Alien Child by Pamela Sargent

Author:Pamela Sargent
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
Published: 1987-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

They shared their evening meal in the large cafeteria on the fifteenth floor. There were foods here Nita had never seen in the east wing—chunks of a fishy substance in a light sauce, tiny vegetables prepared in unfamiliar ways, small cakes, and a pinkish liquid that made her feel light-headed after only one glass.

Tempting as the food was, Sven seemed to be eating very little. He had been more cheerful when they were practicing with their wands in the garden and had talked of how they might begin to explore the forest. Then he had aimed at a bird in one of the trees, expecting only to stun it, but the bird had been dead when he picked it up.

They had learned that their wands could kill smaller creatures, and that was probably useful to know, so that they would not be reckless. She was grateful that they hadn’t aimed at the cats. But the incident had dismayed him.

Sven was picking at his food with his fingers. He had already given up trying to eat with the metal implements their kind had used to dine on certain foods. He had nodded at her attempts at conversation, but said little himself.

She was beginning to notice small differences in their reactions. However unhappy she got, her sorrowful moods passed before too long; Sven’s moods seemed to have a deeper hold on him. She wondered what this meant. How different had individuals of their kind been from one another? Releasing one’s anger could hurt someone else; holding it in might only make it worse for oneself. There seemed no purpose in having such feelings.

She suddenly yawned. Sven looked up. “You’re tired.”

“I guess I am.” She set down her knife and fork. “Maybe I should go to sleep.”

“The mind’ll let us know if anyone enters the tower,” he said, “but I don’t think anyone will. They know we want to be alone. The cats should be all right in the garden.”

“Are you going to sleep, too?”

He poured more of the pink liquid into his glass. “I think I’ll stay up for a while.”

“Do you want me to stay with you, then?”

“You don’t have to. I’m used to being alone.”

“Good night, Sven.” He turned away as she got up and walked toward the lift.

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