Midnight Howl Read Free

log cabin, with little log cabins scattered around it in the woods.
Like the little cabins are the main house’s babies,
I thought, grinning.
    “Guest cabins,” Molly said to my mom, waving one hand at them. “I’d put you and Marisol in one of those, Ana, but they get chilly in the off-season. And there’s plenty of room in the house.”
    Beside the big log cabin, a cleared space surrounded a stable and riding ring. I could smell the faint scent of horses on the breeze. An immense green forest stood between the ranch and a mountain rising high against the horizon. The sky was wide and blue and cloudless.
    I took a deep breath of fresh country air (and horses) and decided I was going to have a good time, no matter what. I put a smile on my face and headed for the house behind Molly and my mom. While I had been looking around, Hailey had taken off ahead of them.
    A few steps from the front door, I stopped. Molly and my mom had gone inside, and I was alone. It was awfully quiet. In the distance, I heard a horse whinny.
    I turned in a slow circle. Leaves rustled in the breeze, and everything was peaceful. But I had a strange feeling, like I was being watched. I held very still.
I’m imagining this,
I thought.
I’m tired, and the dream last night is making me nervous.
    A twig cracked in the tangled underbrush beside the road.
    I hurried into the house, my heart racing.
    The door opened into a cozy, warm kitchen, full of the smell of cooking food. As soon as I was inside, I had to laugh at myself. The boy chopping vegetables at the counter met my smile with a grin.
    “Hey, how’s it going?” he said. “I’m Jack.”
    Jack was pretty cute. His very short blond hair, pale blue eyes, and freckles made it clear he was Hailey’s brother, but his friendly smile made those features look totally different than they looked on Hailey’s wary face.
    “Hi,” I said, feeling a little shy. “I like your house.” It was really Western looking: log walls, paintings of horses, big cushy couches and chairs. It looked like a good place to curl up in front of a crackling fire after a long day riding the trails.
    His dad came over and shook my mom’s hand and smiled at me. “I’m Mike,” he said. “We’re real happy to have you visit. Molly’s been so excited.” He was a big, sweet-faced man. This family was all so friendly, except for Hailey. I couldn’t figure her out.
    “Can I help?” I asked Jack, who seemed to be cooking all by himself.
    “Sure,” he said. “Would you rather mix up the corn bread, rub the marinade into the steaks, or finish the salad?”
    “Um,” I hesitated. The idea of rubbing stuff into raw meat grossed me out. “I’ll mix up the corn bread.”
    “Great!” He handed me a bowl. “Break an egg into this, and beat in a cup of milk and a quartercup of vegetable oil. Then we’ll mix it with the flour and stuff.”
    “Wow,” I said, putting the bowl on the counter and getting out an egg. “You can really cook.” I had the idea that boys thought cooking was unmanly. But, like I said, I don’t actually know any boys.
    “Yep,” Jack said. “I want to be a chef.” He was rubbing some oily stuff with dried leaves floating in it on the raw meat, and I had to look away.
Yuck!
I concentrated on beating the liquids together. “I’m in the cooking club at school — you should join! We practice recipes and go to restaurants, and we have a big party at the end of the semester.”
    “I don’t know,” I said awkwardly. “I’m better at eating than cooking.”
    “Marisol’s a vegetarian like your sister,” Molly told him. “Be sure to make extra salad.”
    “No problem,” Jack said. “I’m making vegetable shish kebabs on the grill for Hailey, and we can make more for you. And there’ll be plenty of corn bread, salad, and baked beans.”
    “That sounds great!” I said happily. I wasn’t going to starve for three months after all. “Thank you!”
    Jack handed off the skewers of