The Meltdown

3:00 AM is the hour of the wolf. Or, in this case, the hour of the colicky infant.

Toby woke up screaming.

It wasn't a fuss. It wasn't a whimper. It was a full-volume, air-raid siren scream that bounced off the metal shelves of the supply closet.

"Shh! Shh! Toby, please!" Penny rocked him frantically. "Pacifier! Archer, pacifier!"

Archer fumbled in the bag. "I can't find the blue one! He hates the green one!"

"Just give him anything!"

The screaming continued.

Outside, heavy footsteps echoed on the library tile.

"Who is back there?" The booming voice of Mr. Grist.

Penny froze. "He's coming."

"He's going to find us," Archer said. He looked at the door, then at Penny. She was pale, tears streaming down her face, clutching the screaming baby. She looked ready to shatter.

"If he finds you," Penny whispered, "you get expelled. We both do."

"No," Archer said. He stood up. He grabbed the diaper bag. He reached out and took Toby from her arms.

"Archer?"

"Stay here," Archer commanded. "Hide behind the mop bucket. Don't make a sound."

"What are you doing?"

"Taking one for the team."

Archer kicked the door open.

Toby’s screams filled the library.

Mr. Grist’s flashlight swung around, catching Archer in the beam. Archer was standing there, holding the baby, looking like a deer in headlights—a very handsome, guilty deer.

"Mr. West?" Grist thundered. "What in the name of the Superintendent is that?"

"I found him!" Archer shouted, backing away from the closet, drawing Grist’s attention. "I found him outside! By the dumpsters! I brought him in to keep him warm! I didn't know what to do!"

"You... found a baby?" Grist lowered the flashlight, bewildered.

"Yes! Just now!" Archer lied poorly. "I was... looking for a book! On calculus! And I heard crying!"

"Come with me, Mr. West," Grist snapped. "Now. And bring the... child."

Archer looked back at the closet for a split second. He winked.

Then he let Grist march him away.

Penny sat in the dark, alone in the silence. She listened to them leave.

He had saved her. He had lied to the Vice Principal, destroyed his "cool guy" image, and possibly gotten himself suspended, all to protect her Valedictorian sash.

Penny Lane wiped her tears. She stood up.

She wasn't going to let him do it.

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