A Wind In The Door

Meg and Charles Wallace return home. While helping make dinner, Meg asks Mother if there’s something wrong with Charles Wallace’s mitochondria or farandolae. Mother says Dr. Colubra believes he might have mitochonritis but doesn’t know anything beyond that. She thinks they should focus on Charles Wallace’s troubles at school. At dinner, Mr. Murry calls to tell his family that he will fly from Washington DC to Brookhaven, where he will spend a week consulting with other scientists. Then Charles Wallace pulls out one of the feathers he found in the pasture and asks the twins, Sandy and Dennys, what it could be from. The boys agree that it can’t be from a bird, but no one in the family knows what animal would produce a feather like that.

Dennys then asks Mrs. Murry why Father has to go to Brookhaven. She explains that there’s been a phenomenon happening in other galaxies and that the sonic instruments on Earth have been picking up strange sounds. These sounds are followed by a rip in the galaxies, causing several stars to disappear. The family discusses the impossibility of this given Einstein’s theories, but Mother says these events call such ideas into question. She says Father has been meeting with other scientists to discuss this and the impact it might have on Earth.

Suddenly, lightning flashes, and thunder booms. The kitchen door bursts open from a gust of wind, and Meg asks if this is what’s happening in the other galaxies. Mother reminds her that the sounds from the other galaxies are not audible to humans, but Meg continues to be frightened by the sudden, unexpected storm.

After dinner, Meg does the dishes and goes to her room in the attic to do homework. When she finishes, Meg returns downstairs and sneaks through the house and out into the rain. She is looking for Louise the Larger and the source of the feathers. In the garden, she sees something approaching her. It’s the garden snake. She hears someone say her name behind her and turns to see Mr. Jenkins in the garden with her. He explains that Charles Wallace told him where Meg was. Meg finds this very strange, as Mr. Jenkins never goes to students’ homes. Mr. Jenkins apologizes to Meg for being unkind when she visited him about Charles Wallace. He extends his hand to her; Meg reaches for it, but as she does, Louise rises and hisses angrily at the principal. Mr. Jenkins screams and flies into the air like a bird.

Meg panics and screams, and Calvin O’Keefe appears. He asks her what happened, and she tries to explain through her sobs. Meg also tells Calvin about Louise’s strange behavior earlier that day and the feathers and scales they found in the pasture. The two then walk to the field and find the remaining scales and feathers. Suddenly, Charles Wallace appears. He came outside because he could feel Meg screaming. Meg tells her brother what happened with Mr. Jenkins. Charles Wallace asks who was with them, but Calvin says there’s no one in the pasture but the three of them. They hear a twig snap and see Charles Wallace’s dragons appear. They also hear a voice call out to them, telling them not to be afraid.

A man named Blajeny moves toward Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin and tells them the dragon won’t hurt them. Meg realizes there is only one dragon with many eyes and wings, causing it to look like more than one. The man says he’s a Teacher and tells them the dragon’s name is Proginoskes. As the dragon bows, Blajeny explains that Proginoskes is a cherubim. Proginoskes senses the children’s doubts and moodily explains that artists misrepresent cherubim. He then says he has been assigned to a class with children, which Proginoskes resents because earthlings are immature and he is too old for school.

Blajeny calls for everyone’s attention. Charles Wallace asks why Blajeny has come. Blajeny says he needs the children’s help because they have talents he needs. He then says they must all figure out what’s making Charles Wallace ill and get him well again. Blajeny says his students will learn how to help Charles Wallace as their lessons progress. Blajeny then gathers everyone around him on a large rock and explains that his classroom spans the cosmos. He might have to take them very far away to very strange places. He then gives each child an assignment. Charles Wallace must learn to adapt without changing who he is. Meg must pass three trials with Proginoskes’s help. Calvin must learn to wait.

Blajeny walks the children back to the house, leaving Proginoskes in the pasture to sleep. When the group reaches the wall in the orchard, Louise uncoils herself and rises on the wall. Blajeny, who has changed into a shadow, bows to Louise, and she returns it. He explains that Louise is also a Teacher and is fond of the twins because they, too, will become Teachers. Blajeny says goodnight, and Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin return to the Murry house.

When they enter, the children pass Mrs. Murry’s lab. She asks Charles Wallace why he isn’t in bed, and he says he went outside to get Meg and Calvin. Dr. Colubra, who is reading in the lab, helps Charles Wallace make hot cocoa to help him get to sleep. Mrs. Murry said Mr. Jenkins called to suggest Charles Wallace take self-defense classes, and Meg finds this strange because Mr. Jenkins never calls parents. They all drink hot cocoa, and Calvin returns to his house. Mrs. Murry sends Meg and Charles Wallace to bed and returns to her work.