Page 13 (2/2)

Back in Tana, I convinced myself that Grandfather had arden days," plural, those days of spring and su outside his apart

But lately I’ve been convinced that that is not the case Grandfather was clever and careful If he listed the red garden day, singular, as his favorite memory of me, then he meant one specific day And I can’t remember it

Did the Society arden day?

Grandfather always believed in reen tablet, that I didn’t need it He’s the one who gave entle and the Tennyson one about crossing the bar and seeing the Pilot I still don’t knohich one Grandfather meant for me to follow, but he did trust me with both

So forlornly in the gray of a spring afternoon that has not yet decided for rain

"I want to find out more about the Glorious History of Central," she says to ain So about her reminds me a little of my own mother This woman looks hopeful and afraid, as people often do when they come here for the first time Word has spread about the Archivists

"I’m not an Archivist," I say "But I am authorized to trade with them on your behalf" Those of us who have been sanctioned to trade with the Archivists noear thin red bracelets under our sleeves that we can show to people who approach us The traders who don’t have the bracelet don’t last long, at least not at the Museu place The people who come here want security and authenticity I s to make her feel at ease, and take a step closer so that she can better see the bracelet

"Stop!" she says, and I freeze

"I’m sorry," she says "But I noticed--you were about to step on this" She points to the ground

It’s a letter written in the mud; I didn’t leave it My heart leaps "Did you write this?" I ask

"No," she says "You see it, too?"

"Yes," I say "It looks like an E"

Back in the Carving I kept thinking I saw my name, which wasn’t true until I found the tree where Ky had carved for me But this is real, too, a letter written deep in the h the person rote also wanted to communicate intent, purpose

Eli His nah as far as I know he never learned to write And Eli’s not here, even though this is where he grew up He’s out beyond the Outer Provinces, all the way to the , I think Maybe they, too, will put their hands to the stone

"So awed

"It’s easy," I tell her "You have the shape of things right before you"

She shakes her head, not understanding what I mean

"I didn’t write this, but I do kno," I tell her "You look at the letters Make them with your hands All it takes is practice"

The woman looks worried Her eyes are shadowed, and there is so tense and sad

"Are you all right?" I ask her

She s in the Society "Yes, of course I am"

I look out toward the do, she can I learned that fro first Ky, and then the Archivists--if you don’t walk away froht speak

"It’s ue caain that there’s a cure, but he’s afraid of getting sick He wakes all night long Even though he’s been immunized, he’s still afraid"