For Darkness Shows the Stars
Read For Darkness Shows the Stars Online
Authors: Diana Peterfreund
For Darkness Shows the Stars
DIANA PETERFREUND
For my mother, who loves Jane Austen as much as I do,
And my daughter, who I hope someday will.
Contents
There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved. Now they were as strangers; nay, worse than strangers, for they could never become acquainted. It was a perpetual estrangement.
—J
ANE
A
USTEN
,
P
ERSUASION
Dear Kai,
My name is Elliot, and I am six years old and live in the big house. Everyone says your smarter than me but I know I am the smartest. I bet you can’t even read this letter.
Your friend,
Elliot North
Dear Elliot,
I can so read and write. I red your letter and your not so smart. Your justritchrich. You get tutors in the big house. My da teaches me to read after we work for your da all day long. So I can read and I can fix a tractor too. I bet you can’t.
Your friend,
Kai
Dear Kai,
You are very nice. Thank you for teaching me how to change the tractor tire today. It was realy fun, but my mother got mad about the mud on my dress. Don’t wory I didn’t tell her. I hope you like this book. It is one of my favorites.
Your friend (now I feel like I really mean it!),
Elliot
Dear Elliot,
Thank you for the book. Your right, it’s really good. My favorite part was the story about Jason and hisadenturesadventures on the ship. I would like to be an Argonaut. Or even Jason. Do you know they used to build ships like that right here?
Your friend,
Kai
P.S. If you want to come back to the barn, I will show you more about the tractor.
Dear Kai,
Yes, I know about the ships. That was my granfather who did that, when he was younger. They call him the Boatwright, but his name is Elliot too, just like me, and my mother says he was the smartest man on the whole island. But he’s been sick for a long time.
I have bad news. My sister Tatiana told on me about the tractor, and now my father says you can’t come to the big house. So from now on, if you want to rite write me a letter then fold it up and put it in the knot in the board write next to the barn door. I’ll come by and get it.
Your friend,
Elliot
Dear Elliot,
That is nice about your grandfather. I don’t know mine. My da says he was Reduced. He says both his ma and da were Reduced, and that they died a long time ago.
I hope you like this letter. If you fold it up exactly like I had it, it will fly on its own. It’s an air glider. I can teach you how to do it if you ever come see me again. I know your da said I can’t come to the big house, but he didn’t say you can’t come to the barn.
Your friend,
Kai
Dear Kai,
I am sorry I couldn’t come to see you. I hope you like my glider. It’s like yours but I think it flies even farther.
I am also sorry to hear about your grandparents. Is it strange to think you come from people who are Reduced?
I would like to come back to the barn. My father goes to Channel City every month and I think it’s best if I come when he’s gone. He usualy takes Tatiana too, so she can’t tell on me.
Your friend,
Elliot