Day 3

Chapter 2

Vine was the last one to get home that evening. Her step mother said. “There you are Vainty. Jeamthon was supposed to wait fro you to make sure you could find your way, but forgot. I was just going to make him go find you.”

Vine said. “I had no trouble with the walk, I just had some questions about some homework. The teacher wants it in a certain format but I was not sure what it was, so I asked some of the others and it took a bit longer than I expected. They were trying to talk me into just coming with them and doing it together. I explained that I would have to find out if that was acceptable to you before I could agree to join them.”

Her step mother nodded. “I can see why you would have questions. I do hope it is not to difficult. Kids do get together for a couple of hours after school. So I suppose. Do you know why they go and just who?”

Her father picked that moment to come out of his office. “There you are, see Ethisbth I told you she wasn’t lost. So how was school? Healn looked nice I am sure you hit it off. I wasn’t expecting you home tell six, certain you were in a study group. Why aren’t you? Jeamthon’s is meeting here but I see no extras.”

Vine said. “I was asked but was not sure what the rules were regarding after school activities, so begged off. If it is all right I will go tomorrow. We do have a group project to work on so need to get together, but the teacher ran out of time so we do not have all the details just yet. I am afraid Heal doesn’t much care for me as I decide to sit by the windows rather than under the non working lights she whished me to. But it worked out for the best I think.”

“Dear don’t you think we should know who? I mean.”

Her farther said. “Now we agreed no difference remember. We did not question the others we can’t her.”

A man came in the front door “Daved tell me that the schools are getting book money soon. The books have more holes than pages put all our books together and you all most have a book.”

“We are working on it but there just is not a lot of room.”

He said. “Well then let us go to e-books. They do not ware out and generally cost less. These days you can get a reader for no more than the cost of a textbook, and if we went e-books they would buy there own. Letting us put that money to fixing lighting and roofs.”

Daved said. “That is one of the proposals before the board, but why don’t we take this into my office?”

The man shook his head and turned to Vine. “Child you should know. What would be best, paper or e?”

Vine said. “I have just moved here sir, so am not in a place to say. But most of my books are in electron format. I like the portability it offers. I would like to be able to use my e-reader in school. It is easier to see than the printing in the books, which seems a bit faded.”

“So how did you like your fist day? Learn anything?”

Vine said. “It was an experience. I um found it frustrating really. I am not accustomed to your ways and so right off made a few mistakes. But I am sure I will adjust, once I come to understand what not to say.”

Her father looked at her. “So what did you say?”

Vine said. “When asked to introduce myself I hesitated a bit and so the teacher told me it wasn’t like he was asking me to name the sixth century capitals of Persa, just to my name and what school I came from. So I told him my name and that I had not been to school, but had been studying pre-disaster history, this was the history teach asking so I thought that was what he wanted, he looked up set and was saying nothing. I thought that meant I was to tell him the capitals of Persa as well so I did, using Dr. Macgoverns list of them, which was showing off, and speaking out of turn I got informed. After class the others explained to me that high schools here do not speak of the disaster and that by doing so I was out of line. Oh and I stood to introduce myself.”

Daved said. “I have to take some of the blame. I should have gone over classroom behavior with you. I am sorry, it slipped my mind. I didn’t think you wouldn’t know to remain seated. I should have.  I hope that wasn’t the problem with Healn. She should have helped you understand, that is a monitors duty.”

Vine said. “Oh the others explained it to me, latter. I didn’t stand to answer after that, but did answer to toughly once and so I must go right a paper about why it is rude to explain that Rumans do not trade for wool.”

The other man frowned. “But Rumans have more sheep than people. Why would they want wool?”

Vine said. “That earned me a two paged easy. Well it was said in answer to a math problem that involved prices of wool sold to Rumans in exchange for cretin dye. So I guess I really should have just given the answer and explained why the problem was actually backwards. But I was a bit disgusted with the exercise at that point, and a hungry, as my body thought it was lunch time. Hunger tends to make me sassy. I must remember to slip some munches in my bag so I can eat between classes. I am not the only one with two pages to right. My answer made Paul laugh so he has them to do as well.”

The man shook his head. “Go get your homework done. Daved I think you will now know what I get to put up with. The joys of having an overly bright child that thinks they know best.”

Daved looked at the man than at Vine. “Vainty you can still go with them after school, no matter the answer. We will not censor who your friends with. But now I would like to know just who explained it to you.”

Vine said. “Paul and Jul. Sorry I didn’t get there last names. Paul has red hair and is my height. Jul Isa bit shorter and she has long hair dyed a light pink. After school they were joined by anther boy, Keven, he wasn’t in our class today but I gathered he will be tomorrow. If it helps they were going to a place called Moe’s.”

Daved turned to the man. “So you moved you son to Gaven? Take it you did find it to hard to have him in your school after all?”

The man nodded. “He was worse without the other two. You were right about that, but now then the books.” Daved laughed and led the way into his office. Vine went up to her room and got the easys done. Over the next few weeks the four of them became fast friends.

Chapter 3

“I tell you Condor has the right of it. We need to get these mutants away from us. Thank goodness we at least have some safe schools for our kids. Olver there is enough room you can get your boy in to. I know he has discipline issues in the past but.” The door closed and Vine could hear no more. They were sitting in Olver’s restaurant working on homework and milkshakes.

 She turned to Paul. “You think there is any danger your dad will listen to him?”

 “Why? Can’t live without me or want to be rid of me?”

Jul said. “It is the latter of course. We are all tired of you stench.”

Paul laughed. “In that case I have to disappoint you. Gav is in uncle’s school and since Easter refuse to go to any school I am in. Something about how I am going to end up ruining everything for him and he wont have it. Whish they had of left the door open though. We could have used more of that for this paper. He would know if the Runbain are given Condor the information or the other way round.”

Vine said. “I think it goes both ways, but as Condor had the most camps they have the larger amount of tests to pull form and distort. There are Condoring Runbain though so I think it would be just as right to just say it comes from the Runbain. I still would like to know how we can right a paper dealing with the lasting effects of the disaster when we can’t talk about it. But I truly didn’t mean for him to see that. I didn’t know he was going to demand our notebooks. However how can it be fair to give us all extra work just for my comment? I should be the only one.”

Keven said. “I fully intend to take this up with my father. About time I count some use out of him being the district chair. Lord knows my siblings do. Not that I mind the extra pages. I want to know how this is valid to. I just knew better than to write it in six inch letters. Still I must give you credit you didn’t ask.”

Jul said. “Hay it was a silly task. Yes Condor has a new government that seems a bit blood thirsty, but has been closed for years so how will a war of theirs affect us anyway?”

Paul said. “We are just to list items that a Condor war would need that might cause shortages, not if the shortages would be valid. But it does seem like a waste of time and paper.”

Olver said, causing them to jump as they hadn’t heard the door open. “In what way boy, just how is it wasteful to be prepared?” He sat a basket of fries on the table. “Can’t have Vine fainting again. Once was enough.” The kids laughed.

Paul said. “Condor doesn’t trade with us so how will there possible war cause us shortages? Now if it was someone we have trade with I could see it. But this is just fruity.”

“What if they go to war with us?”

Vine said. “They won’t but yes if the assignment asked that it would make more since. But the teacher wants us to list items that Condor would be buying in increased amounts from us. Condor doesn’t by but from Juab, and Juab trades exclusively with Condor, so the only market affected will be the black market and that is not to be spoke of.”

Olver said. “Did you happen to think the point might be to get you to understand what it takes to wage a war? There is more involved than you might think. Start by listing what a war would need. However Vine why are you so sure Condor won’t look this way?”

“Aren’t they a bit young to be speaking of such things?”

Olver said. “They are just two years from there majority. I want to know how aware of the world they are.”

Vine said. “Your army out powers there’s. It would gain them nothing to look this way. Not for an all out war. To take over here they would have to first gain a foot hold, get the public to support on there side, until they achieve that they dare not attack you. They will be starting an add campaign, trying to get the support, but those take years.”

Olver nodded. “Very good. Now eat up and get those papers done. Paul I want to see that list of trade goods. Be interesting to see what you came up with.”

Keven said. “Do you think they will go to war?”

Jul said. “My dad said they are stocking weapons. He reckons they are looking at Comp fir the sea port. Can’t see them wanting the dessert.”

Vine said. “They will hit Mur, then was it is secure they are going to turn on Juab. There are a bunch of reasons, but the main one is that is the plain that Mare set out. With her party in power it is what they will follow. Grandfather had no problems with talking politics at the diner table, and he dose have a few hands in the black market.”