Last Guard by Nalini Singh

Before

Subject exhibits significant psychological and mental deficiencies. Likelihood of recovery and/or return to the family unit is nil.

All necessary measures authorized by legal guardian, but they are to be consulted prior to a decision to permanently discontinue treatment.

—File Update: 3K

SHE DIDN’T RUNto the door. She ran to him, to the boy who’d made her laugh and slipped her extra food when the teachers weren’t looking. “Come on,” she said, tugging at his hand.

The teacher was choking on his own blood and making gurgling sounds, but she didn’t look, tried not to hear. She’d done a bad thing, a very bad thing, but he’d been hurting the boy. He’d broken a bone!

“Come on!” She tugged again. “We can go before they come looking!”

But the boy shook his head. “My legs don’t work anymore.” A rasp. “Not just heavy and half-numb. Nothing.” Breaking their handclasp, he pushed at her leg. “Run! Go! Get away before they find you!”

She couldn’t go and just leave him here. They’d hurt him again.

Running to the door, she began to shove a desk against it. It was heavy. But she got it done. The teacher had stopped making noises by the time she got the door blocked. Coming back to the boy, she sat down next to him and took his hand again, held on tight.

“No,” she said when he told her to run again. “I’m no one. I don’t have anywhere to go.”