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Authors: Octavia E. Butler
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her.
PAST 9
Within twenty-four hours, Eli had infected everyone on the mountaintop ranch. He had also talked the old man, Gabriel
Boyd, into giving him a job as a handyman. Boyd was not willing to pay much more than room and board, but room
and board was all Eli really wanted-a chance to stay and perhaps save some of these people.
He was given a cot in a back room that had been used for storage. He was given his meals with the family, and he
worked alongside the men of the family. He knew nothing about ranching or building houses, but he was strong and
willing and quick. Also, he knew his Bible. This in particular impressed both the old man and his wife. Few people
read the Bible now, except as literature. Religion was about as far out of fashion as it had ever been in the United
States-a reaction against the intense religious feeling at the turn of the century. But Eli had been a boy preacher during
that strange, not entirely sane time. He had been precocious and sincere, had read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation,
and could still talk about it knowledgeably. Also, Eli knew how to be easygoing and personable, a refugee from the
city, grateful to be away from the city. He knew how to win people over even as he condemned them to illness and
possible death.
He wanted them all to start showing symptoms at about the same time, and he wanted that time to be soon. Left to
themselves, infected people feeling their symptoms tended to huddle together in an us-against-the-world attitude. If
everyone became ill at the same time, he would have less trouble keeping individuals from trying to go for help. He had
started what could become an epidemic. Now, if he were going to be able to live with himself at all, he had to contain
it.
He worked hard on the house that was intended for the son named Christian-Chris to everyone but his father.
Christian's wife Gwyn was going to have a baby and Christian had decided that the house would be finished before the
baby arrived. Eli did not know or care whether this was possible, but he liked Christian and Gwyn. He worried about
what the disease might do to a pregnant woman and her child. Whatever happened would be his fault.
Sometimes guilt and fear rode him very nearly into insanity, and only the exhausting hard work of building kept him
connected to the world outside himself. He liked these people. They were decent, kind, and in spite of the angry God
they worshipped, they were remarkably peaceful and uncorrupted by the cynicism and violence outside. They were
good people." Yet it was inevitable that some of them would die.
The daughter Meda was doing her best to add to his burdens by seducing him. She had no subtlety, did not attempt any.
"I'd like to sleep with you," she told him when she got her courage up. He had known since he met her that she wanted
to sleep with someone, and would settle for him. He fended her off gently.
"Girl, what are you trying to do? Get yourself in trouble and get me shot? Your people have been good to me."
"They wouldn't," she said, "if I told them who you are. They think heaven is only for God and his chosen."
He became serious. "Don't play games with me, Meda. I like your honesty and I like you, but don't threaten me."
She grinned. "You know I wouldn't tell."
"I know."
"And if I can keep one secret, I can keep two." She touched his face. "I'm not going to let you alone."
Her touch produced an interesting tingle. She was coming into her time. He had apparently arrived just after her time of
fertility the month before. That had been a blessing. He had been able to avoid the other two young women, but Meda
would not let him avoid her. Now, she had no idea the trouble she was courting. She probably imagined a romantic
interlude. She did not imagine being thrown on the rocky ground and hurt-inevitably hurt.
"No," he said, pushing her away. She was still smiling when he turned from her and
her.
PAST 9
Within twenty-four hours, Eli had infected everyone on the mountaintop ranch. He had also talked the old man, Gabriel
Boyd, into giving him a job as a handyman. Boyd was not willing to pay much more than room and board, but room
and board was all Eli really wanted-a chance to stay and perhaps save some of these people.
He was given a cot in a back room that had been used for storage. He was given his meals with the family, and he
worked alongside the men of the family. He knew nothing about ranching or building houses, but he was strong and
willing and quick. Also, he knew his Bible. This in particular impressed both the old man and his wife. Few people
read the Bible now, except as literature. Religion was about as far out of fashion as it had ever been in the United
States-a reaction against the intense religious feeling at the turn of the century. But Eli had been a boy preacher during
that strange, not entirely sane time. He had been precocious and sincere, had read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation,
and could still talk about it knowledgeably. Also, Eli knew how to be easygoing and personable, a refugee from the
city, grateful to be away from the city. He knew how to win people over even as he condemned them to illness and
possible death.
He wanted them all to start showing symptoms at about the same time, and he wanted that time to be soon. Left to
themselves, infected people feeling their symptoms tended to huddle together in an us-against-the-world attitude. If
everyone became ill at the same time, he would have less trouble keeping individuals from trying to go for help. He had
started what could become an epidemic. Now, if he were going to be able to live with himself at all, he had to contain
it.
He worked hard on the house that was intended for the son named Christian-Chris to everyone but his father.
Christian's wife Gwyn was going to have a baby and Christian had decided that the house would be finished before the
baby arrived. Eli did not know or care whether this was possible, but he liked Christian and Gwyn. He worried about
what the disease might do to a pregnant woman and her child. Whatever happened would be his fault.
Sometimes guilt and fear rode him very nearly into insanity, and only the exhausting hard work of building kept him
connected to the world outside himself. He liked these people. They were decent, kind, and in spite of the angry God
they worshipped, they were remarkably peaceful and uncorrupted by the cynicism and violence outside. They were
good people." Yet it was inevitable that some of them would die.
The daughter Meda was doing her best to add to his burdens by seducing him. She had no subtlety, did not attempt any.
"I'd like to sleep with you," she told him when she got her courage up. He had known since he met her that she wanted
to sleep with someone, and would settle for him. He fended her off gently.
"Girl, what are you trying to do? Get yourself in trouble and get me shot? Your people have been good to me."
"They wouldn't," she said, "if I told them who you are. They think heaven is only for God and his chosen."
He became serious. "Don't play games with me, Meda. I like your honesty and I like you, but don't threaten me."
She grinned. "You know I wouldn't tell."
"I know."
"And if I can keep one secret, I can keep two." She touched his face. "I'm not going to let you alone."
Her touch produced an interesting tingle. She was coming into her time. He had apparently arrived just after her time of
fertility the month before. That had been a blessing. He had been able to avoid the other two young women, but Meda
would not let him avoid her. Now, she had no idea the trouble she was courting. She probably imagined a romantic
interlude. She did not imagine being thrown on the rocky ground and hurt-inevitably hurt.
"No," he said, pushing her away. She was still smiling when he turned from her and
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