Behind the Eyes of Dreamers by Pamela Sargent Read Free Book Online

his breathing was shallow and his hair and face were dotted with small beads of moisture. She wanted to speak to him, to question him. She clamped her lips shut and curled up on her own mat, nursing her pain and her fear.
     
    She had to talk to Gabe. She had to tell him what Neir-let had said.
    She went looking for him as soon as she was through with her work for the day. The bright sunlight had burned away the fog of that morning and by noon the weather was hot and humid. A group of people, among them Oscar Harrison and Asenath Berry, had gathered in front of the dome when she left, speaking to each other in low, angry tones. One man reached out and grabbed her as she passed and she tried to pull away.
    “Let her go,” said Oscar. The man released her. Suzanne retreated, then looked back. Everyone in the area seemed to be leaving the vicinity as if expecting trouble. Joel was still asleep upstairs and for a moment she wondered if she should go back and wake him up. Better to let him sleep; he’ll miss the trouble. She went on to Gabe’s dome.
    Gabe was not in his room. One of his roommates, a frail-looking Chinese man named Soong, looked up as she entered.
    “Do you know where Gabe is?” she asked him. “I have to talk to him.” She felt impatient, on edge. “It’s pretty important.”
    Mr. Soong smiled. “He is being entertained by a young lady, I believe, a few domes down. He has been away all night. You can find him there, but I do not know if he wishes to be disturbed.”
    The old windbag. “Which dome?”
    “I am not sure. If you wish to wait here, you are welcome. Please be seated.” The man nodded toward one of the mats which crowded the floor. “Gabe was indeed overwhelmed by good fortune. He was surprised when the young lady appeared last night and invited him to share her company. Usually he is back by morning, but she was a very attractive woman.”
    And he’s always complaining about his lousy luck. “Thank you,” said Suzanne, trying to be as dignified as Mr. Soong. “I’ll come back later. Please tell him Suzanne’s looking for him; he’ll know who I am.”
    She went back out the door and down the stairway. She paused in the downstairs room, wondering if she should talk to Felice. Then she remembered the angry crowd in front of her dome. I can’t go back there.
    For the first time, it occurred to her that Neir-let might have spoken to her in confidence. Perhaps she didn’t want Suzanne speaking to anyone else about their talk; maybe she would be angry if she found out she had. She shrugged off the idea. It couldn’t hurt to tell someone and it might prevent them from acting rashly. She remembered the burned bodies on the highway. They could afford to wait, knowing that the Aadae planned to leave.
    “Suzanne.” Gabe was standing in the doorway. She hurried toward him. He was smiling contentedly. “I finally had some luck, this girl I hardly know …”
    “Mr. Soong told me.” She tried to smile back.
    “Don’t look so irritated. I’ll start flattering myself by thinking you’re jealous.”
    “Gabe, I have to talk to you. I was talking to one of the Aadae last night and she told me they were going to leave eventually, I don’t know when, but that’s what she said.”
    “Where did you see her?”
    “I just happened to run into her, I was wandering around. Gabe, if we can just wait …”
    “Suzanne, they won’t leave until they’ve accomplished their purpose, whatever that is. It could be pretty hideous, you know.”
    “Neir-let said they want to keep us from dying.”
    Gabe wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “No doubt she was speaking figuratively.”
    Someone outside was shouting. Suzanne shook her head and began to move toward the doorway. “What’s going on,” she said listlessly. Something seemed to be keeping her from looking outside.
    Gabe was pulling at her hand. “Don’t talk to Neir-let any more,” he muttered. “In fact, I wouldn’t advise