Shadowland by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Author:Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626726741
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

9

THE LABORATORY

Anand and Nisha crouched in the corner of a room behind a massive file cabinet. Nisha craned her neck out cautiously, trying to figure out where exactly they were, but Anand sat still, striving to gather his thoughts. He could not believe that they had succeeded in entering the sleek, black monolith that was the stronghold of the scientists without being intercepted by the numerous guards that infested its corridors. If only they could get to the vault now! There was no space for error, for in a few hours the conch was scheduled for destruction. Nor could he forget that, even as he sat here, the universe was hardening itself around the transformed, icy valley that had been his beloved home.

A few minutes ago, the truck had left them on a barren stretch of land outside the back wall of Futuredome. Remembering how he had used the mirror long ago to get into the palace of the Nawab, Anand had held it against the dome’s curved surface. Though he knew what would happen, he was amazed once again as the mirror changed, growing pliant and transparent, and then disappearing. In its place was now a hole, large enough for Anand and Nisha to squeeze through.

Once they had entered Futuredome, where fake stars were already twinkling in the fake night sky, the mirror gave Anand further directions. Imagine the place where you want to go. Now that we are inside the barrier, I can transport you directly there if you give me a clear mental picture.

Removing his mask, Anand had placed the mirror on the ground. He had pictured the hulking black building he had tried vainly to enter—was it only yesterday? He imagined the inside of it as best he could: snaking corridors leading to areas of secret research and experimentation, filled with sleek, shining machines that hummed ominously. The mirror had begun to glow. Just as he stepped into it, an image came to his mind unbidden. A large stainless-steel desk with Dr. S sitting behind it, bending over a pad with notations on it, her brow furrowed as she worked her way through a problem.

Why on earth had he thought of her?

Now as he peered surreptitiously from the other side of the file cabinet, he knew exactly where the mirror had brought them.

Dr. S’s office was disconcertingly white: white walls, white ceiling, dazzling white lights that shone from every corner. There were several stainless-steel file cabinets, as well as a number of machines whose functions Anand could not guess. In the middle of the room was a large desk very much like the one he had imagined, except it was empty. Naturally. It was night now. Dr. S must be back in her airy, pretty apartment, so different from this sterilized place. Along with relief he felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment because he would not see her again. He wondered if the purple plant in her house had flowered.

Nisha had run over to a small cabinet and opened it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.