Syp spent every available moment of Dondersdag working on clothes and outerwear. It transformed all but one dress into various styles that cuffs and no collars. Using the leftover fabric, buttons, and elastic, Syp created wide pockets on its undershirts. No one would be able to see that it was carrying identity papers and valuables.
Syp cut up three old pairs of work jeans from the scrap pile to reinforce the knees and upper legs of hers. Syp asked Geldou if she knew a way to make the jeans more form-fitting, so it could kneel safely by a fire. Geldou showed it how to make darts. Without warning, Geldou opened the door and walked into the sleeping room just as Syp was standing bare-chested in front of the mirror.
“Mom!” she yelped.
“What?” Geldou asked.
“You surprised me!”
“I’m sorry. I came to see how the darts were coming along.”
“Why didn’t this work?” Syp showed her the pant legs she was trying to make snugger.
Geldou considered what she was trying to do. “Try putting a dart along the inseam and one along the outer seam. Wait, won’t that make it too tight?”
Syp crouched down. The extra muscle on her outer leg bulged. “You’re right. Just one on the inseam.”
“Is that muscle swollen?” Geldou reached out to touch Syp, and it backed away.
“No, it’s not. It’s grown a lot.” Syp pulled its jeans off and the dress on. “Thanks for teaching me how to make darts. These are so much more comfortable.”
“You’re walking differently today,” Geldou observed.
“I know. I feel like I’m hurting everywhere. Maybe I’ve been sitting hunched over too much.”
Syp picked up the jeans that needed to be finished. When those were completed, Syp reinforced all the seams in a heavy winter coat with the strongest lacing that Geldou made available. Syp stood at the coat hooks in the eating room that night. It was looking over the gloves it had worn for the past three winters, when Hearm looked up.
“Gloves, hat and scarf?” he said to her.
“I’ve got the hat and the scarf. I don’t understand how I got these gloves on. I’ll have to do something about gloves.” Hearm asked Geldou if there were any scrap pieces of animal skins available. Syp spent the night sewing a pair of gloves that fit over the ones Eiske had given her. When it went off to use the toilet, Hearm picked them up and looked at them.
“You wasted those pieces of leather!” he accused it when it came back.
Syp responded, “They fit perfectly.”
“Don’t lie,” he admonished her. These fingers are way too long. They’re way too big for my fingers.”
“I’m not lying, Dad.” She took the gloves and pulled them on. He felt the fingertips.
“How can this be?” He tugged them off. He held Syp’s hand up and lined up the bottoms of their palms. Its fingers were more than seven centimeters longer than his. “What the hell? When did your hands get so big?”
“These past few days.” Syp smiled at him. “Dad, I’ve always wanted to have strong hands like yours. Watch this.” It slowly moved its palm backward. The tips of its fingers now touched its inner elbow. “Isn’t that amazing? I’m double-jointed.”
“I’m sorry that I thought you were screwing up with the leather.”
“It’s okay. I know I’ve been growing, but I didn’t realize how much until I made these.""
She stood up and turned away. “What?” he exclaimed. “When did that happen?” He was a big man, and Syp was a good ten centimeters taller than him. “It’s not like she’s eating more,” he thought.
That night, Syp made a list of things to do before it left. Vrijdag morning, long before anyone was up for breakfast, Syp went to Eiske’s. “Is something wrong, Syp? Why are you here so early? This better be an emergency.”
“Eiske, something crazy is happening. I itch everywhere and my whole body feels like it's on fire.” He led Syp to the medical suite.
“Here.” He threw a sheet at Syp. “Take your clothes off and wrap this around yourself.” A few minutes later, it stood waiting in the exam room. “Don’t tease me, Syp. I’m not in the mood. Get down off that.” He looked at it, then he looked at the exam table. “I’m sorry, I thought you were standing on this step. When did you get so damn tall?”
“The last three days. Please tell me that I’m going to stop growing soon.” It blinked. “I’m worried, Eiske. Look at this.” Syp lifted its hand. The fingers were long and thick. Soft wheezing sounds emanated from the slits below Syp’s nose.
“I’d almost say you’re crying.”
“I think I am. What is wrong with me? One minute I’m so excited and the next I’m making these odd noises. My hair is changing colors. I hurt and itch everywhere. I’m going to take this off, okay?” Syp dropped the sheet on the floor.
Eiske gasped. “Wow!”
“Wow what? Is it a good wow or a bad wow?” Eiske ran through the house to get a book from the sitting room. When he walked back in, he found Syp standing in front of the full-length mirror.
“I know what’s going on, Syp. You’re in puberty.”
“Puberty? Like adolescence?”
“Yes! Check this out!” He handed Syp the book. It showed an adolescent Stafriez. It was as if Syp had posed for the picture. Syp passed it back. “Your body hurts because the bones are growing so fast and your muscles are being stretched. The itchiness is because a new layer of skin is being formed underneath. Your eyes might be more sensitive, since they’re changing color. It says you may find that they’re different colors at different times of the day. Your hair is changing texture and color. You might want to get it cut really short.”
“You must be joking.”
“I’m not. This doctor says that within a week of the skin starting to itch, your hair is going to start to grow about three centimeters a day. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself catching it in bathroom doors.”
“Bathroom doors?”
Eiske read aloud. “The biggest challenges for the Stafriez who is entering through puberty are the constant need to urinate, cravings for crickets, worms, and lightening bugs, and an odd desire to stand bent over backwards holding its ankles. This interesting maneuver relieves pain and achiness as it allows the muscles to stretch fully while the bones are lengthening rapidly.”
“Oh man,” Syp groaned. “I don’t know about crickets, but a big juicy worm sounds really good right now.”
“Put your clothes on and come have some tea, Syp.” They sat and talked about what Syp needed to do before Zaterdag. Syp told Eiske that it had been searching for something that could be used as a container to carry water.
Eiske suggested that Syp look at a place in the village where residents placed items that others could take. After two cups of tea, Syp thanked Eiske. Eiske said he was going back to bed and asked Syp to lock the door when it left for home. Breakfast was still an hour away and Syp didn’t want to wake anyone up. It made a snap decision to run into town and checked the collection that Eiske had talked about.
Sup was surprised to find two stomachs from recent deer hunters. Part of the intestine was still attached and could be knotted closed after being filled with water. She gathered a few plates, two mugs and cooking and eating utensils. Finally, she stuffed some odd cloth and plastic bags and shoved them into a pocket.
Syp returned to Eiske’s and put them in the backpack. After sitting for a bit, trying to figure out what to do next, it used the bathroom then locked the door behind itself as it left.
It wasn’t long before Syp had to go pee again. “I’m locked out of Eiske’s place, and I don’t want to go home and wake anyone up! What am I going to do?” It hurried down the road between the two homes. Crouching in the grove in the most concealed spot Syp could find, it peed and breathed a sigh of relief. Syp went back into the house after Haerm went out to feed the animals.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
That morning at breakfast, Syp suggested to Geldou that if she had a specific project, she was available to help with it. “I suppose you expect something in return,” Geldou said sarcastically.
“I expect nothing. You have given me thread and lacing and allowed me to reinforce my clothing when I could have been helping you. What winter chores need to be done?”
Syp spent the early morning emptying cupboards, scrubbing them out and putting things back. When it was finished, Geldou asked Syp to clean the wood chairs and table. Later, Syp could hear its parents arguing in the sleeping room off and on as it scrubbed the winter grime off the floor of the eating room. The midday meal was served and eaten in silence. Haerm and Geldou were mad about something.
After the dishes were washed and put away, Syp walked to the village information center. “Mrs. De Graf, I would like a map of the terrain of Trazene.” It handed her its electronic learning tablet. “Also, could you please provide a download of any information that you have regarding the plants and trees of Trazene?”
“Why do you need that?” the elderly lady reacted. “Five-year-old students do not cover this material during this term.”
Syp was surprised and asked curiously, “Do I need to explain why I need this information? Is the access to it restricted?” Mrs. De Graf shook her head. Syp repeated her request.
The woman stood in front of the computer with her hands poised over the keys. “I see. Why aren’t you in school?” Syp didn’t respond. “Why did your mother unenroll you?”
Syp leaned on the counter, its chin in its hand. “How is it that you know about that?”
“Daily summaries of the activities at the school are available each morning through electronic messages.”
Syp was startled by this statement. “You’re telling me that the teachers share information with you about me.”
“I’m part of the school administration.”
“I didn’t know that.” Syp said, interested in this new information. “I thought you were the information resource person for this district. Adults come in here all the time. They read the hard-copy books that are brought in from other planets. They study the exchange rates of crops and resources. Adults come to hear specialists talk about improving medical care, the resources available from the Protectors, and the technology being developed.”
“The administration creates various lists and gathers teachers’ updates about the classes," Mrs. Dr Graf responded. "It is sent out in a weekly email to all the teachers. That way there is consistency between siblings’ teachers. I receive it so that I know what information students will be requesting and the assistants here are able to access the lessons so they can tutor those who need help.”
“I didn’t know that. Mr. Kroes, Mrs. Smid, Mrs. Rijpma, and Mr. Vander Groot all know that I’ve been unenrolled?”
“All of the teachers in the school receive this email, Syp.”
“I see.”
“Why did your mother unenroll you, Syp?”
“I’m sure my mother explained this in the superintendent’s office.”
“I would think so.” The community resource coordinator entered a few words onto the computer. “Your name was listed on the message from eleven days ago.”
“I see.” Geldou had unenrolled Syp from school an entire week before telling Syp that it was being loosed. “What other things you can see in my account? Can you see my assignments and test scores?”
“I can. I can tell you about the scores from the last homework that you turned in. Eighty-two percent in writing. Fifty-four percent in math. Ninety-six percent in history. I can see which books you’re reading right now, and all the ones you’ve downloaded since you started coming here. You finished Fish of the Finger Lakes of Trazene last night. You’re on page eighty of The Digestive System of the Zupheon Bokan, and on page four of Drying and Using Zupheon plants for Seasoning. You have one mu-toc in currency credit in your learning account and not quite two hundred and twenty in your meal account.”
“Currency?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me who puts the currency in the accounts?”
“The Protectors put one hundred mu-toc in each child’s meal account and five mu-toc in your learning account monthly.”
Syp had not been aware of this. It needed to think. “Thank you for telling me that.” She stopped. “Mrs. De Graf, if the Protectors put five mu-toc in my learning account, why is there only one left?”
“Let me see.” She studied the account. “Kryn spent four on a new game.”
“Kryn? Doesn’t Kryn have his own account?”
“Yes. Your mother told me to take it out of your account.”
“I see. How often has this happened?”
Mrs. De Graaf scrolled back through Syp’s account. “Many times since you started coming here.”
“Thank you. I need the records concerning the plants and trees of Trazene.”
“Syp, those records require a great deal of computer memory. Your device doesn’t have enough.”
“I need those records.” Syp said flatly. “What do you suggest that I do?”
“You can buy a larger memory chip to go inside it. Or you can purchase an external drive. It would fit in this data port,” she pointed at Syp’s device.
“Buy?”
“Two mu-toc and a sta-toc.”
“I have no currency.”
“I believe your parents give you a mu-toc every week or so.”
“Why in the world would you say that?”
“Kryn has been in here numerous times purchasing games after he drained his account and yours. I know that your brothers are in the store regularly.” Ansk de Graf’s spouse, Tunne, was the proprietor of the local general store.
Syp tipped its head. “Why do they come to the store?”
“They often purchase sweets that are shipped over from Trazene.”
“Is that so?”
She wondered what Syp was thinking. “Well, do you want to purchase a memory card?”
“I have never had any currency. How do I get currency? Perhaps I could work for you for a week?”
“Ask your parents, Syp.”
“Ask my parents? How can I ask my parents when they have nothing to give me?”
Mrs. De Graf recognized the confused tone in Syp’s voice. “Perhaps you have misunderstood the situation?”
“I don’t think so. I’m five years old. My parents have never given me currency. I have never purchased anything in the store or here at the library.” Syp’s tone changed. “I need a detailed map of the planet’s terrain, as well as files for the plants and trees of Trazene.”
“I’m interested in hearing what you’re going to do with those files.”
Syp shook its head, confused. “I’m memorizing them, just as I have with all the other files I’ve ever downloaded.”
“You’ve been memorizing all this information?”
“Of course. Isn’t that what everyone does? I’m leaving. I need those files.” Syp turned away. “Perhaps there’s a library somewhere else that will help me.”
“Where would you go?”
“I’m sure there’s an information center in Dagmon. I guess I’ll have to go by myself into the city. I’ll do that tomorrow morning when I leave.”
“Tomorrow is Zaterdag. The information center in the city is closed. People in the city do their hard work on Zaterdag, too.”
“I need the files for the plants and trees of Trazene today. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“You’re leaving? There are no transports to the city on Zaterdags. Just a moment, Syp.” She flipped over the electronic device that Syp had given her and typed a query into her computer. “This is the device that was authorized for you three years ago. You were eligible for a new one last fall. Why didn’t you get one when your brothers did?”
“When my brothers did?” Syp echoed.
She tapped away at the keys. “Mel, Obbe and Kleis were here the same day your father upgraded and downloaded files. Kryn, Thys, and Teed were here another day, with your mother. Nel came by himself. Yes, you are eligible, but you’ve not requested it.” She reached below the counter, took out a new device, and set it up. “Please create a security code for yourself.” Syp looked at her baffled. “That way no one can delete your files accidentally.” She instructed Syp on the finer points of a security code, and it typed one in. “I’m putting the downloaded files on it that you’ve requested.”
As Syp waited, it went to a nearby globe. With one finger on Iragos, and a second on Trazene, Syp slowly turned it and contemplated the things it had just learned. When the device was ready, Mrs. De Graaf downloaded the requested files and called Syp back to the counter. She opened a padded, waterproofed case and slipped the new electronic pad inside. “Here are the charging devices.” Syp picked one up and studied it. “This is something new. It’s been designed to charge on solar power.” She showed Syp how to set it up, then put it into the case. “Let’s see...” she picked up the old device. “Let’s put a security code on this one, too.” It only took a moment. "What else can I help you with?”
“You said there were two accounts in my name. Can I access them from other locations?”
“Tell me what you mean.”
“Can I go into the information center in Dagmon to purchase files if I’m there? Or Kauflen? Or if I’m somewhere else?” She asked Syp to be more specific. “Somewhere on Trazene.”
“You have full access in Dagmon and Kauflen. Let me see. Trazene info centers have access to your account. However, the centers on Shifos do not.”
“Is it possible to convert part of the balance to physical currency? When I get to Trazene, I will set up an account there.”
“I can give you an electronic card.” As the computer created a physical one, she looked at Syp. “You’re going to Trazene. What will you do there?” Syp shrugged. “Your family will be missed.”
“Please stop pretending, Mrs. De Graf. My family is going nowhere. If we were, all my siblings’ names would have been on that communication. Now, about the meal account. You said there were two hundred twenty mu-toc in it. Can I access that account in Dagmon and Kauflen?”
“No. That’s for use in the school lunchroom.”
“What will happen to it after I leave?”
“Leave? It will stay there until someone withdraws it.”
Syp blinked several times. “May I withdraw it? I hope to enroll in a different school.”
“A different school?” She laughed. “It doesn’t work like that, Syp. Once you’ve been unenrolled, you’re finished. Unless you’re going to the university. You can’t go there, because you’ve not completed the lower levels.”
“I’d like to withdraw money from that account.”
“It’s not yours to withdraw.”
“Oh? Who can?” The woman didn’t respond. “This is what you are telling me. There has been currency available for me to eat lunch every day, when I’ve been told that we cannot afford for one more person to eat lunch. I have scraped together bits of food for lunches every day I can and often gone without. I have been going to school for three years. If there is one hundred mu-toc going into the account each month, and I have not had one hot lunch, there should be nine thousand mu-toc in the account. Who is withdrawing the currency?”
“I think you need to go to the superintendent’s office, Syp. I can’t answer your questions. Do you know where that office is?”
“Yes.”
“I have something for you. I had hoped to see you this week.” She gave Syp a small leather pouch.
Syp removed the contents. It was a small paper card with a picture of a path on the front. “Best Wishes,” Syp read. Inside it was a stack of currency. Syp put the currency and card in the pouch and returned it to Mrs. De Graaf. “Brons do not accept charity. We work for what we need.”
“This is not charity. It is a gift in celebration of your being loosed from your family. Congratulations, young lady. Boys are typically loosed, and girls go to university or wait at home until they are wed. You get to have your own type of adventure! I wish you safe travels and a future of abundance.”
For the first time in Syp’s life, it smiled. “Thank you for your well wishes. I appreciate the gifts you have given me today. More importantly, I thank you for all the help you have provided over the years.”
As Syp turned to go, Mrs. De Graf asked quietly, “Where will you go?”
“Wherever my feet take me.”