Читать книгу The Night Flyer's Handbook 2-Book Bundle - Philippa Dowding - Страница 10

This time, I wake up with my feet dangling down toward the carpet as my body slowly circles the room. Cassie is sitting underneath me, quietly watchful. She doesn’t seem as freaked out as she did yesterday. Which is good, I guess.

I must have been up here a long time. My head is lolling to one side and a little drool is sliding down my cheek, which I wipe off with my sleeve. It’s odd, but floating is actually kind of a comfortable way to sleep. There aren’t any tired spots on my body, nothing that fell asleep from lying on it. I stretch a little and wiggle my toes, which makes me look like I’m running in mid-air. I actually start to move around the room a little. So I try again. I move my legs like I’m on a bicycle, and I make a little progress in a straight line across the room. Like I’m walking.

Interesting. Circling my arms around like I’m swimming doesn’t really work very well. But taking a few air-steps works.

Noted. I air-walk a few times around the room, almost getting the hang of it. I’m still a little unsteady, and I don’t always go exactly in the direction I want, but it’s better. Just then, I hear my mom coming up the hallway stairs. I have to get down, fast!

Yesterday I fell to the floor like a rock when I touched the bedpost. This time I’ll be more careful. I put both hands out and get ready to hold on tight. I touch the bedpost and nothing happens.

Uh-oh.

So it worked yesterday, but it isn’t going to work today? How am I going to get down off the ceiling? I try forcing my way down the bedpost and get stuck halfway … when Mom walks into the room. I look like a monkey, like a little kid climbing up and down the bedpost. I used to do that a lot when I was little, so I pretend I’m doing that now.

“Hi, Mom!” I say, as I hang on with one arm, my legs clamped around the bedpost for all I’m worth. Then I tickle under my other arm like a monkey. “OOH-OOH. Got any bananas?” I ask innocently. My heart is pounding in my chest, though, so don’t think I’m not scared.

She looks at me like I’m crazy, then laughs. “You don’t need any more bananas, Gwen! I think you are bananas!” she says, but comes over to ruffle my hair. As soon as she touches me, I can feel the weight re-enter my body, and my feet slowly slide down the bedpost to the floor. Touchdown. Phew. Feet firmly on the floor once again, I hug my mother.

She hugs me back, surprised. It seems like our first hug in ages.