Young Mutants by Asimov Isaac

Author:Asimov, Isaac
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-11-15T16:00:00+00:00

I Can’t Help Saying Goodbye

by Ann Mackenzie

Being able to predict the future (precognition) might not always be a blessing.

* * *

My name is Karen Anders I’m nine years old I’m little and dark and nearsighted I live with Max and Libby I have no friends

Max is my brother he’s 20 years older than me he has close-together eyes and a worried look we Anders always were a homely lot he has asthma too

Libby used to be pretty but she’s put on weight she looks like a wrestler in her new bikini I wish I had a bikini Lib won’t buy me one I guess I’d stop being so scared of going in the water if I had a yellow bikini to wear on the beach

Once when I was seven my father and mother went shopping they never came home there was a holdup in the bank like on television Lib said this crazy guy just mowed them down

Before they went out I knew I had to say goodbye I said it slow and clear goodbye Mommy first then goodbye Daddy but no one took any notice of it much seeing they were going shopping anyway but afterwards Max remembered he said to Libby the way that kid said goodbye you’d think she knew

Libby said for gosh sakes how could she know be reasonable honey but I guess this means we’re responsible for her now have you thought of that

She didn’t sound exactly pleased about it

Well after I came to live with Max and Libby I knew I had to say goodbye to Lib’s brother Dick he was playing cards with them in the living room and when Lib yelled Karen get to bed can’t you I went to him and stood as straight as I could with my hands clasped loose in front like Miss Jones tells us when we have choir in school

I said very slow and clear well goodbye Dick and Libby gave me a kind of funny look

Dick didn’t look up from his cards he said goodnight kid

Next evening before any of us saw him again he was dead of a disease called peritonitis it explodes in your stomach and busts it full of holes

Lib said Max did you hear how she said goodbye to Dick and Max started wheezing and gasping and carrying on he said I told you there was something didn’t I it’s weird that’s what it is it scares me sick who’ll she say goodbye to next I’d like to know and Lib said there honey there baby try to calm yourself

I came out from behind the door where I was listening I said don’t worry Max you’ll be okay

His face was blotchy and his mouth was blue he said in a scratchy whisper how do you know

What a dumb question as though I’d tell him even if I did know

Libby bent down and pushed her face close to mine I could smell her breath cigarettes and bourbon and garlic salad

She said only

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