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“Carrots？” I whispered。
He answered at normal volume。 “This half that’s greening up。 The other half is spinach。 Should be up in a
few days。”
The people in the room had gone back to work； still peeking at me now and then but mostly
concentrating on what they were doing。 It was easy enough to understand their actions—and the big
barrel on wheels； and the hoses—now that I recognized the garden。
“Irrigating？” I whispered again。
“That’s right。 Dries out pretty quick in this heat。”
I tugged Jeb’s sleeve and squinted up at the dazzling light。 “How？”
Jeb smiled； seeming thrilled with my curiosity。 “Same way the magicians do it—with mirrors； kid。
Hundreds of ’em。 Took me long enough to get them all up there。 It’s nice to have extra hands around
here when they need cleaning。 See； there’s only four small vents in the ceiling here； and that wasn’t
enough light for what I had in mind。 What do you think of it？”
He pulled his shoulders back； proud again。
“Brilliant；” I whispered。 “Astonishing。”
Jeb grinned and nodded； enjoying my reaction。
“Let’s keep on；” he suggested。 “Got a lot to do today。”
He led me to a new tunnel； a wide； naturally shaped tube that ran off from the big cave。 This was new
territory。 My muscles all locked up； I moved forward with stiff legs； unbending knees。
Jeb patted my hand but otherwise ignored my nerves。 “This is mostly sleeping quarters and some
storage。 The tubes are closer to the surface here； so it was easier to get some light。”
He pointed up at a bright； slender crack in the tunnel ceiling overhead。 It threw a hand…sized spot of
white onto the floor。
We reached a broad fork—not really a fork； because there were too many tines。 It was an octopus…like
branching of passageways。
“Third from the left；” he said； and looked at me expectantly。
“Third from the left？” I repeated。
“That’s right。 Don’t forget。 It’s easy to get lost around here； and that wouldn’t be safe for you。 Folks’d
just as soon stab you as send you in the right direction。”
I shuddered。 “Thanks；” I muttered with quiet sarcasm。
He laughed as if my answer had delighted him。 “No point in ignoring the truth。 Doesn’t make it worse to
have it said out loud。”
It didn’t make it better； either； but I didn’t say that。 I was beginning to enjoy myself just a little。 It was so
nice to have someone talk to me again。 Jeb was； if nothing else； interesting pany。
“One； two； three；” he counted off； then he led me down the third hallway from the left。 We started
passing round entrances covered by a variety of makeshift doors。 Some were curtained off with
patterned sheets of fabric； others had big pieces of cardboard duct…taped together。 One hole had two
real doors—one red…painted wood； one gray metal—leaning over the opening。
“This is the only space I can think of for now。 The only one that’s fitted up decent for human habitation。
It will be empty for a few weeks； and we’ll figure something better out for you by the time it’s needed
again。”
He folded the screen aside； and a light that was brighter than that in the hallway greeted us。
The room he revealed gave me a strange feeling of vertigo—probably because it was so much taller than
it was wide。 Standing inside it was like standing in a tower or a silo； not that I had ever been in such
places； but those were the parisons Melanie made。 The ceiling； twice as high as the room was wide；
was a maze of cracks。 Like vines of light； the cracks circled around and almost met。 This seemed
dangerous to me—unstable。 But Jeb showed no fear of cave…ins as he led me farther in。
There was a double…sized mattress on the floor； with about a yard of space on three sides of it。 The two
pillows and two blankets twisted into two separate configurations on either half of the mattress made it
look as if this room housed a couple。 A thick wooden pole—something like a rake handle—was braced
horizontally against the far wall at shoulder height with the ends lodged in two of the Swiss cheese holes
in the rock。 Over it were draped a handful of T…shirts and two pairs of jeans。 A wooden stool was flush
with the wall beside the makeshift clothes rack； and on the floor beneath it was a stack of worn
paperback books。
“Who？” I said to Jeb； whispering again。 This space so obviously belonged to someone that I no longer
felt like we were alone。
“Just one of the guys out on the raid。 Won’t be back for a while。 We’ll find you something by then。”
I didn’t like it—not the room； but the idea of staying in it。 The presence of the owner was strong despite
the simple belongings。 No matter who he was； he would not be happy to have me here。 He would hate it。
Jeb seemed to read my mind—or maybe the expression on my face was clear enough that he didn’t
have to。
“Now； now；” he said。 “Don’t worry about that。 This ismy house； and this is just one of my many guest
rooms。 I say who is and isn’t my guest。 Right now； you are my guest； and I am offering you this room。”
I still didn’t like it； but I wasn’t going to upset Jeb； either。 I vowed that I would disturb nothing； if it
meant sleeping on the floor。
“Well； let’s keep moving。 Don’t forget： third from the left； seventh in。”
“Green screen；” I added。
“Exactly。”
Jeb took me back through the big garden room； around the perimeter to the opposite side； and through
the biggest tunnel exit。 When we passed the irrigators； they stiffened and turned； afraid to have me behind
their backs。
“We go even closer to the surface now。 It gets drier； but it gets hotter； too。”
I noticed that almost immediately。 Instead of being steamed； we were now being baked。 The air was less
stuffy and stale。 I could taste the desert dust。
There were more voices ahead。 I tried to steel myself against the inevitable reaction。 If Jeb insisted on
treating me like… like a human； like a wele guest； I was going to have to get used to this。 No reason
to let it make me nauseous over and over again。 My stomach began an unhappy rolling anyway。
“This way’s the kitchen；” Jeb told me。
At first I thought we were in another tunnel； one crowded with people。 I pressed myself against the wall；
trying to keep my distance。
The kitchen was a long corridor with a high ceiling； higher than it was wide； like my new quarters。 The
light was bright and hot。 Instead of thin crevices through deep rock； this place had huge open holes。
“Can’t cook in the daytime； of course。 Smoke； you know。 So we mainly use this as the mess hall until
nightfall。”
All conversation had e to an abrupt halt； so Jeb’s words were clear for everyone to hear。 I tried to
hide behind him； but he kept walking farther in。
We’d interrupted breakfast； or maybe it was lunch。
The humans—almost twenty at a quick estimate—were very close here。 It wasn’t like the big cavern。 I
wanted to keep my eyes on the floor； but I couldn’t stop them from flashing around the room。 Just in
case。 I could feel my body tensing to run for it； though