Mara Whitlock dropped the file box.
Old forms spilled across the cafeteria floor, sliding under cot legs, chair feet, and one overturned crate of bottled water. A yellowed page stopped against Mason Bell's shoe.
The boy looked down at it.
The broken green dinosaur stayed tight against his chest.
Jade noticed the toy before she let herself read his face. Faces pulled adults into panic too fast. Objects told the truth first. Mason had both hands on the dinosaur, so the dinosaur was where the fear lived.
Her right eye hurt from too much thread work. Her hearing still came in pieces, which meant the room reached her through shoulders, mouths, hands, and the little failures people tried to hide. Waddell's hand moved toward his sidearm, then stopped when he saw Jade lift two fingers. Rose Vale reached for Mara, then froze because Mara looked one touch away from cracking apart. Caleb shifted on the cot and swallowed whatever sound wanted out of him.
