Eden

58

"So what are the rules?" I say. "How exactly does it work,this thing about me being responsible for her."

People turn and look at thespeech-making man, as if it is him who knows the law. "You are responsibleforever," he says. "If she breaks any law at all, you will be punished."

"Anylaw?"

"Anything."

"All right, so, what are the laws? Where are they writtendown?"

"Nowhere."

"But I'm supposed to..."

The speech-making man shrugs. "Lawsvary all over the city."

"Oh," I say. I hadn't thought of that. "But I'mresponsible for her keeping all of them?"

He nods.

"And if she breaks any ofthem," I say. "Then you punish me."

"Someone punishes you, yes."

"Well, they doif she's caught, anyway," I say.

He grins. And then he says, "Yes, of course."

Istand there. I think. The chance of being caught isn't really the mostimportant thing to worry about, right now. The punishment for murder is.

"So ifshe kills again," I say. "Then you kill me..."

"That is the law, yes."

"But youkill me instead of her?" I say. "So she isn't punished at all?"

That bothersme, for some reason. It seems a little unfair.

"Well yes," the speech-makingman says, as if this is obvious, and hardly needs saying "Since she is nolonger her own. She is yours, so you are punished in her place."