Ruddy opened the door to the cafeteria building. Whatever horror he’d imagined when he heard Xeke say “roasted goat” was obliterated by the aroma of it. His mouth watered, but then went dry when he realized everyone was staring at him.

  People slid their cafeteria trays down the counter, chatting as the servers filled them with food. There were families with newborns and couples and groups of teenagers. Ruddy was the only person standing alone.

  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Cymber come in. All thought of food left his head when he saw her again. The way her smile made the whole room light up, the way the gold bracelets on her wrists contrasted with her glowing, dark brown skin ... the way her gaze fell squarely on him, like she had no fear, like she wanted to know everything. He shuddered beneath that gaze.

  Cymber was taller than most of the women in the room. Her shorts and tight t-shirt revealed a strong, athletic body. She had black hair in braids that gathered into a thick rope that twined over one shoulder and fell to her waist. He imagined her doing yoga and decided she might have been the woman yoga was invented for.

  There were a couple of people behind Ruddy, but Cymber nodded to them and they let her and Xeke cut in. He stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice.

  Please, please don’t let her talk to me. He glanced back, and she was smiling at him. He plastered on a fake grin and tried to think of something to say. He couldn’t take his eyes off her face. Then he realized he was staring at her, so he jerked his head away.

  He tried to focus on the food but he could feel everyone looking at him. Even Xeke was looking at him like he had an appendage growing out of his forehead.

  I’m a freak even among freaks. I guess I’ll just try to enjoy the food. Hope I can learn to drive a stick shift or I’ll probably be driven from the town on foot. He pictured himself as a hunchback and the people of Penatuka with pitchforks and torches.

  He almost jumped out of his skin when Xeke answered him. Who are you calling a freak?

  Sorry! Ruddy thought. His face was burning now. Do you think anyone else heard that?

  “I don’t see how they could have,” Xeke said aloud. Ruddy gave him a shushing look and rolled his eyes toward Cymber. Not in front of ...

  Xeke laughed.

  It’s not funny!

  Calm down, Xeke said.

  You calm down! Everyone’s staring at me.

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  Well what do you expect? You’re as big as Shaq, and besides, we don’t get many visitors here. They’re just curious.

  Ruddy swallowed. If you say so.

  He felt like he was in the lunch line at boarding school all over again, with all the other kids gawking at him. An eternity passed under the microscope before he got to the food. He tried to grab a roll and burned his fingers on it.

  “Ow.” He waved his hand around and blew on it.

  “Don’t burn yourself,” Cymber said, pointing to the tongs in plain sight next to the rolls. He reached for them, knocking two rolls onto the floor. When he leaned over to get them, he knocked the tongs off with his head. It went like that all the way to the end of the line, with Cymber watching him the whole time.

  Why does she keep smiling at me like that?

  Maybe she likes you, Xeke said. After all, smiling is generally considered a good thing. If she growls at you, then you know something’s wrong.

  She growls? Ruddy said.

  Xeke laughed again. Cymber looked at him. “What’s so funny?”

  “Nothing,” Xeke said. “Just remembering a joke Ruddy told me on the way here. He’s got some good ones. Why don’t you tell Cymber that joke, Ruddy?”

  “Um … gah … joke?”

  Cymber stood next to him, balancing her tray in her right hand and sliding her left arm through his. “Stop teasing him. Ruddy, come sit with me. We’ll let this comedian find his own seat.”

  Cymber led him to a big table where a dozen men and women chatted as they ate. He sat and she squeezed in next to him, close enough that their legs were touching.

  “Everyone, this is Ruddy.” Cymber went down the table, introducing people as she went. Ruddy forgot every name as soon as she said it.

  Ruddy took a bite of the goat and his eyes widened. “Thish ish really good,” he said as he chewed. Then he remembered his manners and turned red again.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Cymber said. She was still watching him. “We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished here. Everyone does their part. We’ve missed having Xeke’s talents the last couple of weeks. He can plant and harvest without getting his hands dirty. When the windmill needed repair the other day, we actually had to climb a ladder to fix it. I’m sure you’ll be a great help, too. I hear you’re quite talented.” She winked at him.

  “Uh, I’ll do my best, ma’am.”

  She laughed. “Call me Cymber.” She scooted a little closer to him on the bench. He almost choked on his food.

  “I’m not real sure what I can do,” Ruddy said. “I can change my skin into different things, but I don’t know how that’s going to help. I’m bulletproof … I guess that’s useful.”

  “Bulletproof?” A young man with Asian features leaned across the table. “That’s awesome. Can you teach me?”

  “Sean is one of our changelings,” Cymber said.

  “I’ll try,” Ruddy said. “I don’t really know how I do it. I just do.”

  Sean grinned. “I bet I can figure it out. Maybe you can show me later.”

  “How about now?” Ruddy turned his body silver in between bites of potato. The room went silent.

  “That’s …” Sean sat back, mouth open. “How did you …”

  Ruddy shrugged. Cymber reached out and tapped his shoulder with her fingernail. Tink. Tink.

  Guess I’m not the only Jedi in town anymore, Xeke said.

  Ruddy turned to see Xeke smiling at him. The cafeteria erupted in conversation.

  I wonder if this is what it feels like to be a rock star? Ruddy said.

  Heh, Xeke said. Don’t count on it. They depend on those of us with the big talents. I can do the work of twenty men without breaking a sweat. It’s a good feeling, but it’s a lot of responsibility.

  Ruddy frowned as he remembered all his dad’s lectures about responsibility. Then he glanced at Cymber. The idea that she might come to rely on him made him puff out his chest with pride.