The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer Read Free Book Online Page B

Their kitchen table looked like the cover of a cookbook.
    Just when they thought they couldn’t possibly eat any more, their grandmother pulled a huge birthday cake out of the oven. The twins were amazed; they hadn’t even realized she had been baking one. She sang “Happy Birthday,” and the twins blew out the candles.
    “Now, open your presents!” Grandma said. “I’ve been collecting for you all year!”
    They opened their boxes and were flooded with knickknacks from all the countries their grandmother had been to.
    Alex was given copies of her favorite books in other languages:
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
in French,
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
in German, and
Little Women
in Dutch. Conner got a pile of candies and tacky T-shirts that said things like “My crazy Grandma traveled to India and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.”
    They both received several figurines of famous structures, like the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Taj Mahal.
    “It’s crazy to think that places like this actually exist in the world,” Alex said, holding an Eiffel Tower in her hand.
    “You would be amazed to know what’s out there just waiting to be discovered,” their grandma said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.
    A day with very low expectations had turned into one of the best birthdays they’d ever had.
    As the night grew later, the visit with their grandmother began to come to a bittersweet end. Since their dad had died, they never saw their grandmother for more than a day at a time, and there were always a few months between each visit. She was always so busy with her travels.
    “When do you leave?” Alex asked her grandmother.
    “Tomorrow,” she said. “As soon as I take you to school.”
    The twins’ postures sank a bit.
    “What’s the matter?” asked their grandmother, sensing their spirits sink.
    “We just wish you could stay longer, Grandma. That’s all,” Conner said.
    “We really miss you when you’re gone,” Alex added. “Things are so gloomy here without Dad, but you make everything seem like it’s going to be okay.”
    Their grandmother’s constant smile faded slightly, and her gaze drifted off toward the window. She stared blankly into the night sky and took a deep breath.
    “Oh, kiddos, if I could spend every day with you, I would,” Grandma said longingly, perhaps more disheartened than she intended to show. “But sometimes life hands us certain responsibilities—not because we want them, but because we were meant to have them—and it’s our duty to see to them. All I can ever think about is how much I miss you two and your dad when I’m away.”
    It was hard for Alex and Conner to understand. Did she not want to travel as much as she did?
    Their grandmother looked back at them; her eyes were bright with a new idea.
    “I almost forgot. I have one more gift for you!” Grandma said, and jumped up and skipped into the next room.
    She returned carrying a large, old book with a dark emerald cover titled
The Land of Stories
in gold writing. Alex and Conner knew what the book was as soon as they saw it. If their childhood could be symbolized by an object, it was this book.
    “It’s your old storybook!” Alex proclaimed. “I haven’t seen that in years!”
    Their grandmother nodded. “It’s very old and has been with our family for a long time,” Grandma told them. “I take it with me everywhere I go and read it to the children in other countries. But now I want you two to have it.”
    The twins were shocked by the gesture.
    “What?” Conner asked. “We can’t take your book, Grandma. That’s
The Land of Stories
. It’s
your
book. It’s always been so important to you.”
    Their grandmother opened the book and flipped through the pages. The entire room filled with its musty-paper aroma.
    “That’s very true,” said Grandma. “This book and I have spent a lot of time together over the years, but the best times were when I read it to you. So I’d