No one was there, so I slipped in and went to the room I shared with Lenko. I was shocked to discover that all my things had already been cleared out, and for a long time I stood staring at my empty corner, unwilling to believe what I was seeing. Until then, I suppose that it had all seemed like a game; a test perhaps, of myself and my parents. But now I knew that it was real. I had offered my Intention and separated myself from the family. They had, according to their duties under the Given Law, already removed all reminders of me from their sight. Whether they liked it or not, as far as they were concerned, I no longer existed. My despair drew Tigo in from the yard. He snuffled around at my face and tried to wrap himself around my legs. ‘It’s all right, Tigo,’ I said. ‘I can handle it.’ ‘Wopplecryst?’ he said. I nodded, numbly. ‘I’m going,’ I said. ‘I just wanted to collect some things.’ He helped me search until we found my belongings, stuffed into two cloth bags in the winter coat-room.
