Planet Urth by Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci Page B

threat.”
    I am not a threat; to them at least.  But if they only knew of my hunting and sparring skills, that I killed two Urthmen by myself just yesterday, the woman might have thought twice about counting me out in the threat department. 
    “My name is Avery,” I begin, but my words are suddenly smothered by the woman’s shoulder when she wraps both arms around me and brings me in for a tight hug. 
    “Avery,” she says my name aloud.  “You have a beautiful name befitting you r beautiful face.” 
    I wonder how she could possibly know what my face really looks like.  It is buried in the space between her neck and elbow, but I keep that detail to myself.  She sounds as though she may cry and I do not want to upset her further.  Especially since I do not know why she is so upset.  I am perplexed by her words and actions.  She hugged me and complimented me, yet she is sad. I do not know what to do.  I stiffen a bit and she releases me. 
    “Oh, go sh, I am so sorry,” she says.  She brushes back tears with the tips of her fingers.  “It has been so long since we’ve seen another.” 
    “We haven’t seen another human in a few months,” the man whom I presume is her husband says.  “Kate is just so happy to see you.  We are all so happy to see you.”
    I awkwardly shift my weight from one foot to the other as I blink back the hot tears that threaten unexpectedly. 
    “Oh dear,” Kate says and shakes her head.  “You’ve introduced yourself and here we are not doing the same.  I guess that’s what isolation does to people,” she says. 
    I smile tightly.  I know all too well about isolation.  But I do not speak.  I do not trust that my voice will hold up.  I feel eyes on me, and if they belong to whom I think they belong to, I do not want to risk breaking down in front of him. 
    “I am Kate , and this is my husband, Asher.  And these are our children,” she begins.  “This is my daughter Riley and my sons Oliver,” she points to the smaller boy, “and Will.”
    Will.  The boy I’ve been watching for the last two days i s named Will.  I say his name in my head and each time my stomach flutters.  I inexplicably feel like twirling.  I don’t, of course.  I look from face to face and smile at the new people I’ve met.  I mutter something about being pleased to meet them as my dad instructed me was proper to do if or when I ever met another human.  But when I get to Will, my smile capsizes.  He looks directly into my eyes and heat creeps up my neck and spreads over my cheeks.  A boy has never looked at me the way Will is looking at me right now.  Probably because the last time I saw a boy my age was when I was eight and lived in the village, and even then, I had not seen many boys at all. 
    “Glad to meet you, Avery,” Will says .
    M y heart sets off at a gallop.  I wonder if he can see it bashing my ribs, if it is causing my shirt to drum visibly.  I bite my lower lip and look at my feet.  I am grateful when his sister Riley starts talking.
    “Avery, I’m so glad you’re here.  Another girl makes things even. You can be my sister,” Riley’s eyes light up , and she bounces on the balls of her feet the way June does. 
    “Uh, thanks,” I say self-consciously.
    “Who says she’s staying?” Oliver asks unexpectedly. 
    Kate and Asher’s glances shoot in Oliver’s direction.
    “Oliver!” his mother says with obvious embarrassment.  “Say you are sorry.”
    “No, don’t.  You don’t have to be sorry,” I say quickly.  “I am not staying.  And neither should you. That is why I am here actually.”  I dive into my purpose of coming without thinking.
    Five sets of eyes land on me. 
    “What?  What are you talking about?” Kate asks.  Her soft brown eyes are fixed on mine.  She is crestfallen.  “Why would you want to be alone?”
    I look at her and Asher then to the smaller children.  “Maybe we can talk somewhere else,” I say when my