text: He slides around the corner, presses his back tightly against the wall, and they rush past him without noticing. Resting hands on knees, panting and sweaty, he takes a moment to catch his breath. They are after him. He has been running through this building for hours. Finding him has become a competition. We all want to be the one that traps the rabbit. He knows me from a time when I was on his side. I'm not sure if he will still trust me, but what's the worst that can happen? I gesture towards my door offering sanctuary, mouthing, "Come on! They are right behind you!" He scurries over, and darts under my arm just as a team of officers turns the corner. I shut the door behind him, and brace myself as he tries to force it open. "Hey, I found him! He's in here!" He is trapped and knows it. His executioners walk in behind me. He sulks over to one of my desks. We shoot each other sideways glances as we take our positions. We nod silently saying, "Good game." His case manager storms in followed by a suit. She immediately begins to deliver the lecture she has been waiting all day to give. I sit closest to him. He won't hit me... but her... none of us are too sure about her. The suit sits closest to the door, looking uncomfortable and annoyed. He tries to explain why he ran, but she had hours of chasing to prepare this speech. There were no planned pauses for his input. He is fidgeting and looking around the room. He knows I won't hesitate to tackle him if he makes a play for the door. He and I have been down that road together at "the other place." He locks eyes with me and I see big tears welling up. I can hear him telepathically asking for help. I want to scream at her to, "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" but he must have been reading my mind too because he bolts up and yells it. The suit says in his best authoritative voice, "Kevin, stop." I think to myself, "What's that bitch gonna do." He and I lock eyes again and I ask, "So, are you taking any art classes this year?" He looks stunned. He wants another reason to yell but there isn't one. It dawns on him that I am throwing him an out and he grabs it with both hands. "Not yet, but I want to." In the background the lecture from Mr. & Mrs. Bitch continues, but we have entered into our own conversation bubble. In our bubble it is calm and quiet and the topic is art. "You know there are a lot of great courses offered here." We maintain intense eye contact because this reprieve is fragile. "Is there a sculpture class? Remember when I made you... POP! I had heard it in the background too. The Bitch crossed the line. She is already at the phone and looking up the number for his mom. He begins to shake. "You gonna call her so you can tell her more lies? Just like with that email you sent her." He is getting angry again and his eyes are darting around the room. He is starting to panic. "You know FUCK YOU BITCH! I've put up with fifteen years of abuse and you know that." "I didn't lie in that email. It's not my fault if your mom didn't undesta..." "It is your fault! I am back in that house now and I hate it. What happened over that email is YOUR FAULT." She moves uncomfortably in her chair and looks away. She does feel the guilt. She changes her tone and softly says, "I am so sorry if you got in trouble because your mom didn't understand my email." He senses her weakness and lobs into his verbal assault. He goes on about how she lies and how much she hates him. He begins to make fun of her for the tears in her eyes when I turn my gaze back towards him. "I know you don't like her, but do you know your brother hates ME?" This phrase strikes him speechless. I have known him for years. I protected him from the bigger kids when we were at "the other place." He has cried in my arms more than once. "It's true. I am the one that has to boss him around and he hates me for it. I was just trying to figure out what to do with him before we found out you were missing. He is worried sick about you right now." He studies my face to for a tell. I hold his gaze and continue. "Did you hear her? What she said? She said she's sorry and that you're right. Do you think you can forgive her?" His face twists with rage and tears stream down his cheeks. He looks at her and begins screaming again. I reach out and hold his hand. "You know, all of the problems with your mom were there before her. You can't blame her for what your mom did." And just like when he was small he sobs in my arms. On cue, his brother walks in. Kevin runs up and hugs him. I would like to say he hugged Mrs. Bitch as well, but truth be told, as soon as she got him into the hall he took off running.