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don’t you？ You have to wake up first； though。”
Her face was empty； her hand motionless。
“So you don’t care for change。 Can’t say that I blame you。 I don’t want change to e； either。 Are
you like me？ Do you wish the summer could last？”
If I hadn’t been watching her face so closely； I wouldn’t have seen the tiny flicker of her lids。
“You like summertime； do you？” I asked hopefully。
Her lips twitched。
“Summer？”
Her hand trembled。
“Is that your name—Summer？ Summer？ That’s a pretty name。”
Her hand tightened into a fist； and her lips parted。
“e back； Summer。 I know you can do it。 Summer？ Listen to me； Summer。 Open your eyes；
Summer。”
Her eyes blinked rapidly。
“Doc！” I called over my shoulder。 “Doc； wake up！”
“Huh？”
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
I
know it’s hard。 Summer； Summer； Summer。 Open your eyes。”
Her face grimaced—was she in pain？
“Bring the No Pain； Doc。 Hurry。”
The woman squeezed my hand； and her eyes opened。 They didn’t focus at first； just whirled around the
bright cave。 What a strange； unexpected sight this place must have been for her。
“You’re going to be all right； Summer。 You’re going to be fine。 Can you hear me； Summer？”
Her eyes wheeled back to me； the pupils constricting。 She stared； absorbing my face。 Then she cringed
away from me； twisting on the cot to escape。 A low； hoarse cry of panic broke through her lips。
“No； no； no；” she cried。 “No more。”
“Doc！”
He was there； on the other side of the cot； like before； when we were operating。
“It’s okay； ma’am；” he assured her。 “No one is going to hurt you here。”
The woman had her eyes squeezed shut； and she recoiled into the thin mattress。
“I think her name is Summer。”
He flashed a look at me and then made a face。 “Eyes； Wanda；” he breathed。
I blinked and realized that the sun was on my face。 “Oh。” I let the woman pull her hand free。
“Don’t； please；” the woman begged。 “Not again。”
“Shh；” Doc murmured。 “Summer？ People call me Doc。 No one’s going to do anything to you。 You’re
going to be fine。”
I eased away from them； into the shadows。
“Don’t call me that！” the woman sobbed。 “That’s not my name！ It’s hers； it’s hers！ Don’t say it again！”
I’d gotten the wrong name。
Mel objected to the guilt that washed through me。It’s not your fault。 Summer is a human name； too。
“Of course not；” Doc promised。 “What isyour name？”
“I—I—I don’t know！” she wailed。 “What happened？ Who was I？ Don’t make me be someone else
again。”
She tossed and thrashed on the cot。
“Who are you？” she demanded。 “Who’s she？ She’s like… like I was。 I saw her eyes！”
“I’m Doc。 And I’m human； just like you。 See？” He moved his face into the light and blinked at her。
“We’re both just ourselves。 There are lots of humans here。 They’ll be so happy to meet you。”
She cringed again。 “Humans！ I’m afraid of humans。”
“No； you’re not。 The… person who used to be in your body was afraid of humans。 She was a soul；
remember that？ And then remember before that； before she was there？ You were human then； and you
are again。”
“I can’t remember my name；” she told him in a panicked voice。
“I know。 It’ll e back。”
“Are you a doctor？”
“I am。”
“I was… she was； too。 A… Healer。 Like a doctor。 She was Summer Song。 Who am I？”
“We’ll find out。 I promise you that。”
I edged toward the exit。 Trudy would be a good person to help Doc； or maybe Heidi。 Someone with a
calming face。
“She’s not human！” the woman whispered urgently to Doc； her eye caught by my movement。
“She’s a friend； don’t be afraid。 She helped me bring you back。”
“Where is Summer Song？ She was scared。 There were humans。…”
I ducked out the door while she was distracted。
I heard Doc answer the question behind me。 “She’s going to a new planet。 Do you remember where she
was before she came here？”
I could guess what her answer would be from the name。
“She was… a Bat？ She could fly。… She could sing。… I remember… but it was… not here。 Where am
I？”
I hurried down the hall to find help for Doc。 I was surprised when I saw the light of the great cavern
ahead—surprised because it was so quiet。 Usually you could hear voices before you saw the light。 It was
the middle of the day。 There should have been someone in the big garden room； if only crossing through。
I walked out into the bright noon light； and the giant space was empty。
I stood very still； trying to hear something。 The huge cavern was silent； and the silence was ominous。
Where was everyone？
Had they evacuated without me？ A pang of fear and hurt shot through me。 But they wouldn’t have left
without Doc； of course。 They would never leave Doc。 I wanted to dart back through the long tunnel to
make sure Doc had not disappeared； too。
They wouldn’t go without us； either； silly。 Jared and Jamie and Ian wouldn’t leave us behind。
You’re right。 You’re right。 Let’s… check the kitchen？
I jogged down the silent corridor； getting more anxious as the silence continued。 Maybe it was my
imagination； and the loud thumping of my pulse in my ears。 Of course there must be something to hear。 If
I could calm down and slow my breathing； I’d be able to hear voices。
But I reached the kitchen and it was empty； too。 Empty of people。 On the tables； half…eaten lunches had
been abandoned。 Peanut butter on the last of the soft bread。 Apples and warm cans of soda。
My stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten at all today； but I barely noted the twist of hunger。 The
panic was so much stronger。
What if… what if we didn’t evacuate soon enough？
No！Mel gasped。No； we would have heard something！ Someone would have… or there would be…
They’d still be here； looking for us。 They wouldn’t give up until they’d checked everywhere。 So
that can’t be it。
Unless they’re looking for us now。
I spun back toward the door； my eyes darting through the shadows。
I had to go warn Doc。 We had to get out of here