Read Online Prince of Air by Ann Hood - Free Book Online Page A

pulled a very large pocket watch from his vest pocket.
    â€œAnd,” he added, “it is seven seventeen PM .”
    He wiggled his eyebrows and turned back to his conversation.
    â€œHow could we have traveled to a different day?” Felix blurted.
    When he saw that Maisie still didn’t understand, he said, “Every other time, we landed back on the same day, just a different year. We left Newport during the VIP Christmas party on December 9, and landed in China on December 9. But December 9, 1899. We left Newport on—”
    â€œI get it,” Maisie said, considering what this might mean. “This time we traveled back to 18—”
    â€œ93,” Felix said.
    â€œBut three months
later
,” she said.
    Felix nodded.
    â€œWhat could that mean?” Maisie asked.
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe nothing. But I don’t like it,” he added.
    â€œSomething’s different this time,” Maisie said.
    â€œRight,” Felix said. “But what?”

    The carousel at Coney Island was like nothing Maisie or Felix had ever seen before. They were used to the one in Central Park that moved at a dizzying speed with loud music blasting from it. Felix thought this one, The Roundabout, was like a piece of art. Each horse had a real horsehair tail. Painted white and frozen in midleap or prance, they each had a vividly colored mane—scarlet or bright yellow or midnight blue—and bridles in turquoise or purple trimmed with shiny fake jewels.
    â€œCreepy,” Maisie said, pointing to the mouth of one of the horses, which showed a mouthful of teeth.
    â€œHe’s smiling,” Felix said. In fact, they all had their teeth bared like that.
    â€œOr grimacing,” Maisie said, climbing on.
    Still, she had to admit that it was kind of lovely to ride slowly around on one of these painted horses as the sky shifted from dusk to night and the lights of Coney Island came on, illuminating the rides and the people and the runway in bright white light.
    Maisie even gave in and took a second ride on The Roundabout before claiming she’d had enough.
    Off the carousel, walking with the crowd, Felix began to feel a little nervous. Now that it was dark, he realized they had no place to sleep for the night. Surely Coney Island shut down at some point. And then what would they do?
    His thoughts were interrupted by a man trying to lure customers.
    â€œLadies and gentlemen! Anywhere else but in the ocean breezes of Coney Island, she would be consumed by her own fire! But you can see Little Egypt’s electric gyrations here! Now!”
    The crowd pushed forward toward the man, taking Maisie and Felix with it.
    â€œDon’t rush,” the man warned as he took people’s nickels. “There’s room for everybody.”
    He laughed when Felix gave him two nickels.
    â€œYou’ll grow up a little tonight, son,” he said. “And so will your girl.” He pronounced
girl
like
goil.
    â€œShe’s not my girl,” Felix said. “She’s my sister.”
    That made the man laugh harder. He waved them along, starting his spiel again.
    â€œAnywhere else but in the ocean breezes of Coney Island . . .”
    â€œWhat do you think Little Egypt is going to do?” Maisie whispered to Felix.
    A teenage boy in front of them turned around, surprised.
    â€œWhy, she dances the kootch. Haven’t you heard?”
    â€œWhat’s that?” Maisie said, thinking it sounded like some kind of terrible disease instead of a dance.
    â€œThe hootchie kootch!” he said, looking at her like she had come from another planet. Which, Maisie thought, she had in a way.
    Music came on, both eerie and familiar. The crowd hushed.
    Out came a woman in a belly dancer costume. She wore purple harem pants and a midriff blouse made of layers of sheer lavender with gold circles hanging from it. Her torso was exposed, and as she stood in the spotlight, she