Shimmer by Jennifer McBride Read Free Book Online Page B

house. You can clean the bathrooms, make the beds, do the dusting and vacuum the carpets.’ He looked around, frowning. Then he came up with a few more things. ‘And clean the windows, mop the floor and put the rubbish out.’
    Her anger stirred again but she said nothing. She flicked her hand and did as he had ordered.
    David turned and marched outside. Kora stood her ground for as long as she could, but it was only moments before she felt herself being tugged. Not wanting to be dragged out unceremoniously, she followed him outside, cringing as a tidal wave of heat rolled over her. How could it be so hot this early in the day? David was already at the far end of the back yard, slumped on an old garden bench in the shade. With as much dignity as she could muster Kora strode over and stood before him. ‘You require something else, master?’
    He nodded, one hand swatting at the little swarm of flies that buzzed around his face. He tossed his head, trying to flick back his heavy, long fringe but it just flopped forward again over his eyes. ‘I wish for a chocolate milkshake. Double malt and icy cold.’
    A tall, silver cup filled with frothy milk appeared on the ground beside him. In seconds, the outside of the cup was covered in glistening drops of condensation that ran down his hand and dripped onto the dry ground. Kora tilted her head to one side and watched him drink, ice cubes clinking against the sides of the cup as he gulped.
    It seemed strange to her that a boy like David would just spend each day at home alone. Surely he would need to be educated, or perhaps go out to work? She arched an eyebrow at him. ‘Do not Earth children your age have to go to school?’
    He shrugged. ‘School’s out for the summer,’ he said. ‘Yesterday was the first day of school holidays. That’s why my report arrived.’ He screwed up his face. ‘Boy, I sure wish I had remembered that was coming!’ He shook his head in dismay. ‘I could have wished for all the Fs to become As before Mum saw it.’
    Kora’s lip curled. ‘Humans are so pathetic,’ she said. ‘They never want to take responsibility for their actions.’
    He glared up at her. Sweat was running down his face and into his eyes, and he wiped it from his brow with the back of his hand. ‘You need to get to work,’ he said, ‘so I can go back inside.’
    Kora was cool. A tiny but constant trickle of power around her body shielded her from the heat. But she too wanted to return to the sanctuary of her globe and Amurru. ‘Shall we get on with it, then?’
    He waved his hand at the mound of firewood. ‘Chop that wood into small pieces.’
    She nodded and the mound of wood simply vanished, reappearing in small pieces neatly stacked to one side. ‘What does your mother want with all this?’ she asked. ‘No one could need a fire in this disgusting heat!’
    â€˜She likes it all to be dried out and ready for winter.’ He squinted up at the clear, blue sky. ‘It’s hard to believe now, but when it gets cold here, it gets cold quickly.’
    He turned then and waved towards the chook yard behind him. It seemed even the chickens were feeling the heat. They were clustered up one end of the chook yard where there was a tiny patch of shade, scratching halfheartedly at the barren, dusty ground. ‘Clean that out, including their water bowl. And fill up their feed bin.’
    She nodded again and the job was done.
    He stood and walked over to the back fence where one of the posts had collapsed sideways onto the ground. ‘Fix this.’ He was standing in the full sun now and fresh beads of sweat sprang out on his face and dripped down his arms.
    Kora flicked her fingers at the fence post and it sprang back into place, the dirt compacting around the base of the pole to hold it up.
    She folded her arms across her chest and regarded him with her