It didn’t.By the time Jake had finished cleaning, morning classes had recessed. Some of the inmates headed back to their dorms, others hurried to the basketball courts. Jake took a seat on a bench at one of the picnic tables in the yard, staring at the ground, hungrier than he’d ever been.He sensed someone drawing near and lifted his head, expecting either Atkins, Big Baby, or the kid who had tripped him. Instead a thin black kid stepped onto the bench seat and sat beside him. The kid didn’t say a word, just stared out at the yard, eyes scanning left and right. After a minute he reached inside his coveralls and produced a napkin, using his other arm to conceal the motion as he set it on the table.“Don’t eat it here,” His eyes remained focused across the yard.“What is it?” Jake asked.The kid’s eyebrows pinched together and he glanced at Jake. “Do you care? It’s food.”Jake was so hungry he would have eaten just about anything, but he also didn’t exactly trust anyone at the moment.“Why are you doing this?”“Don’t look at me when you talk.”
