27 "What's your name?" asked Red Blossom.
28 "I haven't got a name any more," the girl answered. "Call me anything you want."
29 "I think what her grandfather called her
would be best," The Voice put in...."Pepper, because everything that
came out of her mouth was so spicy."
30 The girl spun around. "How did you...?" she quickly closed her mouth and followed Red Blossom.
31 "O.k., dear Pepper," Red Blossom comforted, "just rest. Things aren't THAT bad!"
32 "Aren't they?" the girl said. "I want
to go home! I don't understand any of this. I don't want to
be any dumb Speaker! That's only for... " Red Blossom
touched her lips with her finger. The girl smiled and laid down.
33 Red Blossom came back to The Voice. "Weren't you a little hard on her?" she asked.
34 "It's going to be a struggle," answered the
Voice, "but we must be firm with her. She's the only child her
parents had that lived, after five tries. She was extremely
spoiled. Until her parents had The Dream, they didn't know what
they were going to do.
35 There's something they didn't tell
HER. They're both dying. They have Black Fever. They
don't know how they came down with it, but you know how long they have."
36 Red Blossom nodded. "Once the spots begin, half a season, at the most."
37 "They just noticed the spots three months ago," The Voice told her.
38 "Are you going to tell her?" Red Blossom asked.
39 "Let's give her a few days," answered The
Voice. "Let her settle in. It's going to be hard enough on
her as it is."
40 Pepper settled in, and when she was told
about her parents she cried all day. But the next morning she got up
and gathered her things. "Look," she insisted, "I'm going
home. I'm not afraid of the dumb old disease. They need someone
to take care of them, and I won't have them in the old city hospital.
41 I'll come back, I promise, but please,
please let me go. If you do, I promise, no more bad talk. I'll speak
like a lady."
42 "Let's not make promises," commented The
Voice, "that will be impossible to keep. Just promise that you'll
soften your language and you can go."
43 Crazy Hawk came over. "She can't take
care of two people by herself," he said. "Let me go along."
44 "What if you catch The Fever?" Pepper asked.
45 Crazy Hawk turned so the others in the room
couldn't see him and opened his tunic. His chest was covered with
hundreds of little sunken spots. "So that's why you're so shy
about taking off your clothes!" The Voice said. "You've HAD it!
O.k., you can go along. But if you need any help, send a
messenger."
46 The two didn't need any help. When
they returned they were both bone weary but they had done a job worthy
of adults and they were never separated again. No one said
anything when Pepper moved in with Crazy Hawk. Gray Deer just patiently
waited until they said they wanted a contract.
47 Pepper's powers came slowly. She had
to fight her disbelief every day, but slowly, surely, a Light inside
her began to shine. Then one day she spoke in a voice that was
not her own, a voice that simply said a woman named Yellow Blossom
Turtle on the southern side of the city needed their help. The
message proved true and was the first of many.
48 The Voice was proud of their new
Worker. But Gray Deer was sombre. "Just one more," he
thought, "and The Voice leaves. That day I dread. For then
the responsibility will be completely mine! Am I worthy?"
Page 183
Go To The Next Page
