Leila Siddiqui - House of Glass Hearts

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

K arachi, Pakistan, 2011

A sad tossed and turned in bed, jet lag leaving him unable to sleep for yet another night. He lay on the roof of his naanas house, wrestling with the sheet that had enveloped him as he roiled in bed. Asad kicked it away and sat up, wiping the sweat from his brow. He sighed as a cool breeze trickled past him.

F or the hundredth time that summer, Asad wished his best friend were with him, seeing the same sights, smelling the same smells, eating the same foods, and going on brazen adventures with him. Asad imagined Bobby back in Virginia, eating breakfast at his table with his family, missing him too. Not for the first time that summer, Asad truly felt alone. The only kids his age were his cousins, and barely any of them spoke English. His little sister, Maera, was too young and constantly attached to Ammis hip to play. And Ammi was always squabbling with her sister or Naana to pay him any mind.

I wish you were here, Asad whispered, hoping the wind would carry his words across the planet to Bobby.

H e glanced around at the still sleeping forms of his cousins scattered across the roof. Theyd made their beds up there because the bedrooms had become too hot and stuffy to sleep in, and their parents had kept shouting at them to quit tossing and turning so loudly. Once freed from their parents, they could chatter and play games late into the night until the cooled evening air lulled them to sleep.

M aera slept serenely beside Asad, her hands tucked under her pillow. He pulled the sheet up to cover her, then kissed her on her forehead.

Sweet dreams, he said and smiled, sure that his voice had made its way into her dreams. Ill be right back.

H e crawled off the mattress and stretched his arms over his head. The stars winked down at him, and he winked back. Something else caught his eye, glimmering in the darkness. Asad heard a series of creaks and groans and turned to the back of the house where the greenhouse lived.

T he backyard was where Naana never allowed the kids to go. They had the run of the house, but the backyard was off-limits, barricaded by a heavy wooden door. Asad had had his ears twisted and cheeks pinched hard by his aunts and Ammi for fiddling with it, and gotten a severe scolding from Naana for even walking past it. Tonight, Asad was done following the rules.

A pale green light emanated from the greenhouse, visible from the rooftop. It seemed to pulse to the rhythm of Asads heartbeat. He thought of Bobby again. He knew that if his friend could read his mind at that very moment, hed understand how terribly bored Asad had been all summer and would egg him on from afar to spring into a new adventure.

A sad dug under his pillow for the toys Baba had lovingly carved for himlittle zoo animals he could never bear to part with. Baba had told him these were his tokens of courage. Asad held them in one palm, inhaled the dry wood smell of them, and then stuffed them into his pocket.

M aera stirred and rolled over to his side, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Are you trying to get in trouble or something?

A sad grinned at her. Maybe I am.

O n the mattress beside him, his younger cousin Jamal sat up, rubbing his eyes. Where are you going? he asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

Just on one of my adventures. You both better not think about following me. Go back to sleep.

A sad weaved between the cots and made his way to the stairs. He peeked back at Maera and Jamal, both sitting up and glaring at him. He gave them a small wave and headed down the steps to Naanas courtyard.

A dark shape appeared to be seated on Naanas takht. Asad gasped and flattened himself against the wall. A thin cloud passed over the moon, and the shape disappeared.

A sad crept up to the cracked wooden door that led to the backyard. He imagined an eerie forest of gnarled black trees beyond, blanketed by fog like in a dark fairy tale, and the forbidden greenhouse brimming with untold treasures. Tonight, he was going to find out what his naana kept hidden from all of them.

T he backyard wasnt a creepy forest: it was carpeted with springy grass and bordered by hedges that grew close to a high wall surrounding the backyard. Clumps of trees stood at the back with their heads conspiratorially close. It would have been as ordinary as Asads backyard at home, except for the giant greenhouse that sat in the middle.

I t was waiting for him. A dim green light pulsed from the center, and a murky wind swirled inside. Asad dug into his pockets and clutched his tokens of courage in both palms.

A cold sweat trickled down his back and made him shiver. He gave the door handle a light shake, cringing at the metallic clang it made. He gave it another tug, but the door wouldnt budge. Asad turned back to the roof, trying to think up another way to get in until a creaking noise made him jump.

H e stepped up to the door. Whos in there? he asked, his voice just above a whisper.

T he greenhouse groaned in response. And then, the door opened on its own, just a sliver but large enough for Asad to fit through. He tapped the glass, and it wobbled at his touch. Asad took a deep breath and passed through the door. He was immediately bathed in green light. He gasped, and the toys fell from his hands. As he crawled on the ground to pick them up, a long shadow fell upon him. He shaded his eyes from the light and blinked up at the figure standing before him.

A s the sun rose that morning, Maera shook herself awake from a terrible nightmare. Shed been in a forest, running after Asad for miles and miles, but the faster she ran, the further away he was. She awoke out of breath, as if shed never stopped running.

S he reached for her big brother, but the space beside her was empty. Then she heard the frantic shouts from her various family members downstairs.