with you as a precaution. Is that clear?"
"Crystal."
"Fortunately, I came prepared." He patted his coat pocket. "Now create four landing
sites and begin."
Carole cleared space around an ugly stone statue, next to a stack of wooden crates,
beside a gilded wardrobe, and atop a chest similar to the one Professor Philamount was sitting on.
She focused her subtle sight on the statue, imagined a connection between it and her mind's eye,
and leaped. Her accuracy was a little off, and she stumbled slightly on the landing.
"Again," the professor said.
Carole leaped to the crates, and this time landed perfectly.
"Again."
She leaped to the wardrobe.
"Again."
She landed perfectly balanced on top of the chest.
"Any ill effects?"
"Nothing yet."
"Good, you are beginning to adapt. This time do all four in quick sequence."
Carole completed the circuit in less than five seconds.
"Faster."
"She finished in just over three seconds."
"Any chills or dizziness?"
She shook her head.
"Continue until you feel ill or I stop you."
She took a deep breath and began. At first she tried for speed, but the transition
between normal space and void became nauseating, so she concentrated on creating a steady
rhythm, like jumping rope. Soon she wasn't even thinking about what she was doing.
"Umph!" Carole found herself beneath a pile of musty old clothes. "What'd you do that
for?" she said when she'd dug herself out.
Professor Philamount wiped his hands nonchalantly. "Suppose that laundry had been an
avalanche crashing into your landing site? Never take anything for granted. Look ahead and
anticipate." He produced a brick of cheese from his pocket, broke off a large chunk and held it out.
"Eat."
Carole was suddenly aware that her hands were shaking and that she was breathing
hard. She collapsed onto a nearby crate and gnawed hungrily on the cheese. "It comes on fast."
The professor's expression was serious when he nodded.
"Was the school here at the time of the Great Fire?"
His caterpillar-like eyebrows arched up slightly. "It was one of the few structures to
survive. Why do you ask?"
"No particular reason. Do you know much about it?"
"Few relevant documents remain."
"There aren't any records about the tunnels, either? Don't you find that odd?"
Professor Philamount cocked his head to the side and peered at Carole with a hawk-like
expression. "Look about you, Miss Sylphwood. What you see are the remnants from a time when
multitaskers visited dimensions with such frequency and in such numbers, that lineups at popular
tunnels were not unusual. Undoubtedly there are items of great historical significance in this very
room. Alas, their value is no longer recognized."
"Don't people care?"
"The Hub has never been a large community, and with each passing generation, those of
us with the ability or desire to leap, grow smaller. We simply cannot do it all."
"But the tunnels? Aren't they what define us as multitaskers?"
"Certainly they are one of the defining elements. But even at the time of the Great Fire,
there were more tunnels available than leapers to use them." Professor Philamount stood up. "If
you are ready, begin again."
In the ensuing hour Carole learned to avoid obstacles at her landing site, to reverse
direction and even to change her destination in mid-flight.
The professor finally dismissed her for the day. "Same time tomorrow, and bring food
and a jacket with you."
Carole stumbled down the stairs exhausted and with teeth chattering, but she still took
time to examine the wall at the far end of the fourth floor. It was as she'd thought. There was no
stairway to the second tower.
--14--
When Carole went to the library after school. she found it empty except for the Deville
twins and Amanda Cleroux. Zack was sitting between the girls, talking animatedly to Amanda. Lilly
was scowling.
All three of them turned as she came in.
Zack all but crowed. "Way-ta-go, Sylphwood."
She slumped into a chair and raised one eyebrow in
"Crystal."
"Fortunately, I came prepared." He patted his coat pocket. "Now create four landing
sites and begin."
Carole cleared space around an ugly stone statue, next to a stack of wooden crates,
beside a gilded wardrobe, and atop a chest similar to the one Professor Philamount was sitting on.
She focused her subtle sight on the statue, imagined a connection between it and her mind's eye,
and leaped. Her accuracy was a little off, and she stumbled slightly on the landing.
"Again," the professor said.
Carole leaped to the crates, and this time landed perfectly.
"Again."
She leaped to the wardrobe.
"Again."
She landed perfectly balanced on top of the chest.
"Any ill effects?"
"Nothing yet."
"Good, you are beginning to adapt. This time do all four in quick sequence."
Carole completed the circuit in less than five seconds.
"Faster."
"She finished in just over three seconds."
"Any chills or dizziness?"
She shook her head.
"Continue until you feel ill or I stop you."
She took a deep breath and began. At first she tried for speed, but the transition
between normal space and void became nauseating, so she concentrated on creating a steady
rhythm, like jumping rope. Soon she wasn't even thinking about what she was doing.
"Umph!" Carole found herself beneath a pile of musty old clothes. "What'd you do that
for?" she said when she'd dug herself out.
Professor Philamount wiped his hands nonchalantly. "Suppose that laundry had been an
avalanche crashing into your landing site? Never take anything for granted. Look ahead and
anticipate." He produced a brick of cheese from his pocket, broke off a large chunk and held it out.
"Eat."
Carole was suddenly aware that her hands were shaking and that she was breathing
hard. She collapsed onto a nearby crate and gnawed hungrily on the cheese. "It comes on fast."
The professor's expression was serious when he nodded.
"Was the school here at the time of the Great Fire?"
His caterpillar-like eyebrows arched up slightly. "It was one of the few structures to
survive. Why do you ask?"
"No particular reason. Do you know much about it?"
"Few relevant documents remain."
"There aren't any records about the tunnels, either? Don't you find that odd?"
Professor Philamount cocked his head to the side and peered at Carole with a hawk-like
expression. "Look about you, Miss Sylphwood. What you see are the remnants from a time when
multitaskers visited dimensions with such frequency and in such numbers, that lineups at popular
tunnels were not unusual. Undoubtedly there are items of great historical significance in this very
room. Alas, their value is no longer recognized."
"Don't people care?"
"The Hub has never been a large community, and with each passing generation, those of
us with the ability or desire to leap, grow smaller. We simply cannot do it all."
"But the tunnels? Aren't they what define us as multitaskers?"
"Certainly they are one of the defining elements. But even at the time of the Great Fire,
there were more tunnels available than leapers to use them." Professor Philamount stood up. "If
you are ready, begin again."
In the ensuing hour Carole learned to avoid obstacles at her landing site, to reverse
direction and even to change her destination in mid-flight.
The professor finally dismissed her for the day. "Same time tomorrow, and bring food
and a jacket with you."
Carole stumbled down the stairs exhausted and with teeth chattering, but she still took
time to examine the wall at the far end of the fourth floor. It was as she'd thought. There was no
stairway to the second tower.
--14--
When Carole went to the library after school. she found it empty except for the Deville
twins and Amanda Cleroux. Zack was sitting between the girls, talking animatedly to Amanda. Lilly
was scowling.
All three of them turned as she came in.
Zack all but crowed. "Way-ta-go, Sylphwood."
She slumped into a chair and raised one eyebrow in
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