Virginia Hamilton

by Justice;Her Brothers: The Justice Cycle (Book One)

  Justice had her face turned away from the circle. Without looking, she knew when Levi opened the knapsack and let her fine, large snake loose.

  Oh, hadn’t it been the perfect snake for a Great Snake Race!

  Tears welled in her eyes. She swallowed and gritted her teeth, forcing them back.

  So burning hot, I’ll faint.

  But she didn’t faint. Cringing inside, she held herself stiffly in the circle.

  The silence went on and on. Boys studying her ridiculous snake. She knew they had to be laughing, their hands over their mouths. And she was about to die, like a fool.

  On and on, the silence.

  Until there were murmurings, whisperings— “thirteen … fif … sixt …”

  Boys slurring all kinds of numbers: “twenty-one, two, three …”A sudden tension and excitement in the air.

  Justice swung her head around. Her jaw dropped; she sat stunned, her eyes huge, as boys still counted. “I don’t believe it!” she squeaked.

  “Thirty-nine, forty,” Levi finished. “Who gets any more?”

  “I get forty-one,” Dorian said.

  “I’m not finished, wait!” It was Talley, the most active counter after Levi.

  Justice giggled, squealed softly. Eyes moist and bright, she hugged her arms around herself.

  The grass in the circle flowed with crawling, perfect creatures. They were thin as rubber bands and only inches long. Down to their tiny serpent tongues, they were the exact stripe and coloring of the mother, the thick, large snake that Justice had so bravely captured.

  “There’s no rule I know of against having lots of babies,” Levi said, about to burst with happiness. “Tice, I guess you win The Great Snake Race!”

  “Whoopee!” she whispered, at last remembering to keep her voice down.

  “Man!” boys whispered back.

  “Shoot!” And laughter.

  To her surprise, the boys didn’t appear to mind that she had won. The whole thing had been such a comic shock.

  “Man, a pregnant snake!” Slick said, and laughed again. “I thought they laid eggs.”

  “They do lay eggs,” Levi said, “but inside their bodies, and they hatch inside, too.”

  “Man, I bet Ticey knew it all the time!”

  She tried to look as though she had planned the birth of babies down to the best moment. She had learned from Thomas, and had promptly forgotten, that garter snakes birthed live babies.

  Dorian grinned at her. Boys were looking at her admiringly. They good-naturedly handed over handfuls of tiny creatures. And Levi gingerly handled the sluggish mother snake to place it at the bottom of the knapsack.

  “We need to get all of them back to the Trace soon,” he said.

  Justice was calming down. She listened to Levi and the other boys and had a sense of wonder at being accepted for the first time. She guessed a pack of boys was not much different from a bunch of girls. It was just harder getting their attention.

  It hadn’t occurred to her that they’d all have to take the snakes back.

  Why not let them loose in the hedgerow? she wondered. No, because there’s not enough water and it’s not their home.

  She had a vision of snakes let loose, slithering away down Dayton Street, clear across town and down the country road to the Quinella Trace. Cars screeching to a halt as the snakes slunk by. They would surely make one great snake race.

  There was someone with her. Justice had a sudden notion that someone snide and unpleasant was sitting with her, inside her skin. She had no time to fear. No sooner had she noticed it than it commenced fading. She felt righteous anger at someone with her, uninvited. And sensed that it had intruded before. Having no experience, she reached out awkwardly with her will to catch it unawares.

  Justice made contact. She grabbed hold of it inside and instantly felt its meanness and fury like searing heat. It fought her. They struggled; she sensed danger, but still she had no fear. She knew only that it was wrong for it to invade her mind. But finally she was forced to shield herself from its seething power. In furious triumph, it slipped away. Justice was left with a coolness inside.

  Something is new.

  Seeing the circle again—Levi and the boys. Only seconds had passed, if time had continued at all, in which Thomas across from her had made no impression on her. He had become a blank, as if he had gone away somewhere. Now Justice saw him again and gave him the faintest nod.

  Something. She reached for him clumsily with her will. I am knowing, Thomas. Once more, she made contact with unpleasant heat.

  Well, fer … Look who’s here! You dumb, stupid girl, finally caught on, Thomas traced.

  Thomas, it was you, wasn’t it? she traced, but Thomas ignored her.

  Lee? Didn’t I tell you she had extrasensory just like us? I knew she had it.

  Once called, Levi was made aware of Justice within Thomas’ mind. Ticey! he traced.

  Levi! She willed herself over to Levi’s brain. Excuse me … entering without asking …

  It’s okay, he traced.

  I am … something. Awkwardly, Justice gathered power and skill to trace: I am … new!

  Oh, fer—Will you listen to her drivel, fer Chrissakes! Thomas traced. And no girl as dumb as her wins my Great Snake Race. Lee, you hear me? Slick wins it, I say so, and we give him a prize of something under five bucks. You better tell him, too, ’cause if you don’t, I’ll boil your brains! His face grew dark in an explosion of rage.

  Levi had a sickening, outrageous sensation that his brain rested in a pot over a fire as yet unlit.

  Thomas turned his burning eyes on Justice. She felt unknown forces, new, gather inside her to protect her. Closing Thomas out, she projected a warning to Levi, urging him to say nothing to Slick Peru.

  Give me some time, she traced to Levi. I think … I am … not … With an indescribable feeling of becoming new.

  Levi was numb with fear. It had all happened too fast and he’d had no time, even, to be amazed at the surfacing of Justice’s power. But the shock of discovering her in his mind was as disturbing as the illusion of his brain in a pot of water set to boil. If he told Slick, he might bring down Justice’s wrath; for he had no way òf knowing whether her power was a gift or, like Thomas’, a punishment. And if he didn’t do as Thomas had commanded, he knew exactly what Thomas would do to him.

  Thomas added vegetables to the pot and seasoned the brain stew with fine herbs. Thomas lit a foot-long match.

  Levi opened his mouth to tell Slick he had won.

  No! Justice traced to Levi. Gracefully, she rose to her feet. Boys gave her their full attention, as though suddenly she had grown tall. They watched as she gathered up her knapsack full of snakes and cut straight across the circle past Thomas.

  I win it, she traced to Thomas. I’ll lead the boys back to the Quinella.

  You think. You dumb … Not on your bloody life, you won’t! he traced back.

  They’ll follow me. Justice made her way smoothly, easily, over to her bike.

  Boys got to their feet, clutching snake pails, all eyes on Justice. In their eyes, she was still somehow less than a boy. But she had been smart enough to win The Great Snake Race fair and square. Wasn’t that something! Justice and a pregnant snake! They figured she was on her way back to the Quinella. They’d tag along and empty out their own snakes. Why not?

  Thomas knew better. Knew she had given the boys the same mental suggestion.

  Stupid clowns, tracing to Levi and pulling Levi along as he traced to Justice. Justice using her full name for the first time, he wasn’t sure why. You won’t get away it with. Watch.

  She needn’t turn to know what he was doing.

  Boys headed for Justice stopped still. Looking all around, to the ground and up into the trees. What was the tremor they each felt? Why did they begin to shiver so in the sunlight?

  “Did I hear thunder?” Talley Williams asked.

  “Is it going to rain?” This from Bobby Matthews, with his grating v
oice. Justice had never cared for him.

  Bobby Matthews felt stupid as sunlight continued to beat down in a cloudless sky. But he couldn’t help shivering with cold, as did most of the other boys.

  Levi was horrified by this expansion of Thomas’ ability. He’d never seen Thomas use such power, never known he had it and could use it on the boys. Unaware that Justice seemed to have the same ability, he must warn her to take care.

  Justice! he thought, using her full name, but he had no ability to reach her.

  He tried to get to his feet. But Thomas was right there in his mind, pretending to light the fire under the pot containing his brain.

  Tom-Tom, don’t! Levi traced.

  You didn’t tell Slick when I told you to, did you? Thomas reminded him.

  But I was about to, desperately Levi traced back.

  About to don’t mean one thing. I’ll remember that. Now, stay out of it.

  Not all of the boys had responded to the illusion of tremor and fear that Thomas had telepathed to them.

  So. Thomas slid from Levi’s mind and pinned Dorian Jefferson like an insect in his sight. It’s you, the son of the spirit woman—you’re one of us, too!

  In fear, shivering, Dorian stared back at Thomas. It was no use. He had been caught. Thomas could clearly sense that Dorian was not afraid.

  He perceived something else. You’re different, he traced. Thomas detected a veiled force protecting Dorian’s mind from him. There must have been a similar shield protecting Justice for so long. Why, suddenly, had Justice’s shield let down, revealing her not only to him but to herself as well?

  That’s maybe the way it works, Thomas thought to himself. Sometimes it works like that for me. I find out I can do something special when a minute before I didn’t know a thing about it.

  His attention was still riveted to Dorian, and he traced: Know you’re different. So how is it you’re different from us? What can you do that’s different? I’m just curious. It was true. Thomas had long since ceased being in awe of his own power. He was not terribly surprised, in one day, to find two people who had similar power.

  Dorian stood there. He looked over at Levi, who would not be able to get up until Thomas dissolved the illusion of his brain in a pot. He stared at Thomas, but could not penetrate his strong mental defenses.

  Thomas had never observed Dorian in terms of extrasensory power. Now he looked at Dorian anew and wondered at his small, ragged appearance. Never in a million years would he have suspected.

  Beautiful, Thomas traced. He smiled at Dorian. I bet I find out everything pretty soon now. You watch and see, spirit boy! This is all-out war between me and Lee and you and that sister of mine!

  Abruptly, Dorian turned and headed away.

  “Hey, you guys!” It was Justice, as ordinary as she could be. She was on her bike and calling from the side of the Jefferson house. It was a loud kind of whisper, like nothing Levi had heard before. He wasn’t even sure he’d heard it, but he knew she’d called. The boys heard her. “You all afraid to go to the Quinella again? What’s the matter with you!” She whirled and disappeared on her bike, successfully breaking Thomas’ hold on the boys.

  What were they doing standing there like a bunch of dumb bunnies? They couldn’t imagine what had come over them, and they raced for their bikes parked in front of the Jefferson place—Dorian right with them.

  At the side of the house, Dorian turned back to smile at Thomas. It was his challenge, clearly in the cause of Justice.

  The pot with the brain, the unlit fire, dissolved. Levi had his senses back. Unsteadily, he got to his feet.

  Sorry, man, Thomas traced. It was easier for him to communicate telepathically and avoid his stutter. I shouldn’t have done that to you for so long. Didn’t mean to. I just forget myself sometimes.

  Levi felt weak and light-headed. But he was deeply grateful for his brother’s expression of sympathy. Thomas had never before apologized to him.

  I can’t take much more of it, Tom-Tom. It … it seems to upset my breathing, Levi traced.

  Thomas was silent a moment. He knew already that his brother had a serious illness. Knew that it could only get worse. But he was powerless to do anything about it.

  Well, I won’t do it if you don’t want, Thomas traced. I mean, the crazy scenes I put in your mind. I only do it for fun, and I’m always right there with you.

  It’s no fun for me, I’ve told you that, Tom-Tom. You’ve got to start thinking about what you’re doing.

  I know, and I will, too, I promise you. Come on, Thomas urged, let’s get the snakes back to the Quinella.

  No, I’d better get home, traced Levi. I’m just so tired.

  Oh, come on! You’ll feel a lot better with some wind in your face. Lee, the heat’s got to you, is all.

  Levi would have loved to sit under the trees and discuss Justice. But Thomas seemed in much too big a hurry for him even to suggest it.

  If we race, we can catch them, Thomas traced eagerly. He led Levi over to his bike, making sure he got on all right. They headed out through the Jefferson driveway, with Levi bringing up the rear. As they passed Jefferson windows, they both glanced up into the ever watchful gaze of Mrs. Leona Jefferson.

  Veiled. Unreadable.

  Levi nodded to her respectfully. Seeing her, he felt, strangely, less tired.

  Thomas gave her a thumbs-up sign, smirking at her. She gave it back to him, thumbs down.

  Stupid old spirit woman! So you hate my guts, so what? I don’t need a spirit woman to weave spells over me, to shield me, or Levi, either. If Ticey’s that weak, you’d best protect her because, man, when …

  He broke off, remembering that Levi was in on the trace.

  Once out in the street, he raced ahead before Levi could question him. Levi followed, pedaling evenly. It was true, biking on his racer down long, shaded streets into country soon revived him. He and Thomas caught up with Justice and the boys right after the B&O crossing. And they commenced a downhill race at spectacular speeds. Thomas moved up on Justice with Levi right behind him.

  Justice didn’t seem surprised to see Thomas. She gazed at him long and hard, then turned back to the road.

  Levi intercepted no extrasensory between them, which didn’t mean they weren’t locked in telepathic tracing. It could mean that Thomas hadn’t seen fit to let Levi in on it.

  Thomas grinned at Justice. He reached out, patting her arm, never diminishing speed. It was so like the way a guy would gesture good-naturedly to his buddy when they were having a swell time on a really pleasant day. But Thomas’ open hand had knotted into a fist.

  Levi couldn’t believe his eyes as, in a flash, Thomas hit Justice a thudding blow on her arm. The impact sent her careening down the side of the road. The bike wobbled and took a long, frightening slide as Justice struggled to steady it and slow it down. It seemed to take her forever. Luckily, she hadn’t fallen. As it was, the boys had a time slowing themselves and getting out of the way in case she lost control and came across the road.

  Thomas had sped on away from them. By the time Justice had stopped the skid and had started her ride again, he was off his bike and racing for the Quinella Trace.

  Boys were quiet now. They brought their bikes to a halt at the flat place in front of the fence.

  “Did he hurt you?” Levi asked Justice.

  She shook her head. I … She had opened telepathy between them and had begun to trace when she broke off.

  She followed Levi over to the fence, next to which they laid their bikes. Boys stood around, still holding on to theirs, as if undecided whether to go or stay. They would not look directly at Levi or Justice. They felt they had intruded on some family argument, and Levi was quick to sense their predicament. There was no way for them to get around what they’d seen Thomas do. Thomas, their most exciting friend in the whole neighborhood. They were stunned by the danger, at him hitting Justice so hard, right in the midst of the bike traffic. But what got to them was that he had hit a younger
, smaller person that hard; a girl who was also his sister. There was no excuse they could make for him, their glances at one another seemed to say. And they felt ashamed for him.

  “We have to talk,” softly Levi said to Justice. “We must talk!”

  He wanted to trace to her, but he had no way to make his way into her thoughts without Thomas or her leading him through the strange, empty passage from mind to mind.

  No need to talk, Justice traced. Pardon me, but I am here.

  Tice … Justice!

  Yes?

  How’s it possible that you kept all this from me?

  I never knew! she traced. And to think about it—to know that I have … have … Even now, she could not bring herself to say it. Then: Levi, why didn’t you stay home? With you here, it makes it that much harder. …

  Makes what harder? What is it? he traced.

  Don’t you see? Thomas and I.

  I understand about that, he traced, but it doesn’t have to be. Justice, Thomas loves to win, so let him. Don’t fight him. I don’t want to see you hurt.

  She smiled at him. No longer was it the smile of his little sister, but of someone older; beyond older. Someone different.

  I am new, she said in his mind. I am power. And awe …

  Awe? Levi traced. What’s that supposed to mean?

  This isn’t the place—we’ll have time later. Come, she traced. Now, follow close to me. And never get between me and Thomas.

  I don’t want to take sides, he traced.

  She stared at him, looking troubled. She was aware of boys standing awkwardly, aware that they found the silence strained. And she decided the boys should leave.

  They began whispering among themselves. None of them wanted to go back to the Quinella. It was agreed that Slick and Dorian would return all of the snakes. Slick balked at the idea of actually emptying the pails on the riverbank. Instead, he said he would carry the snake pails only as far as the middle of the high weeds. So it was agreed that the center of the high weeds was good enough. The snakes would have no trouble finding their way back from there. Dorian would empty his containers in the weeds, as well.