The Omission Stone: Karyn O'Brien

Jon read Karyn's new name off her notebook. "Karyn ... *O'Brien!?"* "Oh no, I've got Lauren's dad!" "I don't know, but it looks like you've got Lauren's nose!" Karyn felt her nose. It was short and upturned now with a bridge of freckles across it. Her other features were like a blend of hers and Lauren's, minus Lauren's red hair. "But if Lauren's father is *my* father ... what happened to Lauren? Is she my sister now?" "We'll find out if we go to school," said Jon. "Maybe ... if Lauren isn't sick or something." Karyn put the stone into a drawer. "This thing is dangerous." She slammed the drawer shut, releasing some of her rage against the stone. "It should stay there for now. We can't risk taking it to school. What if we lose it, and what if someone makes wishes that change even more people?" "Didn't you wish you knew why *I* changed?" asked Jon. Karyn couldn't look him in the eye. "Uh huh ..." What could she tell Jon?