by Marilyn Kaye
Quickly, she amended her thoughts. Of course she didn’t really care what any of those weirdos thought about her, and the only person she wanted to impress was Ken.
Jenna poked her in the arm when it was time to get off the bus. ‘Don’t do that,’ Amanda snapped. ‘I’ll get a bruise.’ Which made her think of something else.
‘Do these kids at Harmony House get into physical fights?’ she asked nervously. She took the plugs out of her ears.
Jenna shrugged. ‘The resident assistants break up the fights.’
That wasn’t much comfort.
‘How long does it take for you to get into someone?’ Jenna asked.
‘That depends,’ Amanda replied. ‘If I feel really sorry for someone, if someone’s super-pitiful, it can happen pretty quickly.’
Jenna looked at her curiously. ‘You were Sarah for a while, weren’t you? How did you make that happen? There’s nothing pitiful about Sarah.’
Amanda looked at her scornfully. ‘Are you kidding? She’s a goody-goody. I don’t think she knows what fun means. She dresses like a ten-year-old. And have you ever seen her with a boy?’
Jenna met Amanda’s scorn with her own scorn. ‘So what?’
Amanda knew Jenna would never understand, so she didn’t even try to explain. ‘I don’t think it will be very difficult for me to take over someone at Harmony House. Considering the kind of people who end up there . . .’ She gave Jenna a meaningful look, but Jenna didn’t catch it. She was staring at someone across the street.
‘Look at that girl,’ Jenna said.
Amanda gave her a quick once-over. She seemed to be in her mid-teens, average height, with long blonde hair and a backpack hanging from her shoulders. What Amanda found most interesting about her were her jeans. She recognized the new super-skinny washed-out style immediately – she’d been thinking about them ever since she saw them in Seventeen, and she was waiting for them to show up in one of the local boutiques. Where had that girl found them?
But surely that wasn’t what interested Jenna. ‘What about her?’ Amanda asked.
‘She’s hitchhiking!’
Sure enough, Amanda saw the girl stick out her thumb as a car passed. ‘That’s dangerous.’
‘No kidding,’ Jenna said. ‘She shouldn’t get into a car with a stranger.’
Amanda shrugged. ‘Maybe someone nice will pick her up.’
Jenna shook her head. ‘Most people don’t stop for hitchhikers. I mean, the hitchhiker could end up being a carjacker or something. It’s dangerous for both of them.’
‘Someone’s pulling over for her,’ Amanda said.
Jenna stared at the driver. Then, under her breath, she swore.
‘What’s the matter?’ Amanda asked.
‘I’m getting his thoughts. He thinks she looks hot . . . I don’t think he just wants to give her a ride.’
From what Amanda could see, the guy in the car looked pretty ordinary, but of course that didn’t mean anything. She’d seen enough photos of criminals to know that they could look like perfectly nice people.
Both girls watched as the hitchhiker ambled towards the car.
‘We gotta stop her,’ Jenna declared.
There was no way they could get across the busy street before the girl reached the car. Then Amanda had an idea.
‘Wait, I think I can do something.’ She stared at the hitchhiker. You stupid idiot, what are you doing? . . . No, that was scorn, not pity. She tried again.
You poor thing, you have no idea what kind of danger you’re in, you’re going to suffer . . . Pity for the girl swept over her. She was getting closer to the car now, she was in big trouble . . .
It was a pretty new car, and she recognized the brand from the name on the back fender. The driver wasn’t from around there, she could tell by the words on the licence plate. She saw all this very clearly because she was there, close enough to touch the car. She had become the hitchhiker.
A man leaned out the window on the driver’s side. ‘Need a ride, honey?’
Amanda/Hitchhiker glared at him grimly. ‘No, thank you. And I’ve seen your licence plate number, so don’t even think about trying to pick up anyone else, because I’m going to—’
She wasn’t able to complete her threat. The car sped away.
Well, at least that part of the mission was successful. Now for the next part. Could she get back into herself without too much difficulty?
She looked back to the other side of the road, where Jenna and robot-Amanda were standing, and concentrated on the figure that looked like her.
Me – that’s me. She closed her eyes and chanted the words over and over. She visualized herself as she really was, imprinting the image on her mind. And when she opened her eyes, she was thrilled. It worked! She was back in her own body and feeling totally normal. Amazing! She was getting really good at this – she was in complete control of her gift. Or maybe this experience was just a fluke, and it wouldn’t be as easy next time. Even so, clearly, she’d made real progress.
Not that she really cared, she reminded herself. She was more interested in removing the gift than improving it. But still, at least now she’d feel more confident about taking over someone at Harmony House.
Naturally, there wasn’t a word of congratulations from Jenna. She was already halfway across the street, making her way to where the hitchhiker stood. Amanda followed her.
The hitchhiker wore a dazed expression.
‘You OK?’ Jenna asked.
‘I feel a little dizzy,’ the blonde-haired girl murmured. She blinked a couple of times. ‘Who are you? What happened to my ride?’
‘He took off,’ Jenna said. ‘You lucked out.’
The girl looked at her blankly. ‘Huh?’
Amanda wasn’t about to let Jenna get the credit for this. ‘Do you have any idea how dangerous hitchhiking is? Didn’t your mother ever tell you never to get into a car with a stranger?’
‘I don’t take advice from her,’ the girl declared. ‘She just took off with her boyfriend – she doesn’t care about me.’
That was kind of sad, Amanda thought. She caught herself before she could feel too sorry for the girl. She didn’t want to be her again, even if she did have the jeans Amanda craved. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I’m supposed to be spending the week at my father’s.’
‘You think he’d want you to be hitchhiking?’ Jenna asked.
The girl grinned. ‘Actually, he sent me money to take a taxi. But I spent it on these jeans.’
‘I can’t blame you,’ Amanda said. ‘They’re fantastic, I love the stiching.’
Jenna shot her a withering look. ‘That was really stupid. You have to take a taxi the rest of the way. I’m sure you can hail one here.’
‘Glad to,’ the girl replied. ‘Only I don’t have any money to pay for one.’
Jenna fished around in her pocket. ‘I’ve got two bucks.’ She turned to Amanda. ‘What about you?’
Reluctantly, Amanda took out her wallet. Looking inside, she said, ‘Five dollars.’
Jenna peered into the wallet. ‘You’ve got a ten.’ She pulled it out.
‘Hey!’ Amanda cried in outrage.
Jenna stepped out in the street and waved her hand in the air. A taxi pulled up, and a moment later the hitchhiker was safely on her way to her father’s.
‘I can’t believe you stole my money!’ Amanda exclaimed.
Jenna just shrugged, but she looked at Amanda with actual interest. ‘It’s funny. I always thought your gift was pretty worthless, but you might have just saved that girl’s life.’
It was Amanda’s turn to shrug, but Jenna had a point. And this would make a very good story to tell Ken. It would certainly top any story Nina might be telling him right now.
Harmony House was just around the next corner. Together the girls went up the drive and through the wide double doors into the reception area. Amanda had expected to see a room full of lowlife teens, but with the exception of a
woman behind a desk, the area was vacant.
‘There’s no one here,’ Amanda murmured.
Jenna nodded towards some chairs. ‘We’ll hang around – someone will show up. They get new admissions every day.’
But the receptionist was watching them, and before they could sit down, she spoke. ‘Can I help you girls?’
‘We’re just waiting for someone,’ Jenna replied.
‘Who?’
Jenna opened her mouth but nothing came out. Amanda looked around. A handsome young uniformed man was coming out of one of the doors that led into the institution.
‘Him,’ she said.
The receptionist looked in the direction Amanda was pointing. ‘Officer Fisher? These girls want to see you.’
The man looked in their direction and smiled. ‘Jenna!’
Jenna didn’t smile back. ‘Hello. I, uh, I was just visiting someone. I have to go now.’ And before Amanda’s astonished eyes, she hurried out of the building.
‘I guess she didn’t really want to see me,’ the man sighed. ‘Hi, I’m Jack Fisher, the police representative to Harmony House.’
Now Amanda understood. Jenna didn’t like cops. Too many nasty memories from her bad-girl days.
‘I’m Amanda Beeson.’
‘Are you a friend of Jenna’s?’
No, Amanda wanted to shout. But she withheld her instinctive response. ‘Um, kind of.’
‘And I presume you didn’t come to see me.’ He smiled as he spoke, which made Amanda relax. But she still had to come up with a reason for being there.
‘We, um, came to see a classmate. I guess – I guess Jenna must have remembered another appointment or something.’
‘Who are you here to see?’
‘Carter Street.’
Jack Fisher’s forehead puckered. ‘Carter Street . . . Oh, yes. I don’t think he’s permitted to have visitors yet.’
Amanda pretended that this was news to her. ‘Oh, that’s too bad. How’s he doing?’
‘I don’t really know,’ the man said apologetically. ‘I haven’t had much to do with him.’
Amanda nodded. ‘Well . . .’ No one had come into the area for admission, and she wasn’t about to sit around all day for nothing. ‘I guess I’ll go then.’
‘Hang on a minute. Let me see if I can put you in touch with someone who’s working with your friend. What was your name again?’
‘Amanda Beeson.’
Jack Fisher went over to the receptionist’s desk. ‘Could you check and see if Doctor Paley is available for a moment? One of Carter Street’s classmates is here.’
The receptionist picked up a phone and made a call. A moment later the police officer returned to Amanda.
‘He’s coming out to see you. I have to go now. It was nice to meet you, Amanda.’
‘Nice to meet you,’ Amanda echoed. She sank down in a chair and mentally cursed Jenna for getting her into this business. What was she going to say to this Dr Paley?
A plump, balding man in a white coat came into the reception room. Since Amanda was the only person waiting, he strode towards her with a smile.
‘Amanda?’
Amanda forced a smile. ‘Hello.’
‘I’m Doctor Paley. Are you from Carter’s class?’
Amanda nodded. ‘How is Carter doing?’
‘He’s making progress. I can’t tell you very much, of course. Do you know what doctor-patient confidentiality means?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Amanda replied.
‘It means that everything Carter says or does is just between him and me. Everything’s completely private. I can’t talk about him, not to you, not to anyone.’
Amanda shrugged. ‘OK.’ She wondered why the doctor was telling her this. It wasn’t like she was bugging him for information.
‘Madame has told me a little about your special class,’ Dr Paley went on. ‘You’re each quite unique.’
Amanda hated talking about the class. She wanted to get out of there. But she couldn’t be rude.
‘Yes, I guess so.’
He smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you about your gift. I know it’s not easy for any of you though. Having any kind of special talent can be difficult to live with. I’ll bet sometimes you hate being gifted.’
No kidding, Amanda thought. She couldn’t help smiling.
‘I just want to let you know, Amanda, that I’m always available to talk with you about it. And of course, anything we discussed would be kept completely private, just between us. I wouldn’t even tell Madame, if you didn’t want me to.’
‘Really?’
He nodded. ‘Call me anytime, or stop by. OK?’
‘OK,’ she replied.
He left her, and Amanda went out of the building. He was nice, the doctor, she thought. And Madame said he could be trusted.
Maybe this adventure hadn’t gone according to plan, but she’d come away with something to think about.
CHAPTER NINE
DR PALEY MUST HAVE cancelled all his other appointments that day. He brought in sandwiches for himself and Paul, and then it was back to the videotape. The doctor left him in the room to watch it alone.
‘So you left your home as a gerbil and became a boy again,’ the doctor was saying. ‘Why did you decide to switch back to your real shape?’
‘I don’t know,’ the boy on the screen replied. ‘It just happened. One minute I was a gerbil, and then I was a boy.’
‘Interesting,’ Dr Paley murmured. And even though he was off camera and Paul couldn’t see him on the screen, he had the feeling the doctor was making notes. And then what happened?’
‘I walked. But I was so hungry . . . I went by a building site, and some workers were outside eating lunches. There was an open lunch box, and I saw a sandwich inside. No one was looking so I took it. I had a bite, but then this man saw me. And he hit me.’
Watching, Paul saw himself flinch, as if he could still feel the blow.
‘And then . . .?’ the doctor’s voice prompted.
‘I ran. He chased me, but he didn’t catch me.’ He paused. ‘I think maybe I turned into something that could run faster than me. Yeah . . . I was a squirrel for a while. Then I was me again, and I was cold. I saw a shop, and there was a coat in the window. I went inside The boy in the video began to shake.
‘What happened?’ Dr Paley asked.
‘I tried to take the coat. A man – he started to yell at me. Then he took out a gun. He was going to kill me, just like those men killed my parents. I was really scared. But then I turned into a rat and got away.’
‘Where did you go next?’
‘I found some dustbins. There was food on top of the rubbish. I ate some of it. Someone saw me, he threw something at me . . . I think it was a brick. I jumped off the bin and turned back into myself. There was a grate on the pavement behind the bins, and it was a little warmer there. I must have fallen asleep. A policeman woke me up.’
‘Yes, I have the police notes here,’ Dr Paley said. ‘The officer reported that you didn’t respond verbally to his questions, but that you obeyed his directions when he told you to get up and come with him. He took you to the police station where you were given something to eat.’
Paul saw a twitch of the lips on his face, almost as if he’d wanted to smile. ‘A ham sandwich. A bag of crisps. Two cookies – chocolate chip.’
Dr Paley continued. ‘The police were unable to identify you. You didn’t match any descriptions of missing persons. A representative from social services took you to a youth shelter. Her notes are almost identical to the police officer’s notes. You didn’t communicate at all, but you followed her directions. At the youth shelter, you were examined by doctors and psychologists. It was determined that you were in some sort of state of shock and that you’d eventually recover. You were then assigned to a foster family – a Mr and Mrs Granger who were already sheltering two foster boys. Is that correct?’
‘Yes,’ Paul said.
�
��Have you shape-shifted while living with the Grangers?’
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘I’m not afraid of them. And they might not feed me if I was a rat or a squirrel.’
‘The Grangers . . . Were they kind to you?’
‘Yes.’
‘They didn’t hit you, or yell at you, or threaten you in any way?’
‘No.’
‘But you didn’t speak to them either. Or to the other boys in the house. Why is that, Paul?’
‘I couldn’t. I was turned off.’
The real Dr Paley had returned to the room, and he must have heard that last bit. He picked up the remote control. ‘Turned off like this?’ he asked, and the screen went blank.
The real Paul tried to say ‘yes’, but it was too much effort. He simply nodded.
Dr Paley pulled his chair around to face Paul. ‘I think I understand, Paul,’ he said quietly. ‘It was easier to just stop – stop being. To be a thing instead of a person. Am I right?’
Paul nodded again.
Dr Paley looked at his watch. ‘That’s enough for now, Paul. Why don’t you go out into the garden for a while? I think you could use a little fresh air. Then we’ll watch more of the video.’
Paul left the office and went downstairs. What the people here called ‘the garden’ wasn’t really a garden – at least, there weren’t any flowers or plants. It was just a paved outdoor area with a couple of benches and some lawn chairs, and it was surrounded by high wire fences. But the weather was warm, no one else was around, and the lawn chair was more comfortable than the hard chair in Dr Paley’s office. Paul sat back, closed his eyes, and pondered what he’d remembered. He had a lot to think about.
‘Hey, get up.’
Paul opened his eyes. Three teenage boys, older and bigger than him, had arrived in the garden. Two of them had plopped down in the other two chairs, and the third seemed to want the chair Paul occupied.