A Shift in the Water Read Online Free PDF

they’d always scheme to leave her with three or four meals worth of leftovers conveniently packaged and ready to go. She loved them for their concern, but she wanted to feel alive again.
    “What do you say we go out to Zig Zag tonight?” Mara asked. Zig Zag was an eclectic little bar on the Pike Street Hill Climb. It had an extensive selection of premium liquors, fun tapas, and a great staff. “Maybe ride the Wheel first?”
    “Adam bought all of the fixings for lasagna,” Jen replied without looking up from her magazine. “And he’s bringing over a movie.”
    “No,” Mara said sharply. Jen’s brown eyes widened and her head snapped up. Mara scowled. “You all are treating me like I’m made of glass. I’m fucking sick of it!”
    “Mara. Crap. Calm down.” Jen looked around, catching a few eyes of other patients and nurses who had turned to focus on them.
    Mara lowered her voice. “I’m going to feel good tonight. Great even. I always feel great after a transfusion. I want to live, Jen. I’m tired of you all coddling me. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the meals and how you help take care of me when I feel like shit, but I’m thirty-one-years-old and single. I haven’t gone out on a date in more than a year or been out of the house past eight p.m. since May. One night. Drinks. Dinner. Maybe dancing. A bit of fun. Please.”
    Jen looked into Mara’s eyes. Neither woman spoke for several minutes. Mara felt better by the second. Her skin warmed, her heartbeat strengthened, and her breathing steadied. She gripped Jen’s hand. “I need this.”
    “Okay. You’re right. You’re not dead—” Jen slapped her hand over her mouth.
    Mara chuckled and flashed a bright smile at her best friend. “No. I’m not. For the time being, I’m very much alive and I want to feel that way. Now can you go get me some form of caffeinated beverage? If we’re going out tonight, I need to front-load some coffee.”

    Mara practically floated into Doctor Pendergast’s office later that day. A double almond milk cappuccino and a pint of blood full of life-sustaining healthy red blood cells made her feel terrific. Her cheeks glowed with color and the dark circles that surrounded her eyes were gone. She’d even managed some makeup after her swim. She flopped down in the chair across from the doctor’s desk and crossed her legs. Long fingers combed through her straight red hair. It always felt softer and smoother after a transfusion. “All right, Doctor. Whatever you have to say, say it quickly. I’ve got to finish my shift and then I’m going out tonight.”
    “Feeling better then?” The doctor’s pale blue eyes crinkled at the edges, but his smile was sad.
    “I feel great. I always do after a transfusion. I get at least three or four days of feeling normal . I plan on taking full advantage of them.”
    “Mara, your last transfusion was only eleven days ago. The analysis of your blood taken this morning showed the most marked decrease in red blood cells yet. We’ll keep transfusing you, but pretty soon, we’re not going to be able to keep up.” His words hung heavy in the air. “If we can’t figure out how to stop the degradation . . .”
    “I’m going to die.” All of Mara’s elation evaporated. The world seemed to slow and then stop. Her fingers trembled, as they always did when stress hit her. But today her hands became clammy. A hum gave birth to a clear series of tones that quickly crescendoed in her ears, drowning out everything else around her. Doctor Pendergast’s lined face hovered in front of her. His lips moved, but she didn’t hear anything but those confounded notes. It wasn’t a melody she’d heard before, no. It was a symphony of barely audible tones, a song that begged her to surrender to the music. A tear burned at the corner of her eye. What was happening? Was she losing her mind? As if dying wasn’t bad enough. The air took on a damp scent, her entire