Coffee Sonata by Greg Herren

followed the escalating debate over the last few weeks, and now, doing a follow-up, she and her photographer Don found themselves in the middle of an outraged group of parents.
    “We need a comment from Rex, Don. Damn it! Now he’s heading back into the school. He’s not going to deal with the parents. What a coward. Think he’ll use the west entrance?” Eryn yanked Don’s sleeve. “Let’s go!”
    They hurried away from the crowd and ran around the corner. As they approached the side door they saw a crowd of teachers gathering there. “Damn,” she muttered. “This could get ugly.” This is about as action packed as it gets in East Quay. Eryn didn’t know whether to be concerned or amused.
    “Mr. Rex, Eryn Goddard, New Quay Chronicle. ” She pressed down the record button on her tape recorder and extended it as Rex stepped outside. “What’s your response to the concerns of the parents? Aren’t the kids going to be the ones to suffer from these cutbacks?”
    Rex gave her an annoyed glance. “No comment.”
    “Isn’t your decision going to diminish the quality of education for East Quay’s children?”
    “The quality will not diminish.”
    “Then the citizens of East Quay have a right to know how you plan to ensure the same level of education with fewer staff and larger classes.” Eryn cocked her head and moved closer to the tall, bulky man. “After all, it’s their children and their tax money.”
    Rex stopped in midstride, his face suffused with anger. “I’ll address this issue at the next PTA meeting, not here on the sidewalk.”
    “Sir, we have to get going,” a woman behind Rex said. “We have another appointment.”
    “I have nothing more to say,” the principal said, turning away.
    “You heard that, Ms. Goddard. Good-bye.”
    “Just one more thing, Mr. Rex. I hear you’ve decided on these cutbacks because of problems with last year’s budget. Is it true you overspent on technology? Surely you want to comment on that accusation?”
    Rex’s mouth hardened into a thin line. “What part of ‘no comment’ don’t you understand, Ms. Goddard?”
    “Here comes the rest of the gang,” Don murmured next to her, and raised his camera to film the now-enraged Principal Rex.
    Eryn heard the noise of the angry parents. In front of her, Rex tried to circle the smaller crowd of teachers, and Don turned with the camera to keep him in view.
    Clearly annoyed, Rex swung at the camera, and though Don managed to duck in time, Eryn wasn’t as lucky. A fist slammed into her temple. Her tape recorder hit the sidewalk, and after two stumbling steps backward, she followed.
    She landed on her left shoulder before her head connected with something hard. Her vision wavered and she blinked at the sharp flashes of light that danced against a curtain of blackness. With effort, she willed herself to stay conscious, then groaned and felt around the back of her head for blood.
    “What the hell are you doing, man?” Don was by her side instantly. “God, Eryn.” He slid an arm behind her back and carefully helped her sit up. “You okay?”
    “Damn, I hurt my shoulder,” she managed, tears of pain streaming down her cheeks. The sound of screeching tires and the shouting voices didn’t help her headache either. “Godalmighty. Is he crazy?”
    “He must be. Jesus.” Don scanned the gathering crowd. “Fuck. He’s gone.” Don helped her lean against one of the columns that flanked the door. “Don’t move. I’ll call the police and an ambulance.”
    “No…well, I do want to report this, but no ambulance. I can walk to the car.”
    Holding his arm, she stood on wobbly legs and let Don escort her to his car across the street.
    Several people called out in unison. “We saw what happened, lady! We’ll testify to it!”
    After Don helped her into the passenger seat, he handed her his cell phone. “Here. Call the police while we’re on the way to East Quay Memorial so they can get some statements. That