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"It’s wonderful to see you," Wolgast said "Don’t forget to buckle up, sweetheart"

Her amazement was such that she could barely for?"

"You’ll see"

They drove clear of the underpass, into summer sunshine Around them the shops and houses and cars flowed past, a world of busy hu springs

"How far is it?"

Wolgast shrugged vaguely "Not very Just up the road a bit" He glanced sidelong "I have to say, you’re looking very well, Arown up"

"Whatis this place?"

"Well, Texas" He made a face of distaste "All of this is Houston, Texas" Aabout it ’Brad, it’s just a state like any other,’ she always said"

"But how are we here?"

"The how, I don’t know I don’t think there’s an answer to that As for the why " He glanced at her again "I’ast nodded

"Are you in the ship, too?"

"The ship? No"

"Where, then?"

He didn’t respond right away "I think it’s best if he explains it to you" His eyes shifted quickly to Aain "You really do look wonderful, Ained I know he’ll be happy to see you"

They had e houses, lush trees, and wide, well-kept lawns Wolgast pulled into the driveway of a white-brick colonial and stopped the car

"Here we are I guess I’ll leave you to it, then"

"You’re not coer this tio around back"

"But I don’t want to go without you"

"It’s all right, sweetheart, he won’t bite you" He took her hand and gently squeezed "Go on now, he’s waiting I’ll see you again soon Everything will be all right, I pro in the trees, a sound that somehow deepened the stillness The air was heavy with lance at Wolgast, but the car had disappeared This place, she understood, was different in that way; things could sih a trellised gate wreathed with flowering vines, into the backyard Carter was sitting at a table on the patio, wearing jeans and a dirty T-shirt and heavy, unlaced boots He was rubbing his neck and hair with a towel; his asoline At A

"Well, there you are" He gestured toward the two glasses of liquid on the table "I just got done here-coht like sorin "Ain’t nothing as good as a glass of tea on a hot June day"

Amy took the chair across froentle eyes and close-cropped hair, like a cap of dark wool His cocoa-colored skin was speckled with black spots; flecks of grass were on his shirt and arms Adjacent to the patio, the pool was a presence of cool, inviting blueness, the water gently lapping at its tiled edges It was only then that Amy realized it was the saht

"This place," said Aht warhtly is, Miss Amy"

"But we’re still inside the ship, aren’t we?"

"In a manner," Carter replied evenly "In athe cold tea Beads of s were co clearer now

"I think I knohy I’ you do"

The air had suddenly chilled; A her arms around herself Dry leaves, like bits of brown paper, were blowing across the patio; the light had lost its color

"I been thinking on you, Miss Aood talk, like you andto tell her, she suddenly didn’t want it It was the leaves that made her think it: she was afraid

"He said he’s yours That he belongs to you"

Carter nodded in his ht, but I set store by hiure it An ocean of time, Anthony, that’s what he said I took me soer ive ht"

"He’s the one who sealed you in the ship, isn’t he?"