Botanicaust

poisoned by the return of her memory. The Blattvolk were the very definition of evil. To accept such a transformation was to deny God.
    Yet she didn ’ t remember denying God. She remembered being saved.
    Eventually, voices outside drew her attention. The door squeaked open and a man with a lantern entered. Tula squinted her bleary eyes against the sudden light. Behind him, a woman hovered on the threshold. Beyond, two men with dogs stood watch. The man set down the lantern. “ Brought some decent clothes. ” He looked at a spot beyond Tula ’ s head. “ Don ’ t try anything funny. ”
    The woman stepped inside and with trembling arms held out a bundle of blue fabric. She looked slightly familiar, hair completely covered by a white bonnet, dark gray dress covering everything but her hands and face. Mama? No, Mama would be much older, now. But the dress was the same.
    Gently pushing Eily from her lap, Tula rose to accept, self conscious about her nakedness. The robe had been inside the pack Levi had dropped on the plains. Eily was just as naked, small nipples barely beginning to bud into womanhood. The woman looked modestly to the side.
    “ Thank you, ” Tula said and allowed the blue fabric to unfold. Two dresses and the smell of sunshine. She pulled the larger one over her head, worked the hook and eye closures up the front. The man and woman seemed satisfied and started to leave. “ Wait! Is Levi all right? When can I talk to Papa again? ”
    They didn ’ t stop. The door banged shut. She was grateful they ’ d left the lantern. In the dusty yellow light, Tula dressed Eily like a doll. The girl didn ’ t resist, but she didn ’ t cooperate, either. Once the fabric was fastened beneath her chin, Tula took a good look and bit her lips. A Haldanian face in an Old Order dress.
    I likely look just as strange.
    A part of both worlds, yet belonging to none.

T he Holdout Levi woke to the smell of frying ham. His stomach growled so loudly, he thought it might shake the house. Opening his eyes, he winced as pain lanced across his cheek, reminding him of the fence. The cannibals. Tula and the twins.
    He sat up, then regretted the movement as his head spun, but he didn ’ t allow himself to collapse. He had to blink to be sure he saw true. His old room. Sarah ’ s quilt bunched around his legs. Morning light leaked around the edges of the curtained window. He was home. The last few weeks had been a dream. Only they hadn ’ t, and he bore the burn marks on his shoulder and face to prove it.
    “ Tula! ” He flung the blankets off and swung his numb legs out of bed. Someone — probably Beth — had removed his shirt to treat his burns. A set of clothing waited for him on a chair near the door. He didn ’ t take time to dress. “ Tula! Eily! Ana! ” He stumbled to the kitchen where Beth stood over a huge cast iron skillet flipping eggs. She glanced his way, then quickly back to the skillet.
    Samuel sat at the far end of the long kitchen table with his Bible open before him. “ Levi. ” His blue eyes held no warmth.
    “ Brother Samuel. What happened? Where are Tula and the girls? ”
    His brother-in-law closed the Bible and rose from his chair, the wooden legs scraping loudly against the floor. “ The Elders wish to see you as soon as you are proper. ” His judgment raked Levi head to toe, and Levi flushed. He was nearly naked. No wonder Beth had not greeted him.
    Knowing he ’ d get no answers until he dressed, he hurried back to his room and shoved his feet into trousers without removing the Fosselite short pants. His legs tingled as if on fire, an aftereffect of the fence. He buttoned his shirt and hooked his suspenders before thrusting his travel worn feet into knit socks. The boots felt tight after so long without shoes, but he laced them before turning to his shaving kit. The razor burned his skin, but soon his jaw and lip were clear. Now, Samuel could have no complaint.
    Back in the common room, Samuel was gone, but Beth was elbow deep in dishwater at the kitchen sink. “ I made you a plate. ” She nodded to a platter loaded with fresh eggs, a flat ham steak, potatoes, and griddlecakes next to a pot of jam and lump of fresh butter. Levi almost gave in.
    “ I have to know what happened to my friends. ”
    He couldn ’ t read Beth ’ s face as she wiped her hands on her apron. “ You ’ ll have to talk to the Elders. I only know what Samuel told me. They ’ re holding the Blattvolk in the