“Cool,” he says. “Pick you up at six thirty.”
As I hang up with Ben, the afternoon sun glints off the creek that runs along the wall at the back of the Supercenter. It winds its way along the smooth, sand-colored bricks—a gleaming snake of water, a serpent of light. It disappears into a culvert at the far end of the loading docks. A round mouth of corrugated steel set deeply in the cement of a man-made spillway swallows up the stream and directs the water elsewhere. A finite answer engineered for an infinite flow. The unpredictable, harnessed and channeled to make way for Everyday Discount Prices.
I am seized by the sudden urge to pull up the strangled sapling staked here near the curb and plant it down by the wall at the edge of the stream. I imagine the dirt beneath my nails and the strange looks from half the town.
Is that the Weston girl?
What the hell is she doing?
“Sorry, little tree.” I whisper these words at the wretched bare branches, then start the engine and head toward home.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
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twenty-eight
ACCUSED TEENS PLEAD “NOT GUILTY”; HACKER COLLECTIVE THREATENS ACTION AS POLICE INVESTIGATION STALLS
By Sloane Keating
Published: March 21
CORAL SANDS, Iowa—Ramsey Swain, legal counsel for John Doone, one of the Coral Sands High basketball players accused of assaulting a female student during a party at his home last week, held a press conference this afternoon, declaring his client’s innocence.
Mr. Swain pointed to the lack of witnesses who have come forward to aid police in their investigation as proof that Doone, fellow senior Deacon Mills, and two unnamed minors also accused had done nothing wrong.
He spoke to reporters on the steps of the county courthouse. “Did these kids have a wild party? Sure they did. Did a young woman decide to have a little fun with these boys? Certainly. Was it an attack of any kind? Absolutely not.”
Deputy Barry Jennings and Detective Flora Hughes have reported difficulty in finding students who will speak to them about what went on during the party one week ago.
County prosecutor Barbara Richter, who held her own press conference today, plans to proceed with the case aided by still pictures that were captured from social media and the cell phones of several of the accused. When asked about a rumored video of the crime itself, Ms. Richter said she could not confirm its existence as of yet. “Video of the crime was made and circulated.” she said. “So far we have been unable to locate it.”
Reports have surfaced in recent days that Coach Raymond Sanders led an effort to have the video deleted by threatening to remove any player who was found in possession of it from the top-ranked Buccaneer athletic program. Coach Sanders received unwanted national media attention this week after threatening this reporter on camera during a pep rally at Coral Sands High and could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, amid increased national scrutiny, self-described hacker collective, UltraFEM (identified on their website as “the anonymous hacker protest collective dedicated to full prosecution of crimes against women”) has posted a statement on its website that they are in possession of the video in question and demand those charged in the Coral Sands Rape Case change their pleas to guilty. If this demand is not met, the group promises to release the video to the media and public at large one week from Monday. Their requirements also extend to those involved in what they refer to as the “pervasive rape culture of the Coral Sands Buccaneers basketball team,” and any who witnessed the alleged crime of Saturday, March 14.
UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
HarperCollins Publishers
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twenty-nine
SLOANE KEATING IS reporting live from the steps of the courthouse, and we are all glued to the screen when Dad walks in from his Saturday shift, gone long. He’s covered in sawdust and sweat, and as Sloane ends the special report, he cracks open a beer and asks what the hell a hacker collective is.
Will fills him in as I dip baby carrots in a tub of hummus and check the time on my phone. Have to leave time to brush my teeth before Ben comes to get me.
“So, they’ve broken into somebody’s computer and lifted this video?” Dad asks. He shakes his head. “That sounds like the crime to me.”
“Who would make a video of something like that?” Mom asks.
“Tyler’s brother thinks they’re bluffing,” says Will. “Just a bunch of feminists trying to stick their noses in where they don’t belong—causing problems when they don’t even know what they’re talking about.”