The Mapmaker and the Ghost Read Online Free PDF Page A

the truth and nodded. The old woman laughed, flashing her hideous teeth.
    â€œWith my arthritis, I think it’ll take me about a week just to make it to the center of the woods. And if I’m gone for a week, believe me, my son will have the whole town out looking for me. Then I’ll be the crazy old lady on the news who dodged a search party and claimed I was only trying to pluck a rose.”
    Goldenrod hesitated for a moment. “Why don’t you just take a cell phone in there with you?”
    â€œSmart girl! Unfortunately, can’t get any reception in the woods. See how dense those trees are?” She pointed to them.
    Uh-oh
, Goldenrod thought.
No reception?
Well, she couldn’t see any reason why her mother would have to know about that.
    â€œCan’t you just tell your son where you’re going and then he won’t worry?”
    The old woman laughed again. “You just wait until your seventy-one-year-old mother tells you she’s planning to hike all alone into the woods and see what you say!”
    Seventy-one?
Goldenrod would have guessed that she was more like a hundred. But that was probably the fairy tales talking again.
    â€œI haven’t dared mention this whole rose idea to anyone,” the old lady continued. “In fact, you’re the only person I’ve ever told about it.”
    â€œReally? Why would you tell me?” Goldenrod blinked in surprise.
    â€œSame reason I’m the only one you ever told about your map.”
    â€œBut how did you—”
    â€œYou just wait until you’re seventy-one, honey. You’d be surprised the amount of things you know. Anyway, since you’re already on your way into the woods, if you run across that bush next week, could you cut three roses for me? They will keep for a whole week if you’re able to store them in an airtight container as soon as you clip them,” the old lady continued, her eyes shining almost as if she could see Goldenrod’s specimen jar through her backpack.
    â€œSure,” Goldenrod said without any hesitation. Flora that possibly no one had ever heard of before? This was clearly a great stroke of luck!
    â€œWonderful! Thank you so much. And just for even saying you’ll try, how about I help you out with some of those measurements? It seems like you could save time if you had an assistant, eh?”
    Goldenrod had no idea how the old woman knew what she had been thinking, but she was glad for the help. So she took out her measuring tape, gave one end to the old lady, and went about the business of measuring all around herhouse. For a brief, shining moment she wondered if maybe this old lady would turn into her replacement Clark. But then she came to her senses and remembered the woman’s arthritis and why she couldn’t go into the woods in the first place. Still, there was something about this old lady that Goldenrod liked very much, and that afternoon, for the first time in a while, she felt like she was talking to someone just like she would to a friend.

5
INTO THE WOODS
    The next day, Goldenrod was ready to finally step into the forest itself. As soon as she arrived at its edge, she saw the old lady again diligently working in her garden.
    â€œHow about a muffin before you set off?” the old lady asked her.
    Goldenrod hesitated and took a quick peek at her watch.
    â€œI’ll make it snappy,” the old lady promised.
    â€œSure. Thank you,” Goldenrod said.
    â€œJust have a seat.” She pointed to one of two rusty white metal chairs on her front porch before she bustled into the house.
    She was back a minute later, carrying a plastic store-bought bin of muffins and two mugs with spoons sticking out of them. “Nothing goes better with banana chocolate chip muffins than chocolate milk.”
    â€œThank you,” Goldenrod said politely as she stared at the chalky mixture inside her mug. A big clump of powder floated on top,