Fablehaven1-Fablehaven Page 5

Lena rooted out a weed. It’s a warm rain. I like being

  out in the weather. She stuffed the weed into a bulging

  garbage bag.

  You’re going to catch a cold.

  I don’t often take ill. She paused to stare up at the

  clouds. It won’t last much longer.

  Kendra tilted her umbrella back and gazed heavenward.

  Leaden skies in all directions. You think?

  Wait and see. The rain will pass within the hour.

  Your knees are all muddy.

  You think I’ve lost my marbles. The diminutive

  woman stood up and spread her arms wide, tilting her head

  back. Do you ever look up at the rain, Kendra? It feels like

  the sky is falling.

  Kendra tilted the umbrella back again. Millions of raindrops

  rushed toward her, some pelting her face and making

  her blink. Or like you’re soaring up to the clouds, she

  said.

  I suppose I should get you inside before my unusual

  habits rub off.

  No, I didn’t mean to disturb you. Back under the protection

  of the umbrella, Kendra wiped droplets from her

  forehead. I guess you don’t want the umbrella.

  That would defeat the purpose. I’ll be in shortly.

  Kendra returned to the house. She stole glances at

  Lena through a window. It was just so peculiar, she couldn’t

  resist spying. Sometimes Lena was working. Sometimes she

  was smelling a blossom or stroking its petals. And the rain

  kept falling.

  * * *

  Kendra was sitting on her bed, reading poems by Shel

  Silverstein, when the room suddenly brightened. The sun

  was out.

  Lena had been right about the rain. It had relented

  about forty minutes after her prediction. The housekeeper

  had come inside, changed out of her wet clothes, and made

  sandwiches.

  Across the room, the painting of the knight charging

  the dragon was complete. Seth had gone outside an hour

  ago. Kendra was in a lazy mood.

  Just as Kendra returned her attention to the latest

  poem, Seth burst into the room, breathing hard. He wore

  only socks on his feet. His clothes were streaked with mud.

  You have to come see what I found in the woods.

  Another witch?

  No. Way cooler.

  A hobo camp?

  I’m not going to say; you have to come see.

  Does it involve hermits or lunatics?

  No people, he said.

  How far from the yard?

  Not far.

  We could get in trouble. Besides, it’s muddy out.

  Grandpa is hiding a beautiful park in the woods, Seth

  blurted.

  What? asked Kendra.

  You have to come see it. Put on galoshes or something.

  Kendra closed the book.

  The sunlight came and went, depending on the shifting

  clouds. A soft breeze ruffled the foliage. The woods

  smelled mulchy. Scrambling over a damp, rotting log,

  Kendra shrieked when she saw a glistening white frog.

  Seth turned around. Awesome.

  Try disgusting.

  I’ve never seen a white frog, said Seth. He tried to

  grab it, but the frog took an enormous leap as he

  approached. Whoa! That thing flew!

  He checked the underbrush where the frog had landed,

  but found nothing.

  Hurry up, Kendra said, glancing back the way they

  had come. The house was no longer in sight. She could not

  shake the sick, nervous feeling in her stomach.

  Unlike her little brother, Kendra was not a natural rule

  breaker. She was in all the accelerated classes at school, got

  almost perfect grades, kept her room tidy, and always practiced

  for her piano lessons. Seth, on the other hand, settled

  for lousy grades, routinely skipped his homework, and

  earned frequent detentions. Of course, he was also the one

  with all the friends, so maybe there was a method to his

  madness.

  What’s the rush? He took the lead again, blazing a

  trail through the undergrowth.

  The longer we’re gone, the more likely somebody will

  notice we’re missing.

  It isn’t much farther. See that hedge?

  It was not exactly a hedge. More like a tall barrier of

  unkempt bushes. You call that a hedge?

  The park is on the far side.

  The wall of bushes extended as far as Kendra could see

  in either direction. How do we get around it?

  Through it. You’ll see.

  They reached the bushes and Seth turned left, studying

  the leafy barricade as he went, occasionally squatting and

  checking closer. The interlocked bushes ranged from ten to

  twelve feet tall, and they looked really thick.

  Okay, I think this is where I squirmed through. There

  was a deep indentation at the base of where two bushes

  overlapped. Seth dropped to all fours and forced his way in.

  You’re going to have a billion ticks, Kendra predicted.

  They’re all hiding from the rain, he replied with perfect

  confidence.

  Kendra got down and followed him.

  I don’t think this is the same way I got through last

  time, Seth admitted. It’s a little more cramped. But it

  should work. He was now slithering on his belly.

  This better be good. Kendra squirmed on her elbows,

  eyes squinted. The damp ground felt cold, and droplets fell

  from the bush as she jostled it. Seth reached the far side

  and stood up. She crawled through as well, her eyes widening

  as she got to her feet.

  Before her lay a pristine pond, a couple of hundred

  yards across, with a small, verdant island at the center. A

  series of elaborate gazebos surrounded the pond, interconnected

  by a whitewashed boardwalk. Flowering vines

  wound along the latticework of the impressive promenade.

  Elegant swans glided on the water. Butterflies and hummingbirds

  wove and darted among the blossoms. On the far

  side of the pond, peacocks strutted and preened.

  What in the world? Kendra gasped.

  Come on. Seth started across the lush, neatly mown

  lawn toward the nearest gazebo. Kendra looked back,

  understanding why Seth had called the disheveled barrier

  of bushes a hedge. On this side, the bushes were neatly

  trimmed. The hedgerow encompassed the entire area, with

  a single arched entryway off to one side.

  Why didn’t we come through the entryway? Kendra

  asked, trotting after her brother.

  Shortcut. Seth paused at the white steps leading up

  to the gazebo to pluck a piece of fruit from an espalier. Try

  one.

  You should wash it, Kendra said.

  It just rained. He took a bite. It’s so good.

  Kendra tried one. It was the sweetest nectarine she had

  ever tasted. Delicious.

  Together they mounted the steps of the extravagant

  pavilion. The wood railing was perfectly smooth. Although

  unshielded from the elements, all the woodwork appeared

  to be in flawless condition: no peeling paint, no cracks, no

  splinters.

  The gazebo was furnished with white wicker love seats

  and chairs. In some places the ubiquitous vines had been<
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  woven into living wreaths and other fanciful patterns. A

  bright parrot sat on a high perch staring down at them.

  Look at the parrot! Kendra exclaimed.

  Last time I saw some monkeys, Seth said. Little guys

  with long arms. They were swinging all over the place.

  And there was a goat. It ran away as soon as it saw me.

  Seth took off, clomping down one of the boardwalks.

  Kendra followed more slowly, absorbing the scene. It

  looked like the setting of a fairy-tale wedding. She counted

  twelve pavilions, each unique. One had a small white quay

  projecting into the pond. The little pier was connected to a

  floating shed that had to be a boathouse.

  Kendra strolled after Seth, whose ruckus was sending

  the swans drifting toward the far side of the lake, leaving

  V-shaped ripples in their wake. The sun broke through the

  clouds and gleamed upon the water.

  Why would Grandpa Sorenson keep a place like this a

  secret? It was magnificent! Why go through all the trouble

  of maintaining it if not to enjoy it? Hundreds of people

  could gather here with room to spare.

  Kendra went to the gazebo with the pier and found that

  the boathouse was locked. It was not large; she guessed it

  held a few canoes or rowboats. Maybe Grandpa Sorenson

  would give them permission to paddle around the pond.

  No, she could not even tell him she knew about this place!

  Was that why he had told them about the ticks and made

  rules against venturing into the woods? To keep his little

  Eden hidden? Could he be so selfish and secretive?

  Kendra finished a complete lap around the pond, walking

  on clean wooden planks the entire way. Across the

  pond Seth yelled, and a small flock of cockatoos took

  flight. The sun retreated behind clouds. They needed to get

  back. Kendra told herself she could return later.

  * * *

  Kendra was concerned when she cut into her steak.

  The middle was pink, almost red at the center. Grandpa

  Sorenson and Dale were already taking bites.

  Is my steak cooked? Kendra ventured.

  ‘ Course it’s cooked, Dale said around a mouthful.

  It’s pretty red in the middle.

  Only way to eat a steak, Grandpa said, dabbing his

  mouth with a linen napkin. Medium rare. Keeps it juicy

  and tender. If you cook it all the way through, you might

  as well eat shoe leather.

  Kendra glanced at Lena.

  Go ahead, dear, the woman urged. You won’t get

  sick; I cooked it plenty.

  I like it, Seth said, chewing on a bite. We have any

  ketchup?

  Why would you go and ruin a perfectly good steak

  with ketchup? Dale moaned.

  You put it on your eggs, Lena reminded him, placing

  a bottle in front of Seth.

  That’s different. Ketchup and onions on eggs is a

  necessity.

  That’s sickening, Seth said, upending the bottle over

  his steak.

  Kendra took a bite of the garlic potatoes. They were

  tasty. Mustering her courage, she sampled the steak.

  Bursting with flavorful seasoning, it was much easier to

  chew than other steak she had eaten. The steak is wonderful,

  she said.

  Thank you, dear, said Lena.

  They ate in silence for a few moments. Grandpa

  dabbed his mouth with his napkin again and cleared his

  throat.

  What do you suppose makes people so eager to break

  rules?

  Kendra felt a jolt of guilt. The question was addressed

  generally and hung there awaiting a response. When

  nobody answered, Grandpa continued.

  Is it simply the pleasure of disobedience? The thrill of

  rebellion?

  Kendra glanced at Seth. He stared at his plate, picking

  at his potatoes.

  Were the rules unfair, Kendra? Was I being unreasonable?

  No.

  Did I leave you with nothing to do, Seth? No pool?

  No tree house? No toys or hobbies?

  We had things to do.

  Then why did you two go into the woods? I warned

  you there would be consequences.

  Why are you hiding weird old ladies out in the forest?

  Seth blurted.

  Weird old ladies? Grandpa asked.

  Yeah, what about that?

  Grandpa nodded thoughtfully. She has a rotten old

  rope. You didn’t blow on it?

  I didn’t go near her. She was freaky.

  She came to me and asked if she could build a shack

  on my property. She promised to keep to herself. I saw no

  harm in it. You shouldn’t go bothering her.

  Seth found your private retreat, Kendra said. He

  wanted me to see it. My curiosity got the better of me.

  Private retreat?

  Big pond? Fancy boardwalk? Parrots and swans and

  peacocks?

  Grandpa looked at Dale, speechless. Dale shrugged.

  I was hoping you’d take us out on a boat, Kendra said.

  Who said anything about a boat?

  Kendra rolled her eyes. I saw the boathouse,

  Grandpa.

  He tossed his hands up and shook his head.

  Kendra set her fork down. Why would you let such a

  nice place go to waste?

  That is my business, Grandpa said. Yours was to obey

  my rules, for your own protection.

  We’re not afraid of ticks, Seth said.

  Grandpa folded his hands and lowered his eyes. I was

  not entirely honest about why you needed to stay out of the

  woods. He lifted his gaze. On my land, I provide refuge

  for some dangerous animals, many of them endangered.

  This includes poisonous snakes, toads, spiders, and scorpions,

  along with bigger game. Wolves, apes, panthers. I use

  chemicals and other controls to keep them away from the

  yard, but the woods are extremely hazardous. Particularly

  the island in the center of the lake. It is deliberately

  infested with inland taipans, also called ‘fierce snakes,’ the

  deadliest serpent known to man.

  Why didn’t you warn us? Kendra asked.

  My preserve is a secret. I have all the necessary

  licenses, but if my neighbors complained, those could be

  revoked. You must not tell a soul, not even your parents.

  We saw a white frog, Seth said breathlessly. Was that

  poisonous?

  Grandpa nodded. Quite lethal. In Central America

  the indigenous people use them to fashion poisoned darts.

  Seth tried to catch it.

  Had he succeeded, Grandpa said gravely, he would

  be dead.

  Seth swallowed. I’ll never go into the woods again.

  I trust you won’t, Grandpa said. All the same, a rule

  is of no value unless the punishment is enforced. You will

  have to stay in your room for the rest of your stay.

  What? Seth said. But you lied to us! Being afraid of

  ticks is a lame reason to stay out of the woods! I just

  thought you were treating us like babies.

  You should have brought those concerns to me,

  Grandpa said. Was I unclear about the rules or the consequences?

  You were unclear about the reasons, Seth said.

  That is my right. I am your grandfather. And thi
s is my

  property.

  I am your grandson. You should tell me the truth.

  You’re not setting a very good example.

  Kendra tried not to laugh. Seth was in lawyer mode. He

  always tried to maneuver out of trouble with their parents.

  Sometimes he made some pretty good points.

  What do you think, Kendra? Grandpa asked.

  She had not expected him to solicit her opinion. She

  tried to collect her thoughts. Well, I agree that you didn’t

  tell us the whole truth. No way would I have gone into the

  woods if I knew there would be dangerous animals.

  Me neither, Seth said.

  I made two simple rules, you understood them, and

  you broke them. Just because I chose not to share all my

  reasons for making the rules, you think you should escape

  punishment?

  Yes, Seth said. Just this once.

  That doesn’t sound fair to me, Grandpa said. Unless

  the punishments are enforced, rules lose all their power.

  But we won’t do it again, Seth said. We promise.

  Don’t lock us up in the house for two weeks!

  Don’t blame me, Grandpa said. You locked yourself

  up by disregarding the rules. Kendra, what do you think

  would be fair?

  Maybe you could give us a reduced punishment as a

  warning. Then the full punishment if we mess up again.

  Reduced punishment, Grandpa mused. So you still

  pay a price for your disobedience, but you get one more

  chance. I might be able to live with that. Seth?

  Better than the whole punishment.

  That settles it. I will reduce your sentence to a single

  day. You will spend tomorrow confined to the attic. You

  can come down for meals, and you can use the bathroom,

  but that is all. Break any of my rules again, and you will not

  leave the attic until your parents come for you. For your

  own safety. Understood?

  Yes, sir, Kendra said.

  Seth nodded his agreement.

  Journal of Secrets

  Did you ever notice the keyhole on the belly of the

  unicorn? Seth asked. He was lying on the floor

  beside the fanciful rocking horse, hands laced behind his

  head.

  Kendra looked up from her painting. She had asked

  Lena to create a paint-by-numbers to help her endure her

  incarceration. Kendra had wanted to paint the pavilions

  around the pond, and Lena had quickly sketched a scene

  with startling accuracy, as if the housekeeper had the place

  memorized. Seth declined to have another canvas prepped.

  Stuck in the attic or not, he was sick of painting.

  Keyhole?

  Weren’t you looking for keyholes?