The Gifted Read Online Free PDF

the
big risks to get the big reward.”
    After that, we played almost every day.
    One night when we had all finished our
training, all of us kids got together outside our rooms. We had
grown close in our time together. We sat on the steps that led to
our rooms. “So Guido, what do you miss most about being gone from
home?” I asked.
    “My little brother,” he said. I did not see
Guido when he spoke, but I was able to tune in on his voice. “My
little brother used to drive me crazy, running around, always loud,
and taking my things without asking. But once I left, I missed him
most.”
    “I have a little brother,” I said. “They do
that, but I still like him.”
    “I guess so,” said Guido. “What about
you?”
    “I think I miss my Mom. I used to get
frustrated at her sometimes, with all the rules and making me do my
homework, but I knew she loved me and I miss her. What about you
Tracy?”
    Too late I remembered. Tracy was already up
and halfway to her room.
    “I’m so stupid,” I said.
    “You’ve got that right,” said Guido.
    Han just sat quietly, looking at his
hands.
    For a minute, no one said anything. Han
started cleaning his glasses. Guido tapped my arm. “We haven't seen
Han's gift yet.”
    “That's right!” I said, glad to change the
topic. “You’ve been kind of a mystery, Han. Show us what you can
do.”
    Han put his glasses back on and looked at us
as a smile grew on his face. “It takes paper,” he said.
    “I have some in my room,” I said, running
into my room and getting out a notebook. I tore out a sheet and
went back out. “Here you go!”
    Han still had a smile on his face. He took
the paper carefully in his hand and examined it. I don't know what
he was looking at, but then he started to fold. His folds were
large at first, but then at times intricate and complex. Sometimes
he would unfold something and then refold it in other ways. Once,
when he had unfolded it, he gathered parts of the paper and pressed
them together like an accordion and smiled. “This is called a
squash fold,” he said. When he was finally done he had made a
perfect paper pterodactyl.
    “Wow,” Tracy said, “Now what?” We turned
around and Tracy was standing behind us.
    “Magic,” he said. He set the pterodactyl down
as if it were standing up and put his index finger on it. I felt a
buzz.
    Usually when I try to explain this, people
say that I must have meant that I heard a buzz. But that's not it,
I couldn’t hear anything. I felt a buzz just beyond my hearing. The
paper pterodactyl quivered for a second and then it started to flap
its wings as it lifted off and flew around the room. It was
beautiful and kind of scary at the same time. I stood there with my
mouth open in awe.
    “The first time,” said Han in his quiet way,
“I thought it really was magic. I didn't know how it had happened.
Later I thought it must be my imagination and that it meant I was
losing my mind. This scared me, so I kept it a secret. Every time I
would do it, I thought my mind was playing tricks. I expected them
to take me away to an asylum.”
    “You're not crazy,” said Tracy. “You just
have a gift. And it's a wonderful gift.”
    “Yeah, that’s really cool,” said Guido, who I
didn’t notice in the room until he brushed by me. “If I had a gift
like that I’ll bet people would notice me more.”
    “And it requires skill,” I said. “Not just
natural talent or a gift you’re born with. You had to learn to do
origami.” Han smiled at me when I said this. People do that.
    I yawned. “I think I need some sleep.”
    “Me too,” said Guido and Tracy almost
together.
    “Okay, goodnight everyone,” said Han. He
walked into his room and closed the door.
    “Hey, don’t you want. . .” said Tracy. But he
was already gone.
    That night we went to bed while the paper
pterodactyl flew endlessly around the room.

Chapter 7: Our mission explained
    The next morning General Garcia did not smile
when I entered the