Read Online The Secret Sea by Barry Lyga - Free Book Online Page B

happened to old people, and it had happened to him.
    â€œ You’re going to be okay ,” someone had said at some point, and he wasn’t sure he believed it.
    He put a hand over his heart. According to the monitor, it was loping along just fine, but he didn’t really believe it was still in his chest until he felt its thrum with his own fingers.
    His mouth tasted stale. Gummy. He couldn’t reach the bedside tray, where a pitcher and glass rested tantalizingly, mockingly.
    The door to his room opened, and to his surprise Dr. Campbell entered, followed by his parents. Mom and Dad had bags under their eyes and looked so much older than usual.
    He couldn’t quite believe his eyes—they were holding hands. Mom had obviously been crying, and Dad wore beard stubble.
    How long have I been here?
    Dr. Campbell stood at the foot of his bed. Mom and Dad split and took seats on either side of him; Mom took his hand, and Dad rested a palm on Zak’s shoulder. It was creepy that no one said anything.
    â€œDo you need anything?” Dr. Campbell asked.
    â€œThirsty.” His voice croaked and cracked. His throat hurt.
    Dr. Campbell poured a glass of water and handed it to him. He drank it as quickly as his sore throat would allow, then held it up, signaling for more. She refilled and he sipped at it this time.
    â€œZak, I’ve been speaking with your parents, and I’ve asked them to talk to you. I’ve asked them to be very honest with you, and they’ve agreed. They’re not going to talk about your … walkabout. Or anything like that. They just want to tell you some things. And I think maybe…” She cut her eyes left and right, taking in both of them. “I think maybe they might even want to apologize.”
    His parents nodded in miserable synchronization.
    Dr. Campbell settled into a seat in the corner of the room. Zak looked from Mom to Dad, then back. They both stared down at the floor, neither one willing to speak.
    â€œSomeone has to talk,” Zak said at last.
    Bobbing his head, Dad said, “I don’t know what you saw or read—”
    â€œI know about my brother.”
    Dad blew out a trembly, shuddering sigh. “Yeah. Okay. Look, we…”
    â€œYou were sick,” Mom said abruptly. “When you were in the womb. Both of you. You had something called TTTS.”
    â€œTwin-to-twin transfusion syndrome,” Dr. Campbell chimed in quietly. “It affects identical twins. Very rare.”
    â€œI don’t know how to explain this,” Mom said helplessly. “It’s like…” She drifted off and gave Dad the You take over look.
    â€œYou and your brother shared everything in the womb,” Dad said. “And there was a connection between the two of you. A very special one. But what happened was…”
    â€œOne twin begins to take blood from the other,” Dr. Campbell said very calmly. “You know about blood transfusions, right? This is similar, except it’s accidental. One twin absorbs blood from the other.”
    Zak had a mental image of two babies in a belly, one of them drawing blood from the other, growing larger as the other shrank.
    â€œI sucked out his blood?” he exclaimed, horrified. “Like a vampire?”
    â€œNo!” Mom shouted, and flung her arms around him. “No, never think that! You didn’t do anything. ”
    â€œThis is why we didn’t tell you,” Dad explained. “We were worried you would blame yourself. It was an accident of nature. No one did anything. It just happened .”
    â€œNever, ever blame yourself for this,” Mom whispered in his ear.
    â€œYou both had health problems when you were born,” Dad said. “Your heart condition, from too much blood in the womb. And Tommy had kidney problems from too little blood. We thought we might lose one of you, or even both of you, but we got lucky.” He looked away, his