Poor World Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Apparently he’s picky about who he takes on, and most of the people apparently join with enthusiasm.”
    â€œAnyway,” Puddlenose said, his voice low, “he started talking about you, CJ, and how you were Shnit’s enemy, and how you’d enjoy ruling MH once all the rulers were disposed of — ”
    â€œWhat?” I nearly choked on the word.
    â€œOh, yes. You get to off Clair. No more hereditary rulers, no more aristocracy and rot — all leadership by merit, with him on top. Of course.”
    â€œAnd you think this insanitic has a chance ?”
    â€œKnows what he’s doing on the war part, anyway,” Rel said, his voice a low rumble.
    I felt like saying snidely, And you’re such an expert on world-conquering along with everything else you’re brilliant at? but I managed not to. After all, they were stuck down in the darkness and I wasn’t. (And besides, that blasted Rel probably did know. He certainly showed me up in everything else !)
    â€œWell, one thing for sure, we gotta get outa here,” I said, and I wondered if they knew their lives had been set against my agreement. With Rel there, I was too embarrassed to discuss it. We’d once been on opposite sides, and though everything had long since been straightened out — and I’d even helped him cut free of a bad situation — I just couldn’t give up that grudge.
    I said, “I guess I’d better take off before they decide I want to move in. I’ll see if I can get back — and maybe bring you some new clothes and some scissors while I’m at it. If you look this bad in the dark, I don’t want to think about your beauty in daylight.”
    Puddlenose snorted. He did look silly, with his thick brown hair birdnesting out, and Christoph wasn’t much better, but good old Rel managed to look like some of tapestry of a young pirate king. I thought about what I would look like after a couple months in a dark cell, and once again I managed to get that gut boil of jealousy because I sure wouldn’t look like any pirate king. Not Rel’s fault. I know. But if I’m going to write these records I have to put in my stupid parts as well as everyone else’s.
    At least the anger at least got me back up the stairs and out the door, to face whatever nastarooni was going to pounce on me next.

Three
    I recrossed the street, sneaking a quick peek at the bright-lit office window. I could see the desk, but the man was gone.
    I hustled inside, and made straight for the parlor where I’d last seen the girls. They were still there.
    Sherry had stretched out on three chairs and was asleep, and Diana had the other chairs. The rest sat in a circle on the floor.
    A glowglobe, fastened above the door, lit this room as well. When I stepped in the girls all looked up, their faces pale and strained, their expressions ranging from wary to scared, then came the relief when it was just me. I sensed that the magic over the room was now gone.
    â€œCJ! What’s going on?” Gwen cried.
    â€œI’ve got the run of the place — ” I began.
    Irene pointed to her nose, then cupped her ear and motioned with her other hand toward the door.
    â€œHe’s gone,” I said. “I don’t think he wants to bother listening to us. Maybe it’s a test, or maybe he’s just waiting for us to decide to join up. Me. Waiting for me to decide. He didn’t tell me, but I was deciding for all of us. Isn’t that nasty?”
    Seshe closed her eyes in relief. “You will do the right thing.”
    Like what? I wailed inside, but there was no time for a good whine. “What happened here?” I asked forebodingly.
    â€œThat guy who looks a little like Shnit said ‘will we stay’ — ” Irene began.
    â€œShnit,” I breathed, and the resemblance — the distinctive shape of the eyes — was suddenly there. I’d thought that