Terra Read Online Free Page B

understand. I’m sure that Frankie and I will survive somehow, don’t you fret about us one bit. It was lovely to see you.” She touches her fingers absentmindedly to her necklace as she turns to leave. “Do give my love to darling Miko!”
    “It’s Mica,” I call after her, but she is already gone, taking strong steps with a straight back as she weaves through the crowd.
    Before I’m even halfway home, three more of our “friends” stop me “just to say hello.”
    At least I don’t have any real friends to refuse, I think grudgingly as I finally reach the sanctuary of the apartment. I keep busy by cleaning the entire apartment, eager to distract myself while I wait for Mica to return from school. I need to tell him everything. The news of our payout is traveling fast, and I’d rather Mica hear it from me than from a nosy neighbor. As soon as he bursts through the door, however, it’s clear that I’m too late.
    “Terra!” Mica shouts as he pulls his backpack off, dropping it carelessly into the middle of the room. “Guess who I sat with at lunch today?”
    “Prime Whitlock?” I ask sarcastically, retrieving his bag and tossing it back to him playfully.
    “Juniper Coal,” he says excitedly, plopping onto the couch and ignoring my jibe. “And Lark, and Brim, and Cyrx!” Aside from Juniper, I’ve never heard of these kids before, but Mica’s enthusiasm makes it clear enough that they must be a big deal around the schoolhouse.
    “They were practically fighting over me,” he continues. “ Juniper Coal! She even told me to call her Junie.”
    “You’re practically royalty,” I tell him, rolling my eyes heavily.
    “Don’t take it out on me, just because you were never this popular.”
    “Sorry, Mic,” I say, sitting down next to him. I furrow my brow and try to choose my words carefully. My little brother, who has always been just a little too smart to really fit in, even without our family’s reputation dragging him down, is suddenly the star of his class. Mica, who usually stalks through the door at the end of the day sullen and despondent, is finally feeling the glow of popularity. It breaks my heart a little to know why.
    “Something happened yesterday,” I begin tentatively.
    “Yeah, woulda been nice if you had, you know, told me we’re rich and famous now.” Mica’s face suddenly lights up, as if he’s been struck with an idea. He springs up from the couch and walks quickly to the kitchen, where he starts to pull cans of Rations from the cabinets.
    “We’re not rich and famous . I still don’t know if this is all some kind of mistake or not,” I say, my tone serious as he bangs a cabinet door closed. I understand his excitement, but I don’t want to encourage it. We’re sitting on more steel than either of us have ever seen. More than Gran left to us, outside the worth of the apartment, and far more than we got when our father left us in her care. Granted, that isn’t saying much.
    Mica ignores me, and continues to root through the cabinets.
    “Chill out, would you?” I call from the couch. “I’ll make dinner soon.”
    “We can afford food that tastes like actual food now. Time to throw this garbage out!”
    “Mica, stop!” I say, a little too strongly. I stalk into the kitchen and begin returning our Rations to the cabinets. “We’re not spending this steel until I figure out exactly what is going on.”
    “Why do you have to question everything? Why can’t you just be happy that something good has finally happened to us?” he says angrily.
    “This is not your decision, Mica!” I slam the last cabinet door closed. Mica stomps out of the kitchen and into his bedroom. He doesn’t come out for the rest of the night.
    * * *
    The rain starts the next morning. For the first time, I’m happy to hear the warning alarm; people are far less likely to come begging for handouts when they risk death or disfigurement by going outside. For once, being stuck inside this