Only Human (Themis Files #3)(26)
—That’s not funny, Dad. Tell me!
—You’ll know when you figure out the clue. It’s the last one.
—I don’t know what it means! Mine sees the world in two dimensions. My what?
—Why do you see things in 3D?
—I … because my eyes are facing forward?
—How many eyes?
—Two eyes.
—So …
—What do I have that doesn’t have two eyes? … I don’t have anything!
—Not here. Back home.
— … Kara’s plush gopher!
—Yes!
—All right. These ones are born and ready for—The little furry animals next to the fruit stand?
—Yes! They’re called yotyot, by the way.
—Do you mean …?
—I do mean. We’re getting a yotyot! You said you liked them, and it’s the closest thing to a cat I could find.
—Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
—Hey. It’s your birthday. At least I think it’s your birthday. The guy said they’ll eat anything, and they won’t grow any bigger. They only pee in water, apparently.
—Can we get it now?
—In a minute. There’s some sort of scuffle going on o—Shit! EVA! WATCH OUT!
—AAGH!
—Eva, are you OK?
—Yeah, I—He bumped into me pretty hard.
—HEY! ASSHOLE! YEAH RUN AWAY, YOU CHI— —DAD! I’m fine.
—Are you sure? There’s a guard trainee coming this way. I can get the asshole arrested if— —I said I’m fine.
[Eps eyiskeks akt?]
Ops. Eyesunt.
[Ast eyet Ekim.]
Eyet Eva.
[Eps eyesat Eteyat akt? Eps ast eyyetsek onyosk ant ot.]
At, at. Aks eyek ant asteks onsoks.
[Ast eyyekt. Ast eyapat yetsek eps epokt, Evat.]
Anyoks! Aks eyyekt eket ops. Bye!
—What did he want?
—Dad! He just wanted to know if I was hurt.
—Why did he ask for your name? By the way, how did you get so good at their language?
—He didn’t ask. He told me his name was Ekim. I gave him mine. I didn’t know it was a secret. And you taught me, Dad.
—I didn’t teach you all that! What does onsoks mean, anyway? Empty?
—Yes. I don’t know, Dad. I just …
—Don’t apologize for learning quicker than me. Just be careful with strangers, OK? And stop telling people we don’t know anyone, will you?
—He was just being nice, Dad.
—He’s a trainee in the Imperial Guard.
—And?
—And nothing. You’re right. We don’t know him. That’s all.
— …
—You think he’s cute, don’t you?
—Dad!
—What?
—Can we go get my yotyot now?
—Yes. Let’s. It’s right over th—Eva, don’t run!
…
I said don—
—Can I take this one?
—Let me catch my breath for a second.
—Can I take him?
—Eva, you can take whichever one you like. They all look the same.
—This one looks sad.
—You can pick any one of them, and you want the miserable one?
—Maybe he’ll be happier living with us.
—That is … very nice of you, Eva. Happy twelfth birthday! Can you carry him? I don’t have anything to put him in.
—Sure. Come here little fellow!
—Eyesunt.
—What did you just do?
—I thanked the man. I paid him, and I thanked him.
—You gave him the jar!
—Yes. I did.
—With your hair in it!
—I did. That’s what he wanted.
—That’s … You don’t feel bad?
—Why would I feel bad?
—You paid him with hair, Dad!
—Well, the hair is just something I threw in at the end. I already gave him my belt yesterday, but that wasn’t enough. Oh, and my New York MetroCard. Basically, I traded a thirty-dollar belt for some game. If anyone’s getting rip— —It’s not a game! It’s a pet!
—Not that kind of game. Meat! You know people eat these things, right?
—What? Nooo!
—The … I don’t know what they call themselves. The … tall, lanky bald fellows.
—They’re all sorta bald, Dad.
—The naked ones.
—Oh. Them.
—Yeah. They eat those. That’s why they sell them.
—That’s horrible! They’re so cute!
—Like a bunny rabbit?
—Yes!
—Well …
—Don’t listen to him. No one’s gonna eat you, Mr. Yotyot.
—That’s his name?
—What’s wrong with Mr. Yotyot?
—Nothing. It’s just like calling your cat Mr. Cat.
—I like Mr. Cat!
—Mr. Yotyot it is, then. Welcome to the family. How do you know it’s a he?
— …
—Oh. I see. Eva, before we take him home … You know we might go back soon, right? To Earth? I don’t know how long we’ll stay. I sure didn’t think we’d be here for eighteen months. And I don’t think we should—I don’t think we can take Mr. Yotyot back with us when we leave.