He wanted to avoid Henry,who seemed to have eyes in the back of his bright orange head.He wouldn’t like George creeping around so late at night.
But the hallway was quiet.There was no noise at all except for the quiet hum of the engines,rising up from the bottom of the ship.George loved that noise.It made him think of crickets in the woods at night.
In fact,being out here all by himself reminded him of the nights at home when he sneaked out into the woods while Papa and Phoebe were asleep.
He’d head out when his mind was filled with restless thoughts.About why Papa was always mad at him,or why he didn’t try harder in school.
And of course Mama.
Almost three years had passed since she died.George tried not to think about her too much.But some nights when he closed his eyes,he’d remember her smile.Or her smell when she hugged him close.Like fresh grass and sweet flowers.
And that song she’d sing to wake George up in the morning: “Awake,awake.It’s now daybreak! But don’t forget your dreams…”
Thinking about Mama was like standing close to a fire.Warm at first.But get too close and it hurt too much.
Much better to stay clear of those thoughts. Nothing cleared George’s mind quicker than being in the woods.He never stayed out for more than an hour or two. . . . Except for that night back in October.George was heading back toward home when he heard a terrible sound,like a little girl screaming.He turned around,and in the dark distance he saw two glowing yellow eyes.
Some old-timers said there were black panthers in the woods’ but George never belived it.But as the yellow eyes got closer,George could see the outline of a huge cat,with two glistening fangs.George told himslef not to run.He knew he’d never outrun the panther.But he couldn’t help it—he ran as fast as he could.Branches cut his face,but he didn’t slow dwon.Any second the panther would leap up and tackle George.Its claws would tear him apart.
George could feel the cat right behind him; he could smell its breath,like rotting meat.George grabbed a fallen branch.He turned and waved it in front of him.The panther lunged and grabbed the branch in its jaws.