Chapter 5
KaliniKal ran into Dare in the hallway. Rather, he ran into her. “Are you going to walk us to school?” he asked, satchel slung over one shoulder.
“Are you?” Clarity bounced on her toes, tail waving exuberantly behind her.
“That’s the plan,” Kal said. “Tell me, what is your favorite subject in school?”
Clarity and Dare babbled about what they’ve learned and recited memorized facts to impress her during the journey. Merit casually held her hand as they walked, as if they had years of experience strolling and holding hands. The children’s chatter did not stop until they arrived at a plain building with metal siding. The school. Kal identified the material as the same stuff that made Merit’s house.
The houses they passed were similar in design, compact and boxy. The larger build
