Free Certainty by Eileen Sharp Page B

"Faster!" she warned.
      We pounded into the school, breathless, but dry; and then the rain poured. It came down in heavy sheets, hitting the ground hard. We high-fived to our success and she grinned at me before running off to her homeroom.
    It’s a good thing we started out in a good mood because everyone else was subdued and somber. The rain beat against the windows and the dark gray sky weighed down on  the morning. Even the teachers felt it, listlessly assigning homework and announcing tests and projects. During Spanish I yawned a little too loudly and MacKenzie turned around, glancing at me over her shoulder, a crooked smile on her lips. I'd kiss her someday, maybe soon.
    I looked down at my desk, pretending to look at worksheet in front of me. If I really wanted to put the brakes on our future I'd have to not enjoy being with her so much. But I couldn't help it. We always seemed to be in sync somehow.
    The school had a pep rally after lunch. The rain beat down on the skylights above us but we couldn’t hear it for all the noise. The cheerleaders came out and jumped around to a bass-thumping mix that had everyone out of their seats. Noah sat next to Katie, and she never took her eyes off him. MacKenzie sat next the other girls, pounding on the bleachers with her feet with Crystal and Noriko, laughing like crazy.
    I was flooded with so many new Yurei it was all could do to pretend I couldn't see them. I'd never been with the entire school in one place before. Stories of heartbreak and triumph jumped out at me from every direction. Love, loss, suicide, joy, inspiration and defeat overwhelmed me. I felt like I was in two different places at once. The Yurei did not have the enthusiasm that their present counterparts had. They were quieter, more complex.
    In the freshman section I saw Derek. His Yurei was not there. I'd already seen what he would be like.  He pumped his fist to the music and did some impressive head-banging. One of his friends toppled over and fell off the bleachers and Derek laughed at him. Derek was so different now from what he would become. It actually made his present painful for me. I glanced over at Mackenzie. She was jumping up and down to the beat with everyone else, smiling over at Noriko. She caught my eye and I forced a smile. Was it possible to warn her? I needed time to think about it.
     
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER EIGHT
    MacKenzie
     
     
     
    Dad made pancakes and bacon Saturday morning, which wasn’t a good sign. It usually meant we had a big family project—like raking leaves or putting down mulch.
    None of us could resist the smell of bacon, however, especially the boys, and as I lay in bed thinking about the big breakfast waiting for me I could hear Derek and James thumping down the stairs to eat all my bacon.
    I got out of bed and followed them into the kitchen, where my Dad was putting a stack of pancakes on the table and Mom was arranging a pile of bacon on a plate.
    Her hair was up in a twist, which meant she was in the mood for serious cleaning. Or raking.
    The boys had the same bedhead, their hair sticking up in the back of their heads.
    “What are we doing today?” Derek asked, his voice deeper because it was morning.
    “Raking leaves!” Dad announced,  like we were all going to Disneyland. He was showered and wide awake, although he had a scruff on his chin. He didn’t shave on weekends.
    “Finally.” Derek said, his voice flat and low. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for this.”
    James contemplated the bacon as he reached for a pancake. “Can we make a big pile and jump in it?”
    “Of course,” Dad said, beaming at James’ interest in the project.
    We cleaned up after breakfast and went outside. The leaves were still wet from the rain we had yesterday, and though the sky was clear and sunny, the wind was blowing. I had to go back inside and put on a jacket.
    I scraped away at the front yard with Mom while the boys tackled the backyard. We didn’t have a