Spirit’s Key Read Online Free PDF Page A

as a puppy.”
    Dad jumps on this. “See? It couldn’t have been Sky. It was just a baldie puppy that looked like Sky.”
    â€œThey don’t all look the same, Dad. Not to me. I’d recognize Sky anywhere.”
    â€œI know you would, sweetheart, but it just isn’t possible. Animals can’t be ghosts like people can.”
    What? I’m stunned. “Why not?”
    Dad pauses so long, I think he’ll have a good explanation, but all he says is, “They just can’t.”
    â€œBut how do you know they can’t?”
    â€œBecause I’ve never heard of anyone seeing a ghost animal before. Our family has a long history, but nothing like this. I understand it must be frustrating not to have your gift yet, but making things up won’t help it come. In fact, it will only create problems for us. You don’t want people here to think we’re charlatans do you? Please don’t give them a reason.” Dad puts his hand on his head like the thought of the people on the mainland who didn’t understand his gift causes him pain.
    â€œI wouldn’t lie, Dad.”
    â€œI know you wouldn’t. I just think maybe you saw what you wanted to see.”
    This doesn’t entirely make sense to me, because of course I wanted to see Sky. But I didn’t ask for him to be a puppy.
    â€œYou’re late for school. Mrs. Dialfield already called. She’s very worried. I was worried. You can’t scare your old man like this again. It tires me out.”
    â€œYou’re not old, Dad.”
    â€œI’m not as young as I used to be, so promise me you won’t go chasing any more baldies into the woods? Real or otherwise?”
    â€œBut, Dad—”
    â€œSpirit.” Dad says my name in his I-mean-business way.
    â€œOkay.” I nudge the fan with the end of my flip-flop. It falls over, and I have to set it upright again.
    â€œOkay, what?”
    â€œOkay, I promise.”
    â€œThank you. I need to lie down. When you get home from school, wake me up.”
    I nod, even though it’s ridiculous that Dad would still be asleep by this afternoon.
    He heads up the stairs. “I’ll be in the blue room.”
    Dad likes the blue room for naps.
    â€œOh, and can you drop Mrs. Borse’s packages next door? She has a fit if she doesn’t get them right away. You’re already so late for school that two more seconds won’t hurt.”
    â€œSure,” I say.
    â€œThank you, sweetheart.”
    My arms and legs are covered in sand and bramble scrapes. Before I go to school, I’ll have to wash up, so I choose the red bathroom. The red bathroom is a room you can be mad in.

 
    6
    T HE S ACRED B IRD
    Towers of provisions cover the red walls, and instead of finding bathroom regulars like toilet paper, medicine, or toothpaste, I find thirty-three boxes of macaroni and cheese (my favorite kind), ten flashlights (all with purple handles), twelve boxes of matches, enough dog food to feed Sky for years, and some yaupon tea from Mrs. Selnick. Some people barter for readings.
    As infuriating as it is that Dad doesn’t believe me about Sky, I can’t say he doesn’t think of me. And somewhere in our house is what I actually need: witch hazel for my bug bites, a washcloth, and some soap—and we probably have all this in large supply.
    I give up on finding what I need. Instead I make some yaupon tea to cure my anger. I decide going to school mad is worse than showing up hours late and covered in dirt. I gulp the tea down as quickly as I can and head out.
    Of course, it’s impossible to stay mad when I know that no matter what disaster may strike, I’ll be eating as much mac and cheese as I want in a room lit by purple flashlights.
    Even though I hate the idea that animals can’t be ghosts, maybe Dad is right. It’s true I thought I was dreaming at first. And they say first impressions are usually right,