Night of the Werecat Read Free

slipped it inside her T-shirt.
    She did it! She couldn’t believe she actually did it! Her heart pounded in her chest. She felt a strange tingling sensation where the charm touched her skin.
    â€œTina!” Wendy called. “Let’s go!” She wanted to get out of the booth before Mrs. Bast noticed the charm was gone. But I didn’t steal it, she told herself again.
    Tina popped her head into the booth.
    â€œLet’s get back to the show,” Wendy said.
    Tina looked puzzled. “But—”
    Wendy quickly interrupted her. “Isn’t it time to meet your mom?”
    Tina glanced at her watch. “Ooops,” she said. “You’re right.”
    â€œGot to go, Mrs. Bast!” Wendy called over her shoulder. She and Tina hurried back to the main hall.
    Wendy stepped into the huge room, then stopped in surprise. The moment she entered the room, she heard a horrifying sound. She and Tina stood still.
    A terrible wailing filled the air. Wendy shuddered. Her entire body tensed.
    The sound grew louder and weirder.
    A chill ran up Wendy’s spine, and she clapped her hands over her ears. She couldn’t stand it.
    It was the most terrifying sound she had ever heard.

3

    T he screeching sound grew louder. Louder. Wendy searched the room, frantically trying to find out where the sound came from. Then her mouth dropped open in surprise.
    The horrible wailing came from the caged cats!
    â€œWhat’s wrong with them?” Wendy cried.
    â€œI don’t know!” Tina shouted over the noise. “But it’s awful! Let’s get out of here.”
    They ran through the exhibits, their hands covering their ears. But they could still hear the terrible sound. They raced by table after table of screeching cats. As Wendy passed Cyril’s cage, a furry paw reached out and clawed her.
    The moment they stepped through the exit, Wendyheard something even stranger. Silence. The yowling had stopped.
    Tina and Wendy slowly lowered their hands. They stared at each other for a moment.
    â€œThat was totally weird,” Tina finally said.
    â€œTotally,” Wendy agreed. What could have made the cats act like that? she wondered.
    *  *  *
    â€œHow was the cat show, sweetie?” Wendy’s mother asked as Wendy entered the kitchen.
    â€œIt was great.” Wendy let out a huge sigh. She flopped into a chair at the table. “I saw about a hundred cats that I wanted to bring home.”
    â€œYou always want to bring cats home,” her mother teased with a warm smile. As she bent over the stove, her pale blond hair fell across her face.
    â€œWhy can’t we have a cat?” Wendy began the familiar argument. “Why don’t you and Dad like them?”
    â€œIt’s not that we don’t like them, Wendy,” her mother replied. “It’s that we don’t want them in the house. There’s a difference.”
    â€œWhat if we kept it outside?” Wendy continued.
    â€œCats have a way of getting in,” Wendy’s mother said firmly.
    â€œYeah,” Wendy’s older brother Brad agreed, strolling into the kitchen. Brad was a junior in high school. His hair was black, and lately he wore it in a ponytail. “Cats are sneaky,” Brad went on. “I’d rather have an armadillo.” He pulled a half gallon of milk from the refrigerator and drank from the carton.
    â€œBrad!” Wendy’s mother scolded.
    Wendy watched her brother sadly. Wendy remembered that Brad used to love cats as much as she did. But now he didn’t want one, either. Wendy was outnumbered. This was a battle she would never win.
    *  *  *
    Standing at her mirror that night, Wendy pulled the cat necklace out from under her shirt. She stroked the cool metal. I wish it were real, Wendy thought. I wish I really had a cat.
    She changed into her nightgown and crawled into bed. She patted the charm again. She thought of all the