ninety years past arguing, and yet Sheridan argued it anyway. “No, it didn’t.”
“Religion,” Jeth said with a scoff, “was a compilation of superstition and wishful thinking—which wouldn’t have been so bad if its members hadn’t been so intent on killing one another.”
Sheridan glared at him. She knew Taylor didn’t approve. Her sister was sending her wide-eyed pleadings to shut up and sound happy. But Sheridan didn’t. “My father was a minister,” she said. “The whole point of churches was to help people.”
Sheridan waited for Taylor to back her up, to defend their father. Taylor had been drafted into church service projects right alongside the rest of the family. They had served food at the soup kitchen, pulled weeds at the homes of the elderly, collected blankets for the homeless, and raised money for shelters, cancer patients, and whatever organization her father was feeling sorry for at the time.
It wasn’t Taylor who spoke; it was Echo. His voice was gentle but firm. A warning. “Religion doesn’t exist anymore, and you shouldn’t speak of it again. People will think you’re intolerant and have violent tendencies.”
Elise broke into the conversation, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “Sheridan lost her home today. Don’t pry her beliefs away from her too.”
The comment brought an immediate change to Jeth. He nodded, and his tone turned coaxing. “We don’t mean to upset you. These changes are coming very quickly for you. Relax for now. You can take each new idea slowly—as slowly as you need.”
Sheridan let out an exasperated huff. Great. Now they thought she was stupid.
Well, she wasn’t. She was a straight-A student in honors classes. The only one who ever made her feel stupid was Taylor, and that wasn’t on purpose—it just naturally happened when your twin had the IQ of Einstein.
Sheridan shot Taylor a last pleading glance. If you won’t defend me or Dad, at least defend your convictions .
Taylor looked away from Sheridan without uttering a word.
Sheridan turned back to the window, stared unseeing out it. Jeth changed the subject to Virtual Reality centers, where people could pretend to be different characters in stories; then Elise told them about dancing parties called darties. Taylor happily asked them questions.
Fine. Let Taylor talk. Apparently she didn’t need to take new ideas slowly.
Echo leaned toward Sheridan; his voice was still gentle. “You told me you were the quiet one. I don’t think I believe you about that.”
“Just wait. I’m going to be really quiet from now on.”
He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. “You also said Taylor was the daring one. That doesn’t seem right either. It’s very daring to profess outlawed beliefs.”
But not smart. Taylor was still the smart one.
Echo’s gaze returned to Sheridan. “Now I’m not sure how to categorize you.”
“I thought you already had plenty of categories for me.”
He looked at her quizzically, but she didn’t want to elaborate. She turned the topic to him. “What about you?” she asked. “How did you compare to your twin?”
He hesitated, then said, “I’m the lucky one, because I got to meet you.”
For a moment she thought he was flirting. Then she decided he probably just meant she was interesting in a historical way. Or maybe he meant he was lucky to be the one alive.
Before she could say anything else, a shrill beeping noise sounded from Jeth’s belt. He looked at his comlink. “It’s Helix.”
“ Sangre ,” Echo said. “They must have found Tyler Sherwood.”
Sangre . Spanish for “blood.” It seemed like an odd swearword to Sheridan. But then, maybe when you didn’t believe in a deity, all that was left to swear by was blood.
Jeth stood up and pushed a button on his comlink. Immediately the far wall flickered with light, then turned on like a movie screen. The man with the black-and-gray-striped hair looked out at them.
Jeth walked closer to the wall
“Religion,” Jeth said with a scoff, “was a compilation of superstition and wishful thinking—which wouldn’t have been so bad if its members hadn’t been so intent on killing one another.”
Sheridan glared at him. She knew Taylor didn’t approve. Her sister was sending her wide-eyed pleadings to shut up and sound happy. But Sheridan didn’t. “My father was a minister,” she said. “The whole point of churches was to help people.”
Sheridan waited for Taylor to back her up, to defend their father. Taylor had been drafted into church service projects right alongside the rest of the family. They had served food at the soup kitchen, pulled weeds at the homes of the elderly, collected blankets for the homeless, and raised money for shelters, cancer patients, and whatever organization her father was feeling sorry for at the time.
It wasn’t Taylor who spoke; it was Echo. His voice was gentle but firm. A warning. “Religion doesn’t exist anymore, and you shouldn’t speak of it again. People will think you’re intolerant and have violent tendencies.”
Elise broke into the conversation, her eyes brimming with sympathy. “Sheridan lost her home today. Don’t pry her beliefs away from her too.”
The comment brought an immediate change to Jeth. He nodded, and his tone turned coaxing. “We don’t mean to upset you. These changes are coming very quickly for you. Relax for now. You can take each new idea slowly—as slowly as you need.”
Sheridan let out an exasperated huff. Great. Now they thought she was stupid.
Well, she wasn’t. She was a straight-A student in honors classes. The only one who ever made her feel stupid was Taylor, and that wasn’t on purpose—it just naturally happened when your twin had the IQ of Einstein.
Sheridan shot Taylor a last pleading glance. If you won’t defend me or Dad, at least defend your convictions .
Taylor looked away from Sheridan without uttering a word.
Sheridan turned back to the window, stared unseeing out it. Jeth changed the subject to Virtual Reality centers, where people could pretend to be different characters in stories; then Elise told them about dancing parties called darties. Taylor happily asked them questions.
Fine. Let Taylor talk. Apparently she didn’t need to take new ideas slowly.
Echo leaned toward Sheridan; his voice was still gentle. “You told me you were the quiet one. I don’t think I believe you about that.”
“Just wait. I’m going to be really quiet from now on.”
He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. “You also said Taylor was the daring one. That doesn’t seem right either. It’s very daring to profess outlawed beliefs.”
But not smart. Taylor was still the smart one.
Echo’s gaze returned to Sheridan. “Now I’m not sure how to categorize you.”
“I thought you already had plenty of categories for me.”
He looked at her quizzically, but she didn’t want to elaborate. She turned the topic to him. “What about you?” she asked. “How did you compare to your twin?”
He hesitated, then said, “I’m the lucky one, because I got to meet you.”
For a moment she thought he was flirting. Then she decided he probably just meant she was interesting in a historical way. Or maybe he meant he was lucky to be the one alive.
Before she could say anything else, a shrill beeping noise sounded from Jeth’s belt. He looked at his comlink. “It’s Helix.”
“ Sangre ,” Echo said. “They must have found Tyler Sherwood.”
Sangre . Spanish for “blood.” It seemed like an odd swearword to Sheridan. But then, maybe when you didn’t believe in a deity, all that was left to swear by was blood.
Jeth stood up and pushed a button on his comlink. Immediately the far wall flickered with light, then turned on like a movie screen. The man with the black-and-gray-striped hair looked out at them.
Jeth walked closer to the wall
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