Chapter twelve: Grab the papers and dash

Breaking into Mr. Hedges office and getting the papers was easier than he thought. Still with most of the keys to the school, Daniel was able to break into the office and search through the ten file cabinets that lined the one side of his office. The dark olive green of the drawers reflected his flashlight back at him as he searched for the right drawer.

Daniel wanted to make this quick and his fingers flipped through the plain manila folders quickly.

There sure are a lot of people with the last name smith in this school, Daniel thought to himself.

He than suddenly remembered that his folder would be the last one of that series. He pulled the drawer out as far as it could go and than started scanning from the back but he couldn’t find his name.

Damn where is it, Daniel thought frantically.

He didn’t want to stay in there all night tearing apart Mr. Hedges office. If he messed with to many things Mr. Hedges would be able to tell.

Daniel started to look through all the drawers. He looked behind the couches, flipped the cushions of the sofa that was in his office, and looked in the bookshelf that contained the dusty volumes of out of date educational materials and manuals. Daniel wanted to save Mr. Hedges desk for last. He didn’t want to go in there if he didn’t have to. Anything that might look out of place could make Mr. Hedges suspicious of something and he was the first person he would come looking for. Just messing with his folder could put Mr. Hedges on his guard.

Daniel didn’t want anything to look out of place. He wanted everything to go on like normal. He would go to school the next day and act like he wasn’t going to do anything at all. He was just going to act normal.

After searching the entire office Daniel then went to look in Mr. Hedges desk. He opened the center drawer and saw nothing but pens, paper and pencil shavings. He then opened the drawer on the right and to his amazement there was a manila folder about half an inch think sitting on top of a stack of books.

This is it, Daniel thought.

Daniel pulled the folder to his flashlight and printed on the corner tab was his name in faded blue ink. The papers were in the back of the folder. He took them out, carefully replaced the folder and than hid the documents under his shirt before leaving the office. As he left he gave it a quick look around to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary or anything that would give him away.

The last steps of his plan were falling in to place.

Daniel crept back to his room put the papers in his pack, checked to make sure everything was securely packed in his ruck sack and then fell fast asleep.

The next morning had a clear blue sky that shown a dark crisp blue. There was a slight breeze in the air and Daniel got up for his last day at the orphanage.

Daniel showered, brushed his teeth, ate breakfast and went to class.

During class he acted out as normal. He did what he normally did but just not enough to get detention or do anything to jeopardize himself from leaving. As the school day ended and most kids were hanging outside near the gym, Daniel snuck up to his room got his pack and dropped it down to the ground from the window in his room.

It would have looked to strange for him to go down to the yard carrying the large pack so he decided to drop it out of his window since it faced toward the hills away from where any of the other kids hung out. All he had to do was walk out like normal.

Daniel walked out of his room, made his way down to the lawn and walked though the small groups of kids who were either hanging out or playing games. No one noticed him. Nobody really cared.

As Daniel turned the corner of the building he saw Steve waiting for him by his pack..

“I hope you know what you are doing,” said Steve.

“Of course I know what I’m doing how can it be that hard,” answered Daniel. “Besides it can’t be any harder than some of the pranks I’ve pulled in the past.”

“No Daniel this is totally different and I hope you know that,” said Steve.

Daniel became serious.

“I know it’s different,” he said solemnly.

“Well here take this,” Steve said.

Steve pulled out a wad of bills and shoved it into Daniels hands.

“It’s mostly ones and stuff but it’s better than nothing,” Steve said.

“Thanks,” Daniel said.

“Well don’t cry on me or anything you big pussy,” Steve said. “You take it easy out there ok.”

“I will man,” Daniel replied. “You take care of yourself too.”

And with that, Daniel hiked the pack up high on his shoulders and started to head quickly out towards one of the hills.

Steve watched at Daniel made it to the base of the first hill, quickly climb up the slope and disappear of the top.