Midnight Howl

by Clare Hutton

  I had thought I was holding on as hard as I could, but I forced my cold, wet hands and legs to cling tighter. My clothes were soaked. Something cold and sharp stung my arms and then my face. The rain was turning into hail.

  I whimpered as Snowflake lurched, but she caught her balance and ran on. Her sudden swerve made me look to one side, and I thought I saw something gray and yellow. It was gone before I could blink. Had it been one of the elusive wolves of Wolf Valley? Then again, maybe it had just been a ragged bush.

  I shrieked as we suddenly burst through a net of thin branches with a sharp cracking noise and found ourselves out in the open again.

  There was something big and dark in front of us, and I could feel Snowflake slowing down. Then she stopped and stood calmly.

  I took a big gasp of air and started to sob. We were back at the house. Snowflake had run home.

  I couldn’t move. I just sat there, clinging to Snowflake, shaking and crying as the hail pounded against me. Snowflake shook her head and shifted from side to side, looking back at me as if she was asking why we weren’t going to the barn yet.

  After a moment, Hailey and Jack galloped into the clearing. The hail had turned to a light, slushy snow.

  “Marisol!” Jack called, pulling Shadow to a halt and jumping down to run toward me. “Are you okay?” Hailey dismounted, too, and led the horses toward me.

  “I was so scared for you!” she said, her voice shaking. “We didn’t know if you would be able to hold on.”

  I managed to stop crying, but I couldn’t talk without starting again, so I just shook my head.

  “You’re okay,” Jack said reassuringly. He held up his hand to help me down. “Take it easy.” My fingers were numb, but I managed to untangle myself from the reins and slide off Snowflake’s back.

  Hailey hugged me. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “We shouldn’t have given you Snowflake when you can’t ride.”

  I sniffed and hugged her back. “You didn’t know it was going to storm. I’m okay.”

  The door of the house burst open, and my mom, Mike, and Molly came running out with umbrellas and towels. I let go of Hailey, and my mom wrapped me in a towel, holding me tight.

  “Oh, Marisol,” she said. “We were so worried when the storm started.”

  Behind us, Molly was scolding Jack and Hailey for not heading home earlier, and they explained that we had all dozed off. Mike took the bridles off the horses and led them toward the barn. Hailey moved toward him to help, but Snowflake veered away from her, and Hailey stood back.

  The horses are still scared of her, I thought.

  “Everything’s fine now,” my mom said, pulling me into the house. But I wasn’t so sure.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The snow didn’t last long, and neither did my shakes (although it was going to be a long time before I got on a horse again). By Monday, the weather was sunny and I was feeling fine. I had even gone into the stables and fed Snowflake some carrots on Sunday, just to show her there were no hard feelings. “Everyone gets scared,” I told her, stroking her long brown nose. Even me, I thought, recalling my suspicions about Hailey.

  Why had the horses been afraid of her? Had it really just been the smell of the rosebush spray? Had Tasha’s silver test worked? What had Molly meant when she said her family was mixed up in the werewolf stories of Wolf Valley? And, most of all, where had Hailey gone the night of the full moon? I’d tried to ask her about it again Sunday night, but she had just looked me right in the eye and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Monday I decided to track down Anderson and see if he knew anything more. This ended up being sort of embarrassing — when I’d asked Amber where his locker was she said, “Why?” and then, with a knowing look, “Oh, I see.” And then, “Ew. No offense.”

  “It’s not like that,” I’d insisted, but she just smiled at me.

  I found Anderson at his locker.

  “The lovely Marisol,” he said, grinning and trying to sound suave. “What’s shaking, baby?” He leaned against his locker and spread his arms wide. “Anything I can do for you? My locker is your locker.”

  “Uh, okay,” I said, a little embarrassed. He was such a goofball. “Whatever. I wanted to ask you more about werewolves.”

  His eyes widened and he gave me a big, toothy smile. “You believe me!”

  “I’m not sure what I think,” I said slowly. “I wanted to find out more.” Anderson straightened up and got serious. He was clearly flattered that I was coming to him for his expert opinion.

  “Well …” he began, “they’re people who turn into wolves, usually during the full moon.”

  “I’ve gotten that far,” I said, trying to be patient. “What more do you know?”

  He started telling me the same stuff I’d heard from him before, about his great-great-grandmother’s neighbor, about long ring fingers and pointed ears. And the fact that, as far as he knew, there had always been stories that there were werewolves around Wolf Valley, but that he didn’t know of any real proof. “People would like to prove it,” he said. “Lily acts like I’m nuts, but a lot of people around here believe there are werewolves in the woods.”

  “Have you heard anything about werewolves and silver?” I asked.

  “Well,” he said, “the traditional way to kill a werewolf is with a silver bullet. Silver is supposed to be a metal that has to do with the moon, so maybe that’s why.”

  “But can werewolves touch silver?” I asked. “They don’t burst into flames or feel horrible pain?”

  Anderson frowned. “I never heard of that. Are you thinking of vampires and crucifixes?”

  “No,” I replied, shaking my head. “Do you know of any actual tests to find out if someone is a werewolf? I know vampires don’t like garlic, crosses, mirrors, or sunlight, but what about werewolves?”

  It would have been easier if I had suspected Hailey was a vampire. There seemed to be a lot of ways to make sure about vampires.

  He thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I don’t think there’s anything dramatic like with vampires and crosses. Some cultures say werewolves can’t cross running water, but that’s a pretty common thing to say about supernatural creatures in general.

  “Wait a second,” he said, his eyes widening. “Are you asking me this for a reason? Do you think you know a werewolf? Do you have a suspect?”

  “No, I’m just wondering,” I said as I backed away quickly. “Thanks, Anderson. I’ve got to get to homeroom.”

  “Seriously,” Anderson said, following me a few steps. “Is it Mr. Bonley? Because I’ve always thought he might be one. He’s really aggressive, you know?”

  Mr. Bonley was the gym teacher. He was pretty hairy, and really into competitive sports, but I didn’t think he was a werewolf. “I told you,” I said. “I don’t think anyone’s a werewolf. I was just curious.”

  I could have kicked myself. Why had I trusted some play from Tasha’s summer camp? One year, they’d done a version of Romeo and Juliet set in a spaceship! And Romeo had rapped half his speeches! I definitely had more research to do.

  All day I watched for Hailey. I couldn’t stop thinking about the possibility that she was a werewolf. Math was the only class we had together, and, as usual, she seemed to be paying no attention at all. She was busy doodling in her notebook. When Mr. Swithin, the teacher, suddenly called on her, I winced in sympathy.

  “Hailey, what does x equal in this problem?” he asked.

  “Seventeen,” she said, without looking up. Her answer was correct.

  Wow, I thought. I’d never heard that werewolf powers included mind reading or knowing when you were going to be called on in class, so Hailey was probably just really sharp.

  Hailey sat with Amber, Bonnie, Lily, and me at lunch again, and I was happy to see her. Though I was a little freaked out about the idea that she might change into an animal, Hailey had been really sweet to me since the horseback ride. Her being so nice made me feel guilty for t
hinking bad things about her.

  “So is everyone going on the camping trip?” Amber asked as she neatly laid a napkin in her lap and began cutting her mystery meat loaf into eight equal-size pieces. “Of course Lily is.”

  “Oh, I have to go,” Lily said. “And you’re coming, right, Marisol? She’s the newest member of the astronomy club,” she explained to the others.

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” I said eagerly. “I’m really excited. I haven’t gotten to use my telescope since I got here.”

  “Because of the wolves,” Bonnie said, nodding.

  Hailey snapped to attention. “Wolves?” she asked.

  “Yeah, you know,” Bonnie said, eyeing her. “The local news always says not to go out alone at night because of the wolf pack around here? They do all those stories about the dangers of wild animals?”

  “Oh.” Hailey stared down at her lunch. “Yeah. You know, that’s really unfair. Wolves aren’t aggressive toward humans. Did you know there were less than thirty documented attacks by wolves on humans in the whole twentieth century? And only three of those were fatal, and those were all because of rabies. You’re way more likely to get attacked by a dog or a bear, even in areas with a high wolf population.”

  “It’s true,” Lily said calmly. “Wolves have a bad reputation they don’t deserve.”

  “Well, but how many people actually go right up to a wolf and don’t get attacked?” Amber asked.

  “Usually, wolves aren’t that close to people, so no one knows. And I think it’s still a good idea to stay away from wild animals,” Lily replied. Hailey frowned.

  “Anyway,” Bonnie said, clearly bored with the subject of wolves, “I’m definitely going on the camping trip. It’s going to be the most fun thing to happen all fall. Are you coming, Hailey?”

  Hailey blushed. “I don’t know,” she said.

  “It’ll be totally fun,” Bonnie said. “Jack and Marisol are both going. You’re not going to sit home alone, are you?”

  “I guess not,” Hailey said shyly.

  “We couldn’t do it without Jack,” Bonnie said, and she and Amber looked at each other and laughed. It hadn’t taken me long to realize that half the girls in school had a crush on Jack.

  “Oh yeah,” said Hailey, smiling now. “Who else would bring the food?”

  “Is it weird for you, having Jack for a brother?” Bonnie asked curiously. “I mean, he’s always involved in everything. This school would practically shut down without him. And you’re … quieter.”

  Amber flinched a little. We all knew Bonnie hadn’t meant it that way, but what she said sounded sort of like: Jack is an important part of this school You’re not.

  Hailey frowned.

  Then she reached up and touched the star necklace around her neck, sighed, and smiled. “It’s not weird at all,” she said. “Jack’s Jack, and I’m me, and we’re fine. We’re twins, and we’re friends, too, but we’re different people.”

  “Absolutely,” I said. “And Jack’s learning to bake pies, so Hailey and I are two very lucky people.”

  We all laughed, and the awkwardness passed. I added another reason to my list of why I felt guilty about thinking Hailey might be a werewolf: She was clearly making an effort to get along with people (even if, as Jack said, she liked animals better). And I was starting to really like her.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  I managed to get my mind off Hailey during our astronomy club meeting. The presentation was on exoplanets, and we made a lot of plans for the camping trip. Lily announced that Jack had promised to get the cooking club to make extra food as well as the hot dogs, hamburgers, and s’mores they had every year.

  On the bus home, I started thinking about Hailey again, though. Had I ever seen Hailey cross running water? I kept coming back to her mysterious disappearance the night of the full moon, her dirt-streaked face, and the leaf in her hair the next morning. I also couldn’t help but notice her quiet watchfulness, the way she got defensive whenever the subject of wolves came up, and how nervous the horses had been around her. There were plenty of other possible explanations, I guessed, but it was all so … weird. As a scientist, what kind of tests could I do to make sure?

  I stared out the window, but all I saw was a blur.

  Lily shifted in her seat next to me. “Marisol?” she said. “Earth to Marisol.” Her amused tone told me this wasn’t the first time she’d said my name.

  “Sorry,” I said.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” I replied.

  “You can tell me if you’re worried about something, you know,” she said. Her eyes were serious and concerned. “Are you homesick?”

  “Not really,” I said. Not at all, I realized, a little surprised. I missed Tasha and some of my other friends, but I liked Wolf Valley. My old life seemed a long way away.

  I wanted to tell Lily everything. She was smart and practical, and I really wanted someone to talk to.

  “Listen,” I said, and hesitated. I couldn’t tell anyone at school; it wouldn’t be fair to Hailey. I was only here for a few months, and Hailey lived here. If I started rumors about her and then left town, I’d be leaving her in a whirlpool of gossip she might be stuck in all the way through school.

  “I’m listening, but I’m not hearing anything,” Lily joked after a minute.

  How could I get Lily’s opinion without saying something that would either sound stupid or get her wondering about Hailey?

  “Hailey said some interesting stuff about wolves today, don’t you think?” I said weakly.

  “She was right, you know,” Lily said. “Wolves are persecuted by humans in a lot of ways. They’re really pretty peaceful animals. For predators. I don’t recommend trying to keep one as a pet, though.” She grinned and, when I didn’t say anything right away, frowned. “Marisol, you’re not obsessing about Anderson’s crazy ideas, are you?”

  “What makes you say that?” I asked guiltily.

  Lily sighed and rolled her eyes. “Anderson’s got a lot to say, but he’s usually wrong. Last year he was sure we were due for a zombie invasion, and had a bunch of kids spending lunch planning how they were going to defend themselves when the zombies arrived. Wolves are interesting, but they’re animals. There’s no such thing as a werewolf.”

  Lily’s words echoed in my mind as I trudged up the driveway to the house. There’s no such thing as a werewolf.

  Once I got inside, I could smell dinner cooking. The TV was on in the living room, and Molly waved to me from the kitchen. It was all normal and cozy, and I felt a million percent better.

  I checked my e-mail. I had told Tasha that the silver test had shown Hailey wasn’t a werewolf, and I hadn’t shared my doubts with her. Her latest e-mail was full of news about people back home, but for some reason my life in Austin seemed really far away.

  On the way to my room, I passed Hailey’s open door. The light was on, but her room was empty, and the wall of animals watched me as I peered inside. One gray wolf seemed to be staring right into my eyes, his own yellow eyes wide and his lips drawn back over his teeth in a fierce snarl.

  I hurried away, past my room, and tapped on my mother’s door. She was sitting at the desk, working on her laptop.

  “Hi, honey,” she said. “Home already? This day has just shot by. I have so much to do to pull the November issue together, but I think I may actually finish by deadline.” She got up from her chair and stretched. Her curls were messy, as if she’d been running her fingers through her hair all day while she thought.

  “Anyway,” she said, sitting down on her bed and patting a place next to her, “I’m ready to stop and talk to my girl. How was your day?”

  “Pretty good,” I said, sitting next to her. “Astronomy club was cool. And we had a science quiz that I think I did okay on.” The bed in her room was a sleigh bed, all curving wood, with a big yellow patchwork quilt. The walls were a lighter yellow, with horse pictures hung here and there (Molly said horse pictures were goo
d business for the bed-and-breakfast). It was a happy-feeling room. I traced a square of the quilt with my finger.

  “Is something wrong, Marisol?” my mom asked, leaning forward to look into my eyes. “You seem distracted.”

  I couldn’t tell my mom everything. Molly was one of her oldest friends, and we were living in her family’s house. But I could tell her some of it.

  “Mom, did you ever hear wolves howling outside the house?” I asked.

  She frowned. “A few days ago, but not since then. It’s nothing to worry about, sweetheart. Wolves stay away from people when they can.”

  “I’m not worried about the wolves.” I said. This was hard. “Well, not because they’re wolves. A few days ago, when you heard the howling, there was a full moon, right?”

  She looked puzzled. “If you say so.”

  “Well, there was that book in my room,” I said nervously.

  My mom’s frown disappeared and she started laughing. “The werewolf book? Marisol! That’s ridiculous!” She pulled herself together and stopped laughing, although she was still smiling. “Marisol, local legends are good business for bed-and-breakfasts and tourist places. Molly puts those in all the rooms just like the hiking guides. The book’s fun to look at, but you can’t take it seriously.”

  “It’s not just that,” I said hesitantly. “Some of the kids at school say there are werewolves. This one boy told me his great-great-grandmother knew a werewolf. And he said there are more wolves around during a full moon.” I couldn’t tell her anything about Hailey, but I could mention the creepy feeling I had gotten outside in front of the ranch. “And sometimes I have a funny feeling. Like something’s watching me.”

  My mother’s face was perfectly serious, but her voice still sounded amused. “Listen, sweetheart,” she said. “You know my grandmother, my abuela, came from Mexico, right?”

  “Right.” I wondered where she was going with this.

  “Well, my abuela, God bless her, was a lovely, loving woman, and she used to tell me stories that practically scared the pants off me.” My mom laughed, remembering. “There were these great scary, dramatic stories about the chupacabra, which is sort of like a vampire, and all kinds of monsters. My dad made her stop for a while because I wouldn’t go down into the basement by myself — I was sure something was going to jump out at me. But I begged her to start telling them again. Do you know why?”