The Wicked Cat (3 page)

He had felt the same way the moment he had seen the cat.

T
hat evening Sally watched TV alone in her room. She had acted annoyed with her friends for not liking her cat, but the truth was she really was hurt. Sally seldom got really excited about anything, but the cat did mean a lot to her. She couldn't understand how they could think the cat was responsible for a tree falling and a porch burning. Cindy especially was unreasonable. Whenever anything went wrong Cindy was always quick to come up with the most ridiculous idea why it was wrong. Sally didn't understand why Cindy couldn't be more logical—like herself.

But Sally was a little worried that she might not see her friends—and that included Cindy—for a few days. There weren't that many days left of the summer, and she didn't want to waste them being all alone. Sally hated to be alone, especially with a stupid TV set. She couldn't believe the programs they put on these days. Why, even the shows that were supposed to be scary didn't deal with half the issues she had to deal with just living in Spooksville. What was so scary about an alien invasion? She and her friends had repulsed several alien attacks, all by themselves. Network executives just didn't understand what kids could do.

“Come here, kitty,” Sally called to the cat, which had been sitting on the floor by her bed, staring at the TV with her. Actually, the cat seemed to be following the programs, and once again Sally congratulated herself on finding such a smart cat. The animal jumped on her bed at her call and snuggled up against her. Sally liked having something to love. In a way, she thought, it was nicer than always having to be so insulting. Sometimes she got tired of her own insults, but that was not something she'd ever tell anybody.

“Nice kitty,” she said, thinking she'd have to
think up a name for it soon if she was going to keep it. But she worried that the real owners were going to show up soon. Like Adam said, a cat as beautiful and well groomed as this couldn't have been running in the wild for long. “Beautiful kitty,” she said.

The cat stared up at her. It had such incredible green eyes, Sally thought. They actually seemed to glow. And when she stared at them, it was as if nothing else mattered. They were so soothing and loving. Sally thought the cat must have the soul of an angel. She decided right then that she'd let the cat sleep in the house tonight. No way she was going to let that stupid dog next door bark at it again. In fact, Sally thought, she would let the cat sleep on her bed.

Sally had heard the old superstition that sleeping with a cat could be dangerous because the animal could actually suck the life out of one's body. Sally thought the superstition was stupid. Cats were much smarter and nicer than dogs, and so much cleaner. If the cat wanted to sleep on the pillow beside her, that was all right with Sally.

Sally suddenly felt sleepy. Turning off the TV, she got ready for bed, brushing her teeth and
putting on her pajamas. In a few minutes she was tucked in, with the kitty resting beside her. Usually Sally's mind was so active, it took her at least half an hour to unwind so she could sleep. But tonight she found herself drifting off within a few seconds.

And she dreamed. It was such a vivid dream, and so strange. She was walking in Spooksville late at night but it was a much different Spooksville from the one she knew. It was as if she'd been transported back in time two hundred years earlier. There were far fewer buildings and the ones that did exist were built of large gray stones. Yet she knew it was Spooksville because she recognized the coastline and the surrounding hills and mountains. Even in the dark, she was able to see far off.

But Sally wasn't just walking aimlessly. She had an appointment to keep with a friend, Madeline Templeton, who was a young girl like herself, but also a witch with mysterious powers. Madeline was to meet her at the cemetery. Sally knew she would recognize her because she was her friend—of course—and because she looked like the present-day Ann Templeton.

For Sally, it was as if the two time frames had overlapped. She had memories of the past and the
future. She was definitely Sally Wilcox, but she was also someone else as well. She was meeting with Madeline because Madeline had promised to share some of her power in exchange for a small favor. Sally didn't know what this “small favor” was, but whatever it was she had already made up her mind to do it. She didn't like being ordinary. She wanted power to make things happen.

She saw the cemetery, the dark tombstones.

The wind blew and leaves danced.

She saw Madeline approaching.

Madeline's eyes were so very green and bright, like a cat's.

Then Sally woke up and her own cat was staring at her.

Sally thought she was awake. Her eyes were open. Yet she couldn't move her body; it was so heavy it felt made of stone. Plus the cat's eyes were so big that when Sally tried to turn her head, she couldn't. She suspected that even if she could, she would still see the cat's eyes. They seemed to fill the room. The cat licked its white teeth with its pink tongue. Then it spoke to her without saying anything aloud. There was a peculiar quality to the telepathic voice. It hissed and crooned, as a cat's voice
might. It spoke to her as if it were wiser and older than she.

“You know who I am?”
it asked.

Sally heard her own voice respond. It seemed as if she heard it from a thousand miles away. “You are my cat.”

“I am much more than a cat. I am a powerful magician.”

“Oh. Then why do you look like a cat?”

“That's because I choose to look like one. But I can look any way I wish.”

“Could you look like a lion?”

“Yes. I could look like a lion or the most beautiful girl in the world. Would you like such power?”

“Sure.”

“I can give it to you. I can give you all you wish.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You believe me, don't you?”

“I suppose. Did you set Cindy's porch on fire?”

“Yes. She was mean to me. She was lucky I did not set her on fire.”

“Don't do that.”

“Why not? I do what I wish. Are you sure you would like my power?”

Sally hesitated. There was something not quite
right, but she couldn't figure out what it was. She just wished she could totally wake up. She still felt as if half her mind were dreaming. Yet the things the cat was saying were very interesting. It would be nice to work spells and magic.

“I would like your power,” Sally mumbled. “I just don't want to hurt anyone.”

“You can do what you want with the power. It is up to you. Would you like me to tell you the secret of how you can have it?”

“Yes.”

“All you have to do is take hold of my front paws, and stare deep into my eyes, and wish you were a cat.”

“But I don't want to be a cat.”

“That doesn't matter. You just have to pretend you want to be one. Here, take my paws, one in each of your hands.”

Sally did as she was told.

“Now look deep into my eyes and repeat to yourself again and again, ‘I want to be a cat. Sally wants to be a cat. I want to be a cat.' Just keep saying that to yourself and keep staring at my eyes and soon you will have all the power that I do. ‘Sally wants to be a cat. Sally wants to be a cat.' ”

“I want to be a cat,” Sally whispered. “Sally wants to be a cat.”

Sally suddenly felt dizzy.

“Don't stop! ‘I want to be a cat Sally wants to be a cat.' ”

Sally felt very strange. But she wanted those powers.

“I want to be a cat,” she kept saying.

And the cat's green eyes kept growing larger and larger.

T
he next day three-quarters of the gang—Adam, Cindy, and Watch—were having milk and doughnuts at their favorite coffee shop. The main topic was Sally, naturally—whether she was going to show up and whether she'd have her cat with her. Cindy didn't think so but Adam and Watch were optimistic.

“Sally gets bored when she's alone,” Watch said. “She begins to talk to herself.”

“She does that when she's around people,” Cindy said.

“Maybe I shouldn't have told her to take her cat home,” Adam said.

“She should just get rid of it,” Cindy said. “It gives me a weird feeling.”

Adam and Watch had not discussed all their fears with Cindy, worried they might scare her unnecessarily. Also, they didn't want her more mad at Sally than normal.

“I don't think she's going to part with that cat any time soon,” Watch said.

“We have to get used to it,” Adam agreed. “Maybe it's not so bad.”

“Yeah,” Cindy said sarcastically. “It will be perfect to have around at Halloween.”

Just then a pretty girl about their age walked by the coffee shop. She waved to them through the window as if she knew them. Her black hair was long and very thick. Smiling, she pointed to the front door of the coffee shop as if asking whether she should join them. Adam and his friends didn't know what to do so they just nodded. The girl headed for the entrance.

“Who's that?” Adam asked.

“I've never seen her before,” Watch said.

“She must be new in town,” Cindy said.

“Yeah,” Adam agreed. “But she acts like she knows us. Oh, here she comes.”

“She has incredible hair,” Cindy observed.

The girl came over to their table and without asking permission sat down. Her smile was dazzling; she had very bright white teeth. Her green eyes were unique; they seemed to glow. She was dressed in a pair of blue shorts and a white blouse that looked vaguely familiar. Her hands were also striking; she had the longest nails. She looked at each of them as if they should recognize her but none of them knew what to say to her. Finally she laughed.

“My name is Jessie,” she said. “I used to live here. Now I live here again.”

“Welcome back,” Adam said carefully. “Did you just get into town?”

“Late last night,” Jessie said. Her smile seemed frozen on her face.

“Where are you living?” Cindy asked.

Jessie shrugged. “Around. What are you guys up to today?”

“We're waiting for our friend Sally before we decide,” Watch said.

Jessie brushed her hand. “I ran into Sally on the way over here. She said to tell you she wouldn't be
seeing you for a while. She's still angry about yesterday.”

“I knew it,” Cindy muttered. “I get my leg scratched and my porch all burned and she's the one who gets mad.”

Adam frowned. “Do you know Sally?”

“Yes. I know her from way back.” Jessie licked her fingers and reached for a menu. “I hope this place has some decent food. I'm starving.”

“I've never heard Sally mention you before,” Watch said.

“So?” Jessie said as she studied the menu. “Hey, do you guys know if you can get a fish sandwich this early?”

“I think that's on the lunch menu,” Adam said. “They just serve breakfast now. You can get eggs and bacon.”

Jessie wrinkled her nose and her smile faltered. Once more she licked her fingers and then brushed her arms a few times.

“I'm a picky eater,” she said. “Can I just get a bowl of milk?”

“You mean milk and cereal?” Cindy asked.

Jessie scowled. “No. I don't like cereal. I just want a bowl of milk.”

“Why don't you get it in a glass?” Watch said.

“Fine.” Jessie put down the menu and turned to Adam. “Could you order for me, Adam? I don't have any money.”

“Sure.”

Adam called the waitress over and asked for a glass of milk. While the woman went for it, Watch studied Jessie.

“What's your last name?” he asked.

She was offended. “What is this? An interrogation? I'm here to have fun. What do you guys want to do today?”

They stared uneasily around the table.

“As we said before we're still hoping Sally will show up,” Adam said. “Then we'll decide.”

“But as I told you she said she won't be showing up,” Jessie snapped. Then she smiled suddenly, especially at Adam. “Why do you need her to have fun? I can take her place.”

“She's our friend,” Cindy said. “We like to include her in whatever we do.”

Jessie frowned at Cindy. “She's not your friend. She doesn't even like you.”

Cindy was offended. “You don't know that.”

“Yes I do. She told me so.”

Watch was skeptical. “She just passed you on the street and said, ‘Hi, Jessie. How are you? You know I don't like Cindy Makey.' ” Watch paused. “That doesn't sound like Sally.”

Jessie spoke in a cold voice. “She told me she wanted to spend more time with her cat.”

Adam looked at the others. “That sounds right. She said as much when we said goodbye yesterday.”

“She was just upset,” Cindy said. “She'll soon get bored with that ugly old cat.”

Now Jessie was offended. She seemed to be very moody.

“Her cat is not ugly. Why, it is as nice as my cat.”

“You have a cat, too?” Adam asked.

“Yes. It's waiting outside. I wouldn't bring it in.”

“Sally would,” Cindy muttered.

Jessie suddenly smiled. “My cat is brown. It won't cause the troubles Sally's cat did. It won't be able to.”

Once more the gang exchanged looks.

Cindy asked, “What troubles did her cat cause?”

“We'll tell you our theory in a minute,” Watch answered.

“How did you know Sally's cat was causing us trouble?” Adam asked.

Jessie brushed her arms again. “She told me. Hey, where's my milk?”

“It's coming,” Adam said. “It takes a few minutes. Just be patient.”