I sat on the edge of the lake watching, waiting, wondering. Why now? Why did they have to tell me this now? Why not a few days ago? When my sister had gotten back her test results. I-I had thought she must be okay. Well mostly okay. She just... had easy to break bones. We need to make sure she was getting more calcium. It'd be cool, simple, fine.
But no, it wasn't fine. Not now. Maybe, hopefully, one day. But not now. She has Stage 1 B bone cancer. She has several small tumors throughout her Fibula.
That's part of why it broke. Why I could break it. I hadn't meant to. I … I was goofing off with my friend Clay. He threw the ball and I caught it. Off balance with my sister behind me. I fell back.
Into her and she tried to catch me but fell too. We both hit the ground, unfortunately, I landed on her leg, hard. I came out with bruises but she… her leg had snapped with a sickening crunch and she screamed. I was so confused and terrified in that instant. Bones don't break that easily.
But her 's did. And it's been ten days since the doctors took a sample from one of the tumors. Five days since they got the results and her doctor had started treatment.
She was my baby sister. How could they not tell me? Well – no, I guess I understand. I was starting my job at Magnell and my parents had been so proud of me for a getting a job with them. I'd already passed up a job for staying home to help when dad had back surgery. I definitely wouldn't have left if I knew my baby sister had something as serious as bone cancer.
I'd already called and talked with her, but that wasn't the same as being there. Seeing her, hugging her and ensuring for myself that she was alright. That she was well cared for.
I sighed as my phone rang. It was my new boss. I told him what happened with my sister. That I wanted to go home and visit her. He told me we were going to change the world. That the changes we'd make would improve the lives of everyone. We'd be able to cure all diseases and heal all injuries. End all wars. It would be amazing. A new world order.
I thought he was a fanatic. That he was insane. I mean sure the company's claim of doing these things are goals to strive for… but my boss believed it. He really believed, and he told me to come with him. That he'd show me proof. I was skeptical, but we made a deal. If I still didn't believe him after his demonstration, then I could take time and go visit my sister, all expenses paid.
When we got the lab, my boss was holding a dog. A dog with two front legs, a crippled hind leg, and no tail. "What are you doing with a dog?"
"I'm going to show we can heal any kind of injury." The 'like your sister' was implied.
I narrowed my eyes. Manipulating me by using my family was cruel but I would do anything for my sister. I did have one question to ask, "How did the dog get hurt?"
"His previous owners were abusive. I got him from a shelter that was going to put him down. He has lung cancer. And we can help him." He took the dog and placed it in this weird circle thing on the floor.
"This is a healing and recovery circle." Okay, now he sounds even more insane. Is he talking about... magic?
"The thing is we need to pull energy from dimensions 7, 13, and 4. Or directly from dimension 24. But we've only gotten one fluctuating reading from 24. So, it's just a theory that we can pull energy from 24 and completely power a casting circle. Another issue we've been having is the energy consumption for opening the dimensional gates and closing them is horribly high." My boss turned to face me and said one of the most terrifying things I'd heard. Up to that moment.
"That's why we hired you." He brought me over to a control console. "For now, just watch the dog. We can cover everything else later." And it started.
Three tares formed in the enclosed room and some form of energy ripped from the tares to mingle in a focal point that was some kind of giant crystals. No, petalite stone. The energy gathered in the stone. Once the energy was gathered the tares were closed and a pink light was shot into the circle. Once the bright pink glow faded the dog was standing there.
On four healthy feet, with its tail tucked between its legs. A whole and healthy dog.
If they could heal a dog, then… they could heal my sister. They could heal the world. "I'll do my best."
♢ ♢ ♢
I didn't know what I was going to do to our world. What opening a rift to dimension 24 would cause. I'd have said I'd pray for those who came from dimension 24 to help us succeed in fixing things, but I think Caleb might slap my head for it. He mentioned something about prayer making gods stronger. Then again that be just what we need.