The Warble Read Online Free Page A

glanced up at her
through his round glasses.
    Kristina tilted her
head. “I don’t get it; I’ve never heard of Bernovem?”
    “Bernovem is the name
of our world as well as the name of our mainland. You see, child, you have been
brought here by the Warble to deliver it to its resting place.”
    The color drained from
Kristina’s face.
    “Is something the
matter?”
     “Ya there
is…because I have no idea where to bring it.”
    “I thought you might
feel that way. I must tell you that I can’t promise you that your journey will
be a smooth one, but if you trust that the Warble will lead you to where it
needs to go, you should be fine. And besides, you might even get some help
along the way.”
    Kristina looked
uncertainly at Rumalock and then back at the book. “Why are so many of the
pages blank?”
    “Oh, that’s because the
prophecies in this book will only appear on the pages a few minutes before they
actually come to pass. Look here—it says, ‘Kristina’s scrape on her arm was
healed.’”
    “How could that be? The
scrape is right here on my arm. It couldn’t possibly heal within a few
minutes.” She showed him the scrape she had gotten from falling on the icy
sidewalk the morning before.
    “Ah! But are you sure?
Give me your arm.”
    Kristina stretched her
arm out, and Rumalock poured a few drops of his tea onto her scrape.
    “Ouch! What are you
doing? That’s very hot!” She pulled her arm away from him and shook it to
relieve the pain.
    “Take a look at your
scrape now,” Rumalock said excitedly.
    Kristina looked at her
arm and her mouth fell agape. “It’s gone!”
    “That’s right!”
    “Very cool!” Kristina
said amazed.
    “Yes, yes!” Rumalock
was so elated, he did a little dance. “I suppose you could say that.” He placed
the Book of Prophecy back on the mantel. Then he turned around and clapped his
hands together. “Now, child; you look hungry. How about a nice warm meal?”
    Kristina’s face lit up.
“Yes please!” She was so hungry; her stomach was beginning to hurt.
    Rumalock fed Kristina a
delicious meal of cheese, brown bread, boiled potatoes, and the best chocolate
cake she had ever tasted. Afterward, feeling very full and sleepy, she sat by
the crackling fire, still hardly believing where she was or how she had gotten
there, but she was much too drowsy to figure it out. She took the Warble out of
her pocket to take another look at it. She gazed down at it and her pupils
suddenly grew two sizes larger. “The Warble!” she said and sat straight up.
“Its color has changed.” She looked at Rumalock. “It used to be tarnished silver,
but now it’s light purple.”
    “Yes, of course,
Kristina.” Rumalock looked serenely at her from across the room. “It’s all part
of its journey.”
    Kristina was dazzled by
it. “All part of the journey?” she repeated in a whisper. Soon her eyes grew
heavy again and she yawned. It wasn’t long before she was fast asleep. Rumalock
got up, and placed a woolen blanket over her. Then he picked up his lantern,
and left the room.

 
 
5
 
    It was early morning when Kristina
awoke. She sat up, stretched her arms in the air, and yawned. Then she looked
around at her surroundings and remembered once again that she was not at home,
and that meeting Rumalock and having tea with him had all been real.
    Suddenly, she heard
voices coming from the other side of the window; she got up, drew the curtain
open and could hardly believe what she saw next. Right in front of her, on the
window ledge, were two little fairies no more than three inches in height. One
of them was a very pretty, teenage girl, with hazel eyes, chestnut-colored hair,
and lots of freckles on her nose. She was standing with her hands on her hips,
talking to a younger boy fairy, with curly auburn hair and bright green eyes.
He was sitting on the edge of the windowsill, looking glum, and swinging his
legs.
    Kristina stood quietly,
hoping that they wouldn’t notice