Ujurak recognised the nurse who had been looking after him. She had hair the colour of red-gold maple leaves and kind brown eyes, like a bear’s. She had told him her name was Janet.

When she spotted him she halted briefly with a surprised look on her face, then hurried up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. ‘Hey, Ujurak, where do you think you’re going?’ She was smiling and her voice was kind, but Ujurak sensed the firmness beneath. ‘You’re not strong enough to be wandering around yet.’

Ujurak wanted to resist, but an inner voice told him, Wait. There’ll be another chance later.

Janet guided him into his room and settled him back in bed, tucking the blankets neatly around him. ‘There. Now you get some rest,’ she said.

‘Where am I?’ Ujurak asked, his voice still hoarse from his throat injury.

‘Blackhorse,’ the nurse replied. ‘Don’t worry; you’re safe here.’

‘What’s Blackhorse?’

‘The name of this town,’ the nurse told him. ‘It’s an oil town. It’s part of the Propkin oil field.’

Ujurak felt relieved. For a moment he’d thought the flat-faces must bring horses here to kill them. But he was still puzzled. ‘Oil?’ He had heard the Senator and the villagers talking about oil in the meeting in the big hut, back in Arctic Village. He had known that it must be important, but he still didn’t know what it was.

‘Yeah, oil.’ For a moment Janet looked at him as if he’d said something weird. ‘You know, oil. The stuff you use to make engines run smoothly.’ She looked even more surprised. ‘Just where did you grow up?’ she asked.

‘Er . . . out on the plains,’ Ujurak replied; panic brushed him like a spray of leaves as he tried to think what to say. ‘We didn’t have any engines.’

‘Wow, none at all?’ There was a trace of respect in Janet’s eyes. ‘I didn’t know there were still villages like that. What’s it like, not having electricity or cars or TV?’

Ujurak gazed up at her blankly. What are those?

Janet bent down to give Ujurak a hug. She had a nice scent, like flowers, but it made Ujurak’s nose tickle, and he tried not to sneeze.

‘Oh, honey, don’t be scared,’ she said. ‘Everything will be fine, you’ll see. Now you lie right there and get some rest, and I’ll be back soon with your supper.’

As soon as the nurse had closed the door behind her, Ujurak started to get out of bed. Then he stopped and lay back down.

She said she’d be back soon and there’ll be trouble if she catches me again. I’d better wait until later.

Besides, he had to admit that his brief exercise had tired him; he lay dozing until he heard the door squeak as it was opened again.