Chapter 2

Although I was technically being reformed, I was actually being abandoned.

On the day I arrived, I was led to a drafty shack with a moldy bed.

My uncle's wife, Estelle Dodson, said, "Your parents only gave me a pittance. If you can survive in this dump, fine. If not, go find a well and jump in."

She didn't seem disgusted when she said it.

Instead, she looked lifeless, appearing even paler and hopeless than I was.

I looked at Estelle, who'd remarried after my uncle died, and stayed silent.

I sprawled out on the moldy bed.

Maybe it'd be easier to just die. It'd be what my parents and sister wanted. And it'd be just what those bullies hoped for, too. It'd make those online trolls happy as well.

Moreover, Estelle would be pleased, too.

But in the nights that followed, Estelle would show up.

Each time, she'd lean over to check if I was still breathing.

When she saw I was still alive, she'd sigh. I could never tell if she was pissed I hadn't died, or glad I was still around.

Then, the next morning, she'd show up with just a corn cob for me.

This happened seven days in a row. I was so hungry I gnawed the cob clean.

Maybe Estelle figured out I wasn't brave enough to die, because on the eighth morning, she threw a hoe at me.

"Go work the fields," she ordered.

But I didn't know the first thing about farming.

Estelle replied, "Then figure it out. No one was born knowing everything."

I lugged myself after her, swinging the hoe clumsily, sweat pouring down and soaking my shirt.

When I'd barely scratched out a tiny patch, Estelle had already turned over half the field.

The sky was getting dark.

Estelle snatched the hoe from my hands, dragged me over to someone else's field, and yanked up a big bunch of vegetables. She tossed them straight into the pot to boil.

No salt, no oil—just plain boiled vegetables.

When the vegetables were ready, Estelle took a tiny bowl for herself and set a big one down in front of me.

"Eat up. Tomorrow you've got more work to do," she said.

I ate quietly.

The boiled vegetables tasted like bitter medicine.

I could barely eat them.

But Estelle wolfed hers down like she hadn't tasted anything better in years.

Estelle said, "This place is nothing like the city, kid. Whatever you want, there definitely isn't any here. If you don't want these vegetables, suit yourself—go ahead and starve."

It was not like I had much of a choice, so I ate.

By the time I'd finished the whole bowl, my stomach was full. Meanwhile, Estelle had the water boiling.

"Go take a bath. And wash your clothes while you're at it," she ordered.

I bit my lip, embarrassed. "I don't have any spare clothes to change into."

Estelle threw two T-shirts at me without saying a word.

I held them up to my body—surprisingly, they fit just right.

I blinked at her in disbelief. "Did you get these for me?"

She didn't respond, just gathered up the bowls and utensils from the table and put them into the pot.

She filled the pot with water, grabbed a scrubber, and just gave everything a quick scrub.

After my bath, I lay down on the bed.

As I stared at the ceiling full of holes, flashes of my past raced through my mind.

I made up my mind right then that I was going to live. Moreover, I was going to live so much better than all of those who told me I was better off dead.

*****

On the ninth morning, Estelle boiled some corn.

I grabbed a corn cob and started chomping just like I had every morning before.

Then, I got up and followed Estelle to the fields.

The sun was beating down, scorching hot.

Estelle's skin was tanned, her thin frame wiry. The sunlight created a halo around her.

I bent down and planted seedlings, while Estelle tossed fertilizer on top.

The whole field quickly filled up with neat rows of seedlings.

Soon, the summer went by.

I ate only corn cobs and boiled vegetables. If I got lucky, I'd have a couple eggs.

I spent my days working the fields, watering crops, or foraging wild vegetables with Estelle.

Along the way, I got thinner.

In September, as Estelle sat there with her needle and thread, taking in my clothes to fit my new, skinnier frame, she said, "You're done with farm work after today. Tomorrow, you're off to school. I already signed you up."

I blinked in surprise. "School?"

She said flatly, "Yeah, there's nine years of compulsory education in this state."

I dropped my head, nervous. "But..."

Estelle shook out the newly sewn clothes and said, "Don't worry. I'll walk you to and from school myself. No one's gonna dare lay a finger on you."

I looked at Estelle, so skinny and small. For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

The next day, Estelle took me to school.