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foolish of me. I should have considered this before suggesting you teach him such things.”
    Phoenix’s grandfather was soon kneeling beside me. Iknew it was him because of his smell. His sweat smelled of dragon bone, just like mine.
    “Ryan,” he said, “I know you can hear me. Please forgive me. I am going to help you.”
    “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Uncle Tí said. “I’ll go get my medical bag. I always carry sedatives, as well as muscle relaxants.”
    “No,” Phoenix’s grandfather said. “Go to my bedroom and retrieve my acupuncture needles. Phoenix, call Ryan’s mother. Tell her to come immediately.”
    Uncle Tí and Phoenix hurried off.
    “Will he be okay?” Hú Dié asked.
    “I believe so,” Phoenix’s grandfather replied.
    “Is there anything I can do?” she asked.
    “Just stay here with him as I am doing. He can hear us.”
    I felt Hú Dié shuffle around, like she couldn’t get comfortable. “This is difficult for me,” she said. “My mother has ALS—Lou Gehrig’s disease. This happens to her sometimes. Like her body is rebelling against her. I hate it.”
    “That is unfortunate,” Phoenix’s grandfather said.
    “It is not unfortunate; it is
unfair
. I used to want to give her dragon bone. After seeing this, I am not so sure.”
    Footsteps pounded against the mats again. It was both Phoenix and Uncle Tí.
    “Ryan’s mom is on the way,” Phoenix said. “I unlocked the front door for her.”
    “And here is your acupuncture set,” Uncle Tí said.
    There was the sound of a zipper being opened, and Phoenix’s grandfather said, “Give me some space.”

    I don’t know how long I lay there before I opened my eyes. The pain was so great, I lost all track of time, but my mom hadn’t shown up yet.
    I was lying flat on my back, and the first thing I saw was Hú Dié’s face. She had tears in her eyes, but she smiled at me.
    I smiled back.
    “Look!” Hú Dié said. “His mouth works!”
    I surprised myself by laughing.
    “Sounds like his vocal cords are working, too,” Uncle Tí said. “Ryan, can you speak?”
    “Yeah.” I coughed. “My throat is really sore, though.”
    “Your whole body will be sore for several days,” Phoenix’s grandfather said. “Do not let it stop you from exercising, though. You
must
continue to fight the dragon bone.”
    “I will,” I said. “After this experience, I wish I could just flush it from my system.”
    “Can you move yet?” Phoenix asked.
    “I don’t know,” I said.
    I tried to move my arms and legs, but couldn’t. I did manage to lift my head, though.
    My voice began to quiver. “Am I … paralyzed?”
    “Only temporarily,” Phoenix’s grandfather said. “I am not finished with the procedure. You should regain the use of your limbs shortly.”
    I glanced down at my bare chest. More than a hundred thin needles protruded from my torso. They waved like miniature flagpoles with the rising and falling of my chest as I breathed.
    I blinked. “What the—”
    “Acupuncture needles,” Uncle Tí said. “Grandfather is gifted in their use. Chinese have been using them for thousands of years to stimulate the flow of
chi
through various parts of a person’s body. So far, it looks like what he’s doing is working.”
    I felt my right shoulder begin to warm, and I rotated it slightly. I smiled.
    Phoenix’s grandfather returned the smile, but said nothing.
    The door leading to the house suddenly burst open, and I saw my mother.
    “Ayeeee! Stop right there! What are you doing to my boy?”

I raised my head and watched my mom struggle across the soft wrestling mats in her high heels. The fact that she was overweight didn’t help. Even so, she raised her purse over her head like a warrior and rushed forward.
    “No!” I said. “He’s helping me. I could end up paralyzed if he messes up.”
    “That’s right,” Uncle Tí said. “Ryan is in good hands.”
    She ground to a halt. “Paralyzed?”
    “He won’t