Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

Author:Ann Clare LeZotte [LeZotte, Ann Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781338255836
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

I pace back and forth in my bedroom. I feel the cold floorboards under the soles of my feet and stop to stare into the looking glass Grandmother Lila gave me. My hair is no longer the color of sunlight, and my hazel eyes look gray. Everything has dimmed.

I try to speak. My mouth twists up into a grimace, and my tongue flaps. It hurts my jaw to try to say words correctly. I squeeze hot tears out of my eyes. In the dream world, I have forgotten sign language. I can’t scream, and I can’t signal for help.

I awake suddenly, lying on my back. I pull my hands out from under my bedcovers. I wipe tears from my eyes and cheeks on a corner of the blanket. I lift my hands in the air, to make sure I have regained my ability to sign.

I sign my name, and a few words, like “house,” “eat,” “cat,” and “wind.”

My bedroom is near dark. From the color of the light, I guess the dawn will not come for another half an hour. I am not ready to encounter Mama. Will she yell at me with words I cannot understand? Will she turn her back and refuse to read my signs?

I quickly splash yesterday’s water on my face, fasten stays over my shift, and dress in my gown, stockings, and shoes. I go downstairs as quietly as I can. I look to the back of the house. The light from the kitchen hearth has the dimness of night upon it. No one has gotten up to feed the fire.

As soon as I enter the yard, I see bright flashes from the Gay Head Light to the west. I picture the keeper igniting the spider lamp inside the tower’s lighting room. I imagine him and me as lonely twins.

The barn doors aren’t open. No sheep huddle by the stone wall. Though I catch sight of Bayard, running through the yard. How did he get loose? Why is he running in circles? Will Thomas or Eamon come tend to him? I know I can’t contain him, so I continue my walk up the high road. I try to put last night out of my mind by creating a new story.

A fairy lived in a garden. She was so small she slept in a rose and collected its dew to drink. One day, a fly came to her rose and wanted to live in the crimson flower with her. She was not a selfish fairy, so she agreed to share the rose with the fly.

Soon the petals of the rose began to fall off. The fly didn’t mind. He darted in and out of the rose with other flies. But the fairy became sick. She had to find another place to live. It was nearly winter, and the other flowers were freezing and dying on the vine. What could the fairy do?

I am startled out of my reverie when I see Andrew walking ahead of me, black satchel and carpet bag in hand.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.