The Nowhere Emporium by Ross Mackenzie Read Free Book Online Page A

write?”
    “That is up to you,” said Silver. “Though I would advise starting with something small. A solitary room, perhaps. Nothing too fancy.”
    Daniel thought and thought. Then, from nowhere, an image appeared in his mind, something comforting from his past, and the idea began to blossom and flower. When he was as certain as he could be, he began to write in Mr Silver’s book.
    When he had finished, the entire page was filled with the neatest handwriting he could manage. His fingers tingled warmly.
    Silver motioned for Daniel to hand the book over.
    “Do you think it worked?” Daniel’s heart punched at the inside of his chest.
    Mr Silver shook the messy hair from his eyes and went to the door.
    “Let’s find out,” he said.
    The Emporium was closed, which meant the corridors were deserted and cloaked in shadow. As he followed Silver, sticking close, Daniel imagined that he could hear the walls breathing. A shiver danced down his spine.
    As if reading his mind, Mr Silver said, “It’s perfectly safe to walk the corridors – to explore. In fact, I encourage it. Everything you see is under my control. Nothing will harm you. In all the years I have been welcoming customers into the Emporium, no one has left with so much as a bruise.”
    “It’s just the thought of getting lost,” said Daniel. “I could wander around forever.”
    “You will find your feet,” said Silver. “Walking the corridors and passageways will become second nature. And know this: if, by some curious twist of fate, you find yourself in trouble, the Emporium will help you. All you have to do is ask.”
    Silver slowed at last. He tilted his head to the side, as if he were listening for some faraway sound. He took four slow steps, to the nearest shining black door, and pressed his ear against the surface. He stepped back. His gaze flicked from the door to Daniel and back.
    “This is new,” he said. “And it is not one of mine.” He gave Daniel a curious look, like he was staring at some alien creature. “Open it.”
    Daniel trembled as he approached the door. Even after everything he’d seen these past few days, he couldn’t quite believe that a new room had appeared simply because he’d written in an old book. And at the same time, he felt a strange sense of wondrous pride. But was it enough? Would he pass the test?
    His hand was slick with sweat as it grasped the door handle. The lock gave a satisfying click. The door opened.
    The room was circular and dim and cold, and in the centre stood a column of stone, honeycombed with hundreds, thousands, of open compartments. In each compartment sat a glass sphere. A staircase wound up around the column, stretching into endless darkness.
    Mr Silver stared around. His mouth hung open a little.
    Daniel reached out to touch the column. He half expected his hand to pass through, that it was not real. But his fingers found the cool, rough stone.
    “It’s real!” he whispered. “It’s really here, just like I imagined when I was writing in the book!”
    Silver selected a sphere from the column and spun it in his hands, watching as a flurry of snow whipped around the inside of the glass.
    “Snow globes,” he said. “Why snow globes?”
    Daniel had already begun to climb the spiral staircase, staring at the hundreds of shining glass globes. Some were smaller than marbles, others larger than his head. Each was empty, save for the snowflakes inside.
    “My mum collected them,” Daniel said. “It’s one of the only things I really remember about her from before Dad died. Before she was sad all the time. When I was little, I’d sit on her knee and she’d tell me each one had a secret inside. That’s what this room is: a place to keep secrets. The globes are empty because they’re waiting to be filled. Whisper your secret into one and it’ll be safe.”
    Mr Silver brushed his hands against a few of the snow globes. He stared about, a delighted twinkle dancing in his grey