16.
Anna gazed at the claws on Taxi’s wrists. “That’s why it was so important to keep you out of the boys’ house. They would be very interested in you. They might fight over you. The elders would be very unhappy.”
“So what?” Taxi said. “They would throw me out. I don’ t have any diseases, and the boy could keep right on winging.”
Anna shook her head. “No, the boy would be severely punished. You see, he would have wasted pure seed. Forgive me.”
“That’s okay, I don’t give a rat’s ass. I’m part cat, and I feel perfectly good about it.”
They were silent, and Taxi regretted opening her mouth. She longed to be outside, free, away from this claustrophobic place and its inhabitants.
A whisper passed through the dormitory.
“Time to get into bed,” Moira said. “Come, up here.”
Anna gave Moira a long look. “Tomorrow then,” she heard Anna mutter before walking off. “Goodnight, Taxi,” Anna said over her shoulder.
“Good night.”
“Lie down,” Moira said. “I’ll put on an extra blanket, because it will be cold tonight.” She let her red hair spill over her shoulders. “Do you like red hair?”
Taxi ran a hand up her forehead. “It’s gorgeous. I wish I had some.”
“I’ll bet you have beautiful hair. Why don’t you let yours grow?”
“Lice, for one thing. Plus, if you have long hair you look more like a woman and there are all kinds of people out there who want to rape you or kill you or who knows what or why for that matter. It’s safer to be ugly.”
One by one, the hidden incandescent lights winked out. Only a few faint lights glowed very dimly at far points, near doors. The floors were smooth as glass, and reflected the light at those far points in dreamy little pools.
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Copyright © 2018 by Jean-Thomas Cullen, Clocktower Books. All Rights Reserved.
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