Otherland - preview

isn’t coming here.”

When his hand touched her arm, he gasped. “Her skin, it’s sticky!” he shuddered.

“What? She’s always sticky. She’s a toddler,” pointed out Myra.

Rohan didn’t answer. He was trying to lift his sister out of her cot, but she seemed to slip away each time he made a grab for part of her body. Myra had never seen his eyes so wide and scared. This was no longer worry.

This was terror.

Myra grasped at Shilpa herself, to help him, but the child felt wrong. Shilpa seemed to slide around under ra s fingers li e ell in a lasti bag orror ooded through her and instin ti el ra ung the hild awa Ew! Get it away! What is it?

“MYRA!” Rohan yelled.

What have I done?

Myra’s stomach dropped like a lift shaft. But as Shil a hit the oor she didn t r She sat u with an expressionless look on her chubby little face. She was almost perfectly still. Rohan kneeled down beside her, reaching out to touch her.

Relief whooshed through Myra. She’s OK. I haven’t hurt her. She kneeled down beside him, leaning over Shilpa.

“I think she’s OK,” Rohan murmured. “But why did 25