TkeKeeper

of~heDoor

Cadyn

Morgan-McGregor

Thirty-oneyearsagoinasmalltown.....

"Whycan'tyoubenormallikeothermothers?"criedJohnbitterly."Whydoyouhavetobesodifferent?Ithinkyou'rejustmakingupthisdoorkeeperrubbish.","Ittakesabravepersontostandupforwhattheybelievein,John.Justbecausewebelieveinsomethingthatmanypeoplethinkcouldn'tpossiblybereal,itdoesn'tmeanthatwehavetopretendnottobelieve,"John'smothersaidcalmly."Youdon'tseemtounderstandthatIdon'tbelievewhatyoubelieve,sothereisnoWEbelieve,thereisonlyYOUbelieve!"screamedJohn.

Present-day,inthesamesmelltown......

Tomquietlyclosedthedoorandsnuckintothekitchen.Itwaswellpasthisbedtime,buthehadbeenSoabsorbedinwhathisgrandmother,Isabel,hadbeentellinghim,thathehadcompletelyforgottenthetime.Heslowlycrepttowardshisroom.Justasheopenedthedoor,aboomingvoicecalledout,"Justwheredoyouthinkyouaregoing?"Tomfrozeandturnedaround.Hisfather,John,wasstandingthereinhisnightclothes."Wherehaveyoubeen?"hedemanded."Iwentoutforawalk,"saidTom."Don'tlietome,you'vebeenatyourgrandmother'shouse,haven'tyou?"Johnsaid."IthoughtItoldyounottovisither.She'llfillyourheadwithcompletenonsense.""Shedoesnot,"Tomsaidindignantly."Shetellsthemostamazingstoriesaboutdragons.Idon'tthinkthey'renonsenseatall.""So,you'vebeentoseeherbeforetonight?"JohnSighed."Iguessthere'Snopointtellingyouotherwisethen,isthere?Gotobed,andmindyoudon'tgovisitingmymotheragain."Tomundressedandclamberedintobed.Hewaselevenandsmellforhisage,withfairhairanddarkbrowneyes.Tomwasnotthemosttalkativeofboys,andhedidnotreallyhaveanyfriends.Whenhewasnotatschoolhepreferredtoreador