Virginia Hamilton Read Online Free Page A

Virginia Hamilton
Book: Virginia Hamilton Read Online Free
Author: The Gathering: The Justice Cycle (Book Three)
Tags: General, Science-Fiction, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction
Pages:
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to make herself understood.
    Carefully Duster came forward to stand before her. “We be tight, then,” he toned, in a fine tremolo of hauteur signifying his leadership. He hand-signaled his trip to be at ease. Siv and Glass had taken a fighting stance—legs apart, arms swinging free—but they came forward now behind their leader.
    Duster placed his hands on Justice’s shoulders. He would have lowered his head on his right hand, had she not been nearly as tall as he. To each of the boys also he made this gesture of tightening.
    “Be tight, you,” he toned with a fine feeling of caring. “Be tight, me.”
    Glass and Siv touched each boy’s chest with their heads. It was as high as their heads reached and their way of taking part in tightening. Despite an extreme effort of self-control, they cringed at contact with such odd-smelling, tall beings.
    The packen duplicates hugged one another.
    Dorian and Thomas giggled at the packen’s queer behavior. The youngens took part in the tightening by connecting with themselves!
    “These be in my dream,” Duster toned, explaining the appearance of the four to his trip and packen.
    Siv nodded. Glass looked confused.
    “We came here through Duster’s dream,” Justice half-spoke, half-sang in her clearest voice. “We come from far to join you, if you will let us.”
    “You be trip—one, two, three and one?” toned Glass. “How be two the same?”—motioning toward the identical twins, Thomas and Levi. And staring at Justice and Dorian, she toned, “You, one-two, be something else.”
    “I see what you mean.” Justice spoke this time.
    “Well, I don’t,” Thomas muttered. He did not stutter as he did at home. He never stuttered when they were in Dustland or when tracing through telepathy.
    The packen set up a furious chattering beneath their breath whenever one of the four spoke. It was beginning to annoy Thomas. Shut up, you clowns! he traced.
    “Glass means that there are two of us, not five that look alike,” Justice was explaining. “And if we were a trip, none of us would look alike. But we have one too many for a trip, and just two who look alike.”
    “So?” Thomas said.
    “Well, she finds it curious, that’s all,” Justice said. “Weird, I guess, for her to see Dorian and me with no more like us.”
    All at once Glass kicked dust in Justice’s face, catching Thomas in the face also. She moved so swiftly, they could not shield themselves.
    “Why, you—” Thomas sputtered.
    “Cold on you two!” Dorian shouted, laughing. “Ooh, cold on you guys!”
    Glass was a little thing, but lithe and strong. She looked just like a fifteen-year-old girl in miniature. Such a little one, bravely kicking dust in the face of power! That was what Dorian found so funny.
    Without warning, Duster swung on Glass. The blow wasn’t vicious. It was hard, purposeful. It knocked her unconscious to the ground.
    “Don’t!” Levi grabbed Duster’s arm.
    Duster pulled loose. “Be touching leader, wrong!” His eyes glinted like sunlight on ice. He sang fortissimo in an ominous minor tone.
    “Look! Look!” Dorian pointed at the packen. Every trip leader had swung on every smooth-keep, knocking them out cold.
    “Oh, wow!” said Levi, turning away.
    “You want to join up with these clowns?” Thomas asked Justice.
    Justice didn’t answer. There was silence in which the Watcher rose in a glow in her eyes. Power rising. All understood words she implanted in each of them.
    O Duster, this is no way to begin. Tell me my mistakes.
    Through her, Duster’s thoughts were revealed to all.
    Duster explained: Glass be saying why you a trip, one, two, three and one. You be singing back nothing. She be fighting over that. And leader be not letting a smooth-keep fight any tightening.
    It was my fault, Justice traced.
    Fault? Duster thought.
    No, nothing. Why did you strike Glass? Justice traced.
    Glass be not on her own, fighting. Glass be doing what the leader commands.
    Oh, I see.
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