The Great Altruist by Z. D. Robinson Read Free Book Online Page A

Jadzia.”
     
                He smiled warmly. She burned the image of her father deep into her mind, ever mindful she would never see him alive again. They held each other’s hands for several minutes. Then she felt a gentle nudge on her breast, a signal from Genesis to get moving.
     
                “I need to leave, father.”
     
                “Yes, dear,” he said. “You must leave this place.” He reached toward her and tenderly kissed her cheek. “Tell your mother – if you see her – that I love her.”
     
                “I will.” She kissed her father and softly embraced him. A noise stirred around the corner and Jadzia smiled at her father one last time. He smiled back and turned away as she left. Jadzia hurried back to the door and cautiously stepped into the road outside. Retracing her steps through the camp, she crouched near the truck and watched the guard’s shack for any sign of movement. She stayed low to the ground and made her way back to the crematory. Once outside, she hesitated.
     
                “What are you doing?” Genesis said.
     
                “I can’t go back in this room.”
     
                “You should,” she said. “If we leave now, the guards will find your clothes here on the ground and it may raise suspicion. They’ll also see the flash.”
     
                Jadzia shook her head but quickly conceded the point. She took a deep breath, held it, and entered the room. Genesis crawled from her pocket and said nothing. Jadzia stripped off her clothes and held her breath, but the scent from the floor climbed inside her nostrils. Desperate for air, she hunched over and gasped, quietly coughing to catch her breath. Genesis reached down and put her hand on Jadzia’s shoulder while she cried.
     
                “I’ve said all I can to my father,” Jadzia said. “Seeing him again was much harder than I imagined.”
     
                “It was hard for me to watch too. I almost changed my mind about saving him.”
     
                “You did?”
     
                “I’m not cold-hearted. But I need to be responsible.”
     
                Jadzia coughed again under the weight of the stale air. “Thank you for caring at least.”
     
                “Are you sure you want to go see your mother now?”
     
                “What choice do I have?” she asked rhetorically, ever mindful to keep her eyes closed and her breathing shallow.
     
                “You forget that we can always come back to this point in time. If you would like to rest and settle yourself for a while, we can return later.”
     
                Jadzia’s emotions had become impossible to control; her hands were shaking and her voice quivered as she spoke. “I suppose you’re right.”
     
                “Then we’ll see your mother shortly. She will always be here at this point in time.”
     
                Jadzia nodded as Genesis closed her eyes and gathered her strength. A brief moment later, in a flash of light, they were gone.
     
     
     
                In the clearing once more, Jadzia and Genesis arrived at nearly the same moment they left. The fire still smoked and the rocks in the creek were still warm to the touch. Jadzia fell to the ground and gasped for fresh air. She drew long, deep breaths into her lungs and opened her eyes widely, soaking in the pleasant sights of the forest.
     
                “Would you like something to eat?” Genesis offered.
     
                “No, thanks,” Jadzia said. She stumbled to the bank of the creek and drank the cool water from her hands before splashing some on her face. “My stomach is churning. I couldn't hold anything down if I wanted.”
     
                “For what it’s worth,” Genesis said, “I’m