Free Coming of Age by Timothy Zahn Page A

things you already know,” she pointed out. “You could lend me books and show me what the words are.”
    He swiveled on the bench so as to face her, his hand pulling back. “You’re not joking, are you?” he said, frowning into her face. “What do you want to waste time with reading for when the whole sky is open—” His voice cracked and he fell silent.
    â€œBecause I’m afraid of Transition,” she said. The words were harder than stubborn Nines to drag out, but he’d been honest with her earlier and she knew down deep a half-truth wouldn’t do here. “I don’t want to start school cold, without any idea of what’s going on.”
    â€œThe rest of us had to,” he said, almost harshly. “Why should you get special privileges?”
    â€œWhy should I get stuck behind the other preteens my age just because my stupid body isn’t changing?” she countered, dimly aware of the strangeness of that argument. “I’ll be stuck with girls a year or even two younger than me by the time I get to school.”
    â€œYou’re complaining about an extra year of teekay? What kind of stupid furhead are you, anyway?”
    â€œI’m not complaining about that, ” she snapped. “I—oh, grack,” she sighed, giving up. She’d never been good at keeping her reasoning clear in an argument. “Daryl … please help me?”
    His face softened a little. “I don’t know, Lisa,” he said, running his fingers over the hairs on his chin. “I’m awfully busy here—a lot of schoolwork, and I’m trying to earn some extra points on the work crews.” He grimaced. “At least that’s one thing you won’t have to worry about after Transition. You’ve probably earned enough points to go straight through medical training if you want. I wish I hadn’t messed around so much when I was a preteen.”
    â€œAny way I could help?”
    â€œDon’t I wish.” He hesitated. “But maybe there’s something you could do for me.”
    â€œWhat?”
    He licked his lips. “Would you … give me a ride?”
    â€œSure. Where to?”
    â€œJust … around.”
    She got it then. “You miss flying, don’t you?”
    â€œWell, wouldn’t you?” he flared, as if ashamed to admit such a desire.
    â€œYes,” she said quietly. “I’m sure I will.” Standing up, she offered her hand. He hesitated, glanced around, and finally took it; and together they rose into the sky.
    It was, at the same time, one of the greatest and one of the saddest flights Lisa had ever made. Even with her teekay wrapped around his entire body—which she knew from girlhood experience damped the instinctive fear of falling—he clung tightly to her hand the whole time. Drawing on her memories of flights they’d taken when he was her preteen overseer, she tried to duplicate the aerial maneuvers he had seemed to enjoy the most … but whenever she snatched a glance at his face she saw no pleasure there, just a frozen mask that could have fit a Nine trying not to be afraid or a Six trying not to cry. She tried everything she could think of, but his face never changed, and she finally gave up and returned them to the park.
    For a long moment afterward he just stood there, staring off somewhere past her right shoulder. “Daryl, are you all right?” she whispered anxiously.
    He stirred, brought his eyes back to focus. “Yeah,” he said. He took a deep breath, let it out as if expelling a bad smell with it. “Thanks.”
    â€œIt wasn’t very good, was it?” she said. “I’m sorry; I did the best I could.”
    â€œI know. It wasn’t your fault.” He looked at his watch. “Come on, we’d better start back. I can’t afford to lose points by being late.”
    They started back toward Lee Intro,