Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis, #2)

by Octavia E. Butler

How stupid to be sick and know where there was healing and decide to stay sick.

If the raiders were conscientious, normal Humans, they might kill him.

But it was one thing to know what the man was made of and another to know how the parts worked together—how each bit was expressed in function, behavior, and appearance.

Obviously, Humans were strongly tempted to do things they were warned not to do. And