ࡱ!  !` AWN1... .&>>   q *  q  The Gate of Visions I was just falling asleep when Rory ran into my room, signing madly. I usually had a pretty good grasp on sign language, but I couldn t really register what was happening. He was moving too fast. I told him to calm down and start over. He signed just as quickly in an apparent panic. I rubbed my eyes, exhausted from moving. It was probably a spider or the wind or just his imagination in this old house.  Just sleep with me, I said, pulling him into bed. He still looked anxious, so I closed the door and turned the old key, locking us in. I knew that wouldn t keep a spider out, but it seemed to calm him down. I tucked him in by the wall and gave him a cuddle. He stared at the door.  Don t let your imagination get the best of you, I said. He looked so genuinely frightened that I started to feel bad for the kid.  How about I keep the lights on? I said, motioning toward the lamp. He nodded his head enthusiastically. I climbed into bed and hugged him tight. He was shaking. I awoke startled to the sound of my doorknob rattling. It was morning.  Sarah! Why is this door locked? It was my mother, and she sounded annoyed. I jumped up and unlocked it. She looked in with furrowed brows and then raised them in surprise at the sight of Rory.  He was really, really scared last night so I let him sleep with me, I yawned as I passed her.  Awww, she said, scooping him up and following me downstairs. She sat him in front of some morning cartoons with a plate of pancakes.  Poor kid. Of all the houses to move into, I find the creepiest and most isolated, Mom said while shaking her head and scanning the newspaper.  It s not that bad, really, I responded, trying to comfort her.  I think it was just a spider or something. He was making all kinds of signs when he ran in my room, but I was too tired for them to register.  Do you remember any of them? she asked frowning.  Um, there was one sort of like this, I said, trying to copy the motion. I pinched my finger tips to my thumb at my forehead and then pulled my hand down to my chest. My mother s face remained motionless, but she tapped her fingers nervously.  You sure? she asked skeptically.  Yeah, I don t know. Maybe, I said, stuffing a giant forkful of syrupy pancakes into my mouth. She looked at Rory and then back at me.  What? I said while trying to chew.  That sign you just made means  man,  she said thoughtfully. I looked up startled. Rory was staring at me, as though he could hear what we d be talking about. Then, he smiled and continued munching away.  He was dreaming, I said dismissively.  I just  my mother began to say.  It was a nightmare, Mom, I said, as I put my bowl in the sink and left for my room. I was in no mood for her weird superstitions. &(*R V lp (,"&txZ h>{5\h>{ 5\Z+(*T V I@$ & Fd$d%d&d'd(d)fNOPQRA$^`8$ & Fd$d%d&d'd(d)fNOPQRA$;$$ & Fd$d%d&d'd(d)fNOPQRA$a$np  *,8$ & Fd$d%d&d'd(d)fNOPQRA$$&vx8$ & Fd$d%d&d'd(d)fNOPQRA$ ,1h/ =!"#$% Z 2 0@P`p2( 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p 0@P`p8XV~OJPJQJ^J@ Normal4$$dA$]^`a$3567>*B*CJOJPJQJ\]^JaJphPP{ Heading 1$dxA$5CJ$\aJ$PP{ Heading 2$dhPA$5CJ\aJZZ{ Heading 3$dPA$5B*CJ\aJphfffZZ{ Heading 4$d(A$6B*CJ]aJphfffZZ{ Heading 5$d(A$5B*CJ\aJphfffZZ{ Heading 6$d(A$6B*CJ]aJphfffDAD Default Paragraph FontRiR  Table Normal4 l4a (k(No ListH>H{Title$dxA$5CJH\aJHhJh{Subtitle$dhPA$'6B*CJ0OJPJQJ]^JaJ0phfff & Gz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial7Georgia@"h!r4d2X?>{2Unknown  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89qOh+'0   0 8DLXx @@@Aspose.Words for Java 11.8.0.01 Normal.dot@՜.+,0 PX` l  Title    !"#$%&'()*+,-./01246789:;<>?@Root Entry F@1Table CompObj3qWordDocument.&SummaryInformation(5DocumentSummaryInformation8=