Impossible Things by Robin Stevenson Read Free Book Online

hope so. Trust me, okay?”
    I closed my eyes again. “Okay…I’m visualizing the energy.” Lime green or forest green, I wondered. I tried not to giggle. It was like being at camp with those girls who brought the Ouija board: everyone else all solemn, and me sitting there with my fingers on the sliding plastic thing, thinking how crazy it all was. Except, I reminded myself, this time it wasn’t. This time it was for real.
    â€œOkay. Now imagine that the energy is moving into the space between your hands. Keep taking slow deep breaths. Imagine the energy getting denser and denser, forming a ball of energy between your hands.”
    Nothing happened. After a few minutes, I broke the silence. “What’s supposed to happen?”
    â€œYou didn’t feel anything at all?”
    â€œNo, not really.”
    â€œDon’t get discouraged, okay? Maybe it’ll take practice.” She smiled, but I couldn’t help wondering if she was disappointed in me.
    â€œWhat should have happened?”
    â€œYou should feel some pressure between your hands. You know if you put two magnets together the wrong way? And they push each other away? It feels kind of like that.”
    â€œMaybe if you showed me?” I asked hopefully.
    She bit her lip and frowned. “I told you. I’m not allowed.”
    I sighed. “Okay. Sorry. I’ll try again.” I put my hands together and closed my eyes. There was a knock at the door, and my eyes flew open. “What?”
    Ben opened the door and poked his head in. “Dinner’s ready.”
    â€œNo! Seriously? Don’t tell me you made something.”
    He shook his head. “No, Mom’s home. She brought Chinese.”
    Mom was unpacking cartons and putting plates on the table.
    â€œSorry,” she said as we came in. “I know I said I’d cook tonight, but I got held up. Got a really serious call on the crisis line and couldn’t get away.”
    â€œYou got your hair done,” I said accusingly. She didn’t look like herself at all. Her dark curls were gone and instead she had a sleek chin-length bob.
    Her hand flew to her hair. “This morning. What do you think?”
    â€œIt’s gorgeous,” Victoria said shyly. “You look like an actress or something.”
    Mom laughed, shaking her head so that her hair swung smoothly from side to side. “Thank you. You must be Victoria.”
    I opened the fridge and grabbed a jug of filtered water and a big bottle of soda. “What do you want to drink?”
    â€œOh.” Victoria turned to look at me and picked a glass up from the table. “Water’s fine.”
    Ben and Sydney came running in. They reminded me of a couple of little wind-up toys, always buzzing from one place to another.
    Ben sat down and Sydney dropped into the chair beside him. “Wow,” he said. “We look like a big family. Imagine if Victoria and Sydney were our sisters and there were always five of us here.”
    â€œSix,” I said quickly. “Don’t forget Dad.”
    â€œSix, then,” Ben agreed. “Hey, Victoria? Do you have any siblings?”
    I laughed. Siblings. Ben’s vocabulary cracked me up.
    There was a pause, and I turned to look at Victoria. The glass slipped from her hand and smashed on the floor. Broken glass all over. “Oh,” she gasped, “I’m so sorry.”
    â€œOh, don’t worry,” Mom said quickly. “They’re nothing special, just cheap ones.” She bent to get the brush and dustpan from under the sink.
    â€œLet me do that,” Victoria said, reaching for the brush.
    Mom hesitated before she handed it to her. “Be careful,” she said. “Don’t cut yourself.”
    Ben had forgotten the conversation and was chatting with Sydney about their chess strategies. I watched Victoria sweep. Her face was pale and her hand was shaking slightly. I hadn’t