Earthseed

what had happened. They were out there somewhere, running away, waiting for their vengeance to light the Hollow.
    She thought of the plain. It would burn, the fire would spread. She started up, and then remembered. Anoki had cleared more land, and that might save the plain. Make it rain, she wanted to scream at Ship, make it rain now. She coughed, peering through the smoke. Brendan passed her and threw her a blanket.
    She went toward the field, beating the flames with the blanket, driving the fire. The cornstalks were black. She looked toward the plain. A line of people advanced from the cleared land toward the burning crops; some swung blankets, others wielded shovels. A wide circle had formed around the field, containing the fire and saving the settlement, but the field would be lost.

    The fire had burned itself out by morning, leaving the field black. Jorge had been carried out, stunned but otherwise unharmed. People sat alongside the ditches and by the river, tired by the battle.
    Dmitri had revived; his head rested on Zoheret’s lap. She trembled, thinking of what might have happened. The plain might have burned; they might have wakened with their shacks burning over their heads. They might not have awakened at all.
    Lillka stood near her, gazing at the field, assessing the damage. “What are we going to do?” Zoheret asked.
    “I think we’ll get by. We still have our gardens. We’ll have short rations for a while, though. We’d better start learning how to fish.”
    “I didn’t mean that.”
    “You want us to go after them,” Lillka said fiercely. “Then it’ll start all over again, won’t it? What do you want, a war?”
    Dmitri said, “Isn’t that what we have now?”
    Zoheret shook her head. “That isn’t what I meant. I think we have to talk to Ship now.” She waited for the other girl to object, but Lillka was silent.
    Serena was still crying. She paced the edge of a ditch, turning violently from Tonio whenever he stretched out a comforting arm. Her voice keened as she mourned her dog.
    Zoheret lifted Dmitri’s head gently, then stood up. “Where’re you going?” he asked.
    “To get some food. There’s nothing left to do here.”
    “Bring me something.”
    She stood up and walked toward the settlement, feeling too tired for anger. As she passed the shacks and approached the clearing, Bonnie emerged from the storehouse. Her head was bare of flowers; she wore a stun gun at her waist and a small pack on her back. Zoheret ducked behind a shack. Bonnie hurried down the steps and ran around the side of the storehouse.
    Zoheret ran after her, passing the chicken coop and pigpen behind the storehouse before she caught sight of the girl again. Bonnie was on the plain, moving rapidly through the tall grass. Zoheret wondered if she should go back to the storehouse, ring the bell, and assemble a group to go after Bonnie. She recalled Tonio’s suspicions, and then remembered that Bonnie had confided in her. She was sure that the girl had not lied.
    She ran after her, trying to keep up; the grass slowed her movement. Bonnie turned and saw her, but kept on walking. “Bonnie. Stop.” The girl turned her head. “If you don’t, I’ll get the others, and they’ll come after you.”
    Bonnie halted. Zoheret swished through the grass and came to her side. “Where are you going?”
    “Away.” Bonnie started walking again.
    “Why?” Zoheret trailed after her.
    “Why do you think? I handed Tonio a bucket and he almost hit me with it. He said he’d deal with me later.” She turned her head and glared at Zoheret. “You suspect me, too. Admit it.”
    “Do you think I would be out here alone if I did?”
    “I won’t go back.”
    “Don’t you know this’ll just make it look as though Tonio’s right?”
    “I don’t care. He’ll believe it no matter what I do.”
    “Don’t you know a lot of people won’t believe him? Lillka would stand up for you.”
    “No, she wouldn’t, Zoheret. You think she would because she’s your roommate. But she’s not a good leader, not when things are going wrong.” Bonnie turned and stared at the now-distant settlement. “She can’t make the hard decisions.”
    “Where are you going?”
    “Back to the corridors. I’ll be safe there.”
    “Ship won’t let you stay.”
    “I won’t go back to the settlement.”
    Zoheret struggled to control her exasperation. “Bonnie, listen. I already told Lillka I wanted to talk to Ship. We have to tell it