AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finally, he led me down another flight of stairs. "All the rec stuff is down here. An indoor gym for bad weather. Home theater. Game room." He glanced over as we reached the bottom step. "Yeah, it's like they consulted a stack of teen life magazines, trying to build the ultimate hangout."
"Ignoring the fact that our idea of playtime involves kayaks, rock-climbing, dirt bikes . . ."
"Exactly." He opened the first door. "Here's the game room, complete with every console known to man, plus a prototype of a new kinetic one, just for us, 'cause we're so special."
"Special enough to get internet access on those consoles?"
"Not a chance."
TWENTY
WE WALKED INSIDE. AS we did, I stopped short. There was a girl sitting at a table across the room. She was bent over a piece of paper and seemed to be writing.
Rafe tugged me forward. "Maya, I'd like to introduce you to someone."
The girl at the table turned. When she did, I smiled.
"Annie." I started forward, then shot a glance back at Rafe. "I believe we've met."
"Not exactly," Annie said, and her voice was different, lower. Her smile was different, too. Not the exuberant grin I remembered, but something more tentative, almost shy.
She stood and came toward me. Not flying at me, arms wide, the way she usually did, but just walking, her steps as tentative as her smile. I looked at the table and saw what she'd been doing. Drawing.
I glanced at Rafe. He grinned and nodded, his face glowing again.
"They've . . ." I began, struggling for the words.
"Fixed me," Annie said. "For very brief periods so far. But it's a start." She walked over and hugged me, and even if it wasn't her usual rib-crushing embrace, it was still a real hug, tight and sincere.
"So you . . . remember everything?" I said.
She waved us to the sofa and patted the spot beside her. I took it, and Rafe perched on the arm, still grinning.
"There are bits and pieces I don't remember, probably when I shifted. The rest is . . . odd. Like I was watching myself." She shook her head. "No, watching someone that looked like me and felt a bit like me, but wasn't, not really. It was like being . . ." She blushed. "Like being high unexpectedly. Which wouldn't be a new experience for me. When you're trying to break in as an artist, you can't always be sure that the wine is just wine. I felt high and happy and carefree, but inside, part of me was banging at the walls to get out. To come down. To be myself."
"And now you are."
"For short periods. They'll continue with the doses and they expect I should be back to myself in a few months." She paused. "Rafe tells me you've shifted."
"I have."
"No . . . problems?"
I tried not to think about what Nast said. "Not yet. But I feel a lot better knowing there's a cure. They worked fast finding it."
"Not really," Rafe said. "They already knew there were possible side effects. They had something ready in case this happened. Untested but--" He shrugged. "Obviously working."
Annie clasped my hands. "I'm glad you're okay, Maya. I know you don't want to be here, but I'm glad you're safe, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you. Really know you." She smiled at Rafe. "You've made my brother happier than I've seen him in a very long time."
Rafe rolled his eyes, but he still hadn't completely wiped the smile from his face. I knew I wasn't the only reason he was happy. This was what he wanted--to help Annie. It was why he'd come to Salmon Creek. The reason for everything he'd done since he arrived.
"And with that, I'm going to take my leave and let you two catch up," Annie said as she stood. "I'm sure Rafael doesn't want his big sister around for that."
"You don't have to--" I began.
"My time's running out," she said. "I only get about twenty good minutes every treatment."
"That doesn't matter," I said. "You were fine before--"
