Author: Derin

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next Epilepsy? I’d never heard the word. I shook my head. “That’s not surprising. It’s been incredibly rare for a long time, as we identify more of the genetic risk factors involved, and we cure it whenever we do find it, because it’s so dangerous. Epilepsy is a neurological condition … Continue reading 21: Mental Structure

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next Babysitting duty was the absolute worst. I had to look after any of the younger kids in the family whenever any of the adults wanted me to. The only things more important than babysitting were going to my jaunt, sleeping, and any important meetings or celebrations that my parents … Continue reading 20: Secret Meeting

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next My parents frowned at me as I came in, but the strange man smiled. He was older than Mum and Dad, but younger than Grandma. Most of his very short beard was white, with just a little black in the middle; his eyes were surrounded by wrinkles; his hair … Continue reading 19: Apprenticeship

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next I didn’t, of course, tell anyone where I had been. But the day after seeing Grandma, I asked Dad about citrus trees and about the treegrave. I just told him that it was something that had been mentioned on my jaunt and he believed me. “The history about the … Continue reading 18: Hitan’s Birthday

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next “What are you on about now?” Saro asked. “I went on a tour and the tour guide said that the treegrave people are further in,” I said, “towards the middle of the treegrave. But you’ve taken me to one of the outer sectors. This is the opposite direction. Where … Continue reading 17: Aspen Trees

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next At the end of the corridor was a big, important-looking door. It was closed, but there was no sign on it. No lock, either. On the one hand, it was important-looking, so if I went through there there might be people in there who I couldn’t talk my way … Continue reading 16: Visitation Rights

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next When Laisor strode in, everyone made a big fuss, but most of us left after saying hi. I headed off to a quiet corner of the garden while Mum and Dad fussed over kem and the younger boys asked about the ship. Nobody had fussed over Plia this much … Continue reading 15: Infiltration

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next The tour didn’t seem like such a good idea on the way home. I’d been nervous enough to stay awake through the whole tour, but on the trolley, I nearly fell asleep lots of times. I almost missed my stop. But I managed to get off, and stumble home, … Continue reading 14: Keys

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next The elevator was smaller than I remembered. Last time I’d done this tour had been in one of my earliest sessions of Education, and the twelve of us had gone up in two groups of six plus the guide. This time there were only five of us plus the … Continue reading 13: The Treegrave

First -- Prev-- Archive -- Next I started watching teenage girls. Watching how they walked, and what they wore, and how they did their hair. They liked wraps that were plainer than the wraps me and my friends wore, and hair braids that were more complicated, sometimes with ribbons (like grown ups), but not with … Continue reading 12: The Trolley