The students cross downstage and step off the platform. They are now standing on the apron of the stage. The lights fade on the platform and stay lit on the apron. The students are now standing outside the school on break.

MINA sits down away from the others, who sit down or stand near the platform. SHE props a book up on her knees and reads it diligently. SUSAN enters and watches her. LUCY sees MINA is sitting alone and goes to her.

LUCY:
Mina! We're all talking about going down to the meadow for a few minutes, before we start back with school. Come with us?

MINA shifts uncomfortably. Something is wrong.

MINA:
I do not like it when the leaves change colors. It means they are dead.

LUCY:
Mina, is something wrong?

MINA gets up and begins to walk away, but LUCY grabs the sleeve of her dress. MINA'S sleeve slides up her arm by accident, revealing a large bruise.

LUCY:
What is this?

MINA:
It's nothing. I got my arm caught in the barn door one afternoon.

LUCY is still suspicious. SHE pulls up the other sleeve and finds that it is bruised in the same way.

LUCY:
What will your excuse be this time? Did one of the stallions kick you?
(pause)
Mina, you haven't been yourself at all, lately. What is wrong?

MINA:
Papa says I can't tell.

LUCY:
Papa? Mina, your Papa isn't here right now. You need to tell me what's wrong.

MINA pulls away in fear.

MINA:
Can't tell. It will only make him angrier, and when he gets angry...

LUCY:
Surely...Mina he can't be-
(beat, LUCY pulls herself together)
Mina...is your father beating you?

MINA:
No! No! He only wants me to make good grades.

LUCY:
And when you don't?
(beat)
Mina, what does he do when you don't make a good grade?

A moment of silence. MINA sits, whimpering. Finally, she breaks down in tears.

MINA:
He does. He beats me.

MINA sits, crying into LUCY'S dress. SUSAN, who has been listening this whole time, crosses over and cuts between MINA and LUCY. SHE grabs MINA by the shoulders, but MINA goes on crying, she doesn't even know SUSAN is there.

SUSAN:
Fool! Can you not stand up for yourself? Does your heart not beat? Does blood not run through your veins? If so, then you can tell him to stop! You can fight for yourself! Hear me. Listen to my wisdom. God, please, God, just let her hear me, just this once!

SUSAN realizes that it is hopeless, MINA cannot see her. She steps out from between the two girls and MINA goes back to crying into LUCY'S dress.

SUSAN:
Why, God? Why do you curse me so?

SUSAN runs off.

MINA:
Please, Lucy, please, you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone.

LUCY kneels down to MINA.

LUCY:
How can I promise that, Mina? As distorted as some of the adults around here are, they do have some morals.

MINA:
Please, Lucy, I beg you: Don't tell anyone. It will do nothing but make the beating harder!

LUCY:
As you wish, but Mina, you need to tell someone.

MINA:
I just told you.

LUCY:
Then at least let me tell our teacher.

MINA:
No, Lucy, no! Please, no!

LUCY:
As you wish.

MINA:
Oh, thank you!

MINA hugs LUCY and the attention shifts to TOM, who is sitting alone, leafing through a book. NANCY walks over and sits down next to him.

NANCY:
Thomas Mayer, how is it that I didn't see you all Summer?

TOM:
I had to go and take care of my Aunt in Allentown.

NANCY:
Oh, I'm sorry.

TOM:
It's alright. It was rather nice to be able to spend some time with her. I hadn't seen her in ages.

NANCY:
It's good to have you back, though.

TOM:
Well, it's good to be back.

NANCY:
(enjoying the Autumn day)
Remember when we were children? We used to run through the forest playing pirates, or robbers, or whatever our imaginations allowed.

TOM:
Ah yes, I remember one day we played Alice in Wonderland. You were Alice, Eric Quileune was the White Rabbit, Lucy Proctor was the Queen of Hearts, and I was the Mad Hatter.

NANCY:
I miss the days we could simply wander off into the woods and play childish games. We didn't have any plans, any dreams. It was just us, the forest, and a summer's breeze.

TOM:
Whatever happened to those days? What changed?

NANCY:
Us.

TOM:
How so?

NANCY:
We grew up. We left all childish things behind and marched into a schoolroom. We traded our innocence and happiness for knowledge we now question.

TOM:
You couldn't have just said "We grew up", could you?

EMILY, still playing the teacher, walks into the light and rings a small handbell. The students get up and file back into the classroom.