Shedid. Opal realized she was happy. Exhilarated. More and more she felt like part of the group, despite Nico’s surliness.Insidethe circle. Something new and wonderful was happening, and she was at the center of it.
Or something has awakened, and you’re the cause.
Opal stopped short. Where didthatnotion come from?
The pond spewed Emma onto the shore, and she crawled out, coughing and shivering. It was getting late and the temperature had dropped.
“We should probably go soon,” Opal said.
Nico didn’t bother to respond.
Emma’s teeth chattered. “That c-c-can be the l-last one.”
“What’d you think about?” Opal asked. Emma was thebest at being intentional—her plunges usually resulted in figments she’d deliberately tried to imagine.
“Godzilla,” Emma said simply.
Nico covered his eyes. “Oh, jeez.”
Emma beamed. “Pippo gave me the idea.”
“Great.”
Suddenly, a shadow engulfed the group.
They all looked up. And up, and up, and up.
Godzilla.
Huge and reptilian, he towered above them.
“Emma, no,” Opal breathed.
“It’s fine.” Emma sighed. “Bummer, though. He’s only a fifth of his real size.”
I wonder if he knows Pippo, Opal thought, backing away as the giant reptile took a step closer. He opened his mouth and roared, the sound fierce and full. A beam of blinding light shot from between his jaws.
“Wow,” Emma whispered. “Hi.”
Godzilla bellowed once more. Then, like a candle, he flickered and went out.
“Aw. He didn’t last long,” Emma said sadly. “I’m getting worse at this.”
“Small Godzilla or not, that was by far the biggest figment yet.” Nico stared at where the monster had been. “Maybe that’s why he vanished so quickly.”
Emma smiled, pleased. “Let’s go dry off. I’m gonna makea list of what I want to create tomorrow.” Nico grinned, and they started toward the stones.
Opal was about to follow, but something caught her eye.
“You coming, Opal?” Emma called.
“Be right there! I want to check something.”
As the others moved away, Opal walked across the field. There. She wasn’t imagining it. On the ground where Godzilla had briefly stood was a slight indentation, the barest pressing of the grass. Opal took a deep breath.
She was looking at an enormous reptilian footprint.
13
