Teal looked at me frantically. I could see it in her eyes: What was the right answer? What was the answer Dr. Foreman wanted, the answer that would free her, get her out of the limelight and danger?
"No," Teal said. "It was wrong. It made it impossible for anyone to use the bathroom for a while and it was a juvenile thing to do."
"Yes, that's true. Why did you do it?"
"I was angry,"
"At whom. Teal? At whom were you angry?" Dr. Foreman leaned toward her with excitement in her face. "Well?"
"I don't know, Everyone, I guess."
"No, not everyone. Someone. Who, Teal? Whom were you trying to hurt the most? Tell me."
"My father." Teal cried back at her, the tears streaming from her eyes. "My father!" she shouted,
Dr. Foreman smiled and sat back. "That's good. Teal. That's a wonderful start. I know you're hungry and you need something in your stomach before you go to your chores. so I'm excusing you now. Go to the dining room and have some breakfast and then report to Natani in the field. Go on."
Teal looked at me and lowered her eyes with some shame before leaving the office. I watched her and then turned back to Dr. Foreman.
She had her fingers pressed together at the tips and sat there staring at me.
"We're going to become good friends, you and I," she said. "You're going to help me with the others, and someday. I believe, you will serve a tour of duty as a buddy here." She smiled. "I know you she said with cold confidence, so cold it put a chill in my heart and washed ice water over my resistance. I tried to swallow, but couldn't. Her eyes were burning into me. "I am good at predicting that sort of thing, Phoebe. You'll see."
"What do you want from me?" I asked, barely holding on to my dwindling pride.
"I want your loyalty. Phoebe. I want your complete and utter loyalty." She leaned forward. I thought she was going to reach out to touch my hand, but she didn't. She just continued to stare a moment, then said. "And I'm sure you will give it to me eventually. The faster you realize that, the better it will be for everyone."
She sat back again. My heart wasn't racing now. It was more like it had actually stopped. I couldn't feel my pulse. My blood seemed to have frozen in place.
"Now tell me," she said. "which one of you, all of you, has spoken about running away?"
I raised my eyebrows.
She smiled, "I know it wasn't you, Phoebe. I know my girls. You're too realistic to contemplate such a thing. You're street savvy. You know what it means to survive out there. There are all sorts of jungles and deserts in the world. You don't have to came here to know that, not you. So who was it? Someone is trying to get the rest of you, or the three of you, to try it. I know. It's typical. Is it Robin or is it Teal, or has one of my other two been clever enough to lie to me? Did Mindy or Gia propose the idea?"
"It's not right to tell on someone," I said.
"Of course it is if telling on them will help them. What if this person actually attempts to run away? She'll die. Phoebe, and you"-- she stabbed the air between us with her long, thin right forefinger-- "will be very, very responsible for that death. I will hold you fully accountable and that will mean a very long, long time here as a student. Maybe you'd never leave."
Student? I thought. How could she get away with calling any of us that? Teal was right, of course. We were victims, prisoners.
"Well? Am I wrong about you? Will you be loyal to me and become one of my girls or not?" Her voice was full of dark threats.
"She just said it because she's frustrated and afraid and tired." I said.
"Who?"
She didn't mean it. You can't punish her any more."
I took a deep breath. I was tired and hungry and afraid. I felt lower than the low.
Any one of them would turn me in. I told myself. Any one of them would make a deal with the devil to avoid any more punishment, and maybe Dr. Foreman was right about it: I would be helping her, saving her. Maybe she would try to rim away now. I would be responsible in a sense. wouldn't I?
"Teal," I muttered.
"Who?" She wanted me to say it loudly and clearly and firmly. She wasn't going to accept a little bit of victory. She wanted a fall, complete, and unquestionable victory.
"Teal," I said louder.