Kendra immediately shot up and turned back to the Home. The man from the day before in the Eating Hall—the one in the long coat, turning his head about the Homers, with the strange, transparent contraption resting on his nose, making his eyes appear double large—stood now in front of the Home’s entrance.

“I noticed you looking in my direction yesterday, in line for the lunch,” he said, taking a step toward Kendra. “But I thought nothing of it. I didn’t expect another incident. Of course, who would?”

Kendra took a step back, preparing to run if necessary.

“You noticed me doing what?” she asked carefully.

“Looking,” the man said. “It’s what you’re doing, you know. When you far-touch, it’s called looking, or seeing.”

“Seeing?”

“Yes,” he nodded, taking another step in her direction. “The Far-Touch is called Sight. And the brightness, the reason for all your far-touching, the heat emanating from the Top Fire—it is called Light. At least, that’s what the Far-Touchers used to call it. I haven’t known any for many years.”

“Who are you?” Kendra asked. “I am Doctor Lowell. I am the head doctor of the Home.”

“Doc Cramen is the head doctor,” Kendra said quickly. “What are you trying to pull?”

“Cramen is a figure head,” the man said. “Someone to play nice with the Homers, run the day-to-day, and he does quite well, but… I run the Home. And if anything goes wrong here, you understand, it’s my responsibility to rectify the issue.” He took another step forward.

“Well, nothing’s wrong here,” Kendra said. “Everything’s just right.”

“Oh, I’d have to disagree there.” The man took another step forward.

“Stop!” Kendra yelled. “Stop or I’ll run. What do you want from me?”

“You must come with me, Kendra,” the man said. “I have to teach you again, to live without the sight. It’s for your own benefit, and the benefit of all our people.”

“You want me to stop far-… To stop seeing, huh?” Kendra said.

“It’s for the best. Trust me.”