Дюна

           Sheworesietchsandals,ared-yellowwraparoundthatexposedherarmsalmosttotheshoulders.Herblackhairwaspartedinthemiddleandsweptbacklikethewingsofaninsect,flatandoilyagainstherhead.Thejutting,predatoryfeaturesweredrawnintoanintensefrown.

           BehindHarahcameAlia,agirl-childofabouttwoyears.

           Seeingherdaughter,JessicawascaughtasshefrequentlywasbyAlia’sresemblancetoPaulatthatage—thesamewide-eyedsolemnitytoherquestinglook,thedarkhairandfirmnessofmouth.Butthereweresubtledifferences,too,anditwasinthesethatmostadultsfoundAliadisquieting.Thechild—littlemorethanatoddler—carriedherselfwithacalmnessandawarenessbeyondheryears.Adultswereshockedtofindherlaughingatasubtleplayofwordsbetweenthesexes.Orthey’dcatchthemselveslisteningtoherhalf-lispingvoice,stillblurredasitwasbyanunformedsoftpalate,anddiscoverinherwordsslyremarksthatcouldonlybebasedonexperiencesnotwo-year-oldhadeverencountered.

           Harahsanktoacushionwithanexasperatedsigh,frownedatthechild.

           “Alia.”Jessicamotionedtoherdaughter.

           Thechildcrossedtoacushionbesidehermother,sanktoitandclaspedhermother’shand.ThecontactoffleshrestoredthatmutualawarenesstheyhadsharedsincebeforeAlia’sbirth.Itwasn’tamatterofsharedthoughts—althoughtherewereburstsofthatiftheytouchedwhileJessicawaschangingthespicepoisonforaceremony.