Read Online The Unseen by Zilpha Keatley Snyder - Free Book Online Page B

Xandra was angry at all of them. “Nothing,” she said. “Nothing you'd understand.” Then she turned her back on the Mob and stomped into the classroom.

E VEN THOUGH THERE was a lot to do at school the rest of that day, the hours crept by slowly. But the last class was finally over, followed by a frustrating bus ride home during which Belinda refused to talk about anything important. And then another long school day had to be lived through before Xandra could hope to get some answers to her questions. Answers to the terribly important questions about what had really happened in the basement, and what had only seemed to be happening, as well as what might happen next.
    “Okay, what did you find out?” Xandra started before Belinda had finished stowing her book bag in the overhead rack. “What were those things? And what was going on? I mean, were those awful things real, or did we kind of dream them?”
    Belinda stared at Xandra thoughtfully for a long time before she answered. “A dream? Maybe you could call it that.” She nodded. “Yes. Maybe that's how you ought to think about it.”
    Suddenly Xandra was angry. “I don't want to know how I
ought
to think about it. What I want to know is what were they. What were those awful dark blobs full of eyes and teeth?”
    Belinda shook her head, her eyes on the ground. “I don't know. That is, I don't know how to explain.”
    “Why not?” Xandra insisted. “Because you really don't know how or because … Or maybe because your grandfather told you not to tell me.”
    Belinda looked up quickly. For a long moment they stared at each other before Belinda took a deep breath and said, “No. Not exactly. He did tell me it was a mistake to show you how to use the Key. He said I made a mistake to ask him if I could, and he made a mistake too, because you were …” Belinda paused and then went on. “Because things were different than what he expected.”
    “Different?” Xandra interrupted impatiently. “What does that mean?”
    There was a long pause. “My grandfather said he thought you—he thought the whole thing would be very different, that's all.” Belinda was silent for a moment before she took a deep breath and said, “He said we shouldn't—you shouldn't—use the Key like that anymore. Not ever.”
    Xandra's frustration was about to boil over when Belinda reached out toward her and said, “Wait. You shouldn't get angry.”
    “Why not? Why shouldn't I be angry? You and your witch doctor grandfather …”
    Belinda glanced up, obviously checking to see if anyone had overheard. “Shhh,” she pleaded. “Don't say things like that.” There was concern, maybe even fright, in her voice and in her dark eyes.
    Watching her closely, Xandra asked, “Like what? Like calling your grandfather a witch doctor? Isn't he something like that? He must be.”
    Belinda shook her head decisively. “No. Nothing like that.”
    “What is he, then?” Xandra demanded. “If he's not a witch doctor or some kind of wizard, how come he knows about things like my enchanted feather and what would happen to me if I used it?”
    “He's just a very wise person. And he wouldn't have told me how to use the Key if I hadn't begged him to. It was my fault. And he didn't expect what happened. Not at all.” Belinda turned away and then slowly turned back. She was speaking hesitantly, uncertainly, as she went on. “Maybe it would be better if you asked him about it yourself. If I could take you to see him, would you go? Would you do that?”
    A sudden rush of surprise wiped out Xandra's anger and left her feeling shaken and unsure. Shaken at first, but after a bit, curious—eagerly curious.
    “Yes,” she said. “I
do
want to do that. When? When can I see him?”
    Belinda thought for a moment before she asked, “How about tomorrow, Saturday? I could ask him tonight and if it's not all right I'll phone you from the service station andtell you not to come. But probably tomorrow would