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His mouth stretched in a grimace, as if he were trying to smile, but his eyes squinched closed and from his throat issued a wail, a cry to heaven unheeding.
We sat frozen, all of us except for Posner. He looked around the room—he looked at me in particular—but none of us responded. I knew I should, should do something, knew that if I truly meant all of that about the religion I professed to have, I should do—something. I couldn’t. I could only look back at Posner with my heart shrivelling as I sat motionless.
Posner rose. He walked up to Hector and laid his hand on Hector’s shoulder as Hector wept. It was the last class that day, and one by one, starting with Timms, we got up and silently left the classroom, darting glances at the front where Hector still sat with his head in his hands, weeping, Posner standing beside him.
I was the last out and I stopped in the doorway, half-turned so I could meet Posner’s eyes. He gave me the same rueful almost-smile that he always had when he spoke to me of Dakin, and nodded, and patted Hector’s arm. I nodded back. The latch made its quiet metallic snick as I closed the door behind me.