The House in Poplar Wood by K. E. Ormsbee

Author:K. E. Ormsbee [Ormsbee, K. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781452149868
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Published: 2018-08-28T07:00:00+00:00

It had begun as a terrible sensation—her belly trembling, her chest shaking like a heavy-duty washing machine. But when Gretchen tried to hold the sensation down, she ended up snorting. Then she gave way completely, bursting into laughter.

“I’m sorry,” she gasped around giggles. “I know it’s not funny. It’s just . . . a lot . . . of new . . . information.”

Felix was stony-faced. Lee looked like he was coming down with a stomach virus. Neither boy was laughing along.

“You said you could help,” Lee said. “I thought you understood.”

“I’m sorry,” Gretchen repeated, but this time with much more sincerity, her laughter wheezing away. “I do understand, it’s just a little hard to take in, is all. I didn’t think Shades were so . . .”

“Petty?” suggested Felix.

“Human.” When both brothers flinched, Gretchen said quickly, “I know they’re not, but . . . I guess I thought they were more, uh, serious. You know, not the type to pull pranks and fight and stuff.”

“Not all of them do,” said Lee. “I hear some towns have really good Shades. Fair and kind. Chattanooga, for example, and Asheville. But . . . not here in Boone Ridge.”

“Sheesh,” said Gretchen. “Apprentices definitely have it worse than us.”

Felix folded his arms. “Well, what’s the deal with Whipples?”

“Yeah!” Lee waved his hand at Gretchen, as though to say Now give us something to laugh about.

Gretchen guessed she didn’t have a choice. “Here’s how I see it,” she said. “Shades make deals. That’s what they do—look at your Agreement. Memory can preserve your good memory forever, or erase you from other people’s minds. Death can give you a longer or shorter life. Passion can soothe or stir your heart. The other thing they do is bestow special gifts—but only if the right person asks, and only if they follow the Rites. And Rites work like recipes. Each Rite requires certain ingredients—maybe a hair, or a bit of sugar. Everyday things. But they’re not so everyday when you mix the ingredients and recite the right poem. When you do that, it’s a Rite.”

“If the right person asks,” Felix repeated.

“Well. You know. A Whipple.”

“Sure,” said Felix. “Because haven’t you Whipples run Boone Ridge for ages? How convenient that you’re the ‘right people.’”

“Genius,” said Gretchen, “it’s not convenient, it’s cause and effect. Whipples aren’t the right people because they run Boone Ridge. They run Boone Ridge because they’re the right people. How do you think my great-great-uncle Whipple got elected mayor in the first place?”

Felix shrugged.

“Because,” said Gretchen, “he did what all good politicians do: He made deals. He stayed in office so long because he made a deal with Death. He married the richest, prettiest girl in Boone Ridge because he made a deal with Passion. And he’s jammed into every history book here in Boone Ridge because he made a deal with Memory. And the Whipples after him? They did the same thing.”

“Wow,” Felix said coldly. “That’s a family history to be proud of.”

“I didn’t say I was proud of it.

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