see a curtain of cobwebs draping the window frame Dust coated the tools No one had been inside for a long time except for an army of spiders apparently and probably a few mice A half-finished dollhouse sat on a table in the far corner I wondered if we’d ever finish building it for Junie but those thoughts made me feel too scratchy so I continued on my way I climbed the grassy hill that sloped up behind the shed With one swift leap I cleared the gate at the top and kept on going straight into our orchard I zigzagged between the rows of ancient apple trees until I arrived in an open meadow as big as a softball diamond Traces of an old barn foundation were vis ible near the center of the clearing Junie and I used to walk along the exposed foundation stones testing our balance with our arms stretched to the side pretend ing we were crossing the parapets of our own personal castle while the scraggly looking apple trees marched beside us like loyal sentries The trees right along the edge of the clearing were bigger than the others in the orchard probably because they were less crowded and could soak up more rain catch more sunlight When our parents first told us about our new home in Bridgebury they tried to soften the blow of yet another dreaded move by prom ising my sister and me that we’d have the same as those 3
trees room to grow fresh air to breathe sunshine to bask in There would be fields of grass to run through mud puddles to stomp in trees to swing beneath We’d only ever lived in tiny city apartments so it was hard to imagine having a real backyard let alone acres of land to explore It all sounded so perfect at first I walked over to our swing the one Junie used to love The one Dad built from barn wood and braided ropes before he got too busy The one Mom helped us hang from the strongest safest branch she could find before she got too sad I used to lift Junie up tell her to hold on tight then give her a push Let her fly She’d hoot and holler and scream for me to stop which I knew was actually sister code for go higher Junie-to the-moonie high That was last fall which wasn’t really so long ago if you looked at a calendar But to me those five months three days twenty-two hours and nine minutes felt like a million years Like a different life The wind shifted The orchard seemed to sigh I had this strange sensation that the trees were listen ing to me which was just plain silly because I wasn’t actually saying anything out loud And also trees don’t have ears Just then my own ears pricked Something high pitched trilled through the branches My heart leapt 4
in my chest until I realized it was only birdsong For a few fleeting seconds I could’ve sworn it was Junie laughing Which made me want to cry I looked at our swing then down at my poor feet and just about every part of me started to ache So I sat on that swing even though I’d vowed to never touch it again Not after what happened to Junie Or me Heck I might as well have changed my name to Isabel-Invisible For all I could tell I was disappearing Except this wasn’t superpower invis ibility or something cool like that Nope It was the opposite of cool Junie would say it was the worstible a word reserved for the worst-most-horrible things like brussels sprouts and salamanders and shots at the doctor’s office Back and forth the ropes and wood creaked as I kicked my legs swinging higher Up up then down with a whoosh that made my stomach drop The higher I went the more I could see Not quite a bird’s eye view More like a squirrel’s-eye view Little green leaves sprouted on crooked branches Robins flitted here and there building nests Crocuses peeked up purple and yellow forsythia blossoms scattered like confetti at a birthday party I hoped we’d have a party for Junie this summer She’d never met a cupcake she didn’t like any flavor 5
would do Chocolate vanilla strawberry even carrot cake which she refused to believe was actually made from a vegetable Dad used to joke that somewhere in Junie’s pint-sized body was the stomach of an elephant She could probably eat an entire dozen cupcakes if you let her though Mom never would I bet she’d make an exception this year though If there was a birthday I’d save up my lunch money and buy seven of the biggest brightest balloons I could find Instead of making wishes by blowing out candles which leave holes in the tops of precious cupcakes Junie preferred popping balloons one for each year Last year Mom even gave her a wishing pin a sparkly red brooch in the shape of a butterfly that she found for a dollar at a rummage sale The latch was broken and it was missing some rhinestones but Junie thought it was perfecterrific and proceeded to make her birthday wishes using it on the balloons Pop Pop Pop Pop Pop Pop Six very loud wishes And I’m pretty sure none of them involved getting sick There was a rustling in one of the trees My eyes followed the sound A squirrel skittered down a nearby trunk and ran across the clearing his tail bouncing behind him all jolly and fluffy Junie and I watched that same squirrel collecting acorns last fall I recognized 6
