Juniper Berry by M. P. Kozlowsky Read Free Book Online

knot, clawed at bark. Finally, Juniper pulled out her magnifying glass for closer inspection. Giles watched her. “Why do you have all those things?”
    â€œWhat things?” Juniper asked as she continued her investigation, her lips pursed and tight in concentration.
    â€œThat magnifying glass, those binoculars around your neck. Yesterday you pulled out a telescope-type thing.”
    â€œA monocular,” she answered without glancing up.
    â€œYeah, a monocular. Why do you use those things?”
    â€œI . . .” Juniper had to halt her examination for a moment as she thought this over. What was it she loved so much about these possessions? She was never asked before. While nonchalantly flipping the magnifying glass in her hand, she turned to look directly at Giles. “When I look through them I see . . .” She had to search for the right word, for words are very, very important. “I see the truth.”
    â€œThe truth,” Giles repeated.
    â€œThey can be very truthful. They bring everything closer.” She glanced at her surroundings. “That cloud doesn’t really look like that and neither does that ant and neither do the stars or the moon or you or me or anything else we see, for that matter. These let me see the smaller parts that make up everything else, the things that are hidden right before our eyes. I don’t know. What I like most of all is that they bring the world closer to me.” She shrugged, feeling like she might have rambled on too long and sounded ridiculous. “They’re my spyglasses.”
    â€œYou like to spy on things?”
    â€œI like to explore. There’s so much out there to discover.” Speaking of which, she went back to inspecting the tree.
    â€œFor you, maybe.” Giles looked toward the sky with such a penetrating glare it was as if he wished to see right through it. “I think I found out all I’d like to know about this world.”
    â€œToo bad it’s the only one we’ve got,” Juniper joked.
    Giles didn’t laugh. “Maybe not. There has to be something else out there, something better.”
    Juniper didn’t know how to respond to such a sad statement. It’s odd , she thought, he wants out of the world and I want in. Is there something in between?
    Her fingers traced a groove in the side of the tree, and she immediately focused her magnifying glass over it. “Look at this.”
    â€œWhat is it?” Giles asked.
    A voice answered from behind them: “That’s from Betsy.”
    The two friends turned to find Dmitri hovering over them, ax slung over his shoulder. There was a sudden rustling and they all watched as the raven took to the skies, screeching a disturbed tune. Dmitri eyed it suspiciously. Soon it was out of sight, who knows where and who knows if it was still watching.
    â€œBetsy?” Giles asked, staring at the blade.
    Dmitri extended his ax. “Betsy.”
    Giles hesitated for a moment, then grabbed it for a look. The blade immediately fell to the ground. Beet red from both embarrassment and effort, he struggled to remove it from the soil.
    Juniper questioned Dmitri. “You gave it a name?”
    â€œWell, people give all types of nonliving things names, don’t they? Cars, guns, rocking chairs.”
    â€œGuitars,” Giles offered as he finally pulled the blade free, nearly sending himself flying backward.
    â€œCareful now,” Dmitri urged before continuing. “That’s right, guitars, too. Coincidentally, guitars are also called axes, and are usually given female names. So I figured I’ll give my ax a name.”
    â€œYou chopped this tree?” Juniper asked.
    â€œJust one swipe. It’s an ugly tree. I wanted it for firewood for your family, but your father stopped me. He came running from the house. He was furious, eyes practically red. Told me to keep to that side of the yard, never to touch