That's when it happened. Danny drifted off to sleep. He heard a voice. The voice was loud and clear. It said "Danny, I love you. You are in a great battle. There is a force within you that must be driven out. The answer is in the book."
When Danny woke up the next morning, he tried to remember the dream he had. What did all this mean? Where did this new voice come from? It wasn't like the other one. This voice seemed more powerful yet more peaceful. What was the voice trying to tell him?
Danny knew there were millions of books. He had just begun to read in first grade. All the books were on computer disks of course. It was very hard for him to sound out words and understand what he read. He didn't know where or how to begin to look for this mysterious book that had all the answers. How did he know this voice was telling the truth? Which voice should he listen to now? He closed his eyes and made a wish. He said, "If the answer is out there somewhere I wish for someone to come and help me find it."
The next voice he heard was Mrs. Winkler's. She yelled for him to come down for breakfast. Little did Danny know what this day would hold for him. As he sat at the table eating his cereal, he could sense that things were about to change. Mr. Winkler seemed very nervous. He was pacing back and forth in the living room as Mrs. Winkler was turning around in circles. Danny asked if something was wrong. Mrs. Winkler hurriedly took the dishes to the kitchen. She said. "Tell him Duane." Mr. Winkler put his hands on Danny's shoulders. He looked deep into his eyes as only Mr. Winkler could do. His voice was gentle. He said, "Another boy is coming to live with us. We were going to tell you sooner, but we didn't know how. I'm sure you will get along. You will try, won't you?" Danny slowly nodded his head. He was just getting used to staying with the Winklers and now this. Why did they have to ruin everything just when things were going well?
Mr. Winkler opened the door. A tall thin man stuck out his hand and Mr. Winkler shook it. Beside him stood a small framed boy with light brown hair. He was much taller than Danny. He was probably in middle school. His clothes were a bit too big and his shoes were worn and tattered. He held a rectangular box in his hand. It was medium size. It looked very plain and was made of wood. He clung to it as though it was his most prized possession. He stared at Danny as if to say, just try to take this box away from me. Danny glanced at him, then looked away.
Then he heard Mr. Winkler say, "Danny, this is Christopher. Danny said, "hi." Mr. Winkler asked Danny to take Christopher upstairs and show him to his room. As they climbed the stairs Christopher took two stairs at a time. Danny felt rather foolish having to climb the stairs one at a time. He longed for the day when he would be in middle school. He felt as if he would never get there. Danny kept an eye on the wooden box. What could be in that box? What was so special about it?
Christopher flopped down on his bed. He saw Danny watching him. He said, "What are you looking at?" Danny said, "Nothing. I was just wondering what was in the box." "Nun ya," said Christopher. Danny said, "What do you mean nun ya?" "None of your business, dweeb," said Christopher. "Sorry," said Danny. He turned and started to leave the room. Christopher yelled, "Where ya going punk? Come back here and tell me about these people we're living with and why are you here anyway? Doesn't anyone care about you either?" Danny dropped his head. "The Winklers are very nice people. Mr. Winkler works very hard, and Mrs. Winkler loves kids and motorcycles. My mom loves me a lot. I'm just staying here for awhile because I have some problems," said Danny. Christopher looked at Danny with a smirk on his face and said, "that's what they all say."
Danny went downstairs. He wondered why Christopher was so angry and that box! What was in that box? Should he tell Mrs. Winkler about Christopher's attitude? Maybe she knew what was in the box. He decided not to mention it.
The doorbell rang again. It was Eddie. He asked if Danny could come out and play. Mrs. Winkler said he could until suppertime. Eddie was smaller than Danny. He had short, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and was very thin. This didn't stop Eddie from standing up to people. In fact he was the leader of his class. Any time there was a problem Eddie was right there, right in the middle of it. Miss Rigdon never had to worry about discipline in the classroom. Eddie was always there. He knew when to go to P.E., lunch, recess, and he reminded her everyday. The only time he was quiet was when his asthma acted up. He got a very bad rash and had to go home sometimes. All in all you could always count on Eddie when you found yourself in a jam. Danny didn't know why, but for some reason, he trusted Eddie.
They were digging in the sand when all of a sudden it popped out! He didn't mean to tell. The words just slipped out. He couldn't keep it bottled up anymore. He had to confide in someone. Eddie seemed the best choice. He told him everything from the voice in the dream that told him the answer was in the book to the wish he made that someone would come to help him to Christopher and his attitude, to the box, that mysterious box!
Eddie thought and thought. Then he said, "As I see it, you've got to find out what's in that box. Do you think if you asked he would let you look in it?" Danny shook his head. "Not a chance. When I told him I wondered what was in the box he said 'nun ya.'" Eddie said, "Oh, I know what that means." Eddie knew that! Was there anything he didn't know? Danny asked Eddie if there was anything he didn't know. Eddie thought for a moment. Then he said, "I don't know why I know everything." Eddie said, "We'll have to think of a plan."
Just then Mikey came wheeling by on his bike. It was no ordinary bike. It had red flashing lights and a green button to push when you wanted to fly. Eddie said, "Hey, Danny let's get Mikey. He'll know what to do. " Mikey get over here quick. Danny has a problem." Mikey could tell by the tone in Eddie's voice that he'd better come quick. Mikey pushed the small red switch that folded the wings so he could get off the bike. He took off his helmet and fastened it to the handlebars. He said, "What's up guys?" Eddie said, "Go ahead, Danny. Tell him what you told me." Danny started at the beginning. He told Mikey everything. Mikey said, "you've got the right man for the job. This calls for a scientific mind. Let me ponder over this for awhile. I'll get back to you. Keep me posted."
Danny heard Mrs. Winkler call him for supper. He told Eddie he had to go. Eddie said," Don't worry Danny. Mikey and I will think of something." Eddie ran down the street as Danny went in for supper.
All through supper he tried to get his mind off that box but it was no use. Every time he looked at Christopher he was reminded of it. Christopher had a different attitude with the Winklers than he took with Danny. He was very polite and well mannered. He even said, "Please pass the potatoes" to Danny.
He couldn't take it anymore. He asked to be excused from the table. He ran upstairs to the room that used to be his very own. The one he now shared with Christopher. He scrambled under the bed, no box. He searched in every drawer in the chest of drawers, still no box. He looked across the room. The closet! That's it! Why hadn't he checked there first? He opened the closet door. He turned over boxes. He threw shoes. He looked up. Suddenly there it was! The box was hidden between two bags.
Danny stretched as high as he could. Rats. He couldn't reach it. He got the chair from his computer desk. He shoved things aside in the closet until it fit. He climbed onto the chair. Just as he reached to pick up the box he heard footsteps. The doorknob turned. It must be Christopher. He was right.
Just as Danny jumped off the chair Christopher burst into the room. "Hey, what's going on here?" He said. "You keep your grubby little hands off that box you understand?" Danny yelled back. "What's so special about that stupid box anyway? I just wanted to see inside, to see what you are guarding with your life." Christopher grabbed Danny's shirt and lifted him off the floor. Danny kicked Christopher's shin. Mrs. Winkler heard the commotion. She ran into the room. By now the boys were wrestling on the floor. She yelled, "Duane, come quick. The boys are fighting." They separated Danny and Christopher.
Mrs. Winkler had her eyes closed again. Danny felt his hand get hot. How was she able to do this? Every time she closed her eyes and put her hands on him some kind of power came out of them. He felt the surge run through his body. Where did this power come from? Maybe the answer to this question was in the book also. Did the book have all the answers?
Mrs. Winkler let go of him and Mr.Winkler said, "Alright boys, what's this all about?" Neither of the boys answered. He moved the chair back to the computer station and said, "Well, if neither of you is going to talk I guess you'll have to work it out for yourselves. After all you both have to live here and you both have to share this room. I suggest you work out your differences and live in peace."
Mr. Winkler closed the door behind him. Danny said, "Sorry I tried to mess with your box. I guess my curiosity got the best of me. You know. Curiosity killed the cat and all that." Christopher told Danny the reason he was so upset was the box belonged to his grandfather. He gave it to him just before he died. He told him to keep it close to him. He said it holds the gift of eternal life inside. Danny said, "So what's in it?" Christopher looked out the window and said, "I don't know. The box is locked. My grandfather gave the key to my mom to keep for me and now she's gone too."
Danny could tell by the sound of his voice that this hurt Christopher deeply. Danny asked, "What happened, I mean to your mom?" Christopher answered "It was the summer of 2005. My mom and dad were going to Boston on business. The plane they were on was hijacked. The hijackers crashed the plane. There were no survivors." Danny suddenly understood why Christopher was so angry. He must feel very alone, just like Danny. Christopher looked at Danny and said, "So, I guess I'll never know what's inside the box unless I can find a key that will unlock it." Danny smiled. "I think I know just the person who can find a key to open it."
Christopher and Danny had something in common after all. They were both alone and they were both searching for something. |
