Chapter 2: Noah's Mother
Noah's mother arrived twenty-seven minutes later.
I know because I watched the clock.
We were moved into the library while administrators separated us and called our parents.
Nobody wanted to talk.
Even Tyler Mason, who normally couldn't stay quiet for thirty seconds, sat staring at his shoes.
Ms. Parker had been taken somewhere else.
No one told us where.
Noah was in the nurse's office.
I kept thinking about the sound of that ruler.
Crack.
Every time I remembered it, my stomach tightened.
Then the library doors opened.
A woman rushed inside wearing navy-blue hospital scrubs beneath a gray coat.
She was beautiful, with tired eyes and her hair pulled into a hurried bun.
"Where's my son?""
Mrs. Reed hurried toward her.
"Mrs. Carter—"
"Where is Noah?""
"He's safe.""
"That isn't what I asked.""
The entire library went silent.
Mrs. Reed lowered her voice.
"He's with the nurse.""
Mrs. Carter immediately walked past her.
Principal Whitmore stepped forward.
"Mrs. Carter, I'm Dr. Whitmore. I need to explain—"
"You can explain while I'm walking.""
He followed.
So did Mrs. Reed.
The doors closed behind them.
Ten minutes later, screaming came from the hallway.
Not Noah.
His mother.
"She did WHAT?""
Several kids jumped.
My teacher from fourth grade, Mrs. Ellis, stood near us.
"Everyone remain seated.""
Mrs. Carter's voice came again.
"You watched it happen?""
Principal Whitmore answered, but I couldn't hear him.
Then the library doors opened.
Mrs. Carter stood there holding Noah's hand.
His eyes were swollen.
His right sleeve had been rolled up.
Purple-red marks crossed his arm.
A bandage covered one spot near his elbow.
Mrs. Carter looked across the room.
"Which one of you is Emma?""
My heart stopped.
Mrs. Ellis glanced at me.
Slowly, I stood.
"I am.""
Mrs. Carter walked toward me.
For one terrifying second, I thought she was angry.
Then she dropped to her knees and hugged me.
Hard.
"Thank you.""
I didn't know what to say.
She pulled back.
"Thank you for helping my baby.""
Noah stood behind her.
He looked at me.
"You turned it on?""
I nodded.
"Yeah.""
His lower lip trembled.
"Why?""
I looked down.
"Because she shouldn't have turned it off.""
Noah gave the smallest smile.
Then his mother stood.
She turned toward Principal Whitmore.
"Now I want the police.""
The room changed.
Principal Whitmore hesitated.
"Mrs. Carter, we're conducting an internal investigation.""
"No.""
"We take this extremely seriously.""
"No, you don't.""
"Ma'am—"
"My son has marks on his body.""
Her voice cracked.
"You don't get to investigate yourselves and tell me whether I should be satisfied.""
Principal Whitmore looked uncomfortable.
"The school will cooperate with any investigation.""
"Good.""
Mrs. Carter pulled out her phone.
"Then cooperate with this one.""
She called the police.
Right there.
In front of everyone.
That was when my own mother arrived.
"Emma!""
She ran across the library and hugged me.
"What happened?""
I tried explaining.
But when I reached the part about the ruler, my voice broke.
Mom pulled back.
"She hit a child?""
I nodded.
"And you turned the camera back on?""
Another nod.
Mom looked toward Principal Whitmore.
"Why was a teacher able to switch off a classroom security camera?""
Nobody answered immediately.
Mom's eyes narrowed.
"That's a very simple question.""
Principal Whitmore cleared his throat.
"The switches exist for privacy situations.""
"Privacy?""
Mom pointed toward Noah.
"Like beating a ten-year-old?""
"Mrs. Collins—"
"How many times has that camera been turned off before?""
The room went silent.
Principal Whitmore looked at the assistant principal.
That was the first moment I realized something bigger might be happening.
Because he didn't say never.
He said, "I'll have our IT department review the logs.""
Mrs. Carter slowly turned toward him.
"Logs?""
"Every manual camera shutdown should be recorded by the system.""
"Should be?""
"It is.""
Mrs. Carter stepped closer.
"Then I want every shutdown from that classroom.""
"We'll preserve all relevant records.""
"No. I want to know how many times she turned that camera off.""
Principal Whitmore didn't answer.
Noah suddenly tugged his mother's sleeve.
"Mom.""
She looked down.
"What, baby?""
His face had gone pale.
"There were other times.""
Nobody moved.
Mrs. Carter crouched.
"What do you mean?""
Noah glanced around the room.
Then at the other kids.
"When she got really mad.""
My skin prickled.
"When?"" his mother asked.
Noah whispered, "Last month.""
A boy named Lucas suddenly spoke from behind me.
"And before Christmas.""
Mrs. Ellis stared at him.
"What happened before Christmas?""
Lucas looked terrified.
"She turned it off when Sophie wouldn't stop crying.""
Another girl spoke.
"She did it with Ben too.""
Principal Whitmore's face changed.
Mom gripped my shoulder.
"Emma," she whispered, "did you know about this?""
I shook my head.
But then I remembered something.
A Monday morning in November.
Sophie coming into class late.
Her eyes red.
Ms. Parker telling everyone Sophie had been "having behavior problems.""
Another afternoon when Ben disappeared into the hallway with Ms. Parker and returned without speaking for the rest of the day.
Mrs. Carter looked around at us.
"Kids, listen to me.""
Principal Whitmore interrupted.
"Mrs. Carter, perhaps we should allow trained investigators—"
She turned on him.
"These children have been afraid to speak.""
Then she faced us again.
"Did Ms. Parker ever hurt any of you when that camera was off?""
For several seconds, nobody answered.
Then Sophie started crying.
Her shoulders shook.
Mrs. Ellis rushed toward her.
"Sophie?""
The girl covered her face.
May you like
And through her hands, she whispered five words that changed everything.
"She told me not to tell.""
