The routine of school helped calm her nerves and by Wednesday night, Marie started to get caught up on the sleep she lost at the beginning of the week.

She was in the middle of a dream when someone screamed. Marie gasped and sat up, wondering if the scream happened in her dream. It seemed logical until she heard it again and a crash in the apartment above them.

Marie fought off the grogginess and stumbled to her bedroom door. One of her neighbors was in trouble. Marie popped her head out of her bedroom to see her dad dash down the hall, wrapping his bathrobe around him.

"Stay inside Marie. I'm going to check this out," he said. The small rebel inside her fought against the request to stay behind. She grabbed her own bathrobe and followed her dad out their apartment door. He was too concerned for their neighbor to force her inside.

They took the stairs two at a time until they were at the apartment above them. Her dad pressed his ear against the door, frowning. The screaming stopped, which made it more terrifying.

"Ms. Franklin?" Her dad knocked on their neighbor's door. "Ms. Franklin? Are you alright in there?"

They heard scuffling inside. Marie stood with her arms folded. It was chilly in the stairwell, but at least her robe kept most of the cold at bay. September sure got cold at night.

The scuffling picked up again and they heard a sob of fright. The front door was thrown open, and Marie and her father took a step back out of surprise. There was a man with ragged clothes scrambling to get past her dad. The man tripped on the door ledge on his way out and hit Marie. They both tumbled to the ground. Any farther and they both would have fallen down the stairs.

"Marie!" her dad yelled.

Marie had time to get a good look at the man's face. His blonde hair was shaggy and his beard scruffy. His breath smelled awful. It was a hobo. Her dad grabbed the hobo, but the hobo threw him off. The hobo moaned and talked to himself, something Marie couldn't quite make out, as he sprinted out of the stairwell.

Her dad knelt next to her, placing his hands protectively on her shoulders. "Somebody catch him!"

It seemed they weren't the only curious neighbors. Multiple doors had opened at this point. The hobo was already down the stairs when a few tenants went after him. Her dad helped Marie to a sitting position, studying her face for any signs of injury.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine," she said, rubbing the back of her head. It started to sting, but she had no recollection of hitting her head.

He helped her to her feet. Ms. Franklin was at the doorway, staring after the hobo's path with a fearful curiosity, a hand at her chin.

"Ms. Franklin? Are you okay?" her dad asked.

She nodded, dropping her hand. Red and blue lights flashed as a police car pulled into the parking lot.

"What was he doing here?" Marie asked.

"He said he noticed me looking at him last week as though I remembered him from before he crossed the wall. But I don't know anyone who's left Musical Land. He was a sad, desperate hobo. Are you all right, dear?" Ms. Franklin turned to Marie and inspected her like her dad had.

Marie shrugged off the help, slightly embarrassed. "I'm fine."

A policeman and woman walked up the stairwell, talking among themselves.

"Are you Rosalind Franklin?" the woman asked.

"Yes."

"We've got questions for you. And you two, my partner has questions for you," she said to Marie and her dad.

"Always happy to help," her dad said.

The policeman pulled out his notebook when his walkie-talkie went off.

"Hold on the investigation. I repeat, hold on the investigation."

"What's going on?" the man asked.

"The S.E.A. contacted us. They have jurisdiction over any crime committed by a hobo. They've already sent an agent to your location."

The woman pursed her lips in a tight line as she snapped her notebook shut.

"Okay, the S.E.A. claimed this one. Sit tight. They don't take long to get here."

The anger and disappointment dripped from the woman's words. Marie glanced at her dad. He tried to give her a comforting half hug and a side smile. Marie and her dad returned to their apartment and sat at the kitchen table. Marie yawned as the adrenaline trickled away and exhaustion settled on her. She felt shaken, but it wasn't like the hobo was after her. Her dad sat next to her, twiddling his thumbs, watching Marie from his peripherals.

"Do you think the hobos are starting to remember their lives again?" Marie asked.

Her dad shrugged. "If they are, the S.E.A. would be the first to tell us. The S.E.A. has studied them ever since the first person came back from over the wall over a decade ago. They want to crack this case."

Marie didn't know what was beyond the wall, she just knew it was deadly. It took a super desperate person to leave Musical Land. President Arnold built a wall around the city to keep them all safe from whatever it was out there that caused so much destruction in a person. All who crossed over the wall either died or came back so traumatized they literally forgot who they were.

There was a knock on the door. The chair scraped against the linoleum floor as her dad got up to answer it. An S.E.A. agent walked in without a word and glanced around the apartment before her eyes fell on Marie. She gave a huge smile. Even though it was past two in the morning, the woman looked as though she'd been up for hours. She had brown eyes and her brown hair was pulled back in a tight bun.

"You must be Marie," the woman said in an overly sweet voice.

"Um, yes." Marie glanced away, never sure how to act around an S.E.A. agent.

The agent strode into the room and sat in her father's chair, placing a hand over hers. "I am sorry this happened to you. Are you all right?"

Marie nodded, resisting the urge to pull her hand away. Her dad sat across from Marie.

The agent flipped open her little notebook. "I won't take long, this being a school night. We have the hobo back in our custody, and we'll figure out why he made such an unusual decision to come to this part of the city at this time of night. And you have my word, he will not come here again."

Marie rubbed her upper arm. "Thanks. It actually does make me feel better."

The agent winked at her. "The S.E.A. won't let you down. Now, did the hobo talk to you at all?"

Marie shook her head. "Um, he mumbled something, but I didn't catch it."

The agent tapped her fingers against the table. "It is such a curious incident. But who knows, this might be the breakthrough we're looking for. Now, this is important Marie. If this hobo should ever talk to you, let us know what he says."

Marie nodded. "I will. Though, he didn't come for me."

"True, true. All the same, we investigate any unusual activity from hobos. We're close to a breakthrough."

The agent got up and closed her notebook. "I must ask you to do one more thing for the S.E.A. Please don't mention what happened here tonight. We see it as a possible breakthrough, but if rumor starts spreading about an insane hobo breaking into people's houses," the agent shuddered. "No. It might cause a hysteria and who knows what those poor hobos would be subject to. They may be frightening, but they're just lost and lonely people. We give them a place to stay and some work to keep them busy cleaning up Musical Land and everything. But we can't give them too much, because then they have breakdowns and things like this happen. And, mind you, it doesn't happen often. There is no need to fear them."

Marie nodded, feeling more at ease. "I understand. I won't say anything."

The agent nodded, got up, and slipped out of the apartment wishing them a good night. Marie watched the closed door for a few seconds before turning to her dad. When he noticed her gaze, he unfolded his arms and straightened in his chair.

"I agree with her. No talking about this to anyone at school."

Marie nodded, then felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. Who would she tell at school? She still didn't have any friends.

The weight of secret information grew heavy on Marie's shoulders. She hated keeping secrets, even if she had no one to tell them to.

***

The week stretched on. Marie hoped they'd find a teacher for science and math, but by Friday they still had other staff members bringing in the old TV and putting in another show about science or math. In the end, Marie snuck in a science book and read it under her desk to teach herself something.

She tried to make friends. Every time she'd talk to someone, though, she felt like she would end up as the stupid one in the friend group, and she didn't want that. As she sat alone again at lunch, she realized she needed to make friends in her science and math classes. True, they were all guys, but she was desperate.

Marie used the restroom in between her literature and drawing classes. One more class, she kept telling herself, and then the anticipated party with Sophie. She already packed the night before. She was beyond anxious for school to be done.

A nervous knot formed in her stomach when she thought of drawing. Mr. Ross said Friday's would be reserved for painting hour. She got away with hiding her pencil drawings from her classmates, but she'd have a harder time hiding a canvas. Mr. Ross promised to paint along with them to help go over the basics.

She set her science book down on the counter before turning on the faucet to wash her hands.

"What is this?"

The voice was so vehemently angry, Marie couldn't help but turn to see who was on the receiving end of such anger. Marie was terrified to see the irate girl's finger inches from her science book as though touching it would bring her a grotesque disease. The girl's eyes were black with hatred.

"I asked you a question! What is this?"

Marie tried to say something, but the anger in the girl's eyes terrified her. She pieced together words. "Science. It's science. Book. Science book."

"You probably know who those charity cases are, don't you! There's a rumor going around it's someone studying math or science. You're probably one yourself! Aren't you!"

Marie struggled to talk. She didn't know how to handle being the focus of such hatred.

The girl continued. "Do you honestly think you'll get anywhere in life studying this crap! If it even is studying. All you do is memorize stupid facts people already know about the world."

The girl pushed her with surprising strength. Marie stumbled, but kept her balance.

"It's because of idiots like you that my little sister was denied a spot at Presley High."

The girl pushed Marie again and she felt the first of the tears come.

"Please, stop! I... I'm not..." Marie found she couldn't lie. She was a charity case. She couldn't act like she wasn't, because she wasn't smart enough.

The girl ignored Marie and pushed her harder still. This time Marie hit the wall of the restroom.

"You'll grow up to be a poor loser flipping burgers or waiting tables until your sixty, you hear me! People like you who study what you do give nothing to this world. You can't think for yourself, and you can't create anything. You're an idiot robot scientist who took my sister's spot. No one wants you here!"

The girl pushed her a final time, and Marie's shoes turned to taps. She slipped and landed flat on her back, air struggling to get into her systems. Tears fell down her face as she watched the girl pick up her science book and rip out a few pages before throwing it all in the trash.

"No, please!" Marie gasped.

"This is what science amounts to. Garbage."

The girl left the restroom and Marie heard background music swelling to a fever pitch as the girl began to sing. Marie took a few deep breaths, trying not to sob. She didn't want to walk out of the bathroom while the girl was singing. She didn't want to be anywhere near her. Marie wiped the tears from her cheeks, but more began to fall, and different background music filled the restroom. Marie closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself down. If she didn't, she would start singing.

It's not a big deal. It's not a big deal.

She told herself this over and over, forcing herself to believe it so she wouldn't have to sing on her way to class. Singing would remove all doubt from anyone's mind that she didn't belong.

Her lungs expanded to bring in another deep, calming breath and the background music faded away. She had to remain calm for the next hour. One hour, then she could go home for the weekend.

The science book was nestled on top of the used towels in the garbage. She retrieved it and the torn pages, placing them in the back of the book. Marie hugged it close to her, trying not to let the girl's words take root in her heart. She had to believe her passion for science would amount to something in the future.

When she was sure the bully had left, Marie snuck out of the bathroom, tears still burning her eyes. The second bell had already rang, but she tried not to feel emotion about it. Her emotional state was fragile enough. She entered her drawing class right as Mr. Ross stood up. Marie made eye contact with him and wished she didn't. He seemed to notice her distressed state. She gave him a smile she hoped was genuine.

"Welcome, Marie. Take a seat."

She had a feeling he wouldn't mark her as late today. She ducked her head so her classmates wouldn't see the tears in her eyes as she found an open seat. Being late meant a canvas next to Edgar. She nodded at Edgar who did nothing to acknowledge her presence.

"Everyone get your aprons on, it's time to paint."

Marie did, keeping her head down. Mr. Ross stood at the front of the class as he began showing them how to paint a forest. Marie tried her best to follow his instructions, but her hand still shook from the encounter in the bathroom. Her fingers flicked her tears away before they fell. Her emotions burned in the cement block she kept them in. In her mind she began counting, and named the element associated with the atomic number. It was mundane, but it kept her mind from remembering the encounter in the bathroom.

"And how about we put a happy little cloud here." Mr. Ross' calm voice pulled Marie from her counting. She closed her eyes. Maybe his voice would calm her down. "Yeah. That's nice. And why don't we put another one right next to it. Because everyone needs a friend."

Marie started chewing her lip.

Don't cry. Don't you dare cry in drawing class, Marie begged of herself.

She opened her eyes and saw Edgar's paining. Despite Mr. Ross' happy depiction of a forest, Edgar turned it dark and brooding. It might have been because he chose to paint in black, dark grey, and light grey. To her horror, Marie found herself connecting with Edgar's forest.

Marie turned away and focused on her own canvas. The boy next to her had been watching her, but Marie refused to meet his gaze. One sympathetic eye in her direction, and she would dissolve into tears and singing.