Free The Chimera Vector by Nathan M Farrugia Page B

his previous visit, over a mug of tea with two sugars (she remembered because she’d helped make it for him), Baldie had told her she’d done very well in all of the different tests. Some had been on paper, to see how well she could think and solve problems; others involved running, jumping, dodging foam balls—she thought she’d been clumsy in those tests, but he didn’t think so. Maybe he hadn’t been looking at her when she was tripping or falling. And there were the tests with doctors that used complicated machines and weird computers to measure things like her heart and her brain, and even a few needles, which she didn’t like much at all. She’d been quite proud for not crying like some of the boys. But Baldie was really impressed with something inside her body, so tiny no one could see it without special machines.
    ‘All the children at your new school are looking forward to meeting you, Sophia,’ Baldie said. ‘Have you packed your suitcase?’
    ‘Oh yes,’ Mama said. ‘We have everything ready to go, don’t we, Sophia?’ She turned to Sophia. ‘Sophia? Do you have your suitcase?’
    Sophia nodded. She went to her room to fetch it. When she walked in, she realized it would be a while before she would see her room again. There would be visits. They would fly Mama and her brother and sister to see her, and sometimes she would be able to come home on semester break. But once school was over, she could do anything she wanted, and her schooling would all be paid for. Most importantly, Mama and her sister and brother would have enough money to buy what they needed. It was a dream come true.
    She picked up her suitcase. It was Mama’s, big and clunky, even though she hadn’t filled it with much. She didn’t have teddy bears or dolls like her sister. She didn’t have many things actually, so she’d filled it with her clock radio, hairbrush, toothbrush, cassette player and her tapes of David Bowie—Papa’s favorites—and her favorite clothes and her pillow with the purple pillowcase.
    Sophia’s little sister, Tereza, lunged at her from behind, hugging her and pinning her to the suitcase.
    ‘It’s not fair!’ Tereza yelled. ‘Why can’t you take me with you?’
    Tereza wasn’t old enough for school yet, but their older brother, Petr, was at school today. Sophia tickled Tereza until she screamed and leapt away.
    ‘They won’t let me do that!’ Sophia said. ‘But you have the big bed now.’
    Tereza rolled her eyes. ‘I know, but it’s boring and I want to go with you.’
    ‘When you go to school next year, you can do the test and then you can come.’
    Sophia tickled her again and Tereza squealed.
    ‘Stop it! OK. Can I have your bed forever?’
    ‘No.’ Sophia smiled. ‘Yes, of course! But promise me you’ll share it when I come back!’
    Tereza nodded, then put on her best sulking face. She still let Sophia hug her though.
    As Sophia took her suitcase out to Baldie, the blue butterflies were having a party inside her. It was scary and exciting at the same time.
    ‘Are you ready, Sophia?’ Mama picked her up and squeezed a big hug from her before plopping her back down. ‘We’re all very proud, Sophia. Aren’t we, Tereza?’
    Tereza leaned into the kitchen doorway. ‘Yeah,’ she mumbled.
    Sophia fidgeted with the briefcase handle. ‘I’ll miss you lots,’ she said to Mama.
    ‘There will be many other girls and boys your age at the school,’ Baldie said. ‘Just as special as you. I’m sure you’ll make plenty of new friends.’
    ‘OK,’ Sophia said, nervous again.
    Mama saw her and Baldie out. Baldie’s friend, Major, took her suitcase and together they walked down the stairs because the elevators were playing up again. They took her to their car, a dark gray one. It didn’t look like a car for a fancy school, but Baldie told her it was just a hire car. Both men sat in the front, but Baldie was polite and opened the back door for her first. She sat on the right side,