He saw a crowd of students gathered and he could heard a high-pitched howling, like a run-over dog. He ran across the grass and pushed his way through to the steps by the side of the arts block. Ray Krueger was standing at the top of the steps, holding onto the steel-pipe railing with both hands. His head was thrown back and there were tears coursing down his face. Dennis Pease was standing close beside him, trying to comfort him, while Clarence the janitor was tugging at his wrists. Several girls from Jim’s class were there, too – Joyce Capistrano and Laura Killmeyer and Dottie Osias – and they were weeping with shock and terror.“Mr Rook!” Clarence called out. “Whatever you do, don’t go touching the handrail!”“What’s happened?” asked Jim, climbing up the concrete steps.“It’s cold, Mr Rook. That handrail’s so cold, you’ll get your hand stuck to it like Ray.”“Stuck to it? What are you talking about?”Dennis said, “He was leaning over the handrail, talking to Laura, and all of a sudden he couldn’t get his hands free.
