Nightmare Read Online Free PDF Page B

what his mother was doing and if he would be allowed to see her.
      Frogs croaked everywhere. The pair of boys leaned back against the scratchy tree trunk, enjoying the feeling of sitting on something that didn’t squish, and suddenly Evan was very glad for Pup’s presence. Pup might be one step above a stranger, but he had been friendly and kind all day. Evan felt an odd urge to reach over and take the other boy’s hand. Disconcerted, he cleared his throat.
      "What are we looking at?" he asked.
      "Wait a second," Pup replied. "It should be—there!"
      Out of nowhere, a crowd of round white lights swooped down over the ponds. They circled and dipped and soared, their movements duplicated by their reflections in the water like tiny moons dancing above a roomful of mirrors. After a moment, each one moved to a position about a meter above each pond or swamp, shedding cool silvery light over every leaf and blade of grass.

      "What are they?" Evan asked, awed.
      "Bug bait," Pup said, clearly pleased at Evan’s reaction. "The buggers can’t come up with enough food for all the frogs on their own, so they release the nightlights to lure in more." He laughed, and Evan found he liked the sound. "The lights be here for a practical reason, but I think they look nice in the dark. I like to come out and have a look."
      A mosquito whined in Evan’s ear and he slapped at it. Then another one landed on his neck. Pup smacked a shoulder.
      "Problem is," he continued, "you can’t watch for very long without being eaten alive. Come on."
      They went back to the barn, which Pup said was the slave quarters for unmarried adults and children over eleven, and climbed the ladder up to the men’s loft. Large screened windows kept the insects out and let a cooling breeze flow through the building. A warm yellow light leaked over the edge of the loft and Evan heard voices talking. The frog noises grew even louder, and Evan wondered if it was because it was night or because the frogs were feeding off the bugs lured in by the floating lights.
      Evan reached the loft. Thirty or so men and boys were there, some talking, some lying on their pallets. A small group was engaged in some kind of card game in one corner of the loft. Small yellow lamps provided illumination. It felt a little like a camp-out to Evan, for although they were technically indoors, the wide windows, high ceiling, and smell of straw made it seem like they were outdoors.
      "What’s this place like in winter?" he asked Pup. "Doesn’t it get cold?"
      "Nah." Pup dropped down on his pallet, which was next to the one Evan had woken up on. "It gets a little chilly sometimes, but not bad. Why? Do you come from someplace where it snows?" This last said with a trace of wonder.
      Evan sat on his own pallet. "Not where I lived, but it does get kind of cold."
      "I’ve always wanted to see snow," Pup said wistfully.
      Something occurred to Evan. "What’s the name of this planet? It can’t be Earth."
      "Nope. It’s called July IV. I hear it’s some kind of joke, but nobody I know can explain it to me."
      "How long have you lived here?"
      "For my whole memory. Mistress Blanc sold my dad away when I was eight and Ma accidentally drowned in one of the ponds the year after that. She tripped and hit her head and no one saw until it was too late."
      "Sucks," Evan said, and Pup grinned at him. Evan moved closer to him and lowered his voice. "Does anyone ever try to escape?"
      Pain flashed down Evan’s arm and leg. He started to cry out, but Pup clapped a quick hand over Evan’s mouth. Evan thrashed for a moment as agony ripped at muscle and bone. Then it ended. Evan went limp.
      "Don’t scream if you get shocked," Pup said quietly. "Some of the slaves—the ones who toady up—get mad at you."
      "So we still can’t say ...certain words," he muttered.
    "Nope. And if you just mouth them, the computer catches that, too. And it learns code words after