Rainbows End Read Online Free PDF Page A

him outside to feel the bright sun on his face and listen to the birds. No way was this home. Robert Gu remembered home. There had been snow on big mountains he could see from his folks’ backyard. Bishop, California, U.S.A. That was the place, and this wasn’t it.
    But even though this wasn’t home, his little sister was here. Cara Gu had been around before, when things were dark and mumbling, but she’d always been just out of sight. This was different. At first he was just aware of her high, piping voice, like the wind bells his mother kept on the porch at home. Finally, one day he was out on the patio, feeling the sunlight brighter and warmer than it had seemed in a long time. Even the blurs were sharp and colorful. There was Cara’s high little voice asking him “Robert this” and “Robert that” and —
“Robert, would you like it if I showed you around the neighborhood?”
    “What?” Robert’s tongue felt all sticky, his voice hoarse. It suddenly occurred to him that with all the mumbling and darkness maybe he hadn’t spoken in some time. And there was something else that that was even more strange. “Who are you?”
There was silence for a moment, as if the question were foolish or had been asked many times before. “Robert, I’m Miri. I’m your grand — “
     
He jerked his hand as much as it would move. “Come closer. I can’t see you.”
    The blur moved directly in front of him, into the middle of the sunlight. This was not some hint of presence behind his shoulder or in his memory. The blur became a face just inches from his own: he could see the straight black hair, the small round countenance smiling at him as if he were the greatest guy in the world. It really was his little sister.
Robert reached forward, and her hand was warm in his. “Oh, Cara. It’s so good to see you.” He wasn’t home, but maybe he was close. He was quiet for a moment.
    “I’m… I’m glad to see you, too, Robert. Would you like to go for a ride around the neighborhood?” “… Yes, that would be nice.”
    Things happened fast then. Cara did something and his chair seemed to spin around. It was dark and gloomy again. They were inside the house and she was fussing like she always did, this time getting him a hat. She still teased though, as in asking him if he needed to go to the bathroom. Robert sensed that the thug who claimed to be his son was lurking just to one side, watching it all.
    And then they were out — what, the front door? — and onto a street. Cara stayed beside his wheelchair as they strolled and rolled down an empty street lined with tall, thin trees… palm trees, that’s what they were. This wasn’t Bishop. But this was Cara Gu — though on her very best behavior. Little Cara was a good kid, but she could only be good for so long and then she would find some devilish tease and have him chasing her all over the house, or vice versa. Robert smiled to himself and wondered how long the angelic phase would last this time. Maybe she thought he was sick. He tried unsuccessfully to turn in his chair. Well, maybe he was sick.
“See, we live on Honor Court. Over there, that’s the Smithsons’ house. They transferred here from Guam last month. Bob thinks they’re growing five — oops, but I’m not supposed to talk about that. And the boyfriend of the base commander lives in that house by the corner. I’m betting they’ll be married by the end of the year… And there are some kids from school I don’t want to talk to just now.” Robert’s wheelchair took an abrupt turn, and they were heading down a side street.
    “Hey!” Robert tried again to turn in his chair. Maybe those kids were friends of his! Cara was teasing after all. He slumped down in the chair. There was the smell of honey. Bushes seemed to hang low above them. The houses were gray and greenish blurs. “Some tour!” he groused. “I can’t see a Dam Ned thing.”
The wheelchair abruptly slowed. “Really?” The little