Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi

Author:John Scalzi [Scalzi, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2010-07-23T04:00:00+00:00

SIXTEEN

“We’re looking for Joe Loong,” Jane said, to the assembled search team, at the edge of the forest by Joe’s house. Dad, who was standing with her and Savitri, was letting her run the show. “He’s been missing for the last two days. Therese Arlien, his companion, tells me that he was excited about the return of the fanties to the area and told her he was thinking of trying to get close to one of the herds. We’re working under the assumption that’s what he did, and then either got lost, or perhaps got injured by one of the animals.”

Jane motioned at the line of trees. “We’re going to search the area in teams of four, spreading out in a line from here. Everyone in a group stays in voice contact with the group members on either side; every one at the left or right of a group also stays in voice contact with your opposite number from the next group over. Call to each other every couple of minutes. We’ll do this slow and careful; I don’t want any of us adding to the number of the lost, understand? If you lose voice contact with the other members of your group, stop and stay where you are, and let your group members reestablish contact. If the person next to you doesn’t respond when you call, stop and alert those you are in contact with. Again, let’s not lose anyone else, especially when we’re trying to find Joe. Now, you all know who we are looking for?”

There were general nods; most of the hundred and fifty or so folks who’d showed up to look for Loong were friends of his. I personally had only the vaguest of ideas of what he looked like, but I was going on the idea that if someone came running toward us, waving his hands and saying, “Thank God you found me,” it was likely to be him. And joining the search party was getting me a day out of school. You can’t argue with that.

“All right, then,” Mom said. “Let’s organize into teams.” People started grouping together in fours; I turned to Gretchen and figured she and I would be a team with Hickory and Dickory.

“Zoë,” Mom said. “You’re with me. Bring Hickory and Dickory.”

“Can Gretchen come with us?” I asked.

“No,” Jane said. “Too large. Sorry, Gretchen.”

“It’s all right,” Gretchen said to Mom, and then turned back to me. “Try to survive without me,” she said.

“Stop,” I said. “It’s not like we’re dating.” She grinned and wandered off to join another group.

After several minutes three dozen groups of four were spread out over more than half a klick of tree line. Jane gave the signal and we started in.

Then came the boring: three hours of stomping through the woods, slowly, searching for signs that Joe Loong had wandered in this direction, calling out to each other every few minutes. I found nothing, Mom to my left found nothing, Hickory to my right found nothing, and Dickory to its right found nothing either.

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