Where the Forest Meets the Star - Glendy Vanderah Page 0,2
hope you like cheese on your burger.”
“I’ve heard about cheese,” the girl said. “They say it’s good.”
“Who says it’s good?”
“The ones who’ve already been here. We learn a little about Earth before we come.”
“What’s your planet called?”
“It’s hard to say in your language—sort of like Hetrayeh. Do you have any marshmallows?”
“The Hetrayens taught you about marshmallows?”
“They said kids put them on a stick and melt them over a fire. They said it’s really good.”
Jo finally had an excuse to open the marshmallows she’d purchased on a whim when she first moved to the cottage. She figured she might as well use them before they went stale. She got the marshmallows from the kitchen cupboard and dropped the bag into the alien’s lap. “You have to eat dinner before you open them.”
The alien found a stick and sat in her chair, marshmallows sheltered in her lap, her dark eyes fixed on the cooking burger. Jo toasted the bun and placed a skewer of browned potatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms next to the cheeseburger on a plate. She brought out two drinks. “Do you like apple cider?”
The girl took the glass and sipped. “It’s really good!”
“Good enough to be a miracle?”
“No,” the alien said, but she downed more than half the glass in seconds.
The girl was almost done with her burger by the time Jo took a bite. “When did you last eat?” she asked.
“On my planet,” the alien said around a cheek bulged with food.
“When was that?”
She swallowed. “Last night.”
Jo put down her fork. “You haven’t eaten for a whole day?”
The girl popped a potato cube into her mouth. “I didn’t want to eat until now. I was kind of sick—from the trip to Earth and changing bodies and all that.”
“Then why are you eating like you’re starved?”
The girl broke the last piece of her burger and tossed half to the begging puppy, probably to prove she wasn’t starving. The dog gulped it down as fast as the girl had. When the alien offered the last morsel in her hand, the puppy slunk forward, nabbed it from her fingers, and retreated as it ate. “Did you see that?” the girl said. “He took it from my hand.”
“I saw.” What Jo also saw was a kid who might be in real trouble. “Are those pajamas you’re wearing?”
The girl glanced down at her thin pants. “I guess that’s what humans call them.”
Jo sliced another piece of meat off her chicken breast. “What’s your name?”
The girl was on her knees, trying to creep closer to the puppy. “I don’t have an Earth name.”
“What’s your alien name?”
“Hard to say . . .”
“Just tell me.”
“It’s kind of like Earpood-na-ahsroo.”
“Ear poo . . . ?”
“No, Earpood-na-ahsroo.”
“Okay, Earpood, I want you to tell me the truth about why you’re here.”
She gave up on the timid dog and stood. “Can I open the marshmallows?”
“Eat the broccoli first.”
She looked at the plate she’d left on her chair. “That green stuff?”
“Yeah.”
“We don’t eat green stuff on my planet.”
“You said you’re supposed to try new things.”
The girl pushed the three broccoli florets in her mouth in quick succession. While she chewed at the lumps in her cheeks, she ripped open the marshmallow bag.
“How old are you?” Jo asked.
The girl swallowed the last of the broccoli with effort. “My age wouldn’t make sense to a human.”
“How old is the body you took?”
She poked a marshmallow onto the end of her stick. “I don’t know.”
“I’m seriously going to have to call the police,” Jo said.
“Why?”
“You know why. You’re what, nine . . . ten? You can’t be out alone at night. Someone’s not treating you right.”
“If you call the police, I’ll just run away.”
“Why? They can help you.”
“I don’t want to live with mean strangers.”
“I was joking when I said that. I’m sure they’ll find nice people.”
The girl smashed a third marshmallow onto her stick. “Do you think Little Bear would like marshmallows?”
“Who’s Little Bear?”
“I’ve named the puppy that—for Ursa Minor, the constellation next to mine. Don’t you think he looks like a baby bear?”
“Don’t feed him marshmallows. Sugar isn’t what he needs.” Jo pulled the last pieces of meat off her chicken breast and tossed them to the dog, too distracted to finish her food. As the meat disappeared into the mutt’s gullet, she gave him the remaining vegetables from her two skewers.
“You’re nice,” the girl said.
“I’m stupid. I’ll never get rid of him now.”
“Whoa!” The girl brought flaming marshmallows to her face and blew at the fire.