“This book is too old to be in a bookstore.” [And time just ran out today.] “Skip that. If someone comes looking for me in a minute, I wasn’t here.” [She tries to bolt sideways into the nearest room, whatever it happens to be, and finds it locked.] “Shit.”
…Right. Of course you weren’t. Have fun with being not here. I’m going to go away now and pretend that this conversation never happened, so…
“Can you stop with the sarcasm for one minute and help me hide?” [Goddamn paranoid teachers and locked classrooms and — ] “Fuck.” [There he is. She doesn’t know his name, or even what he looks like, but she knows the taste of his mind, and he’s stepping around the corner right now. She plasters herself to the lockers, but the hunter knows his quarry.] “Please.” [Hissing at the boy.] “Help me.”