Earth Legend (18 page)

"You told someone?" I was horrified.

"Just a few close friends."

I stopped, unable to walk further. Such
well-meaning gossip had done in more than one of my ancestors. All
kinds of labels had been thrust upon us. Witches. Warlocks. The
devils' spawn. Whatever the label, the result had been
disastrous.

Darlene paused in her gyrations long enough
to put her hands on my shoulders and look me in the eye. "I know
you think what you do should be kept secret. But Elle, this is a
new world, a new frontier. Old superstitions don't apply." She
lifted her arms and spread them wide. "Those strange genes of yours
are superior to ours, not the other way around." She waggled a
finger in my face. "So no more being stuck in that apple forest for
you. Judging from the reactions I got from my friends, I'm guessing
you'll be very popular in the future. Very, very popular. Every
woman who doesn't conceive ASAP will be coming to see you."

Thanks to Darlene's fast gait that I now
recognized as the exercise every mother-to-be needs, we'd left her
exclusive neighborhood and reached the commercial section of Center
City. It wasn't busy, no place on the Destiny was ever crowded, but
at that moment every street had at least a handful of people
heading home for the day just as I'd be doing if I hadn't gone to
see Darlene.

Darlene Smithers was the captain's wife and
used to being the center of attention so she easily ignored the
stares that came our way from a woman a few yards along the
sidewalk. I wished I could do the same because the looks didn't
seem like casual curiosity. In fact, they felt like poison darts.
And, as I tried to figure out what was happening, I realized the
woman wasn't looking at Darlene. She was looking at me. Just
me.

What happened next happened quickly. The
woman pointed at me and spoke at the top of her voice. "That's her.
The stowaway. Trash genes on the Destiny." Heads swiveled as others
looked where she was pointing, as eyes opened wide and mouths
dropped. The woman stepped closer and snarled. "Time to throw out
the trash!"

The others on the streets hesitated, unsure
what to do. Then they took sides. Some turned and hurried away so
as not to be drawn into a confrontation not to their liking. Some
paused and watched unemotionally. Others, a small group of three or
four, joined the speaker and advanced towards us.

"Trash!" I wished they recognized the
captain's wife because they might hesitate being nasty in her
presence, but in her present outfit she was just another young
woman out for a run. "Take the trash out!" Darlene backed a step in
horror, uncertain what to do. "Keep the Destiny clean!" She
reversed her steps and came close, determined to protect me.

Someone carrying a bag of fresh vegetables
reached in and withdrew a tomato. Just as a tomato had smashed
against our windshield on launch day, one now hit me on the cheek.
Then a second, only it didn't hit me, it hit Darlene's stomach.

She doubled over, using her hands to protect
her abdomen. I felt her fear for her unborn child. "Run,
Darlene!"

"I can't leave you alone." She took another
step closer in spite of the rapidly advancing people. "It's my
fault."

"Go. Your baby…"

More tomatoes pelted us, followed by sticks
plucked from nearby trees. One hit Darlene across the shoulders.
She gave me a wild look. "I'll get help. I'll call Brian."

"Run!"

She ran. Taking one last look at my
attackers, I sought to hide. The greenhouses were close so I headed
for the back door as fast as I could move. It was locked, of
course, but it opened as I passed my comunit across the lock. The
door slammed behind me but I kept moving, my legs pumping, throwing
out mental pleas for help to the surrounding trees as I ran.

As quickly as that I was surrounded by
shrubbery and was soon lost in a forest of green. Plants can't
move, of course, but their branches bend and sway. Safe at last, I
slowed, then stopped and listened but heard no sound of pursuit. I
leaned against a sturdy dwarf walnut tree and then slid to the
ground, shaking.

"Elle? What's going on?" Saul picked his way
through the greenery and squatted beside me. "I heard a commotion
outside and saw you run inside." His eyes dilated as he took in my
tomato-splattered face and the cuts on my arms where sticks had
found their mark. "Was it those gene-purity idiots?"

I was too stunned to say anything for a long
time. I'd heard the stories of family members in similar
situations. I'd shuddered and vowed never to suffer the same fate.
"They called me trash."

He leaned back and regarded me as he thought
over what I'd said. "I just wish I could grow things like you can.
If that's trash, I wish I was garbage."

"Are they gone?"

"I'll check." He did and came back soon. "The
last one is leaving." Saul was young and trying to do the right
thing. "Come to the main greenhouse. We'll protect you."

"There's no one there. Everyone has gone home
for the day." I pushed tomato from my arm. "Besides, do you really
think they'd protect me?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm here. I
will." But we both knew no one else would help him. "I'll go ahead
and see if it's safe."

By the time Saul reached the first greenhouse
and let me know that there was no one waiting outside, I'd cleaned
up and was no longer shaking. But I still made my way carefully,
looking ahead before entering each greenhouse, until I was in the
main room. Sure enough, the sidewalk outside was deserted.

"I can't believe what just happened. Did they
really call you a witch?" But Saul checked every possible nearby
place someone could hide before gesturing to me that it was safe to
join him. Then he stood guard as I got on my bike and took off.

As I zipped along the narrow path to New
Rochelle that was totally artificial but looked like a rural gravel
road, I realized I'd not gotten around to asking Darlene to speak
to her husband about letting me get back to the apple orchard. I
resolved to do so as soon as I could be reasonably sure that it was
safe to be on the streets of Center City.

Saul said nothing to the other greenhouse
workers about the incident so no one sent odd looks my way though
Constance Reiwer did intercept a look between Saul and myself and
pursed his lips. I hoped Saul could come up with a good explanation
for our silent communication. I didn't want him punished because of
me. Though young, Saul was actually quite a talented grower. He had
potential.

Days passed and nothing else happened. I
relaxed. Perhaps what happened was an isolated incident. But one
day I learned that things were much worse than I could possibly
have thought. It was Saul who knew what was going on. He suggested
I learn what I was up against. He invited me to visit him at his
apartment when the gene purist group was having a meeting in the
restaurant that his apartment overlooked. He told me to disguise
myself.

"Is it so bad that I can't be safe at your
place?"

"It is that bad, Elle. That's why I think you
should know what you're up against."

I braided my hair tight down my back and
dressed as if I was a jogger, with a hooded sweatshirt thrown in
for good measure and a headband covering what little red hair
showed. Satisfied with the result, I parked my bike a few blocks
from Saul's apartment building and jogged the rest of the way,
huffing and puffing as if I was at the end of a long run. No one
gave me a second glance.

"They meet in the outdoor restaurant. There
are so many of them now that they pretty much take it over. The
manager thinks they are a bunch of harmless idiots." He ushered me
into a small apartment that overlooked the restaurant tables. With
a window open we could see and hear everything. He waved me over.
"The meeting is starting."

There were a lot of high-fives and
good-natured chest thumps and lots of drinks were served. It was
all good fun until the leader spoke. "We have new information about
Elle Olmstead." Boos rose from everywhere. "The trash." That was
followed by laughter. "The stowaway." More laughter. "You know
where trash goes." There was more but I was so in shock I didn't
hear.

When the speaker finally sat down Saul
quietly closed his window and came close, gathering me in a hug
that was exactly what I needed. "I wish you didn't have to hear
that, Elle, but you needed to know. They hate you and every time
they meet it's worse. I'm afraid they are building up to
something."

"What can they do?"

"I don't know but I'm afraid for you."

I rubbed my forehead. I was getting a
headache. "They are right about one thing. I wouldn't have been
allowed on the Destiny if I'd applied."

"You have more talent in your little finger
than the rest of us put together."

"Not that talent matters to those people out
there."

"Tell someone in authority what we heard. You
need protection."

I'd had protection and hated it. Guarding me
had been Cullen's job and we were both glad when it ended. "I'll
think about it." I wouldn't. "Thanks for the heads up. Now that I
know what's going on, I'll be careful."

"Tell someone soon."

"I can take care of myself, Saul." I looked
down at the crowd around the tables and couldn't help shuddering.
They were eating and drinking and visiting each other, but in time
the meeting would disband and they'd leave. If I was around when
that happened, someone might recognize me even disguised as I was.
I was suddenly afraid and needed to be gone. "I should leave while
I still can."

"Take care, Elle."

"See you tomorrow."

I sneaked out the back of the building and
walked two blocks directly away from my bike before heading back to
where it was parked. I was that scared. As I kicked the starter I
was glad it was electric and silent so no one could hear. I drove
straight home and locked my doors, the first time ever. Cullen had
locked them nightly but once he was gone, I didn't bother. Why
should I? I knew everyone in New Rochelle and had no enemies.

Until now.

The following week was quiet and I went back
to trying to figure out how to get out of work at the greenhouses
and back to the orchard. Talking to Darlene Smithers hadn't worked
and I didn't want to bother the captain directly. He was an okay
man but he didn't truly want to have to acknowledge my gift. So I
potted new saplings and watered older ones and sent those that were
ready to leave into the wider world of the Destiny and generally
threw as much dirt around as possible to work the fear out of me.
Until one day when Constance Reiwer sought me out. I pushed mud
from my face and wondered what he could possibly want. He usually
ignored me as eagerly as I ignored him.

"The captain wants to see you." He shoved a
request at me. "Clean up and head for the bridge." He carefully
didn't touch my dirty self.

I cleaned up as best I could and proceeded to
the bridge. It was my first time there and as I pushed open the
door I decided the whole place had been designed to intimidate
visitors. The captain was in a chair that fit his exalted status
and was surrounded by a number of people who ignored him as they
went about their jobs, the purposes of which I couldn't imagine
beyond that they kept the Destiny pointed straight and true towards
the planet chosen for colonization. Our new home, those of us who
lived long enough to reach it.

He leaned back on his elbows and inspected
me. "You're causing trouble again, Elle." I gulped as he shifted in
his seat. "Every captain knows he can't make a journey without
incident. You seem to be mine. Repeatedly."

"Sorry, Sir."

"There are people who don't think you should
be here."

My heart sank. "I know that, Sir."

"They are growing in number and are more
insistent every day."

"I know that too, Sir."

"They want you thrown in jail. Or worse."

My head snapped up. I squeaked, "Sir?"

"I told them that won't happen."

"Thank you, Sir."

"They aren't happy." He stroked his chin.
"They read a lot of laws. I reminded them that, on the Destiny, I
am the law but they didn't take that information kindly. I believe
that protection is once again appropriate."

"No, Sir. Please."

One eyebrow arched. "No?"

"I'm safe in New Rochelle."

"The greenhouses are in Center City."

"I'd be happy to return to the orchard."

He stroked his chin and squinted in thought.
Finally he said, "Okay," and just like that, I was released from
work in the greenhouses. I could do what I wanted to do. "Finish
the week in the greenhouses, then go back to your trees." I opened
my mouth to thank him when he leaned close and spoke low. "When you
get there,
stay
there. Don't come to Center City. Don't do
anything to remind them that you exist. Their speech had the timbre
of mutiny in it and I don't want to have to deal with a
mutiny."

Every head in the place snapped around at his
words even though they were said quietly. After that no one even
pretended to be working as they waited to see what would happen
next but he waved me away. The meeting was over. As I left, I felt
the stares of everyone on the Bridge.

When I returned to the greenhouses, Constance
Reiwer clearly wanted me to tell him what the captain had wanted
but I didn't give him the satisfaction. The next morning though,
when he informed me that the captain no longer wanted me to work in
the greenhouses he smiled broadly. Not only did he now think that
he knew what the meeting had been about, he thought it was because
of him. He was getting what he wanted. Me gone. I let him think
so.

As the news spread that this would be my last
week in the greenhouses, I realized that Saul was the only person
who would be sorry to see me go.