the leaves hurried across the park in a dance of brown and gold and red. Ellen turned her head to watch them for a minute. It was the end of October. She and Harl were walking through the trees in the last of the daylight I like this time of year best, Ellen said. Harl watched her. She didn't look at him, and he knew what she was thinking. I decided to go a long time ago,' he said. "I know there'll be no autumn leaves, no spring sunshine, and know for how long Eight years, Ellen said slowly. Eight years without summer or winter, without real days or nights. Eight years of the same food, the same life, day after day, with the same people in a little space ship fifty metres long.' Fifty-five said Harl Fifty-five, then," Ellen said angrily They came to the top of a small hill. Ellen stopped and looked around her. Har stopped too, and smelled the autumn leaves and the soft warm wind. For a second he began to think that he was making a mistake- could he really leave all this behind?