Mother made me stay in my room until Dr. Stayle came. When I arrived at the Kessle Estate, Mrs. Kessle was waiting for me like always, she finally noticed I was wearing the same dress. "Do you only own one dress, child,"

"Yes, Mrs. Kessle," I said. I didn't much care for dresses but I didn't tell her that.

Mrs. Kessle shook her head and then ushered me up the stairs. The book and candle were waiting for me like always but I didn't feel much like reading, not after fighting with Chuck. It was a beautiful day our and after a few pages I could hear some of the kids laughing. They must have been playing stick ball. I wondered if Chuckie was playing with them. I read a few more pages and then got an idea.

"Mrs. Kessle?"

"What?"

"It is a little hard to see in the candle light can...can I read by the window,"

She paused for a moment but then said, "Yes but speak up...you are too quiet today,"

"Yes Mrs. Kessle," I said and then I moved to the window.

I quickly looked to see who was outside. There were some kids but they weren't playing stick ball and I didn't see Chuck anywhere… Still there was a lot more light by the window and I did find it easier to read I continued to read and realized the curtain was pulled back some again.

Every time I finished a page, I'd glance up for a second or two. I saw Mrs. Kessle in bed with the mummy. She was sitting next to him, running her hands through his long hair as I read. She had a smile on her face which was rare sight indeed. She kept stared down at her son and he... well he just stared forward with a huge grin on his face. Every so often he'd move his head, especially if I paused too long. Sometimes he'd turn his head in my direction but he didn't really look at me.

I kept wondering what was wrong with him. Just what about him was suppose to be so different? There were so many rumors so many legends but… he...he was just a kid. It didn't make any sense and I found it frustrating.

That night while I was setting the table, I asked my mother what was wrong with Atley but she told me she didn't know. She just knew he wasn't well and told me not to pry. I tried not to think about it too much, the chocolate cake helped with that mother let me have two whole slices and even though Stew had stuck his tongue out at the cake having nuts, he licked his plate clean.

I didn't think about the mummy until it was bed time. I laid awake in my bed finding myself more curious then ever. The mummy had always been a mystery, a fear on my mind but now that I knew he...he was really just a boy...just Atley. It felt like there was another mystery...a somehow greater mystery because I knew it was real...I had seen it… him with my very own eyes.

The next day while I was reading by the window, someone came to the house. The maid came up stairs and told Mrs. Kessle she was needed. She got up from the bed but told me to keep reading. She left the room and I wondered who was at the door, since as far as I knew no one ever went to the Kessle estate. I was beginning to think more then one of the rumors I heard might not be true.

I sighed and looked out the window. I saw Carry and his cousin Andrew they looked like they were going fishing. I wondered where Chuck was but then quickly reminded myself I didn't care cause he wasn't my friend. The mummy started whimpering then. I knew if he was too loud his mother would come running.

I wanted a break from reading so I said, "Hush, don't cry, you're not a baby."

He went silent and I thought he listened to what I'd said. I continued to stare out the window thinking it was another nice day. After a few seconds of silence the mummy started crying again. I groaned and said, "Don't cry Atley,"

He stopped crying at once and perked up, "That's my name."

"Yes," I said and then I got to thinking. Maybe I could ask him what was wrong with him. Surely he would know, right? "What's wrong with you?"

He didn't respond and I wondered if he heard me. I spoke louder, "Atley, what is wrong with you?"

For a long moment he stared off into space and then he said, "What is wrong?" He said it like a question.

"Don't you know?" I asked.

He seemed confused.

"Like, why are you always in bed?" I asked, taking a step away from the window. Again, he seemed confused. "Are you sick or something?" I continued.

"What's that?" he asked

I rolled my eyes, it was like he didn't know nothing. "Man you really are a baby?"
"What's a baby?" he asked.

"You don't what a baby is?" I said in disbelief. Then I laughed, thinking he was messing with me, everyone knew what a baby was. He didn't say anything, he just kept staring with a confused look on his face.

I could hear Mrs. Kessle coming then. I didn't want to get caught like I did the other day so I quickly sat back at the window. I turned a few pages and started reading like I had never stopped. Mrs. Kessle sat back down next to Ately on the bed and tried to get him to sit back with her but he wouldn't move. He just kept staring.

She noticed something was wrong and quickly asked, "What it Ately? Atley are you not feeling well?"

I looked up from the book and watched Mrs. Kessle touch Ately's forehead and then his cheek. He grasped hold of her hand and then asked, "What is wrong?"

"What?" She said confused.

"The voice it said What is wrong with you Ately? What is wrong with me?"

Oh...I knew I was in for it then. Mrs Kessle head snapped in my direction and from the look she gave me I knew I was done for. She pulled Ately into her arms and said," Nothing...nothing is wrong with you my dear sweet child,"

"Nothing," said Atley, "Nothing is wrong." I had a feeling he was trying to tell me.

"What's a baby?" he asked next. I realized then, he really didn't know. How could he not know. I looked at him strangely and Mrs. Kessle saw the way I looked. I didn't mean to stare like that but it's just...I thought everyone knew what a baby was.

She let go of him and got up. Without a word she stormed up to me and roughly grabbed me by the arm. It hurt and I cried out. When I cried out Atley started to get upset. and then he started to cry out. Mrs. Kessle called out to him "It's okay mommy will be right back sweetie,"

She dragged me out of the room, into the hall and down the stairs. I began to think she wouldn't ever let go. Yet when we got downstairs she shook me, "HOW DARE YOU...HOW DARE YOU ASK HIM SUCH A QUESTION! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

She was scaring me I didn't know what to say. I started crying and Atley I could hear Ately was now crying something fierce. You could hear it through the whole house, the maid came rushing into the room. Mrs. Atley shook me again and said, "DO YOU HEAR THAT...DO YOU HEAR HOW YOU'VE UPSET MY ATLEY!"

I didn't know what to say. I balled my eyes out saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't meant to I didn't mean to,"

Mrs. Kessle grew frustrated and pushed me away. I fell down and then she turned to the maid, "Get the Doctor at once."

"Yes Mrs. Kessle but what about the girl."

"She can stay there till Ately is cared for THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK," said Mrs. Kessle. She stormed up the stared and the maid left. I sobbed on the floor watching Dr. Stayle climb up the stairs a few minutes later. I listened to Ately scream and scream and then it was quiet. Dr. Stayle came back downstairs and he looked sad. He told me to get up and then he gook me home.

When I got home, my mother could see I'd been crying. She wanted to know what had happened. I told her and would you believe it she was mad at me to. She yelled at me and sent me up to my without supper room.

That night when father got home mother told him what I had done and he was mad to. I heard him yell and then, my parents started fighting they argued about having to return the money but they'd already spend it. They weren't sure what they were going to do. I heard my mother crying most the night. I cried myself to sleep feeling awful. I was so mad...made I'd asked him made I'd ever met him.

Before the sun was even up the next morning my mother woke me. She pulled me out of bed, I thought she was still mad at me. She quickly helped me put my dress on and walked me outside to carriage. I didn't understand what it was doing here. When my mother opened the carriage door I saw Mrs. Kessle was inside. She looked sick and tired.

I started to cry. I didn't want to go with her but mother said I had to. That Ately was really sick and needed me to read to him, right away. That my voice would make him feel better. She promised, she wouldn't be mad at me anymore if I went. I knew she was worried about the money so I got in.

My mother shut the door and we went to the Kessle Estate. I refused to look at Mrs. Kessle. I was mad at her but really...really I was scared of her. I was scared of her being mad at me, of shaking me and most of all taking back the money back. I knew that would make my parents fight and my mother cry.

When we got to the Kessle Estate. Mrs. Kessle sighed and put her hand up. I thought she was going to grab me and I flinched. She put her hand down a moment later and just sighed. She looked more tired then every and said, "You and I need to come to an understanding...We...we need rules if this is to continued. From now on you will never speak to Ately when I am not in the room, do you understand me?"

I nodded and then whimpered, "Yes,"

"Now..." she said with a heavy sigh, "To answer your question."

"It's okay I wont ask again," I said

"Do not interrupt me child," said Mrs. Kessle. She gave me a stern look. I nodded and she continued, "Close your eyes," I didn't want to but I worried what would happen if I didn't. Once my eyes were closed she asked "What do you see?"

I didn't understand, my eyes were closed, "I...can't see anything my eyes are closed,"

"Keep them closed...now tell me what do you see?" said Mrs. Kessle.

"Nothing," I said, "I can't see anything."

"This...this is what is wrong with my Ately. He is blind. He can not see like you or me. He lives forever with his eyes closed. Since the day he was born he has been a very...very sick boy. There are few things that bring him joy in this word. For now your voice pleases him and as long as it does...you shall read to him. In turn I shall pay your family. However you are only to read to him nothing more, do you understand?"

"Yes," I said slowly opening my eyes.

Without another word she got out. As soon as I stepped out of the carriage I heard Ately's cries. He must have been really upset. I followed her Mrs. Kessle inside thinking of what she said. I found it strange, he couldn't see. I'd never known anyone who couldn't see… When I got into the house his screams were even louder. It was a wailing like no other.

I remembered a time when I was really little back when my big brother Hayes was still at home, before the war, before he had died. He'd fallen out of a tree and screamed something fierce. It turned out he broke his leg. I remember asking him why did he scream so loud and he said he was in pain...Ately must have been in a lot of pain.

The maid came rushing down the stairs to us. She looked happy to see us. She took Mrs. Kessle coat as she said "He's woken again"

"I can hear," said Mrs. Kessle sighing, "Has it been long,"

"Only a few minutes" said the maid but he's getting worse.

Mrs. Kessle nodded and then urged me up the stairs, "Hurry now child."

I rushed up the stairs and quickly took my place at the desk. Mrs. Kessle lit the candle at the table as she called out to Atley, "Hush now my Atley, I have returned with the voice. It is here to read to you,"

I could barely hear Mrs Kessle as Atley continued to scream and scream, behind the curtain. Mrs. Kessle quickly rushed to the bed and then tried to sooth her son but he just kept crying. "Read," she called out to me, "Read!"

I opened the book and quickly began to read Ately sobbed and sniffled but then grew quiet and still as he heard me. He listened to me read all morning without a peep. At one point they brought him food and I thought I could stop but he started to cry again. Mrs. Kessle urged me to keep going and I read and read well into the evening.

At some point he finally fell asleep I was so tired I could barely walk down the stairs to the carriage. I must have fallen asleep on the way home because when I woke it was morning and I was in bed. I would have thought I'd dreamed it if I wasn't soo tried and hungry.

Mother made me a big breakfast and even brought it to me in bed. She asked me how it went and I told her Atley was blind and that he cried and cried until I started reading to him. After breakfast mother said I could go out and play but I didn't feel like it. Mother asked me if there was anything I wanted. I found out Mrs. Kessle had paid my parents for the rest of the summer.

I knew I should be happy but I wasn't. Just the other day I everyone had been so mad and now they were happy with me. I felt sick. I felt like I didn't know anything and every time I closed my eyes I thought of Atley.

I understood now why he didn't leave the bed. I tried closing my eyes and walking around and I kept falling and hitting things. I wanted to talk to Chuck about it but then I remembered we weren't friend. I don't know why I kept forgetting. I went to play outside a little before lunch with Stew we kicked around and I finally saw Chuck, he was with the other boys Carry Andrew, and some other kid that looked new. Andrew waved at me but Carry and chuck yelled at him I heard them whisper about me like I was the mummy. I didn't like it…

That afternoon the curtains on the bed were fully open. I looked at Atley a bit closer. I thought it was weird that he had eyes but couldn't see. I tried not to stare at him too much. I read but my voice hurt after and hour and I stopped. Ately began to cry and Mrs. Kessle hissed, "Keep reading,"

"But I'm thirsty,"

"I'm thirsty too," said Ately.

Mrs. Kessle checked the pitcher that held water by the bed but found it was empty. "I'll be right back" she said. She gave me a look and I just looked at the book I was reading. "It was a new book about nursery ryhms, some I knew by heart while others I didn't know." I turned the pages looking at a few of the pictures, when Ately spoke, "How does the voice get thirsty? Does it drink?"

He seemed amused. "What?" I said with out thinking?

"How do you drink?"

"How do you drink? I repeated.

He seemed frustrated, he sat up and then leaned forward. "I asked,"

"Just like you...with my mouth,"

"The voice has a mouth," he seemed surprised.

"The voice has a name," I said

"What," he said surprised, "What is it?"

I stopped talking, hearing his mother coming.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Be quiet...your mother is coming,"

He tilted his head and Mrs. Kessle came she looked at me and I was looking at the book. "Is everything alright in here?"

"Yes," he said.

She gave Ately a glass of water and then me. I drank it and began reading again. I was afraid he was going to tell his mother we had spoken but he didn't.

After a few pages he said, "Mommy I'm hungry,"

"It's not time for dinner, Atley" said Mrs. Kessle,

"But I'm hungry," he whined.

I heard Mrs. Kessle sigh, "Alright I'll have Madeline make you something," she got up and gave me a look, "Keep reading,"

I kept reading but after a page he called out. "What is it?"

"What is what?" I said,

"The voices name?"

"Amina," I said. "My name is Amina

"Amina," he repeated, "Amina, Amina...Amina."

"That's my name," I said rolling my eyes.

He began to rock back and forth in bed, "Amina...Amina….

His mother was coming and I said, "Shush and don't tell your mother,"

He just beamed and I kept reading. Mrs. Kessle came in and saw the smile on his face, She smiled and asked "Are you happy Ately?"

"Oh Yes, I love this book,"

"I am so glad," said Mrs Kessle. She gave him a hug.

When the food came. I watched Mrs. Kessle feed him. It was a bowl of soup and some bread. Atley would sit with his mouth open and wait for his mother to bring the spoon to him. He couldn't even tear his own bread and put it it in his mouth. I was reminded of my baby brother. I suppose like my brother, he couldn't do anything for himself. I felt sad and that night at dinner, when I could eat on my own I realized again how different things must be...