Unfurl by Cidney Swanson Read Free Book Online Page B

decision. Which was ridiculous. How could I possibly value one tiny egg over millions—no, billions—of lives? What if I could really stop Helmann from destroying the world with this one small gift?
    I groaned and flopped onto the couch. It was a horrible couch. Who would design something at once so ugly and uncomfortable? I felt exhausted. Maybe I did need food. My mouth opened into a huge and extended yawn. I definitely needed sleep.
    No, you don’t! I warned myself, sitting up. “You need to make a decision and get out of here!”
    What is the worst thing that could happen if you gave an egg to Helmann? I asked myself.
    “How the heck am I supposed to know?” The words flew out, half–growled.
    A quick knock sounded at the door and Hans appeared.
    “I haven’t decided, okay?” I barked out the question.
    I felt a wave of anger coming towards me from within his mind. His face, however, remained impassive. Had I imagined it?
    “Not to worry,” he said. “I’ve arranged for you to view some films I made hoping to persuade my father to change his plans,” he said. “I was unsuccessful with him, but I’d like for you to see my vision for the future.”
    “Okay,” I said.
    Hans left. Mr. Expensive Running Shoes brought in a cart with a tablet computer, set it up quickly, and left, too. I was alone with Hans’ Vision For The Future.
    I watched several short films of humanitarian efforts being carried out worldwide. Water purification was brought to a village that had previously suffered from yearly outbreaks of cholera. Vaccinations were offered in rural area where AIDs had ravaged the population. I watched Hans delivering milking goats to a village with no green thing in sight. The goats munched happily on dead–looking weeds. Children laughed trying goat’s milk for the first time.
    The videos ended and the screen went blank. It sure looked like Hans wanted to help the poor and underprivileged.
    I leaned back upon the unyielding couch. The images played again and again through my head. Before I knew it, I was lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, still contemplating the differences between Hans’ vision for the future and that of his father.
    Just a quick nap, I told myself. Just a couple minutes with my eyes closed, so I can think straight. It felt so good to shut out the sterile, bright room.
    I fell at once into dreams in which I watched myself within Helga’s tooth–pulling room. I beheld Hans as he strolled in, casually glanced at me, pressed a cruel finger upon the bruise on my face. I remembered things I hadn’t wanted to recall while awake: how Hans had instructed his sister to kill me.
    Why hadn’t he recognized me?
    “ You’re just one more brown–haired, brown–eyed inferior to him, dear, ” said Helga in my dream. “ You don’t honestly expect him to tell one of you from another, do you? ” Her laughter rang icy and jarring in my ears.
    My eyes fluttered open and I felt my heart racing. Rubbing tired eyes with the backs of my cold hands, I rose. A small sink occupied one corner of my room and I crossed to it. I let the water run over my hands, soothing and warm. I splashed some on my face.
    My insides felt less wobbly than they had earlier. Was there a chance I could ripple now? I left the water running and trailed my fingers back and forth through the flow. Clear water, running freely, as it had done in Hans’ videos in the African villages.
    I calmed.
    I felt infinite, at peace, quieted by the clearness of the water spilling over my hands.
    But I couldn’t ripple.
    How had Hans even figured out I was a chameleon? How much did he know about me, about my friends? About Will? My heart cried out, angling toward whatever space Will occupied in the world.
    I remembered his lips on mine.
    But I had to focus on this room.
    I remembered his laughter as I swished my hand through the willows on an early run.
    I shook my head. I couldn’t think about Will right now. A decision had to