Read Online Earthseed by Pamela Sargent - Free Book Online

and hung from shelves on the wall. Two models of gliders dangled from the ceiling. Zoheret sniffed; the room, as usual, smelled a little of ammonia.
    She sat down while Anoki crooned to the cat. “I don’t know what to do with Mimsy when we start living in the Hollow,” the boy said.
    “She’ll be all right there. Roxana’ll bring her cat, and Serena’s probably going to take that big dog of hers.”
    “Mimsy hates that dog.” The cat jumped off the bed and scratched in the box under it. “How’d your team do?”
    “Better than Red,” she said accusingly. “We got across the river, no thanks to you.”
    “You’re in a wonderful mood.” Anoki bit his lip, as if trying to make a decision. He suddenly reached for her. She sat still, then pulled her head away abruptly as his lips brushed hers.
    She jumped up. “What’s the matter with you? What did you do that for?”
    “Why do you think?”
    “I don’t know.” Embarrassed, she looked away from him.
    “I thought you had some feelings for me.”
    “I do.”
    “Then why’d you pull away?”
    She raised her eyes. His coppery face was stony; his high cheekbones and strong chin made him look harsh. “Listen, Anoki. I like you. You’re my friend.”
    “I see. Your friend, and that’s all.” His eyes were cold. “You never even noticed. You couldn’t see how I felt. You pity me. I’m not supposed to be like other boys.”
    “That isn’t what I meant. It’s just …” She gestured helplessly with her hands. “I like you. It isn’t that. It’s just that I always got along with you because I knew you wouldn’t act the way some of the other boys do sometimes. You know. We could always be the way we were when we were little kids.”
    “All right, Zoheret. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again, I promise. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable or anything. I made a mistake, that’s all.”
    “Anoki,” she began, but there was little to say. “I’ll see you at supper. All right?”
    “Sure.”
    She left him sitting with his cat.

    The Competition was over.
    Everyone had gathered in the dining room to hear the results. The injured young people sat in the front. Federico still wore a crown of bandages; Brendan sat in a wheelchair, his leg enclosed in a cast. A few other people had sustained injuries, mostly sprains and bruises. Zoheret sat next to Kagami, with Lillka on her other side.
    The teams were beginning to gather in groups. Lillka got up and went to join her team, the Black; Zoheret went to hers, shying away as she brushed against bodies. Almost everyone wore a scarf with a team’s color. Manuel glanced at Zoheret as she sat on the edge of a table, then turned away.
    The room grew quiet. Even before she looked, Zoheret knew that Ho had entered the room. He stood in the doorway for a moment, fingers touching his brown scarf, then went to his team. Someone hissed. Ho smiled slightly. She wondered where he had been hiding.
    “I know,” Ship began in its alto voice, “that you are all anxious to hear the results of the Competition.” The room was still. “I’ll start with last place. That goes to the Red team, with sixty-one hours and forty-one minutes.” Zoheret heard sighs and groans from the front of the room; that had been expected. “But I want to add that the Red team deserves a commendation for finishing the course against great odds. You should be proud.” There were a few desultory cheers.
    “Sixth place goes to the Green team, who made it in forty-nine hours and three minutes. The Green team was cautious, as I discovered in talking with its members, but they deserve credit for coming through without a single major or minor injury.” The Greens groaned and grumbled.
    “Fifth place goes to the Violet team, with a time of forty hours and fifty minutes.” Zoheret stared at Manuel’s back. He was leaning forward, his muscles straining under his thin shirt. If they won, perhaps he would stop being angry with