Exodus

The great exodus begins as the 9th period bell rings at 2:42. To my locker, to the doors, up the sidewalk, onto the shuttle bus. I take my spot in a two-seater and wait for everyone else to board. We leave the high school and drive four minutes to the middle school. We shuffle out, walk up the sidewalk, and board PG-8 - the short bus. This one drops us off halfway up our driveway. We march four minutes uphill to the house, into the mudroom, to the front door and finally turn the doorknob -- it’s locked. We start knocking.