It had been collecting dust in my kitchen junk drawer, tucked beneath loose batteries and dried-out pens.
I tested it the night before, made sure it still worked, and slid it into the front pocket of Lily’s backpack, behind her pack of tissues and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. It was small enough to stay hidden. She didn’t even notice when I zipped it back up.
At first, all I heard was the soft hum of classroom noise—like pencils scratching against paper, the gentle shuffling of chairs, and the crinkling of paper.Continue reading…
