Horizon by Scott Westerfeld

Author:Scott Westerfeld
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2016-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Missed again.” Molly wafted back to earth, her improvised net fluttering in the breeze.

“It’s weird.” Anna settled into the undergrowth a few yards away. “It’s like those birds know how to fly in low G.”

“Nets are pointless,” Caleb said for the dozenth time. “We should just throw stuff at them.”

Molly frowned, watching the latest slide-whistle bird flutter away uncaught. When it reached the edge of the device’s range, its wingbeats shifted into normal-gravity flight without the slightest hitch.

How did a bird know how to deal with a gravity distortion field?

“Get ready for heavy,” Anna said, and switched off the device.

Molly’s stomach lurched, her feet sinking into the soft ground. She was tired, her muscles sore, and her clothes smelled like smoke. Maybe it was time to give up.

But Yoshi’s slide-whistle bird had tasted so heavenly. The smell of it roasting by the bonfire had made everyone—except Akiko—volunteer to try it first. In the end they’d all risked eating it together, because no one wanted to wait.

Molly had only allowed herself a small piece, which had burnt pieces of feather stuck to it. But after two days of pretzels and food bars, the taste of fresh meat was amazing.

“Hunger makes the best sauce,” Javi had proclaimed. “Though I have to say, omoshiroi-berries also make a pretty good sauce.”

It was true. Kira’s red berries were tangy and crisp, like tiny bitter oranges. The perfect complement to slide-whistle meat.

But they’d spent the rest of the daylight trying to catch another bird and failing, and darkness had snuck up on them. The jungle around the clearing was full of mysterious noises and shadows now. Anything could be out there, watching them flail at birds.

Molly wondered if they should spend the night out here, protected by the bonfire. Or was it safer back at the plane?

Caleb hefted his spear. “Just stand back and give me space, guys. I can’t miss!”

“You already missed four times,” Oliver said tiredly.

“Yeah, but I’m nailing the next one!”

“You can’t catch them without Akiko,” Yoshi called.

Everyone looked up at him and the two girls. They were up the hill, next to the bonfire. Kira looked amused by their efforts, but Akiko was watching with an unhappy expression, her flute silent by her side.

Molly led the others back up. “You said she didn’t want to help.”

Yoshi shrugged. “Another day of berries and pretzels might change her mind.”

“Just what we need: a pied piper with a conscience.” Molly realized that she was hungrier now than before she’d eaten her one bite of bird. One successful hunt didn’t solve all their food problems.

She looked at the gravity device in Anna’s hand. “You don’t suppose one of those symbols is for bird-zapping, do you?”

Anna’s eyes lit up. “You want to experiment?”

It was tempting, but Molly shook her head. Between taste-testing alien berries and cooking a bird for the first time, she’d had enough trial and error for one day.

Besides, the sun had set. She had to stay watchful.

“It’s too dark to mess with the laws of physics.

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