Read Online The Planet of Junior Brown by Virginia Hamilton - Free Book Online
Authors: Virginia Hamilton
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wouldnât fall forward before he was ready, he took a strong grip on the ladder with his hands and feet and swung himself out into darkness. Buddy climbed down the ladder with his eyes tight shut. He had the eerie sensation that he was suspended forever in space, that there was no beginning to the ladder and no end. Again he told himself as he had before that there was no need for him to keep his eyes open and chance dirt and mortar falling into them.
Thatâs not why I keep them closed, he thought. Actually he didnât want to be reminded of his blindness in the dark.
Iâm not afraid.
It was true, his heart beat steadily and he was not even breathing hard.
To be afraid of the dark is to be afraid of Buddy Clark.
Finally Buddyâs feet touched the solid basement floor. He eased himself into a standing position, grunting with relief. His hands were sore from the hemp of the ladder but otherwise he was fine. He held onto the ladder with one hand in case he would need suddenly to swing back up again. The ladder was as invisible as he was in the blackness.
Buddy didnât move. He listened, relaxing one arm and hand at his side. Sounds from outside were muffled here. He could tune them out of his mind from long practice, so that he was aware of only sound from the basement. He heard breathing. Buddy listened to it for a long time and located it to the front of the mountain of ceiling mortar and floorboards. Next he listened to hear if the breathing was strained at all. There was tension in the sound; it told Buddy that whoever breathed so hard was frightened.
Buddy smiled to himself and waited for whatever kid it was to control his fear. Alone in the city, courage was an important bit of schooling, for the kid without it couldnât survive long.
There was a scramble of feet around the mountain of debris to a place on the other side from Buddy. Figuring out the sound of movement, Buddy knew there were two kids hiding. He was disappointed in them. He let go of the ladder. Bending, lifting one foot and then the other, Buddy removed his shoes and socks. Barefooted, he walked soundlessly over the icy floor. The rope ladder hung to the right of the mountain of debris. Some eight to ten feet in front of the ladder and the debris was the basement wall. The kids would expect him to come forward from the ladder to the open space in front of the debris. Buddy guessed that they would be crouched on the other side facing front, in the hope of hearing him coming, getting around him and reaching the ladder before he could find them.
They donât know itâs me, either. They are going to break for it because theyâre sure it isnât me.
Buddy made his way around the back of the mountain. When he had taken four steps on the other side, he was directly behind the kids without their having heard him. Inside himself Buddy felt the contentment of his own confidence. In the dark he had taught himself to see with his mind. His senses heard and smelled and registered in him the smallest detail about the boys. And then Buddy crouched and sprung on them, catching their necks in the crook of his powerful arms.
Soundlessly the boys struggled to breathe. As Buddy applied more pressure to their throats, they grew stiff, stunned by the knowledge that they were at someoneâs mercy.
With a gruff laugh Buddy loosened his hold, flinging the boys away like stuffed toys and then rushing them again to grab each one tightly by the shoulder.
âTomorrow Billy!â One of them said, âJeesus, itâs you!â
âIs it really him?â the other one said. This boy was younger than the other. Gripping his thin shoulder, Buddy could feel him shaking.
âItâs me,â Buddy said. He loosened his hold on the younger boy but kept his hand on him. As the boy moved closer to him, Buddy gently held him by the scruff of his neck.
âOkay now,â Buddy told them. He kept his grip on the older
Thatâs not why I keep them closed, he thought. Actually he didnât want to be reminded of his blindness in the dark.
Iâm not afraid.
It was true, his heart beat steadily and he was not even breathing hard.
To be afraid of the dark is to be afraid of Buddy Clark.
Finally Buddyâs feet touched the solid basement floor. He eased himself into a standing position, grunting with relief. His hands were sore from the hemp of the ladder but otherwise he was fine. He held onto the ladder with one hand in case he would need suddenly to swing back up again. The ladder was as invisible as he was in the blackness.
Buddy didnât move. He listened, relaxing one arm and hand at his side. Sounds from outside were muffled here. He could tune them out of his mind from long practice, so that he was aware of only sound from the basement. He heard breathing. Buddy listened to it for a long time and located it to the front of the mountain of ceiling mortar and floorboards. Next he listened to hear if the breathing was strained at all. There was tension in the sound; it told Buddy that whoever breathed so hard was frightened.
Buddy smiled to himself and waited for whatever kid it was to control his fear. Alone in the city, courage was an important bit of schooling, for the kid without it couldnât survive long.
There was a scramble of feet around the mountain of debris to a place on the other side from Buddy. Figuring out the sound of movement, Buddy knew there were two kids hiding. He was disappointed in them. He let go of the ladder. Bending, lifting one foot and then the other, Buddy removed his shoes and socks. Barefooted, he walked soundlessly over the icy floor. The rope ladder hung to the right of the mountain of debris. Some eight to ten feet in front of the ladder and the debris was the basement wall. The kids would expect him to come forward from the ladder to the open space in front of the debris. Buddy guessed that they would be crouched on the other side facing front, in the hope of hearing him coming, getting around him and reaching the ladder before he could find them.
They donât know itâs me, either. They are going to break for it because theyâre sure it isnât me.
Buddy made his way around the back of the mountain. When he had taken four steps on the other side, he was directly behind the kids without their having heard him. Inside himself Buddy felt the contentment of his own confidence. In the dark he had taught himself to see with his mind. His senses heard and smelled and registered in him the smallest detail about the boys. And then Buddy crouched and sprung on them, catching their necks in the crook of his powerful arms.
Soundlessly the boys struggled to breathe. As Buddy applied more pressure to their throats, they grew stiff, stunned by the knowledge that they were at someoneâs mercy.
With a gruff laugh Buddy loosened his hold, flinging the boys away like stuffed toys and then rushing them again to grab each one tightly by the shoulder.
âTomorrow Billy!â One of them said, âJeesus, itâs you!â
âIs it really him?â the other one said. This boy was younger than the other. Gripping his thin shoulder, Buddy could feel him shaking.
âItâs me,â Buddy said. He loosened his hold on the younger boy but kept his hand on him. As the boy moved closer to him, Buddy gently held him by the scruff of his neck.
âOkay now,â Buddy told them. He kept his grip on the older
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