Aldo's Fantastical Movie Palace Read Free Page A

only the outline of her face and a few features. But no scars. Not in Aldo’s Palace. In the Palace, she was beautiful.
    Setting down the mirror, Chloe glanced at the big screen. The actress was beautiful too.
    Suddenly, Streak leaped through the window and clawed at Chloe’s chest.
    â€œStop it,” she hissed. “I don’t need more scratches.” She pried the cat loose. “What’s gotten into you?”
    Below, the auditorium doors creaked.
    Customers!
    Chloe stretched her neck out the window and peered down.
    It was a kid, maybe her age. A slow-walking kid swinging a cane back and forth across the aisle. A kid and a dog. A dog that never left his side.
    What’s a blind kid doing at a movie?
    They eased down to the front row and walked all the way to the end, where the boy lowered himself into a chair. The dog sat in the aisle.
    â€œDon’t worry, Streak. I don’t think guide dogs ever leave their owners.”
    Chloe spent the next hour and forty minutes watching the back of a blind boy’s head. It swiveled, like he was watching the movie. He looked up toward the clouds and to the side at blooming buildings.
    And when the parrot bit the pirate on the ear, he laughed.
    Just like he could see.

CHAPTER
4
    O NE TICKET ,” Mom muttered as she locked the theater doors.
    Chloe scooped Streak into her arms. “And one hot dog.”
    â€œOne ticket, one hot dog.” Mom sighed. “Do you know what our take was tonight?”
    â€œFive dollars and twenty cents.”
    â€œDo you know the expenses we incurred this evening?”
    â€œSecond-run movie, last showing — four hundred twenty-eight dollars, give or take.”
    Mom reached her arm around Chloe and squeezed. “It’s lovely. Let’s walk home.”
    The night was cool with no breeze. It was still and silent, except for the scratch of gravel beneath their feet.
    Mom said nothing, which was fine — it gave Chloe time to think.
    â€œMom, that boy who came …”
    â€œHmm?”
    â€œHe was blind.”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhy did he come?”
    â€œHe didn’t say.” Mom grabbed Chloe’s hand and swung her arm. “But his mother and I had a nice talk in the lobby during the movie. They just moved to Hemming from Rochester. Courageous boy.”
    Chloe kicked at the gravel. “But it doesn’t make sense.”
    Mom took a deep breath of evening air. Around them, frogs and crickets woke up and filled the air with noise, and in the distance a lone coyote howled.
    â€œSome things don’t make sense.” She drew Chloe close. “You’ll give yourself headaches trying to figure it out.”
    â€œYou sound like Grandpa.” Streak leaped down from her arm.
    â€œGood reason for that.”
    Mom’s voice was distant. Chloe knew she’d again entered her worried place, the place where she wondered if she’d be able to keep the theater. Chloe hatedit when Mom visited there; she couldn’t help but follow her there too.
    Their feet crunched onto the drive, and Mom paused. On top of the hill, where their farm stood, red lights flashed.
    â€œGrandpa!” They both broke into a run. Chloe raced ahead, turned the driveway corner, huffed, and stomped to the top. Behind her, Mom ran straight for the sheriff on the porch.
    Chloe tried to piece it together. An ambulance sat in front of the hen house. An EMT tried to shoo the chickens away, but the guinea hens had him surrounded and squawked something fierce. Two police cars were parked up near the well, next to the house. Q talked to one officer, while Mom had the sheriff pinned against his squad car, both hands raised. It wasn’t easy to calm Mom down.
    Chloe forced her legs to move and bolted toward Grandpa’s trailer. He stepped out just as she arrived.
    â€œYou … You’re okay?” she asked.
    â€œI shot your brother.” He smiled. “One of my finest