Fablehaven I (20 page)

He’s a robot made of dirt! He jumped out of the cart and

ran over to Kendra.

I ran ahead so you could see him approach, Dale said.

Hugo can run really fast when you tell him to, Seth

gushed. Dale let me give him orders and he obeyed everything

I said. See? He’s waiting for instructions.

Hugo stood motionless beside the greenhouse, still

holding the rickshaw. Had she not just seen Hugo moving,

Kendra would have assumed he was a crude statue. Seth

shouldered past Kendra into the greenhouse.

What is he? Kendra asked Lena.

A golem, she replied. Animated matter granted

rudimentary intelligence. He does most of the heavy labor

around here.

He’s loading the pumpkins.

And rolling them to the house in his cart.

Seth exited the greenhouse toting a fairly large pumpkin.

Can I show her a command? he asked.

Sure, Dale said. Hugo, obey the next command from

Seth.

Holding the pumpkin at his waist with both hands,

leaning back a bit to stay balanced, Seth approached the

golem. Hugo, take this pumpkin and throw it as far as you

can into the woods.

The inert golem sprang to life. Grasping the pumpkin

in one massive hand, he twisted and then fiercely uncoiled,

hurling the pumpkin into the sky like a discus. Dale

whistled softly as the pumpkin shrank into the distance,

finally dropping out of sight, an orange speck vanishing

behind far-off treetops.

Did you see that? Seth cried. He’s better than a

water balloon launcher!

Regular catapult, Dale murmured.

Very impressive, Lena agreed dryly. Forgive me if I

hope to put a few of our pumpkins to more practical use.

You boys come help us cut the rest of our harvest so we can

get them loaded.

Can’t Hugo do a few more tricks? Seth begged. He

knows cartwheels.

There will be time for nonsense later, Lena assured

him. We need to finish our preparations for this evening.

Midsummer Eve

Grandpa prodded the logs in the fireplace with a poker.

A shower of sparks swirled up the chimney as one log

split open, revealing an interior of glowing embers. Dale

poured himself a cup of steaming coffee, adding three

spoonfuls of sugar. Lena peered out the window through

the blinds.

The sun will reach the horizon in moments, she

announced.

Kendra sat beside Seth on the sofa, watching Grandpa

stoke the fire. The preparations were all in place. The

entrances to the house were crowded with jack-O-lanterns.

Lena had been right-Dale had carved more than two

hundred of them. Not quite thirty fairies had reported for

duty, many fewer than Grandpa had expected, even given

the recently strained relations.

Eight of the fairy lanterns were placed on the roof outside

the attic, four at each window. Glow sticks illuminated

most of the pumpkins, two in each. Grandpa Sorenson

apparently ordered them in bulk.

Will it start right when the sun goes down? Seth

asked.

Things won’t really get going until twilight fades,

Grandpa said, setting the poker beside the other fire irons.

But the hour has come for you children to retire to your

room.

I want to stay up with you, Seth said.

The attic bedroom is the safest place in the house,

Grandpa said.

Why don’t we all stay in the attic? Kendra asked.

Grandpa shook his head. The spells that make the

attic impenetrable function only if it is occupied by children.

Without children, or with adults in the room, the

barriers become ineffectual.

Isn’t the whole house supposed to be safe? Kendra

asked.

I believe so, but on an enchanted preserve, nothing is

ever certain. I am concerned by the scant number of fairies

who reported this afternoon. I worry this could be a particularly

uproarious Midsummer Eve. Perhaps the worst since

I’ve lived here.

A long, mournful howl underscored his statement. The

disturbing call was answered by a stronger howl, closer, that

ended with a cackle. Chills tingled behind Kendra’s

shoulders.

The sun is gone, Lena reported from the window. She

squinted, then put a hand to her mouth. Closing the slat,

she stepped away from the blinds. They’re already entering

the yard.

Kendra leaned forward. Lena really looked upset. She

had paled visibly. Her dark eyes were unsettled.

Grandpa scowled. Real trouble?

She nodded.

Grandpa clapped his hands together. Up to the attic.

The tension in the room prevented Kendra from uttering

any protest. Apparently Seth sensed the same urgency.

Grandpa Sorenson followed them up the stairs, down the

hall, and up into their bedroom.

Get under your covers, Grandpa said.

What’s around the beds? Seth asked, examining the

floor.

Circles of special salt, Grandpa said. An extra protection.

Kendra stepped carefully over the salt, pulled back the

covers, and climbed into bed. The sheets felt cool.

Grandpa handed her a pair of small, spongy cylinders.

Earplugs, he said, passing a pair to Seth as well. I

suggest you wear them. They should help mute the tumult

so you can sleep.

Just cram them in our ears? Seth said, eyeing one

suspiciously.

That’s the idea, Grandpa said.

An eruption of high-pitched laughter blared up from

the yard. Kendra and Seth exchanged a concerned glance.

Grandpa took a seat at the edge of Kendra’s bed.

I need you kids to be brave and responsible for me

tonight, he said.

They nodded silently.

You should know, he went on, I didn’t let you come

here merely as a favor to your parents. Your grandmother

and I are getting on in years. The day will come when

somebody else will need to care for this preserve. We need

to find heirs. Dale is a good man, but he has no interest in

running things here. You kids have impressed me so far.

You are bright, adventurous, and courageous.

There are some unpleasant aspects to living here.

Festival nights are a good example. Perhaps you wonder

why we don’t just all go spend the night in a hotel. If we

did, we would return to find the house in ruins. Our presence

is essential to the magic that protects these walls. If

you are ever going to be involved with the work on this

preserve, you will need to learn to cope with certain

unpleasant realities. Look at tonight as a test. If the chaotic

clamor outside is too much for you, then you do not belong

here. There is no shame in this. People who belong here

are rare.

We’ll be fine, Seth said.

I believe you will. Listen carefully to my final instructions.

Once I leave the room, no matter what you hear, no

matter what happens, do not leave your beds. We will not

come to check on you until morning. You may think you

hear me, or Dale, or Lena, asking to come in. Be forewarned.

It will not be us.

This room is invulnerable unless you open a window

or the door. Remain in your beds and that will not happen.

With the fairy lanterns at your window, odds are that nothing

will come near this part of the house. Try to ignore the

tumult of the night, and we’ll all share a special breakfast

in the morning. Any questions?

I’m scared, Kendra said. Don’t go.

You’ll be safer without me. We’ll be keeping watch

downstairs all night. Everything will be fine. Just go to

sleep.

It’s okay, Grandpa, Seth said. I’ll keep an eye on

her.

Keep the other on yourself, Grandpa said sternly.

You mind me tonight. This is no game.

I will.

Outside the wind began to whistle through the trees.

The day had been calm, but now a groaning gust shook the

house. Overhead the shingles rattled and the timbers

creaked.

Grandpa crossed to the door. Strange winds are blowing.

I better get downstairs. Goodnight, sleep tight, I’ll

greet you at sunrise. He closed the door. The wind subsided.

Goldilocks clucked softly.

You’ve got to be kidding, Kendra said.

I know, Seth said. I’m practically wetting the bed.

I don’t think I’ll sleep all night.

I know I won’t.

We better try, said Kendra.

Okay.

Kendra inserted the earplugs. Closing her eyes, she

curled up and snuggled into her covers. All she had to do

was fall asleep, and she could escape the frightening sounds

of the night. She forced herself to relax, letting her body go

limp, and tried to clear her mind.

It was hard not to fantasize about inheriting the estate.

No way would they give it to Seth! He would blow the

whole place up in five minutes! What would it be like to

know all the mysterious secrets of Fablehaven? It might be

scary if she were alone. She would have to share the secret

with her parents so they could live with her.

After a couple of minutes she rolled over to face the

other direction. She always had a tough time falling asleep

when she was too deliberate about it. She tried to think of

nothing, tried to focus on calm, regular breathing. Seth was

saying something, but the earplugs muffled it. She pulled

them out.

What?

I said, the suspense is killing me. Are you actually

using the earplugs?

Of course. You’re not?

I don’t want to miss anything.

Are you crazy?

I’m not tired at all, he said. Are you?

Not much.

Dare me to look out the window?

Don’t be stupid!

It’s barely sunset. What better time to look?

How about never.

You’re a bigger chicken than Goldilocks.

You’ve got less brains than Hugo.

The wind rose again, steadily gaining force. Warbling

moans echoed on the breeze, groaning in different pitches,

forming eerie, discordant harmonies. A long, birdlike

scream overpowered the ghostly chorus of moans, starting

at one side of the house, passing overhead, and finally fading.

In the distance, a bell began to toll.

Seth no longer looked quite so brave. Maybe we

should try to get some sleep, he said, putting in the

earplugs.

Kendra did likewise. The sounds were muffled, but continued:

the haunted wind lamenting, the house shuddering,

an increasing assortment of shrieks, screams, howls, and

wild bursts of gibbering laughter. The pillow grew warm, so

Kendra flipped it over to the cold side.

The only light in the room had been filtering through

the curtains. As twilight dimmed, the room darkened.

Kendra pressed her hands over her ears, trying to augment