Free The Prophet of Yonwood by Jeanne DuPrau Page B

all. So all she said was, Crystal, do you think theres going to be a war?
    I dont know, Crystal said. Fortunately, Im too busy to think much about it. She cast a quick look at Nickie. Dontyou think about it, either, she said. Theres not much we can do.
    Just live good lives, right? Nickie said. Not add to the badness. Thats what you said before.
    Uh-huh, said Crystal. She opened the can and scooped the soup into a pot.
    So ifeveryone lives good lives, then maybe bad things wont happen, Nickie said. At least not to us. But she could tell Crystal wasnt really listening. She was holding the soup can under the faucet to fill it, but only a feeble trickle of water was coming out.
    Something is wrong with the water pressure, she said. We must have a leaky pipe somewhere. And the plumbers were just here! Theyve made it worse instead of better. And of course tomorrow is Sunday, so a plumber will be hard to find. She sighed. Theresso much to do. I suppose I should face the third floor. I havent even been up there.
    Nickies heart jumped into her throat. Its just rooms full of boxes, she said. You dont need to see it.
    No, I really should. Crystal stirred the soup with one hand and ran the other hand wearily through her hair. I need to see what I have to deal with. Not tonight, though. Ill do it first thing tomorrow morning. Crystal reached for two bowls. Its getting dark, she said. Would you switch the light on?
    That was when Nickie remembered. We have to close all the curtains and blinds, she said.
    We do? Why?
    So we cant be seen from the air, said Nickie. In case theres an attack. She pulled down the kitchen blinds.
    Oh, I dont think thats necessary, Crystal said. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead.
    Nickie went from room to room, closing curtains and blinds all over the house.

    CHAPTER 11 ______________
    Trouble Spots
    The next morning after breakfast, as soon as Crystal had washed her dishes and disappeared into the bathroom, Nickie raced upstairs. She hooked Otis to his leash and flew down the stairs again. She tiptoed past Crystals room, where she heard the roar of the hair dryer, and zipped out the back door.
    At the far end of the garden, she looped Otiss leash around the trunk of a tree. Now, Otis, she said, try to be quiet. Ill come back for you as soon as I can.
    Inside again, past Crystals room (this time she heard thepssst-pssst of the hair spray), up the stairs to the nursery. She hid the dog dishes and the dog food in a box of old toys in the closet, tore down the blanket that theyd hung over the doorand then came Crystals steps on the stairs, and her voice calling, Are you up there?
    Nickie showed her the two storage rooms first. Oh, horrors, said Crystal, looking at the cobwebby trunks and boxes and suitcases. Itstrue that they never threw anything away. Just looking at it gives me a headache. She went toward the nursery. Whats in here?
    Ive been sort of staying in here, Nickie said.
    Crystal strode in. She gazed at the rugs, the blankets hung on the walls, the rocking chair and lamps.
    I did it, Nickie said. I wanted to make it cozy.
    Crystal smiled at her. Well, it is cozy, she said. Its actually quite a nice room. It smells a little funny, though. She wrinkled her nose. Probably there are rats up under the roof. Lets let some air in. She went to the window and thrust it open. The sound of barking and whining floated up from below, but Crystal paid no attention. When we get ready to put the house on the market, she said, we can sell this as a perfect space for a home gym. Or maybe a media center. Screen over thereshe raised her hands, measuring a wall-sized screentheater seats here. Could be quite lovely. What do you think?
    But she didnt pause to hear what Nickie thought (which was that she didnt like any of those ideas). She went right on to say that she would decide what to do about all this later, but today, since it was Sunday and she couldnt do much shopping, she was going to take a drive with Len. I