The Roar

Mika sits alone in the headmaster’s office, a voice in his head telling him, “They’re trying to poison you” (74). He wonders if it’s Ellie’s voice. The headmaster returns and metes out Mika’s punishment: suspension and a “100 credit” fine (a king’s ransom for his low-income parents). He also must wear a “detention collar,” which administers an electric shock if he leaves his apartment. His parents arrive to take him home, furious at his behavior. They order Mika to drink the Fit Mix. The processed food they normally eat, Asha tells him, is artificially flavored mold, but it’s all they can afford. Mika still refuses.

That night, Mika dreams of a dog in his bed, friendly and soft, unlike the plague dogs he’s heard about. He pets the dog, and plants sprout from his fingertips. His parents watch him sleepwalking, and they decide to schedule a one-on-one appointment with Helen the next day.

Aboard the space station, the Queen of the North, Gorman impatiently entertains visiting dignitaries. Afterward, Gorman is summoned to an observation room where a staff member is keeping watch on a blindfolded, sleeping Ellie. He’s noticed something strange—her shoes floating along the ceiling, a result of a psychic dream.