Seth climbed on top of a big rock near the deep end.
Watch this can opener! He jumped with one leg straight and the other bent.
Good job, Kendra said to placate him when he surfaced. Shifting her gaze to the table, Kendra froze.
Hummingbirds, bumblebees, and butterflies swirled in the air above the handheld mirror. Several other butterflies and a couple of large dragonflies actually rested on the face of the mirror itself.
Seth, come look at this! Kendra hissed in a loud whisper.
What?
Just come here.
Seth boosted himself out of the pool and padded over to Kendra, arms folded. He stared at the cloud of life whirling above the mirror. What's their deal?
I don't know, she replied. Do insects like mirrors?
These ones do.
Look at the red and white butterfly. It's enormous.
Same with that dragonfly, Seth pointed out.
I wish I had a camera. I dare you to go get the mirror.
Seth shrugged. Sure.
He trotted over to the table, grabbed the mirror by the handle, dashed to the pool, and dove in. Some of the insects scattered instantly. The majority drifted in the direction Seth had gone but dispersed before reaching the pool.
Seth surfaced. Any bees after me?
Get the mirror out of the water. You'll ruin it!
Settle down, it's fine, he said, stroking over to the side.
Give it to me. She took the mirror from him and wiped it dry with her towel. It looked undamaged. Let's try an experiment.
Kendra placed the mirror face up on a lounge chair and backed away. Think they'll come back?
We'll see.
Kendra and Seth sat down at the table, not far from the lounge chair. After less than a minute, a hummingbird glided over to the mirror and hovered above it. Soon it was joined by a few butterflies. A bumblebee alighted on the face. Before long another swarm of small winged creatures crowded the mirror.
Go turn the mirror face down, Kendra said. I want to see whether they like the reflection or the mirror itself.
Seth crept toward the mirror. The little animals took no apparent notice of his approach. He reached forward slowly, flipped the mirror over, and then retreated to the table.
The butterflies and bees that had landed on the mirror took flight when it was overturned, but only a few of the winged creatures flew away. Most of the swarm lingered. A pair of butterflies and a dragonfly landed on the lounge chair at the edge of the mirror. Taking flight, they flipped the mirror over, nearly sliding it off the chair in the process.
With the reflective surface showing again, the swarm pressed close. Several of the creatures landed on the face.
Did you see that? Kendra asked.
That was weird, Seth said.
How could they be strong enough to lift it?
There were a few of them. Want me to flip it again?
No, I'm scared the mirror will fall off and break.
Okay. He draped his towel over his shoulder. I'm going to go change.
Would you take the mirror?
Fine, but I'm running. I don't want to get stung.
Seth moved toward the mirror slowly, snatched it, and ran off into the garden toward the house. Part of the swarm gave lazy pursuit before scattering.
Kendra wrapped the towel around her waist, picked up the sunblock Seth had left behind, and started toward the house.
When Kendra reached the attic playroom, Seth was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved camouflage shirt. He picked up the cereal box that served as his emergency survival kit and headed for the door.
Where are you going?
None of your business, unless you want to come.
How will I know whether I want to come if you don't tell me where you're going?
Seth gave her a measuring stare. Promise to keep it a secret?
Let me guess. Into the woods.
Want to come?
You'll get Lyme disease, Kendra warned.
Whatever. Ticks are everywhere. Same with poison ivy. If people let that stop them, nobody would ever go anywhere.
But Grandpa Sorenson doesn't want us in the woods, she protested.
Grandpa isn't going to be around all day. Nobody will know unless you blab.
Don't do this. Grandpa has been nice to us. We should obey him.
You're about as brave as a bucket of sand.
What's so brave about disobeying Grandpa?
So you're not coming?
Kendra hesitated. No.
Will you tell on me?
If they ask where you are.
I won't be long.
Seth walked out the door. She heard him tromp down the stairs.
Kendra crossed to the nightstand. The handheld mirror rested on it beside the ring with the three tiny keys. She had spent a long time the night before trying to find what the keys fit. The biggest key opened a jewelry box on the dresser that was full of costume jewelry-fake diamond necklaces, pearl earrings, emerald pendants, sapphire rings, and ruby bracelets. She had not yet discovered what the other two opened.
She picked up the keys. They were all small. The smallest was no longer than a thumbtack. Where could she find such a miniscule keyhole?
The night before, she had spent most of her time on drawers and toy chests. Some of the drawers had keyholes, but they were already unlocked, and the keys did not fit.
Same with the toy chests.
The Victorian dollhouse caught her attention. What better place to find tiny keyholes than inside a little house?
She unlatched the clasps and opened it, revealing two floors and several rooms full of miniature furniture. Five doll people lived in the house-a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, and a baby.
The detail was extraordinary. The beds had quilts, blankets, sheets, and pillows. The couches had removable cushions.
Chapter Three
The knobs in the bathtub really turned. Closets had clothes hanging inside.
The armoire in the dollhouse's master bedroom made Kendra suspicious. It had a disproportionately large keyhole in the center. Kendra inserted the tiniest key and turned it.
The doors of the armoire sprung open.
Inside was something wrapped in gold foil-opening it, she saw it was a piece of chocolate shaped like a rosebud.
Behind the chocolate she found a small golden key. She added it to the key ring. The golden key was larger than the key that opened the armoire, but smaller than the key that opened the jewelry box.
Kendra took a bite of the chocolate rosebud. It was soft and melted in her mouth. It was the richest, creamiest chocolate she had ever tasted. She finished it in three more bites, savoring each mouthful.
Kendra continued scouring the tiny house, investigating every piece of furniture, searching every closet, checking behind every miniature painting on the walls. Finding no more keyholes, she closed the dollhouse and fastened the clasps.
Scanning the room, Kendra tried to decide where to look next. One key left, maybe two if the golden key also opened something. She had been through most of the items in the toy chests, but she could always double-check.