Dad informed me over breakfast that I would be going to a new school. “But that’s where the settlers from Earth go,” I whined. “I don’t want to be with them. I want to be with my friends!”
Dad looked at me over his glasses. “I’m not discussing it, Penumbra. It’s a better school and you’re going.”
So I was in a very bad mood when I left home that morning and took the hover-rail to New Earth Middle School. The rest of the moon natives—my friends—got off at the regular stop for Tranquility Preparatory Academy and then it was just the Earth kids and me.
I got some funny looks when we reached the stop, and I followed the crowd in through the school doors. I asked the least scary-looking kid for directions to the office and he pointed me toward a glass elevator. When I entered, the elevator spoke to me. “Which floor do you require?” it asked in a soft, pleasant voice. I glanced frantically at the directory that flashed up on one of the glass panels in green neon. “Um. Floor three hundred and seventy-seven, I think.”
At once the elevator shot up and I gasped. I grabbed hold of the guardrail and closed my eyes as I had never liked heights. After only a few seconds, the elevator stopped smoothly and the doors opened. “Have an educationally wonderful day,” the elevator said as I exited.
Which text detail shows that Penumbra is not from Earth?
“I asked the least scary-looking kid for directions to the office and he pointed me toward a glass elevator.”
“The rest of the moon natives—my friends—got off at the regular stop for Tranquility Preparatory Academy and then it was just the earth kids and me.”
“I grabbed hold of the guardrail and closed my eyes as I had never liked heights.”
“‘Have an educationally wonderful day,’ the elevator said as I exited.”