Lexi Fairheart and the Forbidden Door (2 page)

She groped in her backpack and her fingers closed around the cool, round shape of her flashlight. She turned it on and aimed the beam from one corner of the room to the other.
“Ohhh!”
Lexi couldn’t believe her eyes!

In the dim beam of light, she could see rows of glass cages, filled with spiders. Had she broken a cage when she fell into the room? Goose bumps of fright prickled Lexi’s skin. Somewhere close to her, one of these creatures was on the loose. It could get away any second now!

Lexi slowly moved the flash light’s beam to the floor where she was standing.

She felt a big yell rising in her throat.
Steady now, Lexi-girl, and think of a plan,
she told herself. She saw the light switch dangling from the ceiling and moved carefully closer so she could reach it.

Lexi pulled the switch and blinked. Right there in front of her nose sat the biggest, hairiest, ugliest spider she had ever seen. The spider gazed calmly at her, through eyes that seemed to be made of a thousand tiny black beads.

This must be the spider which had escaped from the broken glass cage on the floor! What would she tell Grandpa if the spider got lost? Slowly, Lexi reached into her backpack and pulled out her butterfly net. Her stomach wanted to explode from all the screams she was swallowing. The spider sat motionless, watching her.

Carefully, Lexi arched her arm and swung the net down to trap the spider. Just before the net landed, the spider leaped from the shelf and scurried across the floor to the door.

Lexi dove after it with her net stretched out in front of her. She landed on her stomach with a thud and snapped the net down over the spider just before it scampered out of her reach.

She twisted sideways to remove a piece of glass from under her leg. When she looked around again, she found herself gazing right at the tips of Grandpa’s shoes!

“Lexi! What have you done?”

Lexi scrambled to her feet as she held the net in place with one hand. “I’m so s-s-s-orry, Grandpa! I forced the door open and broke the cage! But I got your spider!” She pointed to the net. “Here it is, Grandpa.”

Lexi saw sadness in her grandfather’s eyes. He hunched down in front of Lexi and took the net from her. Gently, he lifted the net, cupped the spider in his hands and placed it in an empty glass cage. Then he took a good look at Lexi.

“Come, dear, you’re hurt. Let’s get something for that knee.” Lexi followed her grandfather down the stairs into the kitchen. Her knee stung with every step and she felt as if her heart was a rock in her shoe.

Oh! How would she ever make it up to Grandpa?

Grandpa washed Lexi’s knee carefully and bandaged the cut. He took her face in his hands and said, “I’m so glad this is the only wound you have. There are poisonous spiders up there too, you know.”

Lexi threw her arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you, Grandpa. Will you forgive me?”

Grandpa held her for the longest time. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded gravelly in her ears. “How can I not, dearest?”

“What are all those spiders doing in your attic, Grandpa?” Lexi had to know.

Grandpa’s eyes twinkled. “I guess it’s time to let you in on my secret.”

They climbed the stairs to the attic together. Grandpa opened the green door and said, “Let me introduce you to my friends, Lexi. You know I wrote all those books about insects and spiders? Well, I recently started helping the city zoo breed rare spiders.”

Lexi looked at the glass cages, her eyes wide with amazement and turned to Grandpa.

“Do you have any other forbidden doors in your house, Grandpa?” There was a twinkle in Grandpa’s eyes as he nodded and smiled. Lexi was quiet for a moment. She reached down to touch the bandage on her knee and said, “I think I’d rather open the next door with you. I’m sure it will be more fun that way!”

- The End -

About the Author

Lisl Fair has a master’s degree in speech-language therapy and audiology. She left private practice to spend more time with her four children and took up a career in writing from home.

She is the author of numerous magazine articles dealing with a variety of parenting subjects and is involved in the development of educational children books.

She is involved in brain-based learning and development, and helps parents and children discover how they are unique on a part-time basis.

You can email Lisl Fair at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or thoughts to share.

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