Beyond the Cherry Tree Read Online Free Page A
Author: Joe O'Brien
his head.
Josh let go of the book and took the page from his head.
The book leapt back into its place on the bottom shelf.
Josh watched in awe as the title, Beyond the Cherry Tree , slowly faded until finally it vanished all together from the spine of the book.
He felt that same tingling sensation in his hands.
He looked down at the page he was holding.
On the top of the page, glistening in golden words, he read,
âThe Destiny of Joshua Bloom, Beyond the Cherry Tree â¦â
And, beneath these fascinating words, there were more glistening words. Just as Josh was about to read on, he heard his name being called.
At first he looked up at the portrait, but the voice wasnât coming from it. It just sat on the wall, not twitching and most certainly not speaking, just looking like a painting, as it should.
Josh heard the calling again.
It was distant, but getting closer.
He jumped up, folded the page and tucked it safely intohis trouser pocket. Then, very slowly, he opened the library door and peeped out. It was Mr Higgins.
Josh waited for a few minutes and watched his teacher frantically pace around the hallway of the manor. As soon as he noticed him opening the main door and heading outside, he slipped out of the library and jogged across the hallway in search of the rest of his class.
Chapter 5
The Riddle
I t was quarter to eight and Henry was late.
Claudia Pennington had invited Uncle Henry and Aunt Nell to a special dinner at the manor in memory of her dear, long-lost father.
Henry was in the kitchen struggling to close the top button of his shirt, part of a most uncomfortable suit that Nell had rented for him.
Henry didn’t like suits.
He wanted to attend the dinner out of respect for the general, but it was the whole fuss that was attached to the evening that bothered him.
Henry Bloom loved living by routine. Being a simple gardener was enough for him. It made him feel comfortable. Henry knew plants. Some would even say in the village that Henry understood plants and plants understood Henry, and that is why the gardens of Cherry Tree Manor were highlyacclaimed from town to town for many miles around.
But now, on this very important night, Henry had to try and squeeze into this most uncomfortable suit that, quite frankly, made him look like an oversized penguin.
‘Josh,’ Henry called out with a hint of frustration and pain.
Josh was in the living room being lectured by Nell over his disappearance at the manor.
Mr Higgins hadn’t fallen for Josh’s story about being sick in the toilet.
‘Josh,’ Henry called out again.
‘Go and see what your uncle wants,’ insisted Nell. ‘But I’m not forgetting about today, Josh. We’ll talk more when I get home tonight.’
Josh ran into the kitchen.
‘Yes, Henry?’ said Josh, trying to hold back a smile as he watched Henry’s face turn a hint of blue, trying to close his top button.
‘See if you can do this last button.’
Henry sat on a chair and Josh tackled the button, thinking , Should I tell Henry about the book and what happened in the manor today? Would he believe? Surely he would!
Nell walked into the kitchen, her coat already on.
‘All done,’ smiled Josh. He decided not to say anything, especially in front of Nell.
Josh stood anxiously at the window and waved out, asHenry and Nell drove off into the twilight.
He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the page.
Sitting on the edge of Henry’s old armchair, he began to read the glistening words that riddled on the page:
Trail through the woods and a little farther,
Follow the silent path to the lily pond,
Stand beneath the willow that arches the water,
Take the golden branch and wave the Willow Wand.
‘Pathway be there to the Cherry Tree and beyond’
You must say not once, but twice.
Be brave, young traveller, with your first step,
Without faith you will pay the ultimate price,
For to find your destiny
With the water, you must bond.
A mist will
Josh let go of the book and took the page from his head.
The book leapt back into its place on the bottom shelf.
Josh watched in awe as the title, Beyond the Cherry Tree , slowly faded until finally it vanished all together from the spine of the book.
He felt that same tingling sensation in his hands.
He looked down at the page he was holding.
On the top of the page, glistening in golden words, he read,
âThe Destiny of Joshua Bloom, Beyond the Cherry Tree â¦â
And, beneath these fascinating words, there were more glistening words. Just as Josh was about to read on, he heard his name being called.
At first he looked up at the portrait, but the voice wasnât coming from it. It just sat on the wall, not twitching and most certainly not speaking, just looking like a painting, as it should.
Josh heard the calling again.
It was distant, but getting closer.
He jumped up, folded the page and tucked it safely intohis trouser pocket. Then, very slowly, he opened the library door and peeped out. It was Mr Higgins.
Josh waited for a few minutes and watched his teacher frantically pace around the hallway of the manor. As soon as he noticed him opening the main door and heading outside, he slipped out of the library and jogged across the hallway in search of the rest of his class.
Chapter 5
The Riddle
I t was quarter to eight and Henry was late.
Claudia Pennington had invited Uncle Henry and Aunt Nell to a special dinner at the manor in memory of her dear, long-lost father.
Henry was in the kitchen struggling to close the top button of his shirt, part of a most uncomfortable suit that Nell had rented for him.
Henry didn’t like suits.
He wanted to attend the dinner out of respect for the general, but it was the whole fuss that was attached to the evening that bothered him.
Henry Bloom loved living by routine. Being a simple gardener was enough for him. It made him feel comfortable. Henry knew plants. Some would even say in the village that Henry understood plants and plants understood Henry, and that is why the gardens of Cherry Tree Manor were highlyacclaimed from town to town for many miles around.
But now, on this very important night, Henry had to try and squeeze into this most uncomfortable suit that, quite frankly, made him look like an oversized penguin.
‘Josh,’ Henry called out with a hint of frustration and pain.
Josh was in the living room being lectured by Nell over his disappearance at the manor.
Mr Higgins hadn’t fallen for Josh’s story about being sick in the toilet.
‘Josh,’ Henry called out again.
‘Go and see what your uncle wants,’ insisted Nell. ‘But I’m not forgetting about today, Josh. We’ll talk more when I get home tonight.’
Josh ran into the kitchen.
‘Yes, Henry?’ said Josh, trying to hold back a smile as he watched Henry’s face turn a hint of blue, trying to close his top button.
‘See if you can do this last button.’
Henry sat on a chair and Josh tackled the button, thinking , Should I tell Henry about the book and what happened in the manor today? Would he believe? Surely he would!
Nell walked into the kitchen, her coat already on.
‘All done,’ smiled Josh. He decided not to say anything, especially in front of Nell.
Josh stood anxiously at the window and waved out, asHenry and Nell drove off into the twilight.
He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the page.
Sitting on the edge of Henry’s old armchair, he began to read the glistening words that riddled on the page:
Trail through the woods and a little farther,
Follow the silent path to the lily pond,
Stand beneath the willow that arches the water,
Take the golden branch and wave the Willow Wand.
‘Pathway be there to the Cherry Tree and beyond’
You must say not once, but twice.
Be brave, young traveller, with your first step,
Without faith you will pay the ultimate price,
For to find your destiny
With the water, you must bond.
A mist will
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