Read Online Charlie Bone and the Time Twister (Children of the Red King, Book 2) by Jenny Nimmo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jenny Nimmo
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looking at the tall, white freezer and then he took the Time Twister out of his pocket. Charlie caught a glimpse of sparkling light in Henry's hand and he looked away quickly But the light was reflected on the low ceiling, and through a mist of swirling colors Charlie could make out a city of dazzling golden domes, and then a range of snow-clad mountains. The snow became a forest, and the trees turned into the crashing green waves of a mighty sea. And then a river of glass swept beneath the bluest sky Charlie had ever seen.
Mesmerized by the amazing world above him, Charlie felt himself being drawn toward it. When his feet began to slide out from under him, he tore his gaze away from the ceiling, but he was too late to see his cousin step into the freezer. Henry had already disappeared.
Charlie stared at the tall white door. How long should he wait? He didn't want to ruin Henry's chances, but what if he should freeze to death before the Time Twister did its work. He closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. Then, seizing the freezer door, he pulled.
The door wouldn't open. Charlie pulled again. He put both hands on the handle, braced himself, and tugged with all his might. The freezer door was stuck fast. Either it was ice, or some tremendous force inside the freezer was holding the door shut.
Charlie tried again. He banged on the freezer, he twisted,, pulled, had a short rest, and then tried again. “Henry! Henry!" he called, pummeling the door.
“And what d'you think you're doing, Charlie Bone?"
Charlie whirled around to see Cook standing in the doorway.
"I . . . I . . ., " Charlie began. "Cook, there's a boy in the freezer. I don't know if he's dead or . . . or gone. You see he might've, but I've got to know . . ."
"Lord save us," cried Cook, almost knocking Charlie off his feet as she charged at the freezer.
With one mighty heave, she pulled open the door.
Henry was crouched at the bottom, under a huge frozen carcass. His face was blue and his hair and cape were covered in frost.
"Heaven's above!" exclaimed Cook as she pulled Henry out of the freezer.
He was cold and stiff but Charlie was relieved to hear him give a small groan as Cook gathered him into her arms.
"Follow me, Charlie Bone," she commanded. "You'd better tell me what all this is about."
Cook crashed her way through the door, across the kitchen, and into what started out as a broom closet, but ended up being a long, softly lit corridor. Even though she was carrying Henry Cook walked so fast, Charlie found it hard to keep up with her.
At the end of the corridor, several steps led down to another small closet and this opened into one of the coziest places Charlie had ever seen. Bright pictures hung all around the room, from just beneath the very low ceiling, almost to the floor. The chairs looked old and soft, and a gleaming ancient dresser had been filled with gold patterned cups and plates. In a deep alcove there was a large black stove; a kettle boiled on the top, while bright coals flickered in a window at the bottom. They filled the room with a warm, glowing light.
Cook laid Henry in a large armchair beside the stove and began to rub his hands. As she did this, Henry's stiff fingers relaxed and the Time Twister dropped to the floor.
"What's that?" said Cook.
"It's er . . . um . . . a Time Twister," said Charlie.
"Huh!" grunted Cook, not at all surprised. "I might have known. It always causes trouble. Put it in that red mug on the dresser. But don't look at it."
"I won't," said Charlie. He picked up the shining marble and dropped it into the mug. Vivid colors spun and twisted inside the mug, and Charlie was tempted to wait and see what sort of picture they would make.
"Don't look, Charlie!" Cook warned again.
"No, no. I won't." Charlie stepped away from the dresser.
Cook continued to rub Henry's fingers, but he didn't stir or make a sound. She looked back at Charlie and said, "You stupid boy You of all people, Charlie Bone. What
Mesmerized by the amazing world above him, Charlie felt himself being drawn toward it. When his feet began to slide out from under him, he tore his gaze away from the ceiling, but he was too late to see his cousin step into the freezer. Henry had already disappeared.
Charlie stared at the tall white door. How long should he wait? He didn't want to ruin Henry's chances, but what if he should freeze to death before the Time Twister did its work. He closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. Then, seizing the freezer door, he pulled.
The door wouldn't open. Charlie pulled again. He put both hands on the handle, braced himself, and tugged with all his might. The freezer door was stuck fast. Either it was ice, or some tremendous force inside the freezer was holding the door shut.
Charlie tried again. He banged on the freezer, he twisted,, pulled, had a short rest, and then tried again. “Henry! Henry!" he called, pummeling the door.
“And what d'you think you're doing, Charlie Bone?"
Charlie whirled around to see Cook standing in the doorway.
"I . . . I . . ., " Charlie began. "Cook, there's a boy in the freezer. I don't know if he's dead or . . . or gone. You see he might've, but I've got to know . . ."
"Lord save us," cried Cook, almost knocking Charlie off his feet as she charged at the freezer.
With one mighty heave, she pulled open the door.
Henry was crouched at the bottom, under a huge frozen carcass. His face was blue and his hair and cape were covered in frost.
"Heaven's above!" exclaimed Cook as she pulled Henry out of the freezer.
He was cold and stiff but Charlie was relieved to hear him give a small groan as Cook gathered him into her arms.
"Follow me, Charlie Bone," she commanded. "You'd better tell me what all this is about."
Cook crashed her way through the door, across the kitchen, and into what started out as a broom closet, but ended up being a long, softly lit corridor. Even though she was carrying Henry Cook walked so fast, Charlie found it hard to keep up with her.
At the end of the corridor, several steps led down to another small closet and this opened into one of the coziest places Charlie had ever seen. Bright pictures hung all around the room, from just beneath the very low ceiling, almost to the floor. The chairs looked old and soft, and a gleaming ancient dresser had been filled with gold patterned cups and plates. In a deep alcove there was a large black stove; a kettle boiled on the top, while bright coals flickered in a window at the bottom. They filled the room with a warm, glowing light.
Cook laid Henry in a large armchair beside the stove and began to rub his hands. As she did this, Henry's stiff fingers relaxed and the Time Twister dropped to the floor.
"What's that?" said Cook.
"It's er . . . um . . . a Time Twister," said Charlie.
"Huh!" grunted Cook, not at all surprised. "I might have known. It always causes trouble. Put it in that red mug on the dresser. But don't look at it."
"I won't," said Charlie. He picked up the shining marble and dropped it into the mug. Vivid colors spun and twisted inside the mug, and Charlie was tempted to wait and see what sort of picture they would make.
"Don't look, Charlie!" Cook warned again.
"No, no. I won't." Charlie stepped away from the dresser.
Cook continued to rub Henry's fingers, but he didn't stir or make a sound. She looked back at Charlie and said, "You stupid boy You of all people, Charlie Bone. What
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