Page 36 of Captured on Film
“It’s a rock,” pointed out Josheb. “We’re not going to breakit.”
She said something to Andor, who grunted and waved. Calebwondered if he’d need to learn Andor’s language. Oaken might be patient enoughto teach him, once he returned. Or maybe Eri? Was there any point, though, ifAndor stuck to nonverbals?
Josheb crowded close. “Make room.”
“If I move over any further, I’ll fall off,” said Caleb.
“I’m your counterweight.” Josheb wrapped an arm around hiswaist and leaned away, as if daring gravity to take either of them. “So this isa hive?”
“Nest,” Hesper corrected. “And Caleb is going to be a littlelike a homing signal. As they say, a lure that works once can work twice.”
“Who exactly says that?” Josheb asked.
Hesper smirked and sidestepped the question by addressing Andor.Again, Caleb paid more attention to the tone than the foreign syllables. Shewas so much more polite than she was with him or Josheb. Respectful.
Andor’s answer barely counted as an explanation. His wordswere few, but his actions were plain. From the bag at his hip, he withdrewanother stone. Much larger than the crystal in his ring, this one was as big ashis fist and winking with pale green facets.
“Looks like some kind of beryl, maybe,” murmured Josheb. “Isit just a mineral? Precious? Semi-precious?”
“It’s a remnant, and it’s rare enough,” said Hesper. “Treatit with care. Crack it at your peril.”
Josheb was blatantly delighted. “How menacing.”
Andor offered the crystal to Caleb, who needed both hands.It was heavy, and it was humming. “Hello,” he muttered.
“Are you talking to a rock?” Josheb leaned closer. “You’venever mentioned that before.”
“I never noticed before this trip. And I don’t know what itmeans.”
“Interesting.” Josheb turned to Hesper. “What’s the deal?You called it a remnant. As in a leftover scrap? Or one of the last of itskind?”
Hesper rolled her eyes. “We’ll save such stories for when thework is over. Caleb needs to call the flock.”
“How?” asked Caleb, looking to Andor.
When he spoke, it was with slow words and many gestures.
Hesper nodded and translated. “Tune your heart to the stone,and it will amplify your hopes.”
Caleb was incredulous. “Still waiting for thehow.”
Josheb, who’d never been good about the ‘no touching’ rule, traceda fingertip over the stone’s winking facets. He quietly asked, “Am I imaginingthe hum?”
They were touching.
They were doing the thing.
“No,” replied Caleb. “It’s almost like the stone’s alive.”
“More like there’s a little bit of life hidden in the stone,”Hesper corrected in reverent tones. “A memory. A prophecy. The remnant of asong.”
Josheb considered that for a moment. “So you’re asking Calebto sing with it?”
“I don’t sing,” Caleb protested.
“We’re not putting you on the spot for a solo.” Hesperreached out and tapped his chest. “Think happy thoughts, and include thebumbers, if you can.”
Happy thoughts and figments didn’t often go together. “I’mnot sure ….”
