manipulation has left physical abnormalities such as webbed fingers or colored skin."
"I didn't realize there were so many others," I said as Mouse helped me into a towel.
"There are more than you can imagine… The South Carolina lab is one of many, and the program has been running for much longer than you've been alive."
I was falling asleep by the time I was finally cleaned up. Dressed in a pair of Sarah's yoga pants and an oversized shirt—to accommodate my cast—they lead me into what appeared to be the family room.
Julie had given me some painkillers and I fell asleep almost as soon as I sat down. They let me rest, waking me some time later so I could eat with them.
Apparently Sarah had taught the other girls to cook something called macaroni and cheese. I really wasn't hungry but I managed a few mouthfuls before the news came on.
The tsunami was, of course, the leading story. They showed a short clip of the water racing inland before the anchor started talking.
She started with the facts, explaining there had been a huge offshore earthquake and the tsunami was widespread, hitting the entire west coast of the continent, from Washington to Chile. The current death toll stood at just over twenty-seven thousand in the United States but figures for the other countries were not yet available.
She spoke about the tragedy for several more minutes, talking about missing people and the cost of damages, before introducing their reporter on the scene.
A moan slipped from my lips as the middle-aged man appeared. He stood with his back to the now-calm sea where the pier had previously sat. I had a bad feeling about this, which wasn't helped by the groans James and Nicole released. Of all possible locations, why were they there?
"This is Hermosa Beach, California. A little south of Venice Beach, it is a relaxed tourist destination best known for its beach and bars. But today, just after six-thirty p.m., a wall of water swept onto the beach. Behind me, you can see the remains of the pier." He paused momentarily for effect.
There was nothing left except for two of the sturdy wooden poles upon which the pier had previously sat; they'd obviously been snapped in half.
"And here—" he turned, and the camera circled him to display the destroyed street, lit by enormous flood lights "—here's where the rest of it is."
Julie and Sarah gasped as they saw the destruction for the first time. It was hard not to react, even though I'd already seen it.
"The bars were packed, dinner in full swing and the late crowd beginning to warm up. Moments ago, officials confirmed the death count in the local area had reached one thousand and thirty-seven, with many more people still being retrieved from the water and buildings. The exact number of injured are also unconfirmed.
"What we are about to show you was shot from that window." Once again he turned, gesturing to the window below the one in which we'd been staying. "The tourist responsible for this footage submitted it to us in hopes that someone out there may be able to identify a young woman who risked her own life to protect someone who could not take care of herself. Please note, the following video contains images that may be unsettling for some viewers."
My heart surged into my throat and my chest tightened. This couldn't be happening! I didn't blink, unable to tear my eyes from the screen for even a moment.
"No, no, no," Mouse was murmuring. She seemed to be in her own world where nothing existed except for her and the television.
Tearing my eyes away from the screen momentarily, I took in Nicole's tense fists, her lips pressed together in a harsh line.
I turned back as the reporter disappeared and an image of Hermosa Beach, just hours earlier, filled the screen. The image was shaky as the owner of the camera directed it at the street below.
He was talking from behind the lens, describing how nice the weather had been since he'd arrived. He recorded the bars and people
"I didn't realize there were so many others," I said as Mouse helped me into a towel.
"There are more than you can imagine… The South Carolina lab is one of many, and the program has been running for much longer than you've been alive."
I was falling asleep by the time I was finally cleaned up. Dressed in a pair of Sarah's yoga pants and an oversized shirt—to accommodate my cast—they lead me into what appeared to be the family room.
Julie had given me some painkillers and I fell asleep almost as soon as I sat down. They let me rest, waking me some time later so I could eat with them.
Apparently Sarah had taught the other girls to cook something called macaroni and cheese. I really wasn't hungry but I managed a few mouthfuls before the news came on.
The tsunami was, of course, the leading story. They showed a short clip of the water racing inland before the anchor started talking.
She started with the facts, explaining there had been a huge offshore earthquake and the tsunami was widespread, hitting the entire west coast of the continent, from Washington to Chile. The current death toll stood at just over twenty-seven thousand in the United States but figures for the other countries were not yet available.
She spoke about the tragedy for several more minutes, talking about missing people and the cost of damages, before introducing their reporter on the scene.
A moan slipped from my lips as the middle-aged man appeared. He stood with his back to the now-calm sea where the pier had previously sat. I had a bad feeling about this, which wasn't helped by the groans James and Nicole released. Of all possible locations, why were they there?
"This is Hermosa Beach, California. A little south of Venice Beach, it is a relaxed tourist destination best known for its beach and bars. But today, just after six-thirty p.m., a wall of water swept onto the beach. Behind me, you can see the remains of the pier." He paused momentarily for effect.
There was nothing left except for two of the sturdy wooden poles upon which the pier had previously sat; they'd obviously been snapped in half.
"And here—" he turned, and the camera circled him to display the destroyed street, lit by enormous flood lights "—here's where the rest of it is."
Julie and Sarah gasped as they saw the destruction for the first time. It was hard not to react, even though I'd already seen it.
"The bars were packed, dinner in full swing and the late crowd beginning to warm up. Moments ago, officials confirmed the death count in the local area had reached one thousand and thirty-seven, with many more people still being retrieved from the water and buildings. The exact number of injured are also unconfirmed.
"What we are about to show you was shot from that window." Once again he turned, gesturing to the window below the one in which we'd been staying. "The tourist responsible for this footage submitted it to us in hopes that someone out there may be able to identify a young woman who risked her own life to protect someone who could not take care of herself. Please note, the following video contains images that may be unsettling for some viewers."
My heart surged into my throat and my chest tightened. This couldn't be happening! I didn't blink, unable to tear my eyes from the screen for even a moment.
"No, no, no," Mouse was murmuring. She seemed to be in her own world where nothing existed except for her and the television.
Tearing my eyes away from the screen momentarily, I took in Nicole's tense fists, her lips pressed together in a harsh line.
I turned back as the reporter disappeared and an image of Hermosa Beach, just hours earlier, filled the screen. The image was shaky as the owner of the camera directed it at the street below.
He was talking from behind the lens, describing how nice the weather had been since he'd arrived. He recorded the bars and people
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