said. “My mom thinks it’s important that I learn all I can about how the world really is, but we still need to save more for tuition.” Rachel added some sugar to her tea. “If I could help Mom with that, it would be great.”
“How the world really is?” Ms. Moore’s eyebrows rose. “Your mother thinks you might learn that at a college?”
“Not just any college.” Rachel was surprised at how loud her voice sounded and she could feel her face getting hot. Ms. Moore had no right to criticize what her mother thought. “She wants me to go to the right kind of college, the kind where they teach the truth about things, not just what they’re supposed to tell you.” Rachel wanted to say more, but she was afraid she had already said too much.
Ms. Moore just smiled. “I’m sure that your mother is right, Rachel,” she said. “Perhaps I’ve just stopped believing that ordinary people are ever told the truth about things.” Ms. Moore stopped speaking then, and for what seemed like a long while she gazed somewhere above Rachel’s head. Rachel was puzzling over what she had said, when Ms. Moore finally stirred, and smiled once again. “I want you to think about our conversation and let me know in a few days. In the meantime you should take some time off from the greenhouse, a little vacation. Jonathan can keep up with the daily maintenance for a short while. If you do take the job you’ll be quite busy with working and studying. A rest first would be good.”
“I don’t even have to think about it, Ms. Moore,” Rachel said. “I know I would like to learn more. I don’t need a rest. I could come in tomorrow morning as usual.” Rachel was relieved that Ms. Moore hadn’t thought better of her offer. “I didn’t mean to be rude about colleges, Ms. Moore.”
“Rachel,” said Ms. Moore, looking at her carefully. “It is never rude to respectfully state one’s opinion. We simply have different thoughts on the subject.” Ms. Moore set her teacup down on the table between them, her movement signaling the end of the meeting as clearly as a judge’s gavel. “Thank you for joining me today. I am glad you want to learn more about the orchids, but I still want you to take a few days for yourself. A bit of free time never hurt anyone. You can start back on Monday.”
Rachel hesitated for a moment, but she knew now was as good a time as any to try to find out more about Ms. Moore’s mysterious past. “Ms. Moore,” she said, keeping her eyes on her teacup, “I was wondering . . .” Rachel had to think about how to go on. “I was wondering whether you ever think of moving to Bensen, or Ganivar, or somewhere . . . not so close to the Line.” Rachel saw Ms. Moore stiffen, and she finished her question in a rush. “Lots of people seem scared of it.”
Ms. Moore was watching her closely.
“Why,” said Ms. Moore, “would I be afraid of a simple barrier that some ignorant military committee ordered built?” Her voice was hard. Rachel was almost afraid to speak, but she managed to squeak out her next question.
“Because of . . . Away? Because of the things people say about—”
Ms. Moore cut Rachel off, her tone as sharp as a china shard. “You know nothing of Away. And it’s best not to speak of things you don’t know about. Perhaps once you attend the right college you’ll learn something about that.” She rose slowly from her seat. “I need to rest a bit now,” she said. “I will see you in the greenhouse on Monday.”
Their meeting was clearly over.
Rachel walked down the path to home. She thought about how angry Ms. Moore had been at her questions. There was something behind it, something Ms. Moore didn’t want anyone to know. She was pretty sure that it was something about Away. The skin prickled on her neck, though the day was mild. The idea that Ms. Moore knew something about that frightening, shadowy place didn’t really scare her. The idea that whatever she knew caused her
“How the world really is?” Ms. Moore’s eyebrows rose. “Your mother thinks you might learn that at a college?”
“Not just any college.” Rachel was surprised at how loud her voice sounded and she could feel her face getting hot. Ms. Moore had no right to criticize what her mother thought. “She wants me to go to the right kind of college, the kind where they teach the truth about things, not just what they’re supposed to tell you.” Rachel wanted to say more, but she was afraid she had already said too much.
Ms. Moore just smiled. “I’m sure that your mother is right, Rachel,” she said. “Perhaps I’ve just stopped believing that ordinary people are ever told the truth about things.” Ms. Moore stopped speaking then, and for what seemed like a long while she gazed somewhere above Rachel’s head. Rachel was puzzling over what she had said, when Ms. Moore finally stirred, and smiled once again. “I want you to think about our conversation and let me know in a few days. In the meantime you should take some time off from the greenhouse, a little vacation. Jonathan can keep up with the daily maintenance for a short while. If you do take the job you’ll be quite busy with working and studying. A rest first would be good.”
“I don’t even have to think about it, Ms. Moore,” Rachel said. “I know I would like to learn more. I don’t need a rest. I could come in tomorrow morning as usual.” Rachel was relieved that Ms. Moore hadn’t thought better of her offer. “I didn’t mean to be rude about colleges, Ms. Moore.”
“Rachel,” said Ms. Moore, looking at her carefully. “It is never rude to respectfully state one’s opinion. We simply have different thoughts on the subject.” Ms. Moore set her teacup down on the table between them, her movement signaling the end of the meeting as clearly as a judge’s gavel. “Thank you for joining me today. I am glad you want to learn more about the orchids, but I still want you to take a few days for yourself. A bit of free time never hurt anyone. You can start back on Monday.”
Rachel hesitated for a moment, but she knew now was as good a time as any to try to find out more about Ms. Moore’s mysterious past. “Ms. Moore,” she said, keeping her eyes on her teacup, “I was wondering . . .” Rachel had to think about how to go on. “I was wondering whether you ever think of moving to Bensen, or Ganivar, or somewhere . . . not so close to the Line.” Rachel saw Ms. Moore stiffen, and she finished her question in a rush. “Lots of people seem scared of it.”
Ms. Moore was watching her closely.
“Why,” said Ms. Moore, “would I be afraid of a simple barrier that some ignorant military committee ordered built?” Her voice was hard. Rachel was almost afraid to speak, but she managed to squeak out her next question.
“Because of . . . Away? Because of the things people say about—”
Ms. Moore cut Rachel off, her tone as sharp as a china shard. “You know nothing of Away. And it’s best not to speak of things you don’t know about. Perhaps once you attend the right college you’ll learn something about that.” She rose slowly from her seat. “I need to rest a bit now,” she said. “I will see you in the greenhouse on Monday.”
Their meeting was clearly over.
Rachel walked down the path to home. She thought about how angry Ms. Moore had been at her questions. There was something behind it, something Ms. Moore didn’t want anyone to know. She was pretty sure that it was something about Away. The skin prickled on her neck, though the day was mild. The idea that Ms. Moore knew something about that frightening, shadowy place didn’t really scare her. The idea that whatever she knew caused her
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