Your dad used to be the spooky-mysteries TV show host Professor Midnight. Your grandmother lives in the basement and only comes upstairs after dark. Your mom died when you were a baby, and nobody will tell you about her. Oh, and you have two birthdays, both on Halloween. And that's the part of your life that's normal. But with this birthday, everything is going to change.
Excerpt from this great book for teens by Will Shetterly:
Cat woke in darkness. Something had changed. Something was new and different and strange.
She glanced at the window. The stars were bright above the streetlights . A raven flew away from the sill with a soft fluttering. That wasn’t what woke her. Ravens often perched on the tower of Casa Medianoche.
She sat up, shivering as the blanket slid from her shoulders. The shadows in her room were familiar. The high posts of the old Spanish bed that had been her mother’s had never frightened her when she was little, her father had said they were guards named John, Paul, George, and Ringo who would protect her from any closet monster. The antique wardrobe was big enough to hide serial killers, but only if they threw out half her collection of old costumes and games . The hulking shape in the far corner was the ancient desk that had been her mother’s, now topped with a computer that had been her father’s. The squatting shape in the near corner was a Victorian armchair, piled with clothes and school books. Two black blurs like monstrous eyes were the doors to the stairs and the elevator. They always groaned when they opened. She would have heard anyone using them.
The only difference in her room was barely a difference. On the far side of the bed, her best friend was sleeping soundly. Tarika often slept over. Tarika wasn’t what had changed.
Cat listened to the night. A few cars passed in the distance. A breeze
rustled a palo verde tree. The city of Tucson was quiet.
She sniffed. The air was crisp and dry, just as it was every autumn.
The mattress shifted as Tarika lifted her head from the pillow to mumble, “Cat? Wegoddagiddupaready?”
The clock’s glowing numbers said they had an hour until sunrise. “No. Stay asleep, Tee.”
Tarika nodded. “Gub.” Her head dropped into the pillow. “Yootoo.”
Cat pulled her blanket around her shoulders. It was nice having someone warm beside her. She wished she had a cat or a dog to snuggle on cool mornings. Maybe she would get one for—
She bolted upright. “Halloween!” Tarika’s eyes snapped open. “Your birthday!” Tarika flung the covers back, leaped out of bed in her yellow pullover shirt and panties, slid on her blue jeans, stepped into sea-green tennis shoes, and began tying the laces. Boys, Cat thought, are idiots. Tarika was not a tall scarecrow with hair like a black dandelion. Tarika was beautiful. Cat would give anything to look like her.
Tarika frowned at her. “What?” “Nothing.” “Did you change your mind?” “No way.”
“And you’re still in bed because—?” Cat swallowed. “A little way.” “What was the very first rule of our friendship?” “Share chocolate equally.” “I mean, the very second.” “No wimp outs. But this isn’t a wimp out!” “Oh?” Cat inhaled. The best and worst thing about best friends was they knew you. “I’m not sure it’s smart.” “Like stupid has stopped us before?” Cat nodded. “Every time.” Tarika said, “Big stupid stops us. Ordinary stupid, never.” “This might be big stupid.” “What’s the worst that could happen?” “I trip in the dark, you try to catch me, we fall off the roof and break our necks, and I feel like a loser forever.” “I promise to let you fall.” Tarika crossed her heart, then tossed Cat’s purple hoodie, black jeans, and low purple boots to her. “Better?” “What if I trip into you and we both fall? And lightning hits us in midair, killing us instantly?”
“Then you won’t feel like a loser.” “What if—” “Cat, you’ve been climbing out that window since you were eight.” “Seven.” “And there’s not a cloud in the sky.” “If there was an earthquake—” “Girl, out of bed now, or be Little Miss Wimpypants forever.” Cat bit her lip, then shrugged. “Okay, it’s big wimp out time. I’m not sure I should spoil a surprise.” “This isn’t a surprise.” Tarika yanked open Cat’s wardrobe and began tossing dresses of black velvet and red silk onto the bed. The first and smallest was sized for a baby. The thirteenth and most elaborate, with black and red jewels sewn into the fabric, could still fit Cat.
Tarika said, “This is a mystery. Every year for your birthday, somebody leaves a costume for you, and every year it’s awesomer, and the only clue is a note: Para la Princesa de la Sombra. You’re not supposed to spoil surprises, but you’re supposed to solve mysteries.”
“They’ve got to be from Granny Lupe.” “Why? Because de la Sombra is her last name?” “And Mama’s. Evil Dad won’t say any part of Mama’s name.” Tarika flopped down on the bed. “We got up early because you were afraid to ask Granny Lupe if she’s the Halloween Fairy? Chica, you are so breaking rule number two.”
“I asked her!” “And?” “She denied it.” “But you think she’s lying?” “No! She would never lie to me!” “So it’s someone else?”
Cat sighed. “Yeah. I guess so.” “And we aren’t sneaking out yet why?” “If we catch the Halloween Fairy, they might stop. I like presents.” Tarika pursed her lips, then nodded. “Okay, La Gata. It’s your mystery, so it’s your call.” “If we don’t go, will you still respect me?” “Except when I have to remind you about the wimp out.” “Did I ever tell anyone you’re crushing on Trick Zapia?” “Did I ever tell anyone you are?” Cat grinned. “We’re like two countries who can’t go to war because they would totally destroy each other.” Tarika’s cloud of black hair swayed as she shook her head back and forth. “Nuh-uh. We’re like two countries teamed up to totally conquer the world.”
“Truth.” Cat looked at the pile of costumes. When she was little, she hadn’t questioned them. Christmas meant toys, and Halloween meant costumes. She was sure Granny Lupe and her father knew who the Halloween Fairy was, but when she had asked, Granny Lupe’s usual grin had widened, and her father’s usual scowl had deepened. Granny Lupe had said, “You’ll know when the time comes,” and her father had immediately said, “If the time comes.”
“If” meant she might never know. Cat said, “Tee? Friends don’t let friends break the second rule.”
“Oh! Sorry. Uh, the Halloween Fairy must want to be caught, and then you’ll be rewarded with the amazingest costumes ever. And diamonds and rubies. And a horse. A jet-black flying horse.”
Cat laughed as she leaped from the warm bed into the cool night air and began tugging on her clothes. “Gonna be real disappointed if there’s no flying horse, Tee.”