Read Online Midnight for Charlie Bone (Children Of The Red King, Book 1) by Jenny Nimmo - Free Book Online

strides.
                "The faster I go the more energy I burn," explained Paton, "so there's less left over for -accidents."
                "Can I ask you something, Uncle Paton?"
                "You can ask, but I might not answer," said Paton.
                "When did it happen? I mean, can you remember when you found out that you could make the lights brighter?" Paton said wistfully. “It happened on my seventh birthday I was so excited I shattered all the lightbulbs - there was glass everywhere children were screaming and pulling pieces out of their hair. They all went home early and I was left confused and unhappy, I didn't realize that I had caused it all until my sisters told me. They were very pleased. Thank goodness he's normal,” they said, as if shattering glass was normal and being ordinary was not. My parents were overjoyed. I had no other talents, you see. They let me finish everybody's ice cream, and then I was sick."
                "Did you mind," asked Charlie, "being a Yewbeam, when you found out that it meant being different?"
                Just a few doors from number nine, Uncle Paton came to a halt. "Look, Charlie," he said gravely. “You'll find that it's just a question of managing things. If you keep quiet about your talent, then all will be well. Keep it in the family as they say And never use it for frivolous reasons."
                "Benjamin knows about the voices," Charlie confessed. "But he won't tell anyone."
                "I'm sure he won't," said Paton, moving on again. "He's an odd little fellow For all we know he too might be a child of the Red King."
                "The who?" asked Charlie.
                Paton sprang up the steps of number nine. "I'll tell you about him another time," he said. "By the way I wouldn't mention the bookseller to Grandma Bone, if I were you." He opened the front door before Charlie could ask why.
                Behind the door stood Grandma Bone, her face like thunder. "Where have you two been?" she demanded.
                "None of your business, Grizelda," said Paton, striding past her.
                “Are you going to tell me?" she asked Charlie.
                "Leave the boy alone," said Paton, marching up the stairs. A second later his door closed with a bang.
                Charlie ran into the kitchen before Grandma Bone could question him again. His mother was alone, reading a newspaper.
                "I was with Uncle Paton," Charlie told her, "just walking."
                "Oh." She looked anxious. "I suppose you know about his -what he does?"
                "Yes. It's OK, Mom. It doesn't worry me. In fact, it's a relief to know there's someone else in the family who can -do something peculiar." Charlie couldn't stifle a yawn. Today he'd walked farther than he'd ever walked in his life - and faster. "I think I'd better go to bed," he said. He was about to fall asleep when he remembered the keys in his jacket pocket. He felt they should be well hidden. Grandma Bone would probably search his room tomorrow She was already suspicious. Why did she have to know absolutely everything? It wasn't fair. He put the keys in the toe of one of his soccer shoes. Hopefully she wouldn't want to look in such a smelly place.
                Next morning, after breakfast, Charlie collected the bag of keys and put them back in the inside pocket of his jacket. Unfortunately there was a loud jangling noise when he leaped down the last three steps of the stairs. This happened just as Grandma Bone was coming out of the kitchen.
                "What's that noise?" she asked.
                "My pocket money,” said Charlie.
                "No, it isn't. Show me what you've got tucked in your jacket."
                "Why should I?" Charlie asked very loudly He hoped