his impact. Let them hear the noise and think there were strange, sinister things out in the dark. Gee chuckled, a sound like stones scraping together, and folded his wings around him.
Piper awoke to sunlight shining directly in her eyes. At first, she didn’t understand where it was coming from. The windows of her house were always dirty and muted the light. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and rolled over. Her cheek met with a wonderful softness, a pillow so full and luxurious she thought she might drown in it. She looked down at the sheets and blankets covering her body, and then she became aware of the gentle rocking movement of the train. The events of the previous night came rushing back.
It hadn’t been a dream. She was on the 401 bound for the capital. Her new life. And as she came fully awake, Piper realized she smelled food. Heavenly, mouthwatering scents of meat and warm bread. Dazed, Piper stumbled out of bed and made her way over to the sitting area.
Someone had placed a large tray on the table; it held two heaping plates of scrambled eggs, sausage, corned beef, and fried cassava, along with two cups and a pot of black tea.
Anna was already sitting at the table in an oversized white bathrobe, her hands clasped in her lap as if she could barely contain herself. “Someone knocked on the door earlier with this,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t want to wake you up because you were sleeping so soundly, but I knew it would be rude to start eating without you, so I waited and watched you closely all the while you slept.”
“That was nice,” Piper said. Anna was really kind of sweet, Piper thought. Sure, the idea of someone staring at her while she slept was a little creepy, but the girl’s intentions were good.
“Of course, I can understand you sleeping so long,” Anna chattered on. “I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a bed as comfortable as that one—not that I can remember, anyway. Can you believe the pillow! Oh, and I found this in the washroom.” She lifted the robe sleeve. “My dress smelled awful, so I threw it away. The robe is much more comfortable. Do you want something to eat?”
Now that she’d had some rest, Anna sounded more like a frantic hummingbird than ever. Piper fell into the chair next to her and reached for the teapot. “Yes.” She smiled. “Let’s eat.”
Anna beamed.
For the next half hour, Piper was in heaven. Thetea scorched her tongue, hot and fresh and strong with spices, and the sausages burst when she cut into them, dripping with juices. Her father had rarely been able to afford meat. The meteor storms chased most game away from the scrap towns. Traders could bring it in on ice, but that was expensive, and most people couldn’t afford to keep livestock in the scrap towns. Their food came from the lakes and whatever crops they coaxed out of the short growing season. Now, in the course of one morning, Piper was eating sausage and eggs, and drinking the freshest tea she’d ever tasted. And as a bonus, eating meant Anna couldn’t talk, so there was blessed silence throughout the meal.
When Piper finished eating, she poured more tea for herself and Anna, then she took her cup and went to sit on the sofa in front of the window.
“What are you looking at?” Anna asked, her mouth full of food. She had eaten everything on her plate plus some of Piper’s food. Piper didn’t know where she was putting it all.
“I don’t want to miss it,” Piper said, gesturing outside. She watched the brown winter fields roll by, buildings with roofs covered in snow. “I’ve never been outside the scrap town before. I want to see everything.”
Anna left her plate and came to sit next to Piper. “I’m sorry I made you leave your home. I should have said that before. You saved me, and what did I do to thankyou? I took you out of your nest. The wolf came and—made you leave.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” Piper caught the look of misery creeping into the
Piper awoke to sunlight shining directly in her eyes. At first, she didn’t understand where it was coming from. The windows of her house were always dirty and muted the light. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and rolled over. Her cheek met with a wonderful softness, a pillow so full and luxurious she thought she might drown in it. She looked down at the sheets and blankets covering her body, and then she became aware of the gentle rocking movement of the train. The events of the previous night came rushing back.
It hadn’t been a dream. She was on the 401 bound for the capital. Her new life. And as she came fully awake, Piper realized she smelled food. Heavenly, mouthwatering scents of meat and warm bread. Dazed, Piper stumbled out of bed and made her way over to the sitting area.
Someone had placed a large tray on the table; it held two heaping plates of scrambled eggs, sausage, corned beef, and fried cassava, along with two cups and a pot of black tea.
Anna was already sitting at the table in an oversized white bathrobe, her hands clasped in her lap as if she could barely contain herself. “Someone knocked on the door earlier with this,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t want to wake you up because you were sleeping so soundly, but I knew it would be rude to start eating without you, so I waited and watched you closely all the while you slept.”
“That was nice,” Piper said. Anna was really kind of sweet, Piper thought. Sure, the idea of someone staring at her while she slept was a little creepy, but the girl’s intentions were good.
“Of course, I can understand you sleeping so long,” Anna chattered on. “I don’t think I’ve ever slept in a bed as comfortable as that one—not that I can remember, anyway. Can you believe the pillow! Oh, and I found this in the washroom.” She lifted the robe sleeve. “My dress smelled awful, so I threw it away. The robe is much more comfortable. Do you want something to eat?”
Now that she’d had some rest, Anna sounded more like a frantic hummingbird than ever. Piper fell into the chair next to her and reached for the teapot. “Yes.” She smiled. “Let’s eat.”
Anna beamed.
For the next half hour, Piper was in heaven. Thetea scorched her tongue, hot and fresh and strong with spices, and the sausages burst when she cut into them, dripping with juices. Her father had rarely been able to afford meat. The meteor storms chased most game away from the scrap towns. Traders could bring it in on ice, but that was expensive, and most people couldn’t afford to keep livestock in the scrap towns. Their food came from the lakes and whatever crops they coaxed out of the short growing season. Now, in the course of one morning, Piper was eating sausage and eggs, and drinking the freshest tea she’d ever tasted. And as a bonus, eating meant Anna couldn’t talk, so there was blessed silence throughout the meal.
When Piper finished eating, she poured more tea for herself and Anna, then she took her cup and went to sit on the sofa in front of the window.
“What are you looking at?” Anna asked, her mouth full of food. She had eaten everything on her plate plus some of Piper’s food. Piper didn’t know where she was putting it all.
“I don’t want to miss it,” Piper said, gesturing outside. She watched the brown winter fields roll by, buildings with roofs covered in snow. “I’ve never been outside the scrap town before. I want to see everything.”
Anna left her plate and came to sit next to Piper. “I’m sorry I made you leave your home. I should have said that before. You saved me, and what did I do to thankyou? I took you out of your nest. The wolf came and—made you leave.”
“That’s one way of putting it.” Piper caught the look of misery creeping into the
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