Red Samurai by Tiffiny Hall

Author:Tiffiny Hall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

EIGHT

‘Thanks for coming with me, Lecky. This is my favourite place in the world,’ I say.

Elecktra is quiet as we walk along the tree-lined street on Saturday afternoon. Jackson walks just behind us. He found out about the motorbike attack and insisted on coming for extra protection — I’m not complaining.

‘Don’t you love trees?’ I ask as they rustle in the biting breeze.

Lecky is lost a million miles away in thought. ‘Hmm?’

‘Trees are so positive,’ I say.

‘What’s negative?’ Elecktra asks.

‘Trucks and whipper snippers.’

‘True,’ she agrees.

‘We’re here!’ I sing.

In the front window of the pet shop, puppies pad the glass with their miniature paws. Elecktra leans her face against the glass. A puppy rushes up to lick the window and she giggles.

‘I can’t believe you’ve never been here,’ I say.

Elecktra traces her finger along the glass and the puppy follows it. ‘Neither can I.’ She giggles again.

‘Cute,’ Jackson says. ‘I’ll wait out here.’ He parks himself on a bench in front of the shop.

Inside there are cages of kittens curled in paper, parrots on perches pecking seed bells and fluorescent aquariums filled with coral, fish and teacup-sized turtles. I run to a box filled with my favourite pets and scoop up a white rabbit. Ted looks up from the counter where he is feeding a parrot on his shoulder and I wave. Ted is a Gate Two in Year Eleven. I come here a lot with Cinnamon and he allows us to hold the animals. I think Ted is Cinnamon’s secret crush.

‘Here.’ I hand the rabbit over to Elecktra. At first she is awkward trying to find the right position for the fluffy parcel. She crosses her legs and sits down on the spot so she can better cradle the animal. The rabbit burrows into her lap and she gently pats its head and threads its ears through her fingers.

‘I’ve been working my way up to a rabbit,’ she says. I look at her, confused. ‘In my magic.’ She holds the rabbit up above her head, then nuzzles its stomach into her cheek.

‘I really wish Mum would let us have a pet,’ I say.

‘Mum says we have to be more responsible. But I am responsible, environmentally at least — I recycle my outfits.’

I smile. No matter how much change Lecky is experiencing, I know some things will stay the same.

‘Are you okay?’ I ask when she clutches her forehead.

‘I’m dizzy.’

‘I was dizzy when my powers came in. Don’t worry — it’s all part of the transformation to ninja,’ I whisper, picking up a black rabbit and settling in beside her.

‘I tried to talk to Mum about it. She said everything will be fine: I’ve always been different and we’ll deal with it,’ she says sadly, tracing the rabbit’s nose. ‘I’m sick of being different to you and Mum.’

‘It’s better than being different at school,’ I say.

Lecky shrugs. ‘We’ll leave school one day.’

I pat the rabbit. I guess I’d take fitting in with my family over fitting in with friends any day.

‘Chantell is being weird about the magic thing.

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