Read Among the Imposters for Free Online Page B

circumstances. And the excuse was entirely plausible—hadn’t he been lost a million times so far at school? But he didn’t know what he was missing. Supper? The evening lecture? Lights out?
    The hall monitor peered at him suspiciously
    “Nobody’s supposed to be in this wing of the building
     
    right now,’ he said. “Why did you leave the dining hail?” Luke got a sudden inspiration.
     
    “I got sick,’ he said. “I ran out to go to the bathroom. Then I got lost when I was going back”
    The hall monitor looked skeptical.
    “The bathroom’s right across from the dining hall,’ he said.
    “I—I wasn’t paying attention. I’m new. I was sick.” Luke tried to look dumb enough—and queasy enough—to have made such a stupid mistake.
    The hall monitor took a step back, like he didn’t want to catch anything.
    “Okay,’ he relented. “Go back immediately”
    Relieved, Luke turned to go. Then he stopped. Only the day before, he would have obeyed unthinkingly But now he had a secret to protect. Now he had to be crafty He turned back to the monitor.
    “I don’t know how to get there. Remember?’
    “Oh, for crying out loud. Why do I have to baby-sit all the leckers?’ He took Luke’s arm and jerked him to the right “Go that way Thin left at the first hallway then left and right again. Just get out of here!”
    The hall monitor sounded a little panicked himself The day before, Luke wouldn’t have noticed, but now he had to pay attention. Something about that door, Luke thought Why is the hail monitor so desperate to get me away from it?
    Luke was still pondering that question when he reached the doors to the dining hall. They burst open, and
     
    boys streamed out. Luke’s timing was perfect He’d gotten there just as everyone was heading toward the evening lecture. He blended in. See, Mr. Talbot? he thought bitterly I am following the only bit of advice you saw fit to give me. Aren’t you proud? Mighty generous of you, I’m sure.
     
    But some of Luke’s bitterness had eased. The note had been worthless, but he had the woods to think about now. And if the note had led him to the woods—well, he did have reason to be grateful to Jen’s dad, didn’t he?
    Nobody challenged Luke as he walked into the lecture room and sat down. Nobody asked, “Where have you been all day?’ Nobody ordered him, “Never leave this building again!’
    He’d gotten away with it. He could get away with it again.
     
    Eleven
     
    Luke longed to race straight to the woods as soon as he woke up the next morning. It was torture to stand patiently beside all the other boys, splashing water on his face. It was torture to sit still and slowly spoon in the lumpy oatmeal, when he longed to gulp it down and get out of there. (Though, since he’d missed two meals the day before, it was amazing how delicious the oatmeal seemed for once.) It was torture waiting for the cafeteria doors to open and release everyone else to classes, and Luke to the woods.
     
    As soon as breakfast was over, he took off, all but running. Surprisingly, given how confused he usually got in the Hendricks halls, he managed to make a beeline straight for the door, without once making a wrong turn and having to retrace his steps. Approaching the door, he slowed down, waiting for the crowd to clear in the hall. Finally, there was only Luke and a hall monitor, several yards away The door wasn’t open today, but Luke was confident that it wasn’t locked. He was confident that he could slip out quickly enough. He glanced back. The monitor was looking
     
    the other way. Now! Luke reached for the doorknob—
     
    —and then drew back.
    At the last minute, it was like someone or something screamed, “No!’ in his mind. Mother had talked about God sometimes—maybe that’s who it was. Or maybe it was Jen’s spirit, come to help Luke when her father’s note hadn’t Maybe it was just Luke’s own common sense. Luke didn’t know what he thought about