"Mary? You're sending me off with Mary? You've got to be kidding me. She's horrible. And what's she supposed to do, seduce the teachers? I can handle this alone, or send Lucy with me. She's great at these kinds of assignments. Anyone but Mary."
"I'm sorry, Sam, but Mary has some unique skills that could come in handy, especially as it's likely that one of the leaders is a man. You'll need her with you."
"But I just got back! And you promised that was my last assignment before I left. I have to pack and complete my studies. I want to spend time with my friends, and there's the art contest!"
"You have a few months before you need to leave. It shouldn't take you long, and it will give you some extra cash for your new life. I'm throwing in a $10,000 bonus if you complete this assignment without any problems."
"That doesn't help with my art contest. I don't have time to do this and prepare."
Higgins looked down at his desk, shoulders slumped.
Uh-oh.
'How to tell her.... Will break her heart.... Wish I could skip this.'
"Tell me what?"
He looked me in the eyes, the way a doctor looks at someone whose loved one has died.
"I have some bad news. There was an accident in the art building while you were gone. There's a lot of flammable material there and—we don't know what happened yet, but somehow... a fire started. Sam—"
"No! Stop. This is insane. I don't want to hear this."
"Sam, your painting. I'm so sorry."
I grabbed my book bag and ran out his door and toward the art studio. I heard the headmaster follow me but didn't turn to acknowledge him. I had to see the damage for myself.
On the outside, the building looked fine. A small sigh of relief escaped my lips. Surely it couldn't be that bad. Maybe I'd have to repair some smoke damage or something, but I could handle that. Mr. K would help me.
I moved aside a yellow ribbon that marked the building as unsafe and walked into the dimly lit studio.
And stopped breathing.
The inside of the building had been gutted and turned to ash. I choked on a strangled cry.
Higgins put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sam. Nothing survived."
The remains of my painting stood in the corner. I examined the charred bits that had been my greatest work and couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
Higgins tried again to comfort me, but I pushed him away. "Where's Mr. K?"
"Sam, let's just go back to my office and talk about this."
Panic stirred in my heart. I raised my voice in desperation. "Where's Mr. K?"
"He quit. After the fire, he couldn't stand to be here anymore, and he left. He's gone, Sam, and won't be coming back."
"No, that can't be true. He'd never leave me, not without saying goodbye. Not before I graduated. You're lying. What did you do? Where is he?" I ran through the studio, searching for my mentor, but no sign remained of him. All traces of his work, his passion, his presence—gone.
I sank to my knees and sobbed. Everything I'd ever created, all of my artistic expression, had been housed in this studio. My entire portfolio was gone, just like Mr. K. Destroyed. I only had some pictures of the best pieces, but almost none of the originals. My entire life's work to date.
"I need to be alone."
Higgins left me without a word and I cried into the ash.
Chapter 10 – Sam
Luke walked through my door to wake me up. He'd have been toast if my para-power included super strength or kickass reactions. Instead, he got to suffer through my weeping. He probably would have preferred the fight.
He unlocked my door from the inside and let Lucy in, then closed and locked the door again.
My suite wasn't as grand as theirs, but it had everything I needed as a fully stocked and decorated studio apartment, complete with mini kitchen.
I didn't budge from my bed, nor did I acknowledge my best friends, but that didn't deter them.
Luke pulled the covers off me and crawled into bed next to me. Lucy joined him on the other side and spoke softly, as if to a frightened kitten. "He told you?"
I nodded, unable to speak just yet.
"Did you see the damage?"
Another nod.
"Luke snuck in. He tried to salvage some of it, but...."
My voice came out in a crackle. "I know. I saw."
"And Mr. K. We have no idea what happened to him. We never saw him after the fire. I confronted Higgins about it. He says Mr. K quit, but Sam... he's lying."
That got my attention. If Mr. K didn't quit, did Higgins fire him and lie to me?
"Doesn't matter. I'm not doing art anymore."
"Don't say that! You're a brilliant artist and you can't give up just because something bad happened. You have all that art in you, everything you've ever created or will create. Don't let this steal your gift."