The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau Read Free Book Online Page A

papers. Toward the bottom of the pile, she found an envelope so old that its edges had come apart. Inside was a photograph on cardboard backing. She had just time to glance at it, and to notice that something about it was odd but she wasnt sure what, when she saw Crystals car pull up outside. Nickie put the photograph back in its envelope. She scooped her piles off the window seat and put them in the toy cabinet, where Otis couldnt get at them. Now, you sleep, she said to Otis. She left the room, closed the door behind her, and crammed some rags under it. Then she raced downstairs.
    Crystal was just coming in the front door. She took her coat off and hung it on the coatrack in the hall. Well, I met the real estate agent, she said. Len Caldwell, his name is. Quite nice and helpful. Hes very tall and has a funny little mustache. She smiled at Nickie. And whats been happening here?
    Nickie opened her mouth and then quickly closed it. Oh, Ive just been wandering around, she said. I love how big and spacious this house is, dont you?
    Its big, all right, said Crystal. Thereis something nice about having space to spread out. Of course, its just more space that has to be cleaned.
    Nickie was about to mention the beautiful curving staircase and the view of mountains from the back windowsbut just then the phone rang.
    Crystal picked it up. Hello? she said. Rachel! How are you?
    It was Nickies mother.
    Uh-huh, said Crystal. Uh-huh, uh-huh. I know, its really hard.
    I want to talk to her! Nickie whispered loudly.
    You did? said Crystal. What did it say?
    What didwhat say? Nickie said.
    Huh, said Crystal. Odd. Here, tell Nickie; she wants to know.
    Mom! said Nickie into the phone. Are you okay?
    Im okay, said her mothers weary voice. I got a postcard from your father.
    You did? What did he say?
    Not much. I hope hes all right. I just wish I knew where he was.
    Read it to me, Nickie said. But wait a secI need to find a pencil. I want to write it down.
    So her mother read her the postcard, and Nickie wrote down what she said. Then they talked for a while about her mothers job, about bomb alerts in the city, and about how cold it was. Nickie said how much she loved Greenhaven, and what a terrible mistake it would be to sell it. When they said goodbye, Nickie would have felt sad if she hadnt had the words of the postcard to study:
    Dear Rachel and Nickie,
    All is fine here. Work is going well. Wish I could tell you where I am, but its strictly forbidden.
    My love to you both, Dad
    P.S. Three sparrows came to the bird feeder today!
    Her mother was right. It didnt say much. Though it did tell her something new about her fathershe hadnt known he was interested in birds at all.

    CHAPTER 7 ______________
    The Short Way Home
    Grover couldnt concentrate at school that day. The classrooms were alive with whispers about the terrorist in the woods, and the bloody letter, and what Brenda Beeson said it meant. Even his teacher seemed nervous, Grover thought. She kept glancing out the window, and twice she came up with the wrong answers to the problems she was explaining.
    After school, still more kids surrounded Grover and asked him to describe what hed seen. He wished he could tell them that the Prophet herself had come to examine the bloody cloth. She was the one they were curious about. But no one had seen her since shed had her visionbesides the doctor, no one but Mrs. Beeson and her small, devoted group. Grover remembered seeing Althea Tower in the bookshop sometimes before her vision, but she hadnt been interesting thenjust a sort of fluffy-haired woman with rimless glasses and dust on her fingertips from handling used books. Shed always smiled at him when he went in there, but she never said much. She was pale, as he recalled, and wispy, and had a quiet voice.
    But now hed like to get a glimpse of her, to see if her eyes looked scorched and her hair frizzled like electric wires, to see if her face looked blasted, or frozen into astonishment, or