Shift (The Neturu Chronicles) Read Free Page B

weird!”
                   
“Okay, let’s stop talking about that before I puke on your floor.”
                   
“Do you want a soda?”
                   
“Sure.”
                   
Kayla opens the fridge, but doesn’t see any soda.  “I have to get some
from downstairs.”
                   
“I’ll come with,” Tracy says, following Kayla down the basement steps. 
When they pass the basement side room, Tracy stops.  “I swear your parents
are growing drugs.”
                   
“Those aren’t pot plants, Tracy.  They’re herbs.”
                   
Tracy points to all the plants.  “Kayla, I’ve never seen those plants
before.”
                   
“Yeah, that’s because it’s a rare plant from somewhere in China. 
Supposedly, it’s not even allowed in the U.S.”
                   
“Breaking the law.” Tracy laughs.  “It’s probably a drug, Kayla.”
                   
Rolling her eyes, Kayla says, “My parents have been putting it on our food
every day since I was a kid.”
                   
“What does it taste like?”
                   
“I don’t know. Good.  It doesn’t taste like anything I can compare it to.”
                   
Tracy steps forward. “I want to try it.”
                   
“ No !” Kayla yells.  “My parents said it could have a really bad
reaction in people, and it could be dangerous.  That’s why it’s so
rare.  We don’t give it to anyone.”
                   
“And they gave it to you when you were a kid?”
                   
Kayla shrugs. “What can I say?  My parents are weird.”
                   
“Yeah, I’m starting to think they are,” Tracy says with a laugh.  “Let’s
get some soda; I’m thirsty.”
                   
“Okay.”
                   
Tracy sighs. “I still think it’s a drug.”
                   
“Tracy!” Kayla exclaims, laughing.
                   
 A couple of hours later, Kayla is at her computer doing her homework when
she hears, “Kayla?  Are you home?”
                   
“Yeah,” she yells toward her door.
                   
She hears footsteps coming up the stairs and then her mom appears at the
door.  “Hey, honey, we’re having company over for dinner.”
                   
“Okay,” Kayla mumbles, not really caring.  “What are we eating?”
                   
“Lasagna. These are old friends of your father’s and mine.”
                   
“Whatever,” Kayla retorts, not paying her mom any attention.  Kayla scans
the computer screen in search of an excerpt for her paper.   
                   
Her mom sighs.  “Are you going to be able to pull yourself away from the
computer?”
                   
“Homework, Mom.  I’m working on a paper about Thailand.”
                   
“Okay, but I want you to at least meet them.”
                   
Kayla shrugs. “Okay.”
                   
“Kayla.”
                   
She turns around.  “I’ll obviously meet your friends if we're eating
dinner together.”
                   
“You can be difficult sometimes.”
                   
“I’m a teenager, Mom.  It’s my job.”
                   
“Be down in an hour.”
                   
Kayla rolls her eyes. “I will.”  When her mom walks away, Kayla turns back
to her paper.
                   
Roughly an hour later, the doorbell rings. The sound is followed by
voices.  Kayla groans but continues her research.  A few minutes
later she hears,