Read Online The Creative Fire: 1 (Ruby's Song) by Brenda Cooper - Free Book Online Page B

at home.
    “Rruuuuuuby.”
    Marcelle, calling her. Loud as a three-year-old, as always. Ruby waited for her to catch up. “How did it go?”
    Marcelle grinned. “The kids are damned cute. The extras put a stretch on lessons.”
    “Still got the five-year-olds?”
    “Seven-year-old boys. It’s a promotion.”
    “It’s ’cause you know how to say no.”
    “Are you ready?” Marcelle asked.
    “If Onor would hurry up.”
    “He’s always here when you don’t want him.”
    “And never here when I do.” That wasn’t really fair. “He’s been my friend forever.”
    “He follows you around.”
    So do you . Ruby almost said it out loud. Nerves? That was probably what was getting to her stomach, too. The fluttering of her dreams. No, not dreams. Needs. “They’ll be here soon.”
    “I heard about your story at work today. From one of the regular B-pod teachers. A little bit of a thing, shy as anything. She sidled up to me and almost whispered, wanting to know if I knew you.”
    “What’d you say?”
    “I said yes. She wants to know if you’re really going to get us a better life.”
    “Tell her I’ll try, but I need help.” She eyed the reds, still some distance away, and still not noticing her.
    Marcelle grinned. “It has to be Hugh and Lya, or that old man. Spreading stories about you.”
    “Lies, too, from the sound of it.”
    Marcelle pointed. “Speak of the devil.”
    The ravages to Hugh’s face had subsided to a red scar and the yellowed ghosts of bruises. He and Lya held hands. Onor walked on Lya’s other side. All three looked tired and worn out, and Lya had a fresh red scratch across one cheek. Behind them, a couple of runners came up and then passed, moving easily right next to each other and talking in low tones. By the time the runners were out of earshot, the others all caught up.
    Ruby wrinkled her nose at Onor, who stank of stale shipsuit and sweat.
    Her pacing had taken them a bit away from the grouping of three benches she’d chosen for them to use, so she started back, the other four following her.
    “I still think it would have been easier to use Kyle’s place while he’s at work,” Onor said.
    Ruby ignored him. The park and common were always recorded, and the recordings were kept for a long time, maybe forever.
    She sat and gestured for the others to sit, making a circle on the fake grass. She took out her journal and balanced it on her knees, screen off private, mic open. Then she sat up straight and took a deep breath.
    “Go on,” Marcelle whispered.
    Onor and Kyle and Lya watched her silently.
    “Request to speak with Ix,” she said, enunciating with care and maybe a bit too loud.
    All journals were programmed to pass messages to Ix. The trick was getting real answers.
    She got in three breaths before an answer came back. “Yes?”
    Ix’s voice. Or at least the computer voice that most often represented Ix. “Yes, Ruby Martin?”
    She plunged right in. “I want to talk about rites of passage.”
    “Such as marriage or the birth of a child?”
    “Passage inward. Passage between. I want to test to pass inward.” Obtuse machine. Ix knew what she wanted, but it was as good at avoiding direct requests it didn’t like as The Jackman was at avoiding orders from reds. “Ix, I demand to know about rites of passage.”
    “Laws,” Hugh whispered.
    Yes, that’s what she’d said wrong. Ix was often literal when it wanted to be obstructive. Ruby felt sure Ix pursued its own goals within the rules that constrained it. Just like she did.
    Ruby rephrased her request. “Laws of Passage. Tell me about the Laws of Passage.”
    “Laws of Passage apply to full adults.”
    She twitched. No fair!
    Hugh spoke louder this time. “Ix, I am a full adult. So is Lya. The other three will be in months.”
    “The Laws of Passage are not currently in effect.”
    Hugh frowned. “Why not?”
    “They aren’t needed right now.”
    Ruby sighed. “So what makes them needed?”
    Ix read