The elementary school was twice as packed as when Brooke had dropped Emily off that morning. A line of parents jutted from the doors of the administrative building. Brooke parked in the back of the lot. She jogged to the building, looking for anyone she recognized. The principal was outside, trying to calm everyone's worries.

 

“Our superintendent is in talks with members of Congress and the manager of our regional water supply. They have assured us that they are working on a solution and will have it prepared for this afternoon. There is no need to pull your children out, as we have full tanks of water here,” the principal said.

 

One of the fathers from the crowd stepped forward. His face was a bright red from a combination of his anger and the sun beating down on him.

 

“I don’t care what the superintendent is saying. You don’t have the right to keep me from taking my child,” he said.

 

“The well-being of your children is our number-one priority. I can assure you of that. If anyone would like to pull your child from class, you will have to fill out a form stating the reason for your child’s absence. Ms. Thomas, our clerk, will be distributing those forms at the front,” the principal said.

 

A collective groan left the mouths of everyone in line. It would take Brooke an hour to get her daughter out, and she knew that time was a precious commodity.

 

Brooke snuck around the side of the building. She remembered which room her daughter was in from the open house she attended before the start of the new school year.

 

She passed students shuffling through the hallways, smiling and laughing with one another. A few of the teachers gave her looks, but Brooke ignored them.