按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
“Show’s over；” Jeb said gruffly； looking at Ian and the doctor。 “Go do something useful。”
Ian rolled his eyes at the doctor； but they both turned good…naturedly enough and made their way
toward the biggest exit—the one that led to the kitchen； I remembered。 Jamie hesitated； looking after
them but not moving。
“You e with me；” Jeb told him； slightly less gruff this time。 “I’ve got a job for you。”
“Okay；” Jamie said。 I could see that he was pleased to have been chosen。
Jamie walked beside me again as we headed back toward the sleeping…quarters section of the caves。 I
was surprised； as we chose the third passageway from the left； that Jamie seemed to know exactly where
we were going。 Jeb was slightly behind us； but Jamie stopped at once when we reached the green screen
in； not sure what to do with myself。 Melanie remembered that there were books here； but I reminded her
of my vow to not touch anything。
“I got things to do； kid；” Jeb said to Jamie。 “Food ain’t gonna fix itself； you know。 You up to guard
duty？”
“Sure；” Jamie said with a bright smile。 His thin chest swelled with a deep breath。
My eyes widened in disbelief as I watched Jeb place the rifle in Jamie’s eager hands。
“Are youcrazy？ ” I shouted。 My voice was so loud that I didn’t recognize it at first。 It felt like I’d been
whispering forever。
Jeb and Jamie looked up at me； shocked。 I was out in the hallway with them in a second。
I almost reached for the hard metal of the barrel； almost ripped it from the boy’s hands。 What stopped
me wasn’t the knowledge that a move like that would surely get me killed。 What stopped me was the fact
that I was weaker than the humans in this way； even to save the boy； I could not make myself touch the
weapon。
I turned on Jeb instead。
“What are you thinking？ Giving the weapon to a child？ He could kill himself！”
“Jamie’s been through enough to be called a man； I think。 He knows how to handle himself around a
gun。”
Jamie’s shoulders straightened at Jeb’s praise； and he gripped the gun tighter to his chest。
I gaped at Jeb’s stupidity。 “What if they e for me with him here？ Did you think of what could
happen？ This isn’t a joke！ They’ll hurt him to get to me！”
Jeb remained calm； his face placid。 “Don’t think there’ll be any trouble today。 I’d bet on it。”
“Well； I wouldn’t！” I was yelling again。 My voice echoed off the tunnel walls—someone was sure to
hear； but I didn’t care。 Better they e while Jeb was still here。 “If you’re so sure； then leave me here
alone。 Let what happens happen。 But don’t put Jamie in danger！”
“Is it the kid you’re worried about； or are you just afraid that he’ll turn the gun on you？” Jeb asked； his
voice almost languid。
I blinked； my anger derailed。 That thought had not even occurred to me。 I glanced blankly at Jamie； met
his surprised gaze； and saw that the idea was shocking to him； too。
It took me a minute to recover my side of the argument； and by the time I did； Jeb’s expression had
changed。 His eyes were intent； his mouth pursed—as if he were about to fit the last piece into a
boy out of this。”
Jeb’s sudden face…wide grin reminded me； strangely； of a pouncing cat。
“It’s my house； kid； and I’ll do what I want。 I always do。”
Jeb turned his back and ambled away down the hall； whistling as he went。 I watched him go； my mouth
hanging open。 When he disappeared； I turned to Jamie； who was watching me with a sullen expression。
“I’m not a child；” he muttered in a deeper tone than usual； his chin jutting out belligerently。 “Now； you
should… you should go in your room。”
The order was less than severe； but there was nothing else I could do。 I’d lost this disagreement by a
large margin。
I sat down with my back against the rock that formed one side of the cave opening—the side where I
could hide behind the half…opened screen but still watch Jamie。 I wrapped my arms around my legs and
began doing what I knew I would be doing as long as this insane situation continued： I worried。
I also strained my eyes and ears for some sound of approach； to be ready。 No matter what Jeb said； I
would prevent anyone from challenging Jamie’s guard。 I would give myself up before they asked。
Yes；Melanie agreed succinctly。
Jamie stood in the hallway for a few minutes； the gun tight in his hands； unsure as to how to do his job。
He started pacing after that； back and forth in front of the screen； but he seemed to feel silly after a
couple of passes。 Then he sat down on the floor beside the open end of the screen。 The gun eventually
settled on his folded legs； and his chin into his cupped hands。 After a long time； he sighed。 Guard duty
was not as exciting as he’d been expecting。
I did not get bored watching him。
After maybe an hour or two； he started looking at me again； flickering glances。 His lips opened a few
times； and then he thought better of whatever he was going to say。
I laid my chin on my knees and waited as he struggled。 My patience was rewarded。
“That planet you were ing from before you were in Melanie；” he finally said。 “What was it like there？
Was it like here？”
The direction of his thoughts caught me off guard。 “No；” I said。 With only Jamie here； it felt right to
speak normally instead of whispering。 “No； it was very different。”
“Will you tell me what it was like？” he asked； cocking his head to one side the way he used to when he
was really interested in one of Melanie’s bedtime stories。
So I told him。
He listened with wide eyes and a fascinated smile。
“Is that the only other place？” he asked when I fell silent； trying to think of anything I’d missed。 “Are the
See Weeds”—he laughed once at the pun—“the only other aliens？”
I laughed； too。 “Hardly。 No more than I’m the only alien on this world。”
“Tell me。”
So I told him about the Bats on the Singing World—how it was to live in musical blindness； how it was
to fly。 I told him about the Mists Planet—how it felt to have thick white fur and