September came on more suddenly than ever before, though she had been on Sam’s mind since June. As much as he anticipated her, yet he found himself utterly unprepared for her. The first day of school filled his heart with a hungry dread. She could be around the next corner at any time, like phantom tigress; irresistibly beautiful to behold—the beauty of the perfect hunter, mighty to disembowel him out of mere curiosity. He arrived home after each day exhausted, feeling as though he had been hunted since daybreak.
Paul Buxman
The classroom was a brief respite, though Sam knew that she couldn’t be far away. She might even be right outside the door. He did not avoid her brother; rather, he felt safer in Armen’s company, and he suspected that Armen might reveal some secret knowledge of his sister, so Sam often met Armen at lunch. Not much was said between them about possible or past adventures. That was taboo for some time. Sam might get a little information about Cindy if he picked the right topic. He didn’t want to make Armen suspicious or uncomfortable. If Cindy happened to be around them, Sam tried his best to act naturally. He knew better than to reveal any jealousy, though his days were full of envy for anyone around her. The reality was that he had little to be jealous of: Cindy didn’t invest much into any relationship at school. She was occupied with other things.
Cindy’s preoccupation with the chemistry of fire continued into the school year. It happened to be her year to take chemistry in school. When topics such as the chemistry of oxidation, reduction, combustion, and respiration came up, she demonstrated a particularly keen interest. She stayed in the chem lab after school to perform experiments with fuels, heat, and oxygen. She performed other experiments and self-demonstrations at home, and visited the city library frequently.
Cindy was working that fall, mucking stalls and paddocks, checking fences, gates, and pumps, hauling supplies, and looking after Rosie. She rode out every weekend and on occasional weekdays. Sometimes she rode farther into the Range than the job required. She didn’t have the time or the inclination for the kind of attention that Rosie would attract.