House of Secrets by Ned Vizzini, Chris Columbus Read Free Book Online Page A

kitchen showcased more destruction: the fridge was dented and leaking; a burner grate from the stove had smashed through a cabinet and destroyed the dinnerware; a family-size box of Cheerios had spilled its guts into the sink. The kids ran upstairs, frantically calling for their parents, but there was no sign.
    The second floor was also in ruins, with two exceptions. The pictures in the hallway were in perfect condition. That made sense, because they were of Dahlia’s family; she wouldn’t hurt them. But Cordelia discovered something in the master bedroom, too: the white-and-bronze RW trunk.
    “Bren? Nell? Look. Everything is demolished, but this trunk is fine.”
    “Maybe the Wind Witch protected it,” said Brendan. “Maybe there’s something inside she wanted to keep.”
    “Or,” said Cordelia, “it’s magical. Guarded by a ward.”
    “A what?”
    “You know, like a magic symbol that protects something.” Cordelia paused. “What about ‘RW’? Who do you think he is?”
    “Maybe it’s a she ,” Eleanor said.
    “Rutherford Walker,” said Brendan, recalling the name. “Dr. Rutherford Walker, to be exact.”
    “Who?”
    “Our great-great-grandfather. Dad told me his name once.”
    Cordelia was impressed. “You remembered from hearing that once? How come you don’t have better grades?”
    “Because at school there’s nothing worth remembering.”
    “Well, this trunk could be a clue,” said Cordelia. “Remember what the Wind Witch said: ‘For the evil done him by the Walkers — ’”
    “‘For all the evil done upon him by the Walkers—’”
    “Bren, she was talking about revenge. And him was her father, Denver Kristoff. It must be revenge for something that happened decades ago. Maybe Kristoff started a blood feud against us.”
    “Why would he do that?”
    “I don’t know; why does anybody start blood feuds?”
    “Maybe that old bag is crazy . She said a lot of stuff back there. ‘The craven consultation with Dr. Hayes’? Who’s he? What’s that even mean?”
    “I don’t know . . . but our family used to live in San Francisco.”
    “And you think some relative of ours just happened to know the guy who built this house?”
    “Not just some relative. Dr. Rutherford Walker, our great-great-grandfather, who owned this trunk. What did Dad tell you about him?”
    Brendan sighed. “He was the one who settled here. He jumped off a boat when it anchored in the bay, because San Francisco was so beautiful. And he stayed.”
    “Maybe Dahlia Kristoff fell in love with him.”
    “Like he’d date a bald chick.”
    “She wasn’t bald then , obviously—”
    “Guys!” Eleanor yelled. “We’re supposed to be looking for Mom and Dad!”
    “We are, Nell—just help me get this trunk open—”
    “No! We have to find them now !” Eleanor’s mouth trembled. “Aren’t you worried that they’re dead ? Didn’t you see that table hit Mom and that chair hit Dad? And there’s blood on the wall downstairs? I don’t want to be an orphan! I want Mom! I want Mom! ” Her face collapsed into angry angles. She doubled over, crying, pressing her fists into her eyes.
    “Nell, it’s all right,” Brendan said, wrapping her up. “Close your eyes, okay?”
    “They’re already closed !”
    “Okay, so keep them closed. And . . . ah . . . think about a happy time.”
    “Like before our parents were gone ?”
    “Ah, yes . . . Deal, a little help?”
    “Think about the future,” Cordelia said, gently pulling Eleanor’s fists away from her face. “When we find Mom and Dad.”
    Eleanor held back her next set of tears. “Are your guys’ eyes closed too?”
    Cordelia looked to Brendan. He shut his eyes. She shut hers. They all pictured the same thing: their smiling parents, alive and well, occasionally bickering, often annoying, but full of love. “They’re closed,” Cordelia said.
    “Okay, so we’re gonna open them, and then we’re gonna make it our mission to find Mom and Dad.