The Dragon Tree by AC Kavich Read Free Book Online Page A

look at the branches of the tree. They were as black as Billy’s description, sure enough. As twisted and tangled as he described. And hanging from the branches were dark objects the size of ovular tennis balls.
                  Billy was right , thought Hiroki bitterly. I hate that guy.
                  But his bitterness was soon an afterthought when he lowered the loupe and looked at the photo in its entirety. He had to back up a few steps to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. But no, he wasn’t.
                  Oh my god.
     
    ***
     
                  Eva was sitting in her History class across the aisle from Aidan. He was scribbling on scraps of paper and tossing them in the general direction of her desk. So far none had actually landed on her desk, so she pretended she didn’t notice them.
                  Mr. Windsor was in the middle of a lecture on World War II that had put most of the class to sleep, but Eva loved every school subject and history was in her top three.
                  “Most people in the United States were so frightened of our enemies abroad,” said Mr. Windsor in his signature drone, “that they didn’t raise any sort of protest when stores owned by German immigrants went up in flames and Japanese immigrants were shipped to internment camps all along the West Coast. The complicity of the American public in these disgraceful acts remains, in my mind, one of the darkest moments in the history of our great country.”
                  That moment, one of Aidan’s notes landed squarely in the center of Eva’s desk. She couldn’t very well ignore this one, so she glanced at Aidan. He was smiling as he gestured for her to open the note. With a heavy sigh, she did just that.
                  Whatever I did to upset you, I’m sorry. Forgive me?
                  Eva refolded the note and tucked it into her pocket. She forced herself to turn Aidan’s direction a second time and offered him a tiny nod. He melodramatically wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, mouthed “phew” then flashed his absurdly white smile. But his smile disappeared when he caught sight of something at the classroom door.
                  Eva followed Aidan’s eyes and saw Hiroki standing in the hall. He was staring right at her and waving his arms. She shook her head to let him know she didn’t understand, but he shook his head right back and beckoned her into the hall.
                  With a quick glance at Aidan, Eva wandered to the front of the class and asked Mr. Windsor for a bathroom pass. Without stopping his lecture, he rummaged in his desk for the pass and sent her on her way.
     
                  Hiroki was carrying a folder against his chest. Even though the hall was empty, he was protecting its contents like he would protect an infant in a jostling crowd. He was so excited as they walked that Eva had a hard time keeping up with him.
                  “There really is a tree down there,” said Hiroki, speaking at rapid pace. “Billy was telling the truth about that. And it looks just like he said it does. Black branches all twisted together to form a trunk and other branches going all over the place. Lots of fruit like that nasty fruit he ate. And yeah, the whole thing is upside-down just like he said! I thought the pictures were upside-down since he’s such an idiot—”
                  “He’s not an idiot,” Eva interjected.
                  “Okay, he’s not an idiot. And he didn’t take the photos upside down.” Hiroki had to speed up to match Eva’s pace, now. She was headed straight for the girl’s bathroom. “What are you doing?”
                  “I actually do have to go,” said Eva as she walked into the bathroom. “Are you coming?” she hollered from inside.