Mara and Dann

"Not yet," said Daima. "We are going out at a special time, the three of us. It's important we do this. Till then, keep in here." "Someone was looking in," said Da

"I know. That's all right. They'll all know by now that at least one child is here. Tomorrow we'll go out."

Again he needed to cling to his sister, so she sat herself on the rocky couch and he sat inside her arm and she played the game with him. "When we were on the first hill, what did you see? Then, when we got to the second hill, what animals were there?" As usual, she was surprised and impressed at what he had noticed. Insects for instance: "A great spider in its web between two rocks, yellow and black, and there was a small bird tangled in the web. And on the second hill there was a lizard." At this Daima said, "What lizard, what kind of lizard?" Da

Daima said, "You don't know how lucky you were."

Mara went on with the game. "And when we were going through the water, when we came down from the hill, what did you see?"

And Da

"Did you play the game?" Mara asked Daima. "I mean, when you were little?"

"I did, of course. It's how the People educate our children. We always have. And let me tell you, it's stood me in good stead ever since."

That always... Mara seemed to hear it for the very first time. It frightened her, a little. What did it mean, always?

The light outside was yellow instead of orange and hot, and the voices and movements were there again; and more than once a face appeared in the window hole and Daima nodded at them not to notice, just keep on doing what they were: Mara cuddling Da

Daima was striking on the wall a kind of match Mara had never seen, and with it lighting a tall candle that stood on the floor, and then another, in a little basin of oil that was on a spike pushed in a crack between rocks. The light in the room wasn't very bright. Both flames wavered and fled about because of the air from the window. Some insects flew in, to the flames. And now Daima picked up a heavy wooden shutter and slid it over the window. The flames stood up quiet and steady. Mara hated that, because she was used to air blowing in the window and through the house.

Da

"I think we should all go to bed," said Daima.

"But it's early," said Mara.

There was a pause then, and Mara knew that what Daima was going to say was important. "I know that you are used to a different kind of life. But here you'll have to do what I do." A pause again. "I was used to — what you are used to. I'm very sorry, Mara. I do know how you feel."

Mara realised they were both almost whispering. She had kept her voice low ever since she had come into the rock house. And now Da

Mara said to Daima, "Tomorrow, can we play What Did You See?"

The old woman nodded, but after another pause: she always thought things out before she spoke. Mara thought how everything was slow here, and she was used to everything quick and light and easy — and airy. It was stuffy now. The candles smelled hot and greasy.

"Tomorrow morning, when we wake up." Daima got up, and she was stiff and slow as she went next door. Mara could hear shutters being slid over there too, and could hear the match striking on the stone. A dull yellow light showed in the doorway. Daima came to lift Da

There was no door between the main front room and this one. Mara heard Daima moving about, blowing out the flames, and lying down. After a while Mara went to the doorway and looked in. She could just see from the light in her room that Daima was already asleep, lying heavy and still, her long, grey hair all over her head and face and shoulders, like a covering. Of course, she had not slept last night.

Mara went back into her room and found Da