Jack clung to Annie. Dianthus cleared the driveway of theCloisters and began to run with ease down the street. His longstrides were so light and graceful, Jack could hardly feel themovement.
As the unicorn ran, he held his head high. His long, spiraledhorn pierced the raging storm, seeming to calm the winds andsnow. Jack realized he could feel his fingers and toes again. Hiswhole body began to feel warm.
Dianthus headed down a deserted parkway along thewaterfront, past an empty bridge. The87bridge's towers and cables formed a silver arc over a wideriver. Whitecaps swept across the water's surface. As the unicorntrotted past the river, the water became still.
Dianthus left the riverside and headed down a city street. Thewind whistled between tall buildings, blowing the snow intogreat drifts. But the unicorn's horn turned the howling wind intoa soft breeze. The wild blowing snow became floating, star-shaped flakes, like the snowflakes on Christmas cards.
As the unicorn trotted down the street, snowbound taxis andstreetcars started moving again. Lights came on in cafes and jazzclubs. Jack heard happy music coming from inside.
With a calm, steady trot, the unicorn pranced on through thecity. As he moved past old mansions, broken-down tenements,and shabby hotels, people peeked out of doorways and windowsto see why the sounds of the storm had died away. When theycaught sight of Dianthus, with his horn shining in the windlessair, they broke88into joyful smiles. Church bells started ringing through thewhite silence.
Finally Dianthus came to a stone wall bordering Central Park.
He jumped over the wall and landed knee-deep in a heap ofsnow. The unicorn leapt effortlessly out of the drift and canteredover a field and down a slope.
Slowly the clouds parted, and light from the setting sunpoured down.
"Hot corn!" a peddler shouted, plowing his pushcart throughthe snow.
"Roasted chestnuts!" shouted another.
The good smells of the corn and nuts filled the89crisp golden air of the park. The unicorn trotted pastBelvedere Castle. Bill Perkins stood outside, staring up at theclear blue sky.
"Hey, Mr. Perkins, the monster storm's not coming!" shoutedAnnie.
The weatherman saw Jack and Annie on the back of the whiteunicorn. His jaw dropped. Then he smiled and waved.
Jack and Annie rode on. When they passed the statue of thewinged angel, Jack thought he saw her move her great wings.
"Did you see that?" he cried.
"Yes!" said Annie.
When they passed the statue of Balto, Jack heard the sled dogbark.
When they rode past the merry-go-round, Jack heard a chorusof neighs and whinnies accompanied by lively carousel music.
Dianthus pranced down a shimmering pathway. He leapt overa stone wall and cantered over another field.
90The unicorn's horn glistened, and the snowy field reflectedgold and copper light. Not until the unicorn came to the tree thatheld the tree house did he stop.
Annie hugged the unicorn's long, graceful neck. "Thank you,thank you!" she whispered, and kissed him.
"Yeah, wow," breathed Jack.
Annie looked at Jack over her shoulder. "What now?" sheasked.
"I guess we climb off," said Jack.
"But then what?" Annie asked sadly. "Where does he go?""That's a good question," said Jack.
"He comes with us, of course,"someone said. Jack and Annie gasped.
Balor and Grinda slunk out from behind the tree. Balor carriedthe black rope.
Jack was stunned. "How-how did you get here so fast?" heasked.
"We took the A train," said Balor. "'Tis actually91a bit faster than riding a unicorn." The boy laughed meanly.
"Shut up, Balor," said Grinda. Then she turned to Jack andAnnie. "I am glad you had a happy little ride. But you can saygood-bye to Dianthus now. We will take him from here.""No, you won't!" said Annie. "Stay away from us!" said Jack.
"Come on, Dianthus, let's go!" said Annie. Before Dianthuscould move, Grinda rushed forward and grabbed his collar withboth hands. The unicorn snorted and shook his head. Grindaclung fiercely to the collar. "Get the rope over his head, Balor!"she yelled. "Now!"Balor looped the black rope into a noose again. The unicorntwisted and turned his head.
Jack kicked at Balor. "Stop!" he yelled. "Get away from us!"Jack felt stupid just yelling and kicking, but he didn't know whatelse to do.
As Balor and Grinda struggled to get the noose over theunicorn's head, Annie pointed at them. In a loud voice, sheshouted:
92Fowl of air, appear now here!
Aka-aka-aka-mere!
The black rope fell to the snow. Balor and Grinda started tospin around. They spun like two spinning tops. As they spun,they grew smaller and smaller. Jack saw a blur of colors: grayand brown, green and white, a dash of orange, a dash of yellow.
The spinning slowly came to a stop. The two scary teenagerswere gone. In their place were two small mallard ducks. |