First Came the Owl Read Online Free Page A

remembered the flying feeling and the world of black trees and ice that had been there, well, almost forever.
    Mr. Stillwater came to the door. “Hi, Nita,” he said. “If you need any help with your math, don’t hesitate to ask.” His mouth twitched in a little smile, as if he knew Anne complained about his “help.”
    â€œThank you, Mr. Stillwater,” said Nita.
    â€œOh, call me Bill,” he said. “Good night, girls.” He shut the door.
    Nita sank back on her pillows. Bill? I don’t think I could call him that out loud, she thought. Screeches and moans sounded very faintly from the attic. Nita eyed the moon and wondered if her Mom was looking out the window of wherever she was, watching the moon, too.
    â€œGood night, Mom,” she whispered.

Five
    T HE NEXT DAY after school Nita headed out of town, down by the beach. She didn’t even look at her house; she was going to Amy Bradley’s to talk about the play.
    And she was going to stay overnight at Anne’s again. Dad said he was staying at the Coast Guard base because the next day he might have to go out on one of the boats. Why does he have to leave when Mom’s in the hospital? thought Nita. Even though he always goes to sea, now I do not want him to. Not, not, not.
    Even school wasn’t as safe as usual, because Mrs. Sommers kept asking her about that report. She still didn’t know what to write about.
    Nita kicked a couple of stones along the edge of the beach, and kept her head down so she wouldn’t see the lighthouse. Icy little waves lapped the shore. She was supposed to meet Anne at Amy’s house to talk about the play. Anne had been to her piano lesson, and Nita had stayed after school to help Mrs. Sommers clean the guinea pig cage.
    And then, all of a sudden, Nita saw it again. Just what she had seen yesterday on the way to school. The white patch of snow flew up in the air again, and this time it didn’t vanish. It wasn’t snow, it really was a bird, just as she had thought.
    Nita caught her breath. It was there. A huge white bird, an … owl, staring back at her from a low sand dune. The round, unblinking yellow eyes bored into her brain, until Nita squeezed her own eyes shut for just a second. Even then, yellow spots danced on the insides of her eyelids. She stared again, trying to get used to the amazing sight.
    Her heart thumped. Would the owl hurt her? It seemed so beautiful, so calm and unafraid, but she could see its huge curved talons clutching the dune grass. Wind ruffled the snowy feathers. The owl didn’t seem cold; it seemed completely at home in this icy setting. Nita wished she could feel at home like that, comfortable on an icy sand dune, not needing anything.
    Far away, she heard the sound of a truck. The owl’s head swiveled, and as the truck came closer, the big bird spread its wide white wings. Nita gasped. With a flap of its wings and a shake of suddenly appearing feathery legs, the owl was carried down the beach by the wind, soared low over the edge of the water, and vanished around the rocky point.
    That owl was as big as a … as a … fire hydrant, she thought as she passed one at the edge of the road. I’ll tell Petrova! She’ll be so excited! Didn’t Anne say Petrova had been going all the way to the airport to band owls, and now here was one right here in town!
    She turned into the Bradleys’ driveway. The world looked different. The wintry sky was owl-colored, and the bright-brass knocker on Amy’s front door gleamed like the owl’s yellow eyes. Then Nita banged on the door and the spell was broken.
    Amy’s house was full of dogs and little boys. Anne was already there, and Nita was caught in a whirlwind of action. There was no way to tell anyone about the owl.
    Finally, the girls shut themselves in Amy’s room for a play conference. Her room was crowded with projects—knitting, drawing,