Punish the Sinners by John Saul

someone else; someone I don’t even know. She wanted to believe it, believe that only a stranger could be so heartless. She forced herself to turn and look at Judy Nelson.
    It was then Marilyn realized that something was wrong. Judy hadn’t moved, nor had her expression changed. It came to Marilyn that Judy wasn’t looking at her, but beyond her, at something off in the distance. She wondered if she ought to speak to Judy. Probably not. But she couldn’t just walk away, could she?
    Why not? Hadn’t Judy said mean things to her?
    So had everyone else. And Judy seemed to need help.
    Marilyn closed her eyes again, and silently begged the Sorrowful Mother to give her strength. And she thought she felt strength flowing into her. She moved down the hall until she was next to Judy.
    “Judy?” she asked. “Are you all right? Is something the matter?”
    Judy Nelson seemed to come out of her reverie. Shelooked coldly at Marilyn, as if she hadn’t noticed her before.
    Tm fine,” she said; her tone told Marilyn she wasn’t
    “Can I help?” Marilyn offered, determined not to be put off by Judy’s coldness.
    Judy stared at her again, and Marilyn thought she was going to walk away without saying anything. But then she seemed to change her mind. Her face went slack, and suddenly looked very tired.
    “Nobody can help me,” she said. Then she turned, and silently walked away, down the hall. For a moment, Marilyn was tempted to follow her, and try to find out what was wrong. She watched until Judy disappeared around the corner. Then, shrugging, Marilyn walked down the hall the other way, and left the school building to go into the church. As she sat in the pew, silently praying to the Blessed Virgin, she imagined she heard music in the background. It was a singsong sound, like Gregorian chants, and Marilyn wondered where it was coming from. When it stopped, she realized that it hadn’t been coming from anywhere. It must, she was sure, have been coming from inside her head. She left the church, and walked down the hill toward home.
       Inez Nelson heard the front door open and then close, and wiped her hands on her apron. “Judy?” she called. “Is that you?” She started toward the front of the house, glancing at the clock to determine how late Judy was. But before she had gotten halfway down the hall she heard her husband’s voice.
    “It’s me,” George Nelson called out He stepped into the hall, almost bumping into his wife. “Judy not home yet?”
    “No, she isn’t,” Inez said, suddenly worried. Whywould she have been calling Judy, if Judy were already home? Didn’t he
think?
    “Maybe she went over to Janet’s or Penny’s,” George suggested.
    “She should have called if she did,” Inez pointed out, when, as if on cue, the phone began to ring. George looked triumphant.
    “See?” he said, and picked up the receiver. “Nelson residence.”
    “Mr. Nelson?”
    “Yes,” George said, a little uncertainly. He didn’t recognize the voice.
    “This is Mrs. Williams, at the emergency room of the hospital.”
    “The hospital?” George repeated blankly.
    “Neilsville Hospital,” Mrs. Williams repeated. “I’m afraid I have to ask you to come down here. Your daughter’s here.” Then, when George failed to respond, she continued, “You
are
the father of Judy Nelson?”
    “Yes,” George said weakly, the color draining from his face. “What’s happened? What’s wrong?”
    He listened, trembling, then quietly dropped the receiver back on the hook and turned to his wife.
    “What is it?” she said. “What’s happened?”
    “I’m not sure,” George said slowly. “She says—” he faltered, then blurted out, “Judy tried to kill herself.”

7
    Judy Nelson lay propped up in bed, glaring at the nurse who was adjusting the bandages on her wrists. In one corner of the room her bloodstained clothes lay in a pile: she had refused to allow them to be taken away, and rather than provoke a scene the