The Humming Room Read Online Free Page B

corner bed, she spotted a floorboard that did not lie flush with the floor. Hopping off the bed she went over to examine it. It was wedged tightly in place, though a sliver of its edges showed above the level of the floor. Roo pried at it with her narrow fingers, patiently nudging and pulling until the board came up in her hands. A puff of dust came up with it and in the space below was a wooden box painted a faded mustard color. She pulled it out and placed it in front of her. There was a small iron lock with a catch, which she flicked up with her pinky. Opening the lid, she found inside a flashlight, a ring, and an opened pack of Juicy Fruit gum. The flashlight was ancient looking, with a silver body and brass fittings on either end. She flipped the flashlight’s switch but the batteries were dead. The ring was nice though. A thin silver band with two tiny silver hearts fused together. She picked up the gum. The package was old-fashioned looking, with green and white stripes. She pulled out a stick of the gum. It was rock hard and wrapped in the same green-and-white paper, but instead of foil the gum itself was covered with a red wax paper. She put the flashlight and the gum back in the box, but slipped the ring on her finger. The feel of it steadied her and gave her more confidence. She shut the box’s lid and replaced it in its hiding place.
    A sudden sound made Roo shove the floorboard back into place and jump to her feet. If Ms. Valentine found her here, in what she suspected was the forbidden east wing, she would be furious. Maybe Ms. Valentine would even go through with her threat to send Roo back to the Burrows. She felt the urge to hide, but she fought it with cool common sense.
    What do I care if she sends me back there? One place is as good as another.
    She waited, watching the open door to see if someone would pass by, but no one did. Crossing the room, Roo peered around the door into the hallway. There was no one in sight, but the next moment she heard the sound again. It was a droning noise, and at first Roo thought it might be some sort of motor. But as she listened she could hear that it rose and fell in pitch and volume at irregular intervals. It was a human sound, absolutely. The sound of humming. She listened for a tune, but there wasn’t one. The voice hummed on and on, joyless, as if someone were forcing it to hum.
    Roo pressed her ear against the wall at the far end of the room. The sound was not there, not quite. Instead, it seemed to fill the air around her, to be everywhere and nowhere. Then, very suddenly, it stopped.
    â€œIs someone in there?” she whispered to the wall, and put her ear against it again. Nothing. She knocked at the Sheetrock.
    â€œWho’s there?” she asked more loudly.
    She was answered by a scream, so loud and piercing that Roo instantly crouched down, muscles clenched, like an animal readying itself to escape or, if necessary, fight.

Chapter 4
    The scream quickly changed to an outburst of laughter, loud and unrestrained. Roo looked up to see a remarkably pretty girl staring down at her with surprised delight. She was quite tall and broad shouldered, and looked to be twenty or so. Her sleek black hair was pulled back in a long braid and she wore a white cable sweater over jeans.
    â€œStop it!” Roo demanded, standing up. “Stop laughing at me!”
    The girl did stop laughing, disarmingly fast. Her eyes grew wide as she gazed at Roo. “Ooo, so there it is,” she said.
    When she didn’t explain herself, Roo was forced to ask, “There is what ?”
    The girl laughed again.
    Roo lunged at her then, her hands stretched out, intent on slapping or shoving, but the girl caught Roo around her middle. She tipped her down so that she was parallel to the floor and held her like that as Roo kicked and screamed in a wild fit of anger. Remarkably, not a single kick landed.
    â€œThere’s the Fanshaw pride in you. Ms. Valentine said