Free The Push Chronicles (Book 1): Indomitable by J.B. Garner Page A

the difference in hardness may be some allowance for flexibility, or your skin would crack and shatter anytime you moved.  Your blood and fluids are also seem to be completely inorganic.”
    Alma’s hands had started to grip the arms of her chair, the sound of twisting metal interrupted us as the arms had begun to deform under the pressure.  Her eyes swam in a strange mixture of horror and a new-found elation.
    “Alma, it’s OK.”  I couldn’t help but note that before, she had simply been scared of what she had become.  Slowly, it seemed, it was turning from fear to thrill.  Was that the Whiteout’s mental influence starting to work on her?
    “As you just showed, because your muscles and bones are now also made from this incredibly durable crystal, you are much stronger than you were previously.  I’m currently working out the biomechanical models, but suffice it to say that it’s doubtful you’ll need help opening pickle jars any more.”  It was a bad joke, but the woman was still so stressed and confused that even the weak attempt at humor made her laugh, if only a little.
    “Thanks, Doctor.  I think I needed that.”  Faceted lips formed a rainbow smile.
    “You’re welcome.  There’s a lot more here to go through if you’re up for it.”
    “Sure but ... one thing first.”  Alma looked down at her hands, especially the now razor-sharp nails.  “What should I do now?”
    “What do you mean ’what should you do’?”  My brow tightened in thought.  “If you’re uncomfortable at your old dorm room, we can find you another place on campus to spend the night.  Obviously I want to see or at least talk to you every day to see what course of treatment we can find to help get you back to normal.  Otherwise, I’m not sure what you mean.”
    “What should I do with these ... powers?”   Alma held her hands up towards the overhead lights, watching the light refract through them.  Her voice was almost dream-like now.
    “You shouldn’t do anything with them.”  I put her medical file down.  “Obviously, if you need to, for instance, fight off a mugger attacking you, sure, scratch him or throw him across the block, but seriously, what else would you do with your physical changes?”
    “Well, a lot of the other Pushed people seem to be doing things with them.”  Alma lowered her hands and looked at me.  Though I couldn’t see it in the crystal orbs, I could see that odd star-struck look in Alma’s real face.  “I’m practically a superhero!  I could do lots of things with them, good things.  It’d be a waste to do nothing.”
    “Alma! Please!”  I could see through the windows to my office that my sudden shout had made the rest of the lab start then scurry on.  I rarely lost my temper, but the research assistants knew to scatter if I raised my voice.  “It’s not a waste to live a normal life.  Besides, what happens if you got hurt, crystal skin aside?”  I started to pace behind my desk.  “What could any doctor in any hospital do for you?  How do you stitch living crystals?  How do you transfuse blood when your best guess at a blood type is ’O Rocky’?”  I stopped and looked into Alma’s eyes.  “It’s crazy, is what I’m trying to say.”
    I could see that she was thinking about it, weighing my words of reason against whatever impulses the Push was causing in her brain.
    “ ... Maybe you’re right ...”  The sound was sad, defeatist.  “I don’t know.  I’ll ... I’ll sleep on it?  OK?”
    I would have to take what concessions I could get.  We made arrangements with student housing to get Alma moved to a new private dorm room, not too far from the physiology lab.  As we were about to make our goodbyes, I carefully embraced the confused, young woman, trying my best to be comforting.
    “Be safe, Alma.  I’ll talk to you tomorrow, OK?”
    “Sure, Dr. Roman.  Thank you for everything.”
    The crystalline woman made her way into the