Descending Road - FIND A NEW JUMP by Dana W. Paxson

FIND A NEW JUMP

1563 4D

Many strides down the long corridor in Babiar, Grendel stopped singing his four-part fugue. He staggered against Andrew, who was carrying Janny, and sank to the dusty floor. Ezzar bent over him. “Tendons are bad,” he said. Down his drawn face, paler than Andrew had ever seen it, sweat ran.

Ezzar asked, “How bad is the pain?”

“It’s better when I sit,” Grendel said. The light, given only by ceiling lamps spaced far apart, cast a perpetual gray dusk, draining all color from him.

“I’m not leaving you,” Ezzar said. She turned to Andrew. “You’ll have to find a lift. I need to get him back out of the City, right now.” Abruptly, the air in the corridor shuddered as if a giant distant drum had been hit. Andrew stared around, seeing nothing.

Andrew shifted Janny in his arms. “I guess that decides it. Give me an hour.” He set the little girl down. She looked at each of them, her face watchful. “You come wit’ me fin’ new jump?” Andrew tried. The girl nodded. At last he had found something she seemed to understand. He took her tiny hand and cradled it in his, giving it a gentle squeeze; her fingers flashed against his palm, rattling some complex message. He looked at her and smiled. She tugged his arm. Wondering what she knew, he let her lead him away.

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	FIND A NEW JUMP 1563 4D Many strides down the long corridor in Babiar, Grendel stopped singing his four-part fugue. He staggered against Andrew, who was carrying Janny, and sank to the dusty floor. Ezzar bent over him. “Tendons are bad,” he said. Down his drawn face, paler than Andrew had ever seen it, sweat ran. Ezzar asked, “How bad is the pain?” “It’s better when I sit,” Grendel said. The light, given only by ceiling lamps spaced far apart, cast a perpetual gray dusk, draining all color from him. “I’m not leaving you,” Ezzar said. She turned to Andrew. “You’ll have to find a lift. I need to get him back out of the City, right now.” Abruptly, the air in the corridor shuddered as if a giant distant drum had been hit. Andrew stared around, seeing nothing. Andrew shifted Janny in his arms. “I guess that decides it. Give me an hour.” He set the little girl down. She looked at each of them, her face watchful. “You come wit’ me fin’ new jump?” Andrew tried. The girl nodded. At last he had found something she seemed to understand. He took her tiny hand and cradled it in his, giving it a gentle squeeze; her fingers flashed against his palm, rattling some complex message. He looked at her and smiled. She tugged his arm. Wondering what she knew, he let her lead him away.