The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

22

IT WAS DUSK, AND EDWARD WAS walking down a sidewalk. He was walking on his own, putting one foot in front of the other without any assistance from anybody. He was wearing a fine suit made of red silk.

He walked down the sidewalk, and then he turned onto a path that led up to a house with lighted windows.

I know this house, thought Edward. This is Abilene’s house. I am on Egypt Street.

Lucy came running out the front door of the house, barking and jumping and wagging her tail.

“Down, girl,” said a deep, gruff voice.

Edward looked up and there was Bull, standing at the door.

“Hello, Malone,” said Bull. “Hello, good old rabbit pie. We’ve been waiting for you.” Bull swung the door wide and Edward walked inside.

Abilene was there, and Nellie and Lawrence and Bryce.

“Susanna,” called Nellie.

“Jangles,” said Bryce.

“Edward,” said Abilene. She held out her arms to him.

But Edward stood still. He looked around the room.

“You searching for Sarah Ruth?” Bryce asked.

Edward nodded.

“You got to go outside if you want to see Sarah Ruth,” said Bryce.

So they all went outside, Lucy and Bull and Nellie and Lawrence and Bryce and Abilene and Edward.

“Right there,” said Bryce. He pointed up at the stars.

“Yep,” said Lawrence, “that is the Sarah Ruth constellation.” He picked Edward up and put him on his shoulder. “You can see it right there.”

Edward felt a pang of sorrow, deep and sweet and familiar. Why did she have to be so far away?

If only I had wings, he thought, I could fly to her.

Out of the corner of his eye, the rabbit saw something flutter. Edward looked over his shoulder and there they were, the most magnificent wings he had ever seen, orange and red and blue and yellow. And they were on his back. They belonged to him. They were his wings.

What a wonderful night this was! He was walking on his own. He had an elegant new suit. And now he had wings. He could fly anywhere, do anything. Why had he never realized it before?

His heart soared inside of him. He spread his wings and flew off Lawrence’s shoulders, out of his hands and up into the nighttime sky, toward the stars, toward Sarah Ruth.

“No!” shouted Abilene.

“Catch him,” said Bryce.

Edward flew higher.

Lucy barked.

“Malone!” shouted Bull. And with a terrific lunge, he grabbed hold of Edward’s feet and pulled him out of the sky and wrestled him to the earth. “You can’t go yet,” said Bull.

“Stay with us,” said Abilene.

Edward beat his wings, but it was no use. Bull held him firmly to the ground.

“Stay with us,” repeated Abilene.

Edward started to cry.

“I couldn’t stand to lose you again,” said Nellie.

“Neither could I,” said Abilene. “It would break my heart.”

Lucy bent her face to Edward’s.

She licked his tears away.