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again。”
He folded the screen aside； and a light that was brighter than that in the hallway greeted us。
The room he revealed gave me a strange feeling of vertigo—probably because it was so much taller than
it was wide。 Standing inside it was like standing in a tower or a silo； not that I had ever been in such
places； but those were the parisons Melanie made。 The ceiling； twice as high as the room was wide；
was a maze of cracks。 Like vines of light； the cracks circled around and almost met。 This seemed
dangerous to me—unstable。 But Jeb showed no fear of cave…ins as he led me farther in。
There was a double…sized mattress on the floor； with about a yard of space on three sides of it。 The two
pillows and two blankets twisted into two separate configurations on either half of the mattress made it
look as if this room housed a couple。 A thick wooden pole—something like a rake handle—was braced
horizontally against the far wall at shoulder height with the ends lodged in two of the Swiss cheese holes
in the rock。 Over it were draped a handful of T…shirts and two pairs of jeans。 A wooden stool was flush
with the wall beside the makeshift clothes rack； and on the floor beneath it was a stack of worn
paperback books。
“Who？” I said to Jeb； whispering again。 This space so obviously belonged to someone that I no longer
felt like we were alone。
“Just one of the guys out on the raid。 Won’t be back for a while。 We’ll find you something by then。”
I didn’t like it—not the room； but the idea of staying in it。 The presence of the owner was strong despite
the simple belongings。 No matter who he was； he would not be happy to have me here。 He would hate it。
Jeb seemed to read my mind—or maybe the expression on my face was clear enough that he didn’t
have to。
“Now； now；” he said。 “Don’t worry about that。 This ismy house； and this is just one of my many guest
rooms。 I say who is and isn’t my guest。 Right now； you are my guest； and I am offering you this room。”
I still didn’t like it； but I wasn’t going to upset Jeb； either。 I vowed that I would disturb nothing； if it
meant sleeping on the floor。
“Well； let’s keep moving。 Don’t forget： third from the left； seventh in。”
“Green screen；” I added。
“Exactly。”
Jeb took me back through the big garden room； around the perimeter to the opposite side； and through
the biggest tunnel exit。 When we passed the irrigators； they stiffened and turned； afraid to have me behind
their backs。
“We go even closer to the surface now。 It gets drier； but it gets hotter； too。”
I noticed that almost immediately。 Instead of being steamed； we were now being baked。 The air was less
stuffy and stale。 I could taste the desert dust。
There were more voices ahead。 I tried to steel myself against the inevitable reaction。 If Jeb insisted on
treating me like… like a human； like a wele guest； I was going to have to get used to this。 No reason
to let it make me nauseous over and over again。 My stomach began an unhappy rolling anyway。
“This way’s the kitchen；” Jeb told me。
At first I thought we were in another tunnel； one crowded with people。 I pressed myself against the wall；
trying to keep my distance。
The kitchen was a long corridor with a high ceiling； higher than it was wide； like my new quarters。 The
light was bright and hot。 Instead of thin crevices through deep rock； this place had huge open holes。
“Can’t cook in the daytime； of course。 Smoke； you know。 So we mainly use this as the mess hall until
nightfall。”
All conversation had e to an abrupt halt； so Jeb’s words were clear for everyone to hear。 I tried to
hide behind him； but he kept walking farther in。
We’d interrupted breakfast； or maybe it was lunch。
The humans—almost twenty at a quick estimate—were very close here。 It wasn’t like the big cavern。 I
wanted to keep my eyes on the floor； but I couldn’t stop them from flashing around the room。 Just in
case。 I could feel my body tensing to run for it； though where I would run； I didn’t know。
Against both sides of the hallway； there were long piles of rock。 Mostly rough； purple volcanic stone；
with some lighter…colored substance—cement？—running between them； creating seams； holding them
together。 On top of these piles were different stones； browner in color； and flat。 They were glued
together with the light gray grout as well。 The final product was a relatively even surface； like a counter or
a table。 It was clear that they were used for both。
The humans sat on some； leaned on others。 I recognized the bread rolls they held suspended between
the table and their mouths； frozen with disbelief as they took in Jeb and his one…person tour。
Some of them were familiar。 Sharon； Maggie； and the doctor were the closest group to me。 Melanie’s
cousin and aunt glared at Jeb furiously—I had an odd conviction that I could have stood on my head and
bellowed songs out of Melanie’s memory at the top of my lungs and they still would not have looked at
me—but the doctor eyed me with a frank and almost friendly curiosity that made me feel cold deep
inside my bones。
At the back end of the hall…shaped room； I recognized the tall man with ink black hair and my heart
stuttered。 I’d thought Jared was supposed to take the hostile brothers with him to make Jeb’s job of
keeping me alive slightly easier。 At least it was the younger one； Ian； who had belatedly developed a
conscience—not quite as bad as leaving Kyle behind。 That consolation did not slow my racing pulse；
however。
“Lost our appetites；” Maggie muttered。
“How ’bout you；” he said； turning to me。 “You hungry？”
A quiet groan went through our audience。
I shook my head—a small but frantic motion。 I didn’t even know whether I was hungry； but I knew I
couldn’t eat in front of this crowd that would gladly have eaten me。
“Well； I am；” Jeb grumbled。 He walked down the aisle between the counters； but I did not follow。 I
couldn’t stand the thought of being within easy reach of the rest。 I stayed pressed against the wall where I
sto