The Legacy of Jane - Part One: If You Are Gone

Chapter Six: ONE MONTH LATER

Dinah puts her hand over mine, and smiles, "answers come with time. It won't be like this forever."

I grin in return. As soon as Ruby comes downstairs with her books, we gather our things for school.

"We'll see you tonight, Dinah," I say. We finish gathering our belongings, and leave.

***

"...and as soon as you multiply the exponent, we're going to carry the one..." the monotone voice fades back in as my vision becomes more clear. Have I been at school this whole time? I could have sworn that I was home and tucked in bed again, unless that was just a dream.

"Jane!" I hear a whisper behind me, "don't fall asleep!"

I look behind me to see my friend, Helen. I look up at the board and I can see that I have been out of it for a while. I feel something kick my desk with a clang! Our desks are made of metal frames, with wooden seats and tops of the desks. The sound feels loud, but I look around and see that nobody notices.

"Jane!" She whispers again, I see her holding up a small scrap of paper folded in half. I look up to see if the teacher will notice, stealthily take the paper, and unfold it on my desk to read:

You've been sleeping a lot lately. Are you alright?

I find space at the bottom of the paper, and write:

I'm fine. I worked late last night.

I pass it back, for it to be handed back seconds later.

I want to talk to you when we go to lunch.

***

"What did you want to tell me?" I ask. It has been a couple of hours since algebra class, and I am currently in the cafeteria with my friends, Helen and Morgan. It feels good to have a break from the boring and bland classrooms at this school. Even if it is being replaced by a noisy environment with long tables and too many kids crammed into one room, it is better than nothing.

"What is wrong with you lately?" Morgan demands.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what we mean, Jane," Helen answers, "you haven't been acting like yourself for weeks. It must be that job of yours."

"Why do you have that job?" Morgan adds.

I sigh, knowing that I have been keeping my own friends in the dark this whole time. "I need that job," I explain, "my family has not been doing very well financially, and we need all the money we can get." I dare not tell them about the ordeal with my parents, the last thing we need are people talking and possibly hauling us off to an orphanage.

"What about that factory job that your sister has?" Helen inquires, "it sounds amazing, working in such a place where things we need are being made so quickly by machines. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

The comment comes as a shock to me. Dinah has told me about horrendous things that have happened in the clothing factory she works in. People are treated like animals. Children younger than Ruby get hurt every day in those harrowing places. Helen didn't mean any offence, however I cannot blame her for her ignorance.

"Jane?"

"It's not wonderful, " I reply, "it's dreadful. You don't know what they go through."

"What is wrong with you?" Morgan snaps.

That's it. With that, I pick up my lunch and leave.

***

"Do you ever feel like people treat us differently now?" Ruby asks.