Days longer. Each second, each moment stuck away from Huck, a bitterness and an ache lingered in Tom. Each moment stuck in this life made Tom feel useless. There was nothing he could do but breathe. He still hadn't finished his homework from days-- now weeks-- ago.
And each day made it harder to go backâhe had so much to do and prepare for before he could come back.
Today he was staying in the woods, his refuge from everyone.
Becky wouldn't be happy if he couldn't get it together. And if he couldn't get it together, she would think he needed more time, again. And... Tom closed his eyes to the forest. She was right. He did need more time.
He couldn't be at home-- Aunt Polly would walk him up to school herself. And he couldn't go to school, because he wasn't prepared for anything waiting there.
The only option was to come here to the woods by the river, where he used to go all the time when things were simple. The place he stopped going because it had gotten too lonely.
Right now, it was his only safe place. No one could help him. So he just went and went to the woods. And Aunt Polly and Sid never said anything.