her chest, it became clear that she was paralyzed.
Why couldn't she move? Where was she? What happened?
Penny's skin prickled, nausea jabbing at her stomach. She quickened her breathing as she darted her eyes about. There was nothing but darkness around her. She didn't recognize any of the scents. She sensed no familiarity with the floor beneath her. She opened her mouth wider as she struggled to breathe.
"H-Hello? I-Is somebody there?" Penny asked. When no one answered, she said, "Please! Somebody help me! I c-can't...I can't move!"
Nothing but silenced followed after.
Penny did nothing to stop the tears from dripping down her cheeks. Her heart raced as raw emotion boiled inside of her. Bile creeped into her mouth. Only concentration kept her from vomiting, which weakened as each second ticked by.
Penny let out a shuddering sob as her mind wracked to remember what happened. Where were Rudy and Snap? Where was anybody? The nausea increased as her heart rate continued to climb. What was going to happen to her?
Who did this?
Swallowing bitterness, Penny fought against her panicked state. There was nothing she could do to get out of this anytime soon. She needed to spend her energy on something productive. The top priority was figuring out who was behind this. Any escape plan hinged on the identity of her kidnapper.
Was her kidnapper the same one who created Chalk Tweezer? That creature appeared not long after Chalk Tweezer had. This alone wasn't enough to make a connection. The two zoners still shared one similarity and that was the deliberate targeting. Chalk Tweezer went after Rudy and the lizard came after Penny herself. If these incidents were directly related, then the culprit had to be someone who held a grudge against both her and Rudy.
Penny widened her eyes as memories of that ogre came back to her. It was only after that thing had appeared that strange things began to happen. Then there was Reggie, who looked at her with an expression mirrored by the ogre. Reggie must've drawn the ogre and if he did that, could he be the one who also drew Chalk Tweezer and the reptilian chimera?
The dots connected and the puzzle pieces fit. Reggie knew about ChalkZone. He had expressed rage after realizing he had been tricked and lied to. He had the motivation to be involved in something like this. He didn't have any qualms about resorting to violence to get his way. Penny shuddered at the pain pulsating around her still bandaged nose. Reggie's face flickered in the back of her mind and a chill shot up her back.
How could Reggie go this far just for being lied to about ChalkZone? It was one thing for him to lose his temper and attack. But to unleash hostile zoners into ChalkZone? To kidnap her? Penny couldn't stop herself from heaving, the tears returning.
What more was Reggie capable of? What else did Reggie plan to do? What was his end goal? What was going to happen to her? To Rudy?
Penny's vision distorted as tears streamed from her eyes. She curled her quivering lip downward and wept.
sss
Rudy shuddered as he pressed the ice pack against his sore cheek. The pain dulled down. His trembling did not.
"Good, keep the pack there," Said Nurse Jenny. "I can already see the swelling going down."
Rudy kept his eyes averted. There was enough anxiety for him to deal with. Being stuck in a room with a questionable nurse wasn't helping things. Rudy gave a simple nod to keep Nurse Jenny from prompting him again.
He had stopped bleeding several minutes ago. The taste of iron still hung in his mouth. His tongue throbbed from the cut his own teeth gave it. Nurse Jenny had told him he was lucky Reggie's punch didn't knock out any teeth.
Nurse Jenny said, "I'm glad that you weren't seriously hurt. But if you don't mind me asking, just why were you and Reggie fighting?"
Rudy groaned. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Hmph... Well it's not my place to scold you." Nurse Jenny sighed. "That's your parents' job."
Rudy flinched. There was no doubt that his parents would be informed of the incident. The aches in his stomach grew worse. What were his parents going to say about this?
Nurse Jenny's hand touched his cheek. "Let me take a look..." Rudy did as he was told. A moment later, Nurse Jenny said, "There's still some redness, which is to be expected. I can give you some pain medication if you want."
Wincing, Rudy said, "S-Sure, that'll be fine."
"I'll be right back. You stay right here, okay?"
Rudy didn't answer as Nurse Jenny went towards the cabinet.
Rudy shifted his head away, adjusting the ice pack. The pain might have dulled, but the emotional echoes remained. Burns in his stomach were replaced with sharp chills. His body trembled as his mind replayed what happened. For a moment, his breathing quickened.
This hadn't been the first time he had been hit. Rudy had to learn to watch for the warning signs. Anger had a way of blurring sight. If he had kept his emotions in check, this wouldn't have happened. Rudy grumbled silently to himself. This incident wasn't going to be simply forgotten. Mr. Wilter, his parents, and surely Mr. Quillon would get involved. Things weren't going to back to normal soon, are they?
A hand pressed against his shoulder. "Okay I got..."
"Ahh!" Rudy yelped as he whirled around, only for a shocked Nurse Jenny to stare back at him.
"I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to scare you!" Nurse Jenny said, taking a step back. Upon seeing Rudy's expression, Nurse Jenny asked, "Were you thinking about what happened?"
Rudy shook his head. "No, no, I just spaced out. That's all." He forced a smile. "Nothing to worry about."
Nurse Jenny furrowed her eyes momentarily. She handed a couple small pills to Rudy. "Take these with water and return to class. If you find that you need more, come and see me again."
Rudy eyed the medicine and said, "So I'm free to go now?"
There was a pause before Nurse Jenny replied, "Yes. You may leave now...unless you had any questions for me."
A cold shudder crawled up Rudy's spine. He shook his head and said, "I-I should get going. I know Mr. Wilter is going to want to..." Rudy closed his eyes. "...talk about what happened."
"You mean with Reggie?" Asked Nurse Jenny. "...and Penny?"
Rudy clutched his stomach and licked his lips. Penny's scream echoed in his mind. Her disappearing form was etched into the back of his eyes. Swallowing, he said, "He's going to want to hear it from me."
Nurse Jenny sighed. "I couldn't believe it myself when I heard the news. First she was beat up, and now she's gone missing. That poor girl..." She shook her head slowly. "I can't imagine what her mom must be feeling right now."
Rudy snarled at this. When Nurse Jenny stared at him with such intensity, he dropped the glare and swerved his head away. Foot falls came closer to him. He jolted at Nurse Jenny's touch. He refused to look at her.
"What is with you? Do you think I don't care about you students?" Nurse Jenny asked, her tone shift hard to miss. "You've acted this way towards me ever since..." Nurse Jenny's voice immediately softened. "Oh, I see... So you still think I'm going to get out the chainsaw."
Rudy jerked back. This action caused him to slip from the chair. He hit his back against the ground, his leg kicking the chair out. The chair's head struck against his leg and he yelped. He hissed he rubbed his now sore leg. He turned his gaze to Nurse Jenny. He tried not to flinch when she began to glare at him.
"Don't you think you're overreacting? It's not like I did anything." Nurse Jenny placed her hands to her hips. "Can you even blame me? Someone's leg sunk into solid concrete! Anyone in my position would have wanted to see how that was possible!"
Rudy growled, "By chopping off a child's leg?"
Nurse Jenny hesitated, her eyes widening. She shook her head and returned to her glare. "What if that was the only option?"
"But it wasn't." Rudy said.
Nurse Jenny rubbed her forehead. "That wasn't my question. What if..." She stopped herself, shaking her head. "...what would you have done in that scenario?"
Rudy bared his teeth. Heat radiated against his skin. Words fought to exit his mouth. He huffed and said, "I would have been better than you." Before Nurse Jenny could reply, Rudy continued, "That wasn't the last time you tried something so ridiculous. It's a miracle you hadn't been fired yet."
Nurse Jenny growled at this and walked closer. Rudy cringed, his muscles tightening up. Her hand reached out for him. Rudy clinched his eyes shut and waited.
Nothing happened.
"Just take my hand."
Rudy forced an eye open. Nurse Jenny's hand hovered in front of him. Shifting his gaze between her hand and her face, Rudy reluctantly grabbed her hand. With one yank, Rudy's feet found the floor. He brushed himself off and double checked to make sure he didn't drop the pills. He headed for the door.
"...thanks..." Rudy pushed himself to speak. "I'll keep what you said in mind..."
The initial response was silence. Nurse Jenny's voice returned, slower than normal. "You are welcome..." Nurse Jenny gave pause and said, "I do hope the best for your friend."
Rudy couldn't help but shudder as Nurse Jenny's unseen gaze caused the back of his neck to prickle.
sss
Mr. Quillon tapped his finger against the desk. The monitor's glow warmed his face. He hummed to himself as he studied the live footage.
His creature had performed admirably. Penny was secured in the room he set aside for her. The monitor on his device showed that Penny had woken up but was unable to move. Electrocution may have been a bit too far. It had been necessary to ensure Penny didn't injure herself during the process. Penny didn't need unnecessary injuries.
Mr. Quillon interlocked his fingers, resting his chin on his hands. His gut momentarily twisted. His creation's performance hadn't only been satisfactory. Earlier concerns manifested once again. It had been too easy for him to create something that could successfully ensnare and knockout a child. What of the more dangerous creatures in that world? What were they capable of? If anything erased on a chalkboard ended up real, then there were things in there far more dangerous than his drawing.
Did Rudy truly believe he was above consequences? Did the chalk world's child-like appearance make Rudy think nothing bad could happen?
Rudy was in for a rude awakening.
The next stage of the plan wasn't going to be easy to implement. It would only take one wrong move before the jig would be up. Rudy mustn't know who was behind this just yet. There was still testing to be done. The challenge of leading Rudy to the right spot wasn't to be underestimated.
How would he be able to achieve this? And how would he ensure that Rudy didn't immediately suspect him? The boy's behavior gave him away so easily. It wouldn't take much for suspicion to rise. The plan couldn't work without Rudy following everything step by step. How could this be achieved?
Finding Penny's location should not come easy for Rudy. That would defeat the purpose of this plan. Rudy needed to be put under pressure, to feel like he could lose his friend due to his own carelessness of this chalk world. Rudy's eyes must be opened to the consequences of no adult supervision. If Rudy believed that Penny could've died if he didn't show up seconds ago, that would be the first step in reeling the boy in.
Mr. Quillon ticked the corner of his lips upward. What if it took a couple days for Rudy to find Penny? Starvation and dehydration were such awful ways for anyone to go, especially a young child like Penny. It left no room for Rudy to feel any sense of accomplishment, only the terror of almost losing his friend to his own negligence.
It was perfect.
But how would he be sure that Penny wouldn't be found too quickly? Mr. Quillon didn't have any immediate plans to enter the chalk world and he couldn't be certain that his creation would be able to keep the girl hidden long enough. A distraction was needed.
Mr. Quillon's smile broadened as an idea formulated in his head. Reggie may have already served his original purpose, but he still functioned well as a fun toy to scapegoat. The fact that Rudy saw Reggie as a nemesis was icing on the cake. It would take little to place suspicion on Reggie. Rudy's mistrust of Reggie could keep attention diverted away long enough for Penny to grow weak.
All Mr. Quillon needed to do was plant the seed.
sss
"And that's what happened!" Snap clutched his chest and panted. "I...I've got to..."
"Snap! Please! You've gotta breathe!" Rapsheeba said, gripping Snap's shoulders.
Snap pushed back and shouted, "I can't just do nothing! What kind of friend would I be if..."
"And what happens if you get caught too?" Rapsheeba tightened her hold. Snap's voice dissipated as he widened his eyes. Rapsheeba said, "You can't help her if you get yourself captured. We need to think of a plan here."
Snap continued to breathe heavily, his heart pounding in his chest. He fought against the tears burning in his eyes. "But what if she..."
"Snap, please listen to me! We'll find a way to help her. Penny will be okay, I promise." Rapsheeba offered a smile. "Now take a deep breath and let's figure out a plan."
"O-O-Okay... I'll try..." Snap sniffled and forced his breaths to come in slower.
Snap's mind buzzed with memories of what had happened. Penny's screams and Rudy's anguish kept Snap's heart pumping. His body trembled with such a burning sickness, only remaining put because Rapsheeba was still holding him. Snap darted his restless eyes about as his legs ached to run. Standing here wouldn't save Penny and it wouldn't find Rudy.
But Rapsheeba was right. How could they help Penny if they just darted off without thinking? Snap fought against his baser instincts and refused to run away.
That didn't stop his gut from churning as he turned his head down, his trembling gloves filling his view. Why did Rudy take off like that? Why couldn't he keep up with Rudy? It all happened so fast. Rudy was gone long before Snap could process what happened.
Snap shifted his thoughts to Penny. He licked his lips as her terrified face briefly flashed in his mind. What could that monster have wanted with her? He shut his eyes and shook his head.
"I know things look bad now, but everything will work out in the end. They always had before." Rapsheeba's voice shook as she held back some emotion. "L-Let's go get help."
Snap said, "We should go see Biclops."
Rapsheeba's hand went to her chin. "Biclops? Wasn't he the one who...took care of that cyclops?" Snap nodded his head. "You think he can stop this creature that..."
Snap cut her off. "I need his help to find Courtney."
Rapsheeba widened her eyes and bit her lip. "I know what you're thinking, but we've no idea if Biclops knows where Courtney is."
"Then we'll just have to go find out," Said Snap, his voice rigid. As Rapsheeba remained frozen, Snap sighed and said, "It might be the only chance we have to find Penny. I already told Rudy about this plan. I still believe it's our best shot."
Rapsheeba stared at Snap with a face filled to the brim with worry, running her hand up and down her arm. After a few moments, she nodded and said, "All right, let's get going."
sss
Rudy walked down the hallway, the medicine stuffed into his pocket. He stroked his sore cheek, the taste of iron still prevalent on his tongue. His mind was abuzz with thoughts and he couldn't stop glancing behind him. Every sound was cause for concern, his body trembling with each step.
Never before did Mr. Wilter's classroom seem so inviting. It was the one place where Reggie couldn't do anything to him. Nor could Nurse Jenny try something in there.
Anxiety caught in Rudy's throat, causing him to gag. There was no reason that Nurse Jenny or Reggie would be coming at him in this hallway. That fact didn't help ease the tension. This day couldn't end quickly enough.
Being attacked by Reggie wasn't new. It was a familiar situation. It hadn't been the punch itself that brought the feelings of nausea. It was the circumstances surrounding what happened. There had been intent behind that attack. It was like Reggie was hiding something and he didn't want to get found out. Why else would he get hostile over a simple question?
Reggie had Penny taken somewhere. That much was certain. Reggie wasn't willing to give up Penny's location. He took little tolerance in being tricked. Beating up Penny hadn't been enough for him. Reggie was never sorry for what he did. He didn't just want Penny in pain. He wanted her traumatized.
Rudy balled his fists, shaking. Heat burned along his stomach and chest. Sickness boiled in his gut. Reggie should have been expelled for what he did to Penny. Why had Principal Stringent allowed Reggie to say? Because of Mr. Quillon's lessons? That didn't stop Reggie from kidnapping Penny to play with her again. The fact that Reggie tried to play dumb caused Rudy to grind his teeth. He would find Reggie again and this time, he would make sure Reggie told him the truth.
And what of Nurse Jenny? Could she prove to be a problem later on? Rudy clenched his teeth. The last thing he needed was another person to worry about. He shook the thoughts out of his head. Reggie was the bigger problem right now.
Before Rudy could reenter the classroom, a hand clasped onto his shoulder. He flinched and turned his head. "M-Mr. Quillon...?"
"I saw you coming out of the nurse's office. Is everything al..." Mr. Quillon gasped. "Boy! Your cheek...!"
Rudy said, "I'm fine. It's just a bruise."
Mr. Quillon held Rudy's shoulders, his face wrinkled with worry. "Who did this to you? Don't tell me it was Reggie!"
Rudy opened his mouth to reply. No words came. He could only turn away his head.
Mr. Quillon let out an exasperated sigh. "I knew it. That boy will never learn..." Mr. Quillon gave Rudy a sympathetic look. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, Rudy. I promise it won't ever happen again."
Rudy forced a chuckle. "I-It's okay. You can't control someone else's actions. It's...It's not your fault."
"Yes, of course." Mr. Quillon released Rudy. A frown spread over his face and he said, "I will have a discussion about this with Reggie as soon as possible. I'll be sure he doesn't try to do something like this again."
"Uh, thanks..." Said Rudy.
"No problem. You and Penny don't..." Mr. Quillon paused, his eyes narrowing. After a moment, he asked, "By the way... Where is Penny?" Mr. Quillon glanced left and right. "I haven't seen her since recess. Isn't she normally with you?"
Rudy's chest stung and he took a step back. "I...I guess she's..." His voice trailed off, dissipating into stutters. How was he supposed to answer this question?
Mr. Quillon tilted his head. "Maybe she is getting extra credit for something? She seems like a smart girl."
"Y-Yeah that's it!" Rudy chimed, raising his index finger. "She... She told me something about wanting to make up for... Uh..." Rudy's head ached as he struggled to come up with something convincing.
Mr. Quillon smiled and motioned his hand. "No, you don't need to tell me. I understand. I wish her the best of luck."
Rudy nodded his head. "I plan to meet with her after school is done. She said she needed help."
Mr. Quillon clapped his hands together, a wide grin stretching at his face. "Oh how splendid! Penny is so lucky to have a friend like you!"
"I..." Rudy gritted his teeth.
"I'm being serious! You're such a good friend to her to help her in her time of need!" Mr. Quillon's face beamed so much it might as well have been a light bulb. "I know she can count on you!" After an upward thrust of his arm, Mr. Quillon said, "Well I should get going. Be sure to tell me how the extra credit goes."
Rudy said, "I will..."
"I'm sure you won't let Penny down," Said Mr. Quillon before turning away. "Have a good day, now!"
"Y-Yeah...You too." Rudy whispered.
Rudy forced himself to smile as Mr. Quillon disappeared down the hallway. As soon as Mr. Quillon was out of sight, Rudy curled his lips down as tears began to drip from his eyes. He took in shuddering breaths and buried his face in his hands.
He wasn't worthy of being Penny's friend. He had failed her when she most needed his help. He let that thing take her away. It was his fault that this happened. How could anyone see him as anything but a failure?
"Rudy Tabootie! What are you doing wandering around in the hallway?"
Rudy jolted back as Mr. Wilter's glare pierced him.
Mr. Wilter's hands pressed against his hips. "You were supposed to be back ten minutes ago! What did the nurse say about your cheek?"
Rudy wiped his eyes and spoke in a trembling voice, "Sh-She said to t-t-take some medicine..." He let out a gasp and grasped his throat.
Mr. Wilter's demeanor softened. "What's wrong?"
Rudy sniffled and said, "It's nothing."
"It's most certainly not nothing! Rudy, you know that you can come to me if you need any help, don't you?" Mr. Wilter lowered himself down to meet Rudy on eye level. "You can trust me. Now please..." Mr. Wilter reached over to pat Rudy on the head. "Tell me what's wrong."
Rudy's body shook harder, his throat going dry. Without hesitation, Rudy latched onto his teacher like his life depended on it. He huddled close as Mr. Wilter's arms wrapped around him. Burying his face against Mr. Wilter's chest, Rudy whimpered, "I-It's Penny... Sh-She's gone..."
sss
"Class is over! You are all being dismissed early. Your parents have been called and will be here shortly. I strongly advise you to stay home until this matter is further investigated."
Reggie flinched and jerked to the side as his classmates cheered. They bounced out of their seats and ran out the door like a flock of sheep. He growled as some of the students knocked against his desk. He raised a fist and was about to shout, but a quick glance of Mr. Quillon made him hesitate. Reggie averted his gaze and he got out of his chair.
Leaving school early was something most students sought out. It rarely happened and was almost like a holiday to them. The only thing better is when school is canceled outright. Why would anyone pick a boring old room to sit down in for hours when they could be enjoying something more worthwhile?
This time was different. Reggie's hand was on his stomach as it churned. The other students didn't know how serious this was. Mr. Wilter had been careful on the details. Those students probably think this would be an easy open and shut case.
Reggie wobbled as he walked, unable to stop the shakes. He clutched his belly more, foulness pushing into his throat. Years of working with his dad at the dump had helped with resisting the urge to vomit. None of that had prepared him for this.
Reggie's body instinctively tried to become small as he passed Mr. Quillon. Those eyes watched him like a hawk. Reggie's heart skipped a beat and his breaths trembled. He shut his eyes and quickened his pace. Even out of the room, Mr. Quillon's glare cast a shadow over Reggie. The only comfort came from the knowledge that he wouldn't need to interact with Mr. Quillon for several hours. Home had never so inviting.
Reggie gritted his teeth and gulped. Penny's disappearance weighed on him, causing his head to pound. A part of him just wanted to believe that this was all a misunderstanding. But Mr. Quillon's words echoed in his mind. A cold chill crawled up Reggie's spine. The meaning of those words couldn't be denied. Reggie could spout that Mr. Quillon kidnapped Penny until the sun went down. No one would believe him.
Powerlessness wasn't something Reggie had been familiar with until now. Is this what Penny had felt? Is this what Rudy had gone through? Reggie shuddered as he nearly threw up bile.
He needed to tell someone about this. If Mr. Quillon was willing to take a child who did nothing to him, what more was he capable of? What had Mr. Quillon done to the other students he had been entrusted with? Something had to be done.
Reggie bit his lip as his chest hurt. Who would believe a bully?
sss
"It's such a travesty that this happened." Said Mr. Quillon, his arms folded behind his back. "I'm really sorry this happened. Penny seemed like such a nice girl."
Mr. Wilter slouched over his desk and gripped the sides of his face. "I don't know how Rudy will handle this. Those two are very close. I barely see them apart. I hope he won't do anything rash."
Mr. Quillon blinked. "Has he been known to do that?"
Mr. Wilter said, "He's a good kid, but sometimes he can act without thinking. What if he tries to find Penny himself?"
"That would most certainly be a miscalculated move." Mr. Quillon replied, shaking his head. "I want to believe he has more common sense than that."
"I wish the same." Mr. Wilter rubbed his temple.
As Mr. Wilter turned his attention to the Missing Person Report paperwork, Mr. Quillon smiled to himself. There was no worry about evidence pointing at him. No one would find Penny in that chalk world. Reggie's words won't be believed by anybody. Penny's days long stay was assured.
Only Rudy posed a problem. Access to the chalk world made it so that Rudy would always be one step closer to finding Penny than anyone else. Mr. Quillon had considered removing the chalk as that would have assured his plan would go forward as expected. But what if he lost the chalk? Death wasn't a desirable outcome for this. With his only friend gone, Rudy might retreat more often into that world. All this planning would've been for naught.
There was a solution to this and the first step sat down in the teacher's chair. Mr. Wilter hadn't noticed the look on Mr. Quillon's face. Mr. Wilter was focused on writing on the paper, pausing to remember what Rudy told him. Mr. Wilter might've thought that Mr. Quillon left by now. His smile broadening, Mr. Quillon stepped closer.
"Speaking of your students," Said Mr. Quillon. Mr. Wilter turned to him. "Have you noticed any improvements in...Reggie Bullnerd's behavior?"
Mr. Wilter frowned. "A little, I suppose. He hasn't disrupted class in a long while."
"Good, very good. I'm happy to hear that." Mr. Quillon nodded. "I almost thought he was a lost cause."
"You've been doing a marvelous job with him. I admit, I wasn't sure if what I heard about your services were true or not. I'm glad that it was more than just mere words." Mr. Wilter gave a small smile. "And this will surely benefit the other students as well. Not having Reggie disturb my teachers will help things move along smoothly."
"They still like zipping out of class." Mr. Quillon quipped.
"Yeah well, they're still kids. What can you expect?" Mr. Wilter turned back towards the paper. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish this report. Principal Stringent wants me to hand it to the police before the end of the day."
"Of course!" Mr. Quillon said. "But before I go, I do want to say something about Reggie."
"I thought you already d..." Mr. Wilter started to say.
"I know! But there is something else that was on my mind about him." Mr. Quillon furrowed his eyes. "I know you said he's made progress, but surely no one as bad as him could have turned a new leaf that fast. Is there anything else he's doing that I should be made aware of? Anything else that I could on with him?"
Mr. Wilter paused for a moment, tapping his chin. Then he said, "Now that you mentioned it, he was acting weird the other day."
"How so?"
Mr. Wilter replied, "For some reason, he really wanted to be in the classroom to clean instead of outside for recess."
Mr. Quillon tilted his head. "And this isn't normal for him?"
"Of course not! Reggie would jump out the window if he had the opportunity." Mr. Wilter said, motioning his hand towards the window before bringing it back to rub his head. "Even repeatedly telling him to go outside wouldn't make him budge."
"Well don't you keep troublemakers inside?" Mr. Quillon, motioning to Mr. Wilter. "Most schools I know of have this sort of punishment."
"True, but Reggie hadn't done anything to warrant being kept inside. I just don't understand why he'd behave like that. It just isn't like him." Mr. Wilter folded his arms and shook his head. "All I can think of is that he was trying to stop visitations with you."
Mr. Quillon cocked an eyebrow. "Oh...you don't say?" Taking another step, Mr. Quillon continued, "I know he isn't that comfortable with me. But I'm hurt that he would try to avoid me like that. I just want to help him."
Mr. Wilter sighed and said, "Reggie just isn't the type to understand what's good for him. Bribing isn't a good habit for him to get into." Mr. Wilter raised his head. "Did you know he tried to use you as a means of bribing me to let him stay inside?"
Mr. Quillon blinked. This had just gotten interesting. He chortled as he said, "He what now? Didn't think he'd be that desperate."
"It's all so strange..."
Mr. Quillon paused as his mind hummed with thoughts. Reggie didn't know it, but that little stunt made this easier. Gears turned in Mr. Quillon's head as his plan unfolded in his mind. All he needed to do was choose his next words carefully.
"You know, I did have an idea..." Mr. Quillon's low voice came.
Mr. Wilter jerked his head.
Mr. Quillon gritted his teeth and turned his eyes upward. "Doesn't Reggie's behavior come off as, well..." Mr. Quillon's gaze met Mr. Wilter's. "...like he's trying to hide something?"
Mr. Wilter caught the tone of voice used and cringed away. "Now that's a wild assumption there, Mr. Quillon! Reggie might be a troublemaker, but he wouldn't go that far!"
Mr. Quillon shook his hands in front of himself. "Of course, I get that! Believe me, he didn't seem quite that bad when I talked to him. But..." He clasped his hands together. "I've dealt with others like him. I've seen some students do some crazy stuff in order to take attention off of themselves. Never any harm intended behind them. These students just wanted to not be the focal point of attention."
"But Reggie isn't..."
"He has told me that he often blamed for things. That sounds like attention to me."
Mr. Wilter said nothing.
"Look, I don't like to suggest that Reggie had anything to do with what happened to Penny. Maybe he did nothing at all." Mr. Quillon narrowed his eyes. "But just think of the timing of this all. Think about his odd behavior you just described to me. There's something going on with that Reggie kid. Maybe he knows something we don't and he's too scared to tell us. Or maybe he did play a more direct role and is too scared or ashamed to admit it."
Mr. Wilter raised a finger and attempted to speak. He stopped and widened his eyes, a look of contemplation emerging on his face. After a couple of seconds, Mr. Wilter said, "I'll speak to his father."
Mr. Quillon nodded. As he turned around, his mouth curled into a smirk.