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〃I know that but I still have to get him down。〃
〃Coax him back in；〃 she said。 〃Be sensitive and caring。 Get him to talk about himself。 Don't make sudden movements。〃
When I got to the attic he was already back inside； standing by the open window； still looking through the glasses。 Abandoned possessions were everywhere； oppressive and soul…worrying； creating a weather of their own among the exposed beams and posts； the fiberglass insulation pads。
〃What happened？〃
'The radio said a tank car derailed。 But I don't think it derailed from what I could see。 I think it got rammed and something punched a hole in it。 There's a lot of smoke and I don't like the looks of it。〃
〃What does it look like？〃
He handed me the binoculars and stepped aside。 Without climbing onto the ledge I couldn't see the switching yard and the car or cars in question。 But the smoke was plainly visible； a heavy black mass hanging in the air beyond the river； more or less shapeless。
〃Did you see fire engines？〃
〃They're all over the place；〃 he said。 〃But it looks to me like they're not getting too close。 It must be pretty toxic or pretty explosive stuff； or both。〃
〃It won't e this way。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃It just won't。 The point is you shouldn't be standing on icy ledges。 It worries Baba。〃
〃You think if you tell me it worries her； I'll feel guilty and not do it。 But if you tell me it worries you； I'll do it all the time。〃
〃Shut the window；〃 I told him。
We went down to the kitchen。 Steffie was looking through the brightly colored mail for coupons； lotteries and contests。 This was the last day of the holiday break for the grade school and high school。 Classes on the Hill would resume in a week。 I sent Heinrich outside to clear snow from the walk。 I watched him stand out there； utterly still； his head turned slightly； a honed awareness in his stance。 It took me a while to realize he was listening to the sirens beyond the river。
An hour later he was back in the attic； this time with a radio and highway map。 I climbed the narrow stairs； borrowed the glasses and looked again。 It was still there； a slightly larger accumulation； a towering mass in fact； maybe a little blacker now。
〃The radio calls it a feathery plume；〃 he said。 〃But it's not a plume。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃Like a shapeless growing thing。 A dark black breathing thing of smoke。 Why do they call it a plume？〃
〃Air time is valuable。 They can't go into long tortured descriptions。 Have they said what kind of chemical it is？〃
〃It's called Nyodene Derivative or Nyodene D。 It was in a movie we saw in school on toxic wastes。 These videotaped rats。〃
〃What does it cause？〃
'The movie wasn't sure what it does to humans。 Mainly it was rats growing urgent lumps。〃
〃That's what the movie said。 What does the radio say？〃
〃At first they said skin irritation and sweaty palms。 But now they say nausea； vomiting； shortness of breath。〃
〃This is human nausea we're talking about。 Not rats。〃
〃Not rats；〃 he said。
I gave him the binoculars。
〃Well it won't e this way。〃
〃How do you know？〃 he said。
〃I just know。 It's perfectly calm and still today。 And when there's a wind at this time of year； it blows that way； not this way。〃
〃What if it blows this way？〃
〃It won't。〃
〃Just this one time。〃
〃It won't。 Why should it？〃
He paused a beat and said in a flat tone； 'They just closed part of the interstate。〃
'They would want to do that； of course。〃
〃Why？〃
'They just would。 A sensible precaution。 A way to facilitate movement of service vehicles and such。 Any number of reasons that have nothing to do with wind or wind direction。〃
Babette's head appeared at the top of the stairway。 She said a neighbor had told her the spill from the tank car was thirty…five thousand gallons。 People were being told to stay out of the area。 A feathery plume hung over the site。 She also said the girls were plaining of sweaty palms。
'There's been a correction；〃 Heinrich told her。 'Tell them they ought to be throwing up。〃
A helicopter flew over； headed in the direction of the accident。 The voice on the radio said： 〃Available for a limited time only with optional megabyte hard disk。〃
Babette's head sank out of sight。 I watched Heinrich tape the road map to two posts。 Then I went down to the kitchen to pay some bills； aware of colored spots whirling atomically somewhere to the right and behind me。
Steffie said； 〃Can you see the feathery plume from the attic window？〃
〃It's not a plume。〃
〃But will we have to leave our homes？〃
〃Of course not。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I just know。〃
〃Remember how we couldn't go to school？〃
'That was inside。 This is outside。〃
We heard police sirens blowing。 I watched Steffie's lips form the sequence： wow wow wow wow。 She smiled in a certain way when she saw me watching； as though gently startled out of some absent…minded pleasure。
Denise walked in； rubbing her hands on her jeans。
〃They're using snow…blowers to blow stuff onto the spill；〃 she said。
〃What kind of stuff？〃
〃I don't know but it's supposed to make the spill harmless； which doesn't explain what they're doing about the actual plume。〃
〃They're keeping it from getting bigger；〃 I said。 〃When do we eat？〃
〃I don't know but if it gets any bigger it'll get here with or without a wind。〃
〃It won't get here；〃 I said。
〃How do you know？〃
〃Because it won't。〃
She looked at her palms and went upstairs。 The phone rang。 Babette walked into the kitchen and picked it up。 She looked at me as she listened。 I wrote two checks； periodically glancing up to see if she was still looking at me。 She seemed to study my face for the hidden meaning of the message she was receiving。 I puckered my lips in a way I knew she disliked。
'That was the Stovers；〃 she said。 〃They spoke directly with the weather center outside Glassboro。 They're not calling it a feathery plume anymore。〃
〃What are they calling it？〃
〃A black billowing cloud。〃
〃That's a little more accurate； which means they're ing to grips with the thing。