Was she warming up to me or just screwing with me? I sat at her deskand looked at the pictures of her with friends, tubing on a riversomewhere in a b...thing suit - shorts for the bottoms, riding a horse..."I've changed a lot since most of those were taken..."She startled me, but I tried to act as if I was just turning to faceher - rather than jumping. She was grimacing as she sat on the edge ofher bed. "I'll bet those hurt..." I could see the bandages wrappedtightly around her chest through. Much bigger than your father." Okay, I didn't need to know that," I said. "Can I go do my homework now?" Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes. Come out and join us then."I disappeared into my room as quickly as I could. I decided to use my ten minutes to clean up so that Zoe wouldn't think I was a total slob. Ten minutes later my Mom was pounding on my door for me to come eat.I came into the kitchen and nearly stopped dead in my tracks when I first saw Heather. She was standing next to the. . and I'm gonna keep it...I've got the life...I've got the life..."The pulsing beat stopped with the voice, and absolute silence ruled atthe center of Norton's great front lawn - silence, and an almostpalpable, breathless anticipation."Norton's Academy made my body," an omnipresent sexless voice boomed,like the voice of a transgender God. "It also made my mind...creating myfuture...killing my past."The words rolled over the silent figure in its pool of light. Its eyeslooked in the distance, its. This spontaneous effect, similarly to the soul energy manipulation, was not within the capabilities of someone at Zax's level, or perhaps talent? In addition, this was just a temporary effect that meant to hold for an unknown period of time and eventually compel Zax to deal with the pent up pressure, hopefully, after attaining a better insight of his soul rather than advancing its level."Have you heard me?!" Zetsa burst involuntarily. "Jinka returned here with your friends two day ago, and.