The Prophet of Yonwood Read Online Free PDF

walking faster, as if to get away. The sound faded after a moment. Nickie decided it must be some gadget in the computer shop.
    Farther on, she found the Yonwood Market, and there she bought some bread, milk, eggs, and powdered cocoa. She bought a small box of dog biscuits, too, and tucked this under her jacket.
    Nickie was just turning off Main Street on the way back to Greenhaven when, from high overhead, there came a distant roar that quickly rose to a piercing scream, and five fighter jets streaked across the sky. Jets came often these days; they scared her. She stopped walking, set down the bag of groceries, and put her hands over her ears until the jets were gone.
    Then she felt someone touch her shoulder. She looked up to see an elderly woman standing over her. It might be starting, the woman said in a shaky voice. It might be starting right nowyou never knowbut its best not to be scared if you can help it. You need to have faith; thats what I say. Well be all right here because of what were doing, as long as we have faith, thats the main thing. The spidery hand patted Nickies shoulder. So dont worry, little girl, and remember to pray, and The woman glanced upward. Well be all right, because She trailed off and tottered away, leaving Nickie feeling the opposite of reassured. Maybe people here were just as scared as they were in the city. That made her heart sink a little. But on the other hand, the woman had said, Well be all right. It was confusing.
    Once she got back to Greenhaven, though, she forgot about it. She hid the dog biscuits in her bedroom and then went into the kitchen, where Crystal made hot chocolate for them. They sat at the huge, elegant dining room table. Crystal got out her to-do list.
    This room is somajestic, Nickie said. She had decided to point out good things about Greenhaven as often as she could, to change Crystals mind about selling it.
    I suppose so, said Crystal, glancing up. Certainly this table is very fine. It should fetch a good price. She went back to her list. Ill start by talking to the real estate agent, she said. Then Ill go make arrangements at the auction house and find a cleaning service. I should be back by noon.
    Ill stay here, said Nickie. I can start going through stuff.
    Youll be all right? You wont fall down the stairs or lean out high windows?
    Of course I wont, said Nickie. Ill just take stuff out of cupboards and boxes and look at it. Ill separate it into Stuff to Keep and Stuff to Throw Away.
    Throw Away will be the big pile, Crystal said.
    When Crystal had gone, Nickie fetched the dog biscuits and dashed up the stairs. Amanda! she called. Its me! She heard barking when she came to the door at the top. When she opened it, she saw Otis rocketing toward her. He skidded to a stop in front of her and rose to his hind feet, stretching his front paws up as if he wanted to pat her face. She knelt down and scratched his ears. Hi, Otis, she said. You sure are cute.
    Amanda came out into the hall. She was still in her bathrobe.
    I heard Otis barking when I came up the stairs, Nickie said. I dont see how we can keep him a secret if he barks. Crystal will hear him.
    Oh, Lord, said Amanda. Maybe I could get him a muzzle.
    That seems kind of cruel, Nickie said. There must be a better way.
    Nickie went into the nursery room and looked around. The long tube of rolled-up rug gave her an idea. We could soundproof this room, she said. Im sure we could.
    They spent the next two hours doing it. They unrolled the big rug. They found small rugs in other rooms, brought them up to the nursery, and spread them out to cover the entire floor. From bathrooms and linen closets they brought towels and blankets, which they hung over the windows and the door with thumbtacks. Every now and then Nickie would go downstairs, Amanda would get Otis to bark, and Nickie would listen hard. Finally, after four tries, Nickie couldnt hear a thing.
    It works! she said when she came back up. She surveyed what theyd