Vision in Silver(85)
A hesitation. “Just remember to be specific about what you want,” Merri Lee finally said.
“Maybe that’s why my aunt said the beef tasted a bit odd, and why Lawrence turned pale when I said I bought the meat at the Market Square.”
“If it tasted gamy, it wasn’t beef, which isn’t always available,” Ruth said. “The grocery store is a bit hit-or-miss too. You can find a jar of spaghetti sauce and a box of pasta, but no boxes of cereal. Lots of things sold in canning jars that you’re expected to return, but not much sold in cans.”
“Canned foods taste like metal, and the terra indigene tend to eat fresh foods that are in season,” Meg said. The pins-and-needles feeling filled her cheeks, tongue, and jaw.
She stopped and studied a cluster of plants that hadn’t been in bloom a couple of days ago.
The other girls stopped too.
“How are you doing?” Merri Lee asked, eyeing Meg while Ruth took a picture of the plants.
“All right,” Meg replied. Now that they had stopped talking about food, the prickling faded. Should she mention that? Or would her friends feel uncomfortable about talking to her at all, afraid that they would trigger the need to cut?
“What kind of flower is that?” Ruth asked as Merri Lee waited, pen poised over a small notebook.
“Wildflower?” Meg offered. “I don’t recall a training image that matches it.”
“It is a herald of Summer,” said a female voice behind them. “What other name does it need?”
“Good morning, Spring,” Meg said, turning to face the Elemental. “Hello, Mist.”
“You are not working today?” Spring asked.
“I am. We all are. But we’re taking a walk first.”
“Very wise. It will rain later. Not a storm. A soft rain for all that is blooming. But some things need a small drink now.” Spring smiled at them before she and Mist cantered away.
Theral pointed to the spot where the Elemental and steed had been. “The road is wet there. Just there.”
“That’s because Mist was standing there,” Meg said.
The girls stared at her. Finally Merri Lee said, “So the ponies really are their names?”
“Yes.”
“Wow.”
Theral didn’t know the names of all the ponies and didn’t understand the significance, but Ruth and Merri Lee, who had witnessed the storm in Febros, looked a little scared.
“That explains some things,” Ruth said.
Meg didn’t remember much about the storm that struck Lakeside after she’d fallen through the ice on the creek. But she remembered being stuck in the hospital, along with Simon and Jester, because the whole city had been trapped by a record snowfall.
She also remembered waking up at some point to find Simon in Wolf form, scrunched into that hospital bed with her to keep her warm.
“Better get moving,” she said.
Crows followed them as they continued down the road. Hawks soared overhead or found a convenient observation perch. A couple of Owls, who should have been home by now, flew over their heads.
A small rabbit hopped across the road, watched by a Hawk. Would the Hawk have done more than watch if the girls hadn’t been passing his perch?
Grateful she didn’t have a new image of a bunny being killed, Meg looked at the flowers and grass and trees. Would Simon let her work in the garden? If she wore gloves and was careful to protect her skin, she could plant and weed like the other girls. Couldn’t she?