Shimmer (8 page)

Kora nodded. ‘Pretty much.'

He reached out to a bowl of false teeth lollies, shoved one in his mouth, and bared his new fangs at her.

Kora sighed loudly. He was so juvenile. ‘Do you not want to leave now?'

He seemed to enjoy her irritation. ‘I've got plenty of time.'

‘How can you tell?' she scoffed. ‘I know that stupid watch of yours does not even work.'

David's face closed over at her words. ‘You're right,' he said in a flat voice. ‘I do want to leave. Now!'

Kora leaned back with a contented sigh against the silk cushions and settled in to watch David's family dinner on the viewing portal suspended in front of her. Her bangles jingled as she curled her arm around a glass bowl full of hot, buttery popcorn.

Amurru huffed. ‘You think this is an entertainment event, Empress?'

Kora grinned. Amurru's voice was disapproving but she could see the glint of humour in his round, yellow eyes. ‘Absolutely!' She gracefully nibbled at a ball of popcorn. ‘I wonder if all Earth families are as funny?'

Amurru nodded. ‘I think that may be the case, Empress.' He shuffled over to his chair and clambered awkwardly into it. ‘I have heard that humans are all very different from each other.' He coughed out a wheezy laugh. ‘And David's family certainly supports that theory.'

Kora grimaced. ‘Eeewww, Amurru. Look what they are eating! It is disgusting.'

‘It is not what I imagined humans would eat,' he agreed.

She watched fascinated as Rodney scooped large piles of sloppy brown stew onto each plate. ‘Thanks,' mumbled David. He took his plate and inspected the contents.

Kora gagged. ‘It looks like vomit!'

Amurru's ears twitched. ‘Perhaps it tastes better than it looks, Empress?'

She shook her head vehemently. ‘I doubt it, Amurru.' She screwed her face up in horror as Marcia placed a lump of some kind of green, slimy vegetable onto the plate next to the slop. ‘You did not smell the tofu pasta they had for dinner last night!'

‘Here we go,' sang Marcia. ‘Doesn't this look interesting?'

‘Yeah, it's interesting all right.' David's voice was hardly audible as he mumbled down into his plate. He began to poke at his dinner with his fork.

‘It's a new recipe I'm trialling for my shop,' said Rodney. ‘I want to expand my range. I thought it would be good to sell some ready-to-eat lines, as well as the usual health food items.'

Kora had to look away as Rodney shoved the goo into his mouth.

Amurru scratched at the tuft of hair between his pointy ears. ‘I find it fascinating that he calls it health food, Empress,' he wheezed. ‘Especially when he does not look particularly healthy.'

She took a closer look. Amurru was right. Rodney had pale, blotchy skin that he was forever scratching, and puffy, red eyes as though he never got enough sleep. Even Marcia looked tired and pale, and tonight Kora could see she also had dark rings around her eyes. Perhaps neither of them had slept well.

‘Do you like it, David?' Marcia smiled encouragingly.

‘Well …' His voice trailed off and he stared into space. Kora had already come to know this look. David was thinking of something.

‘What is he doing?' asked Amurru.

Kora shrugged. ‘Probably coming up with another of his hair-brained ideas.'

David's eyes sharpened and he spoke, very loudly. ‘It's not bad, Mum,' he said, turning his head so that his voice would carry down the passage and into his room. ‘But I wish it tasted like a hamburger and chips.'

‘That's ridiculous, David,' replied his mother. ‘You know how unhealthy it is to eat such junk.' She clicked her tongue at him. ‘And there's no need to shout at the dinner table.'

Kora glanced at Amurru. At David's wish her bands had tightened and were now glowing a soft, golden yellow.

Amurru blinked knowingly at her. ‘The boy learns, Empress.'

She laughed as she channelled her magic out to the kitchen. ‘Yes. I just hope he continues to think carefully before he makes his wishes.'

David shovelled a forkful of the slop into his mouth. ‘I can honestly say it tastes great, Rodney.'

Rodney's cheeks glowed bright red with pleasure as David scooped another huge forkful into his mouth.

Marcia swallowed her own mouthful of food. ‘You know, David, I really appreciate all the extra chores you did today.'

He shrugged. ‘It's no problem, Mum.'

‘I realise you must have worked for most of the day to get so much done.'

David looked at his mother. ‘I had nothing else to do. Not now that I'm grounded.'

Marcia put her fork down and narrowed her eyes. ‘You know, it's not that I don't appreciate all your hard work,' she said. ‘But if you think it changes how I feel about your poor performance at school this year, you're wrong.'

David's brow creased as he stared back down at his food, but he didn't answer. His heavy, long fringe dropped forward over his face, hiding his eyes.

Marcia took a deep breath and changed the subject. ‘What time do you finish work tomorrow, David?'

‘Twelve o'clock,' he replied.

‘Good,' she said, nodding. ‘Then make sure you get a haircut before you come home.'

David's eyes stayed glued to his plate. He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug.

‘I mean it, David,' said Marcia, her voice rising a little.

Rodney reached out and patted her arm. ‘Don't worry, dear,' he said, throwing David a smile. ‘I'm sure David will get his hair cut straight after work.'

David lifted his eyes to glare at Rodney. Kora was surprised. She hadn't realised there was any antagonism between them.

Marcia sighed and reached across the table to gather the empty plates together. ‘We can talk more about that later,' she said. ‘For now, David, there's something else we need to discuss with you.'

Kora heard the quiver in Marcia's voice and wondered what was making her nervous. She glanced at Amurru. He must have heard it too. His ears flicked forwards and his eyes were trained on the portal.

David put down his fork. ‘Yeah?' he asked, suspicion making his voice raspy.

Rodney smiled warmly at him. ‘Your mother and I have decided to move in together.'

‘What?' David's mouth dropped open in shock. ‘What do you mean, move in together?' His eyes jerked to his mother's face and then back to Rodney's. ‘And live where?' His voice rose shakily. ‘Not here?'

‘Now, David, calm down,' said his mother. ‘I know it may take you some time to get used to the idea, but it will be for the best.'

‘For the best? How can you say that?' David glared at his mother. ‘When is he moving in?'

‘This weekend.'

‘And what about Dad?' yelled David. ‘What about when Dad comes home?'

Marcia sighed. ‘Now, that's exactly why it is for the best,' she said, her voice gentle. ‘Rodney and I thought it might be best for you … that is, I mean to say …' Her voice cracked and broke. She smoothed her blond pony tail nervously. Taking a deep breath, she plunged on. ‘The truth is we thought it might be nice for you to have a father figure in the house.' She smiled nervously at Rodney as she spoke.

Rodney's face was a picture of compassion as he nodded at David. ‘Your mother thinks it might help you accept that your father isn't coming back.' He reached his hand out to pat David's arm.

David jerked his arm out of Rodney's reach. His chair scraped violently against the floor. ‘How can you say that?'

‘David, please. Be reasonable.' Marcia reached her hand out towards him.

David stared numbly at her for a long, long moment. Then his voice dropped to a whisper. ‘You don't know, Mum.' He shook his head in disbelief and despair. ‘You don't know he isn't coming back.' David glanced at Rodney and then turned his burning blue gaze back to his mother. ‘How could you do this to Dad?'

Marcia stood silently gazing back at him, her eyes full of sadness and pain until David turned and left the room.

Kora's eyes met Amurru's. ‘I had no idea.'

He nodded. ‘There is much we have to learn about humans.' His round, yellow eyes blinked at her. ‘Especially your human.'

She wiggled her fingers and the portal vanished. She could hear David clomping down the passage. ‘I wonder if I should go out and see him?'

Amurru stood. His great yellow eyes seemed to cloud over for a moment. When they focused again he bowed his head to her. ‘I have been summoned, Empress.'

Kora woke abruptly.

‘You dreamt again, Empress?'

‘Yes.' She would never admit it but she was glad of Amurru's company.

‘The same as the night before?'

She nodded. Her father had summoned Amurru on Friday night. Vennum's power had increased significantly. Extra guards had been placed around her little brother, and the castle was on highest alert. Of course Amurru had told her father about her close call with Vennum. Amurru said her father had merely been anxious for her safety but she knew Amurru well enough to suspect that her father had been furious and had most likely vented that anger on him.

‘They are just dreams, Empress.' Amurru's yellow eyes rested on her. ‘It is natural for you to be worried.'

Worried. What a small word to describe all that she was feeling. She sighed, and conjured up breakfast for them.

Amurru sipped his juice. ‘Perhaps David will summon you out of your globe today.'

She, too, wondered if David would be in a better mood today. The dinner on Friday night had gone from bad to worse for him. After being told that Rodney was moving in, David's boss had rung and told his mother that he was sacked from his job. He worked at an electrical store in Panda Rock and his mate Hammer had been caught by the police with stolen goods from the shop. His boss believed that David had known about the theft and had kept it a secret to protect his friend. Rodney had then questioned again all the prizes he claimed to have won in the raffle.

It had all unravelled terribly for David after that. His mother, ranting and waving her hands, had taken away his phone and his iPod and everything else she could lay her hands on. She had looked like a madwoman. When Kora had shimmered into his room after his mother had left she had offered to replace all the things his mother had taken but David had simply shaken his head and wished that she would get lost back into her globe. He hadn't summoned her since.

‘Maybe,' she said. ‘But for now he has wished me to stay in here.'

Amurru's ears twitched madly. ‘I think David's mother has something in mind for him.'

Kora stopped to listen. David had left his bedroom a few minutes earlier. She couldn't quite make out his mother's words but David's grunt of reply was followed by the loud slam of his bedroom door.

‘Kora!'

‘I am summoned.' She flashed a smile at Amurru and shimmered out of her globe, happy to have something else to temporarily occupy her thoughts.

David looked as miserable as he had on Friday night. ‘We have to go to the shops,' he said.

‘Do you wish me to take you there?'

‘Nah, we'll walk. It's about two kilometres, but the longer I'm out of this house the better. You should probably magic up some normal clothes. Meet me at the front gate.'

With a quick flick of her wrist she was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and she shimmered outside to meet David.

They walked in silence. Kora felt sorry for David but his black mood was getting tiresome. The weather had changed, too. Clouds gathered in the previously blue sky and the air was hot and sticky. The humidity strengthened the disgusting Earth smell and it took a constant stream of magic to make this unwelcoming environment bearable.

‘What's your mum like?' His question caught her by surprise. ‘Bet she's not as crazed as mine.'

‘Just her hair.'

‘What?'

‘She has crazy hair.' She used her magic to transform her own hair into a replica of her mother's.

David burst out laughing. ‘Are you for real?'

‘Totally.' She changed back to her own hair. ‘Aside from that she is very calm and controlled.' She grinned. ‘Fury runs more on my father's side of the family.'

‘Not hard to tell who you take after, then.'

They walked along the quiet road passing houses similar to David's.

‘Do all humans live this far apart from each other?'

David frowned at her. ‘What do you mean?'

‘Your houses are quite far apart from each other.' She pointed at the passing homes. ‘It seems a lot of space for a few humans.'

‘Well, it depends where you live.' David half smiled. ‘Panda Rock is in the hills.' He pointed towards the west. ‘The closer you get to Perth the closer people live to one another.'

They reached a corner and turned left. ‘What's that?' she asked, pointing to a large cluster of buildings.

‘Prison.'

It didn't look like much of a prison, but then she guessed they were only humans.

David let out a bark of laughter. ‘I'm kidding. It's Panda Rock Senior High School.'

‘It looks less like a school than it does a prison.'

‘You go to school, then?'

‘Yes, all genies go to school until they are sixteen. I attend The Academy of Power Mastery.'

‘That sounds a lot more fun than Panda High.' They had reached the front of the school where she could now see a tired sign with the school name on it. Directly opposite was a shop. ‘You should probably wait here.'

David went on ahead. The clouds that filled the sky were getting thicker and darker and Kora wondered if she would see her first Earth rain.

Within a couple of minutes David came out of the deli just as a teenage girl and boy walked toward the shop. She saw David stop. Even from across the road she could see he was angry.