No Different Flesh Read Free

crawled back among the roots of the deadfall at the bend of the creek. There's a pressed down, grassy hollow, soggy wet, of course, just inches above the water."
    "I don't understand this fluttering bit," said Meris. "You mean she jumped so high you-"
    "Not exactly jumped-" began Mark.
    A sudden movement caught them both. The child had wakened, starting up with a terrified cry, "Muhlala! Muhlala!"
    Before Meris could reach her, she was fluttering up from the bed, trailing the chenille robe beneath her. She hovered against the upper windowpane, like a moth, pushing her small hands against it, sobbing, "Muhlala! Muhlala!"
    Meris gaped up at her. "Mark! Mark!"
    "Not exactly-jump!" grunted Mark, reaching up for the child. He caught one of the flailing bare feet and pulled the child down into his arms, hushing her against him.
    "There, there, muhlala, muhlala," he comforted awkwardly.
    "Muhlala?" asked Meris, taking the struggling child from him.
    "Well, she said it first," he said. "Maybe the familiarity will help."
    "Well, maybe," said Meris. "There, there, muhlala, muhlala."
    The child quieted and looked up at Meris.
    "Muhlala?" she asked hopefully.
    "Muhlala," said Meris as positively as she could.
    The big wet eyes looked at her accusingly and the little head said no, unmistakably, but she leaned against Meris her weight suddenly doubling as she relaxed.
    "Well now," said Mark. "Back to work."
    "Work? Oh, Mark!" Meris was contrite. "I've broken into your workday again!"
    "Well, it's not every day I catch a child flying in the forest. I'll make it up-somehow."
    Meris helped Mark get settled to his work and, dressing the child-"What's your name, honey? What's your name?"-in her own freshly dried clothes, she took her outside to leave Mark in peace.
    "Muhlala," said Meris, smiling down at the upturned wondering face. The child smiled and swung their linked hands.
    "Muhlala!" she laughed.
    "Okay," said Meris, "we'll call you Lala." She skoonched down to child height. "Lala," she said, prodding the small chest with her finger. "Lala!"
    Lala looked solemnly down at her own chest, tucking her chin in tightly in order to see. "Lala," she said, and giggled.
    "Lala!"
    The two walked toward the creek, Lala in the lead, firmly leashed by Meris's hand. "No flying," she warned. "I can't interrupt Mark to have him fish you out of the treetops."
    Lala walked along the creek bank, peering down into the romping water and keeping up a running commentary of unintelligible words. Meris kept up a conversation of her own, fitting it into the brief pauses of Lala's. Suddenly Lala cried out triumphantly and pointed. Meris peered down into the water.
    "Well!" she cried indignantly. "Those darn boys! Dropping trash in our creek just because they're mad at Mark. Tin cans-"
    Lala was togging at her hand, pulling her toward the creek.
    "Wait a bit, Lala," laughed Meris. "You'll fall us both into the water,"
    Then she gasped and clutched Lala's hand more firmly. Lala was standing on the water, the speed of the current ruffling it whitely against the sides of her tiny shoes. She was trying to tug Meris after her, across the water toward the metallic gleam by the other bank of the creek.
    "No, baby," said Meris firmly, pulling Lala back to the bank. "We'll use the bridge." So they did and Lala, impatient of delay, tried to free her hand so she could run along the creek bed, but Meris clung firmly. "Not without me!"
    she said.
    When they arrived at the place where the metallic whatever lay under the water, Meris put Lala down firmly on a big gray granite boulder, back from the creek. "Stay there," she said, pushing firmly down on the small shoulders.
    "Stay there." Than she turned to the creek. Starting to wade, sneakers and all into the stream, she looked back at Lala. The child was standing on the boulder visibly wanting to come. Meris shook her head. "Stay there," she repeated.
    Lala's face puckered but she sat down again. "Stay there," she repeated