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It was alhtened No Wrong word, Jonas thought Frightenedterrible about to happen Frightened was the way he had felt a year ago when an unidentified aircraft had overflown the co toward the sky, he had seen the sleek jet, alo past, and a second later heard the blast of sound that followed Then one more time, a moment later, from the opposite direction, the same plane

At first, he had been only fascinated He had never seen aircraft so close, for it was against the rules for Pilots to fly over the coo planes to the landing field across the river, the children rode their bicycles to the riverbank and watched, intrigued, the unloading and then the takeoff directed to the west, always away from the community

But the aircraft a year ago had been different It was not a squat, fat-bellied cargo plane but a needle-nosed single-pilot jet Jonas, looking around anxiously, had seen others—adults as well as children—stop what they were doing and wait, confused, for an explanation of the frightening event

Then all of the citizens had been ordered to go into the nearest building and stay there IMMEDIATELY, the rasping voice through the speakers had said, LEAVE YOUR BICYCLES WHERE THEY ARE

Instantly, obediently, Jonas had dropped his bike on its side on the path behind his fa He had run indoors and stayed there, alone His parents were both at work, and his little sister, Lily, was at the Childcare Center where she spent her after-school hours

Looking through the front , he had seen no people: none of the busy afternoon crew of Street Cleaners, Landscape Workers, and Food Delivery people who usually populated the community at that time of day He saw only the abandoned bikes here and there on their sides; an upturned wheel on one was still revolving slowly

He had been frightened then The sense of his own co, had made his stomach churn He had trembled

But it had been nothing Within ain, and the voice, reassuring now and less urgent, had explained that a Pilot-in-Training hadturn Desperately the Pilot had been trying to make his way back before his error was noticed

NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE WILL BE RELEASED, the voice had said, followed by silence There was an ironic tone to that final ; and Jonas had sri citizen to be released from the community was a final decision, a terrible punish statement of failure

Even the children were scolded if they used the ter at a teammate who missed a catch or stumbled in a race Jonas had done it once, had shouted at his best friend, "That's it, Asher! You're released!" when Asher's clumsy error had lost a match for his team He had been taken aside for a brief and serious talk by the coach, had hung his head with guilt and eame

Now, thinking about the feeling of fear as he pedaled ho the river path, he re terror when the aircraft had streaked above It was not what he was feeling noith Deceht word to describe his own feeling

Jonas was careful about language Not like his friend, Asher, who talked too fast andwords and phrases until they were barely recognizable and often very funny

Jonas grinned, re that Asher had dashed into the classroo breathlessly in theanthem When the class took their seats at the conclusion of the patriotic hyy as was required

"I apologize for inconveniencing y phrase rapidly, still catching his breath The Instructor and class waited patiently for his explanation The students had all been grinning, because they had listened to Asher's explanations so many times before

"I left ho near the hatchery, the creas separating so them

"I apologize to my classmates," Asher concluded He smoothed his rumpled tunic and sat down

"We accept your apology, Asher" The class recited the standard response in unison Many of the students were biting their lips to keep fro

"I accept your apology, Asher," the Instructor said He was sain you have provided an opportunity for a lesson in language 'Distraught' is too strong an adjective to describe salht" on the instructional board Beside it he wrote "distracted"

Jonas, nearing his ho, still, as he wheeled his bike into its narrow port beside the door, he realized that frightened was the wrong word to describe his feelings, now that Dece an adjective

He had waited a long time for this special Decehtened, but he waseager, he decided He was eager for it to come And he was excited, certainly All of the Elevens were excited about the event that would be co so soon

But there was a little shudder of nervousness when he thought about it, about what ht happen

Apprehensive, Jonas decided That's what I am

"Who wants to be the first tonight, for feelings?" Jonas's father asked, at the conclusion of their evening meal

It was one of the rituals, the evening telling of feelings Soued over turns, over ould get to go first Their parents, of course, were part of the ritual; they, too, told their feelings each evening But like all parents—all adults—they didn't fight and wheedle for their turn

Nor did Jonas, tonight His feelings were too co He wanted to share theh his own complicated eive

"You go, Lily," he said, seeing his sister, aswith impatience in her chair