The Secret of Berry House
by
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When I awoke in the morning, I felt as warm as a freshly baked pie steaming on a baker’s rack. For a second I thought I was back in bed at Berry House, tucked deep beneath my goose-down feather comforter. Eyes still closed, I heard unfamiliar soft snoring noises all around me. I opened my eyes slowly, finding both of us covered in ermine-colored fur balls. They were nestled so tightly together, it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended. Whispering as low as I could, trying not to disturb whatever they were, I tried several times to wake Kant, each time raising my voice a little higher. He began to stir, causing two of the little creatures to follow suit. The pair of fuzzy bundles began yipping, waking the rest. The round pelts turned into darling, sweet, seal-faced pups. Short, round, soft, furry bodies as white as the snow they slept under, with sparkling blue lagoon eyes, peeked out from under black-tipped bangs. “What are they, Kant? They are so cute! Do they bite? Where did they come from?” Kant, now fully awake, was as surprised as I to find the adorable band on top of us. “I don’t know. Let me try something. They’re awfully cute.” Speaking on a soft, calm voice, he tried coaxing one of them so he could pet it. “Come on now, I won’t hurt you. Here, let’s have a scratch or two.” He gave a short whistle, causing the pups to stop yelping and to cock their heads to one side to listen. “They like that Kant, do it again. Whistle a tune and see what they do.” Kant chose one of his mother’s lullabies. It wasn’t long before the entire pack as purring along with him. One of the braver ups ventured up to my face. Putting its cold black nose on mine, it began licking my lips, giving me salty kisses. Reaching carefully, I scratched behind its teeny ear. Seeing no harm had come to their friend, soon they all wanted attention. We were having so much fun, we almost forgot we were buried under an icy blanket. The snow from the night before had closed all but a small slit in the tunnel’s opening. The joyful nose from our play almost drowned out the searchers calling from above.
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About the Book
Imagine being five years old and suddenly your mother disappears one evening after supper. She had simply gone upstairs to check a strange noise in the house. If that isn’t frightening plus confusing enough, for the next five years of your young life, you are left in the care of a wicked old housekeeper and her nasty troublemaking cat. During this time, your once-loving father slips into depression, moving from the house to his office, about the carriage house to lose himself in his work. One day you too disappear as you are pulled by a strange force through a crack that abruptly appears. This is where your true adventure begins.
About the Author
The author is an artist, writer, and poet. She began writing seriously in 1985. A lover of fantasy and all that one can dream, she presents her first novel for your enjoyment. She acquired an associate’s degree from Clackamas Community College, Salem, Oregon.