George and the Ship of Time by Lucy Hawking

Author:Lucy Hawking
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

“Nimu,” he said, figuring that honesty was the best bet now. “That’s Hero’s guardian. And a robot—except I think he might be a supercomputer in disguise. They said we had to get to na-h Alba. Or else.” George, who had been shivering for some time, now crouched close to the fire to warm himself.

“Your leg!” said Atticus’s mom, noticing his chattering teeth and the blood on his jumpsuit. “What happened?”

“The tiger scratched me,” he said. “It’s nothing, just a graze.” But blood was seeping out of the wound and down his leg.

“Quickly,” said Matushka. Gently she peeled away his jumpsuit to reveal the raw scrape of the tiger’s claws. “I must treat you before that gets infected,” she went on, taking a small vial from around her neck. “Sit still.” She upended the vial and poured it into the wound. George watched in fascination.

“What is it?” he said.

“This is the oldest antibiotic known to the Earth,” said Atticus’s mom. “It’s very rare and precious—we can get very little of it now. But it will heal you.”

“Dragon’s blood,” gloated Atticus. “From a Komodo dragon. It’s the most valuable thing we have!” George wondered where they’d gotten it from. Could there really be Komodo dragons now living in what was once Manchester? Had they escaped from a lab—or perhaps a zoo?

As if reading George’s mind, Matushka said, “I see from your face that our world is full of surprises for you.” She winced as she spoke.

“Mom, are you okay?” said Atticus. “You’re not getting better.”

“I cannot get better now,” said his mom. “In the old days I could have been cured. But not now.” She leaned back and closed her eyes briefly.

George had been trying to work it out. “You know about science,” he said. “You know about antibiotics and DNA and protein, and probably loads more things. But you live in trees and you have no technology!”

It reminded him of his parents, who had tried to live off-grid. Was this the life his parents had idealized? Or was it something very different?

“Did you want to live like this?” he asked. “Or did you have to?”

“We live outside the system,” replied Matushka. “When the corporations became so powerful that they were able to force people to live under their rules, we rebelled. That’s when we went into exile. But we try and keep the scientific knowledge of our parents and grandparents by teaching it down the generations.”

Hero was hovering, half standing up, half sitting down. She looked like she was going somewhere. “I thought we were going to Wonder Academy,” she said slowly. “I thought we left the Bubble to go to Wonder. Not to this other place.”

“Wonder Academy!” marveled Atticus’s mom. “The Bubble! I’ve not heard those words for a lifetime!”

Hero looked baffled. “If you’ve heard of them,” she said, “then why does Atticus live here and not in the Bubble like me?”

“Atticus lives with me,” said Matushka, “because I’m his mother. He is my family so we stay together. That’s

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