Retracing Steps
Lukas closed his eyes. He pretended he was watching himself, like a small film. He started after lunch.
After lunch, he had taken his backpack out of the cloakroom for the maths lesson — because his maths book was in it.
After maths, he had — yes — left the maths book in the bag, because he had a homework page to take home.
He had carried the bag to art. They had art after maths.
In art, he had put his bag on the floor next to his stool. He could see it in his mind: the bag on the floor.
Then there had been the bell. Then home time.
He had gone to the cloakroom.
Wait.
He had gone to the cloakroom — to get his coat. But his backpack had been with him in art.
Had he picked up the backpack from art? Or had he left it next to the stool?
Lukas opened his eyes.
"Mama. I think I left it in the art room."
"Can we phone the school?"
"Yes."
His mama rang the school. Mr Halpern answered. He said he would check.
A few minutes later he called back.
"It's there. On the floor next to one of the art stools."
"Thank you," said Lukas's mama.
She put the phone down.
"Lukas. Tomorrow, when you finish art, what do you have to do first thing?"
"Pick up my backpack."
"Right. We'll pick it up tomorrow morning. Tonight you'll have to live without your sandwich. We'll find you something."
Lukas was hungry. But he was also relieved.