A Better World Read Online Free PDF Page A

appeared?”
    “Sure. Invasive species, when organisms are moved to a new ecosystem. Asian carp, zebra mussels, Dutch elm disease.”
    “That’s what I thought. Those were all pretty disastrous, right? I mean, I’m not a bigot; I don’t have anything against the gifted. It’s the
change
that scares me. The world is so fragile. How are we supposed to live with a shift like this?”
    It was a question often heard these days, bandied about at dinner parties, debated on news programs and in feedcasts. When the gifted had first been discovered, people had been more intrigued than anything else. After all, one percent of the population was a curiosity. It was only as the one percent grew to adulthood that the world had finally come to realize they represented a fundamental shift.
    The problem was, from there it was a tiny step to hating them. “I hear you, man. But people aren’t carp. We gotta find a way.”
    “Of course. You’re right.” Jack heaved himself out of his chair. “Anyway, I’m sure it’ll work out. Let’s see about that milk.”
    Ethan followed him through the basement. The shelves were stacked four high with cases of canned food, batteries, blankets. Jack pulled a twenty-four-pack of evaporated milk from the shelf. “Here we go.”
    “A couple of cans would be fine.”
    “Take it, it’s no big deal.”
    “Can I at least pay you for it?”
    “Don’t be silly.”
    Part of him wanted to protest further, but he thought of Violet, and the empty supermarket, and he just said, “Thanks, Jack. I’ll replace it.”
    “That’s fine.” His neighbor gave him a long look. “Ethan, this may sound weird, but do you have protection?”
    “A pack of condoms on the nightstand.”
    Jack smiled, but only out of courtesy.
    Ethan said, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
    “Come here.” He walked to a metal cabinet and started fiddling with the combination lock. “Until the National Guard gets this all sorted, I’d feel better if you had one of these.”
    The gun cabinet was neat, rifles and shotguns locked into stands, half a dozen pistols on pegs. Ethan said, “I’m not really a gun guy.”
    Jack ignored him, took down a pistol. “This is a .38 revolver. Simplest gun in the world. All you need to do is pull the trigger.” Fluorescent lights gleamed off oily metal.
    “That’s okay, man.” Ethan forced a smile, held up the milk. “Really, this is plenty.”
    “Take it. Just in case. Put it on a closet shelf and forget about it.”
    Ethan wanted to make a joke, but the expression on his neighbor’s face was serious.
The guy’s helping you out. Don’t offend him.
“Thanks.”
    “Hey, like I said. What neighbors are for.”

    After the last two hours, walking in the front door of his house was like stepping into a hug. Ethan snapped the lock and stepped out of his shoes. Gregor Mendel sauntered over and rubbed his head against Ethan’s ankles, purring softly. Ethan rubbed the cat’s neck, then picked up the case of milk and followed the warm light flowing down the hall, looking for his girls. He found them in the kitchen, Amy holding Violet to her chest.
    “Oh thank God.” His wife’s face lit up to see him. “I was getting scared. Have you heard the news? They’re saying that people are looting stores.”
    “Yeah.” He held out his arms, and Amy passed Violet to him. His daughter was awake and impossibly beautiful, neckless andpudgy with a shock of auburn hair. “I was there. Everything is cleaned out. The milk is a gift from Jack.”
    “Lucky he had some.” She opened a can and poured it into a baby bottle. “You want to feed her?”
    Ethan leaned back against the counter and switched his daughter to his left arm, bracing her weight on his hip. She saw the bottle and started to cry, a desperate sound like he might be teasing her. He popped the nipple in her greedy mouth. “Is this a whole can?”
    “Five ounces.” She read the label. “It’s pretty caloric. We can