Into the Fire (The Mieshka Files, Book One) Read Free Page B

seemed oddly at ease with it. Yesterday, they’d parted ways on good terms, with a promise of eating lunch together today. Meese had even smiled.
    Missing class was very un-Meese-like.
    Had something happened?
    Robin’s eyes wandered away from her phone again, sliding along the projects and posters that crammed the classroom. The periodic table curled away from the wall behind a TV set that was probably older than her dad.
    “Oh great, career day .”
    Robin jerked her attention back to the front.
    On Meese’s behalf, she stiffened.
    A woman had entered in full military dress uniform, although she had elected for the pencil skirt as opposed to the slacks. Medals glinted on her left breast. Her bright blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun under the black-rimmed red beret she wore. She carried a large, long bag in one hand, clutching a small purse in the other. As Robin watched, she put both on the front table and, laughing with Mrs. Murphy, began to set up for a presentation.
    Quickly, Robin turned back to her phone and opened a new message. Meese hadn’t replied to her other messages, but there was no harm in trying.
    Don’t come to class.
    She hit send, sliding the phone further up her thigh. Glancing between the officer and the classroom’s door, tension gripped her shoulders. The room felt colder. The hawk slipped to a stop for another moment, its glass eyes on her. Then its gyre moved on. She huddled further into her hoodie—the same one from yesterday—and sank into the seat.
    The bell rang. On its tail, Meese walked into the room.
    She faltered a few strides in, locking on the officer. For a moment, Meese froze. It took visible effort to thaw and walk to her seat. Meese slid her backpack down to the floor. Robin relaxed as Meese sat and began to unpack her binder and textbooks. Her fingers were still red with cold.
    The officer pulled a large rifle out of the bag.
    Meese’s hand froze in mid-air. As the officer propped the rifle in a stand, that hand went to the edge of the desk. Tendons tightened over Meese’s knuckles, turning the skin white. A few seconds passed. Then, with another great effort, Meese relaxed enough to release the desk.
    She began to repack her bag.
    The officer turned around with a bright smile and a salute.
    “How’s everyone today?”
    The smile faltered as Meese stood up, drew her hood over her orange hair, shrugged on her pack, and turned toward the classroom’s back. For the first time that day, Robin saw her face. Meese’s skin was blotchy. Robin met her eyes for a moment. They were dry and dark. Meese’s mouth was a hard line.
    The moment passed as Meese walked by the last of the desks. The class heard the back door open, then close.
    The officer stood at the front, her mouth open. Her beret had a coquettish tilt. She stared at the door, blinked once, and refocused on the class.
    “I guess she won’t be joining the army then, eh?”
    No one laughed. The silence was a stoicism Robin had learned early on in school: shut up, keep your head down, and you’ll get through till the final bell.
    Unfazed, the officer continued:
    “Did everyone see that bomb yesterday?”
    Yeah. It was probably a good thing Meese had left.
    Robin’s phone buzzed loudly against her thigh. Some of her peers looked around as she clamped it against her jeans, hurriedly swiping at the screen. The hawk swept its gaze past her. Mrs. Murphy had gotten up to turn off the lights.
    She looked at the message.
    Thanks. Why is she here?
    She glanced at the officer again, who had reeled the TV set to the middle of the classroom.
    ‘Career Presentation’, Robin replied, careful to put the quotation marks in. Meese would appreciate that.
    A small, polite cough made her look up. Mrs. Murphy’s keen eyes looked down on her.
    “Your phone, Ms. Smith.”

    The outside air was crisp, and it settled over Mieshka like a cool blanket. Her cheeks were already numb, and the cold bit into the corners of her