too.”
“You’re crazy, Alex! Get back in the house!” Hannah warned. She appeared at
the window. She pulled it up higher and leaned out.
“I’m not coming out there,” she insisted. “It’s too dangerous. You told me
about those two animals you saw. They were ripped to shreds—right? If the
Marlings see you, they’ll do the same thing to you!”
Her words sent a cold shiver down the back of my neck. But I was desperate to
solve the mystery—and to snap a great photo.
“They won’t see us!” I told her. “We’ll hide behind the bushes at the side of
the house.”
“Don’t say us ,” Hannah called out. “I’m not doing it, Alex. I’m too
scared. I’m warning you, go back inside.”
“Please!” I pleaded. I grabbed her arm. “Come on out, Hannah. You want to see
the werewolves too—don’t you?”
“No way!” She jerked her arm away. “Go home, Alex,” she repeated. “It’s not a
game. It’s really dangerous.”
“Listen, Hannah—” I started.
But she slid the window shut.
I stared at the reflection of the trees in the glass. Maybe she’s right, I
thought. Another cold shiver ran down my back. Maybe this is a big mistake.
Maybe it is too dangerous. If the Marlings catch me…
I gasped when I heard a low growl.
I froze.
I didn’t have to turn around. I knew from the sound.
A werewolf—it had sneaked up behind me.
22
Another low grunt made me cry out.
My knees started to collapse. I took a deep, shivering breath and spun around
to face the creature.
No.
Not there.
No one there.
I swallowed. Swallowed again. My mouth suddenly felt bone-dry.
Another growl. I realized where it came from. From the back of the Marlings’
house.
They’re about to jump out the window, I told myself. Those are the sounds I
hear every night just before they climb out the bedroom window.
And I’m standing out here in the open. I’ll be the first thing they see!
My legs didn’t want to work. But I gritted my teeth, took a deep breath—and
forced myself to move.
My sneakers slid on the wet grass. I slipped, but I didn’t fall.
I scrambled to the bushes that divided my aunt and uncle’s house from the
Marlings’ house.
I dropped to my knees, panting noisily. My heart pounded so hard, my chest
hurt.
I ducked my head. And grabbed for the straps on my camera case.
A high, shrill animal howl floated out from the Marlings’ open bedroom
window. The light of the moon made the side of their house gleam.
The yard was nearly as bright as day. Everything glistened from the frosty
dew.
Ducking low behind the bushes, I could see every leaf, every dew-covered
blade of grass.
I tugged at the zipper of my camera case. I knew I had to pull the camera out—fast. But my hands were shaking so bad, I couldn’t budge the zipper.
Another howl made me turn back to the window.
A shadow moved.
A leg slid out.
Another leg.
A slender form dropped to the ground.
It all happened so quickly. As if time had been put on fast-forward.
My eyes on the window, I struggled to unzip the camera case.
Another body crawled out from the darkness of the Marlings’ bedroom window.
Two forms stood on the ground and stretched.
Two humans !
Not wolves.
Humans.
What were they wearing?
Capes?
Dark fur capes, draped over their shoulders, hanging heavily behind them.
They had their backs to me. I couldn’t see their faces.
Hands on their waists, they stretched, bending back, bending from side to
side, as if limbering up their muscles for a long jog.
And then they raised their heads to the moon—and howled.
Turn around! I pleaded silently, trembling behind the bushes. Please
turn around! I want to see your faces!
“Ohhhh…” I uttered a startled moan as their fur capes began to move. The
heavy capes began to curl around them, to tighten around their bodies.
And I realized they weren’t capes. They were some kind of animal skins.
Furry skins. With arms. And legs…
The dark
“You’re crazy, Alex! Get back in the house!” Hannah warned. She appeared at
the window. She pulled it up higher and leaned out.
“I’m not coming out there,” she insisted. “It’s too dangerous. You told me
about those two animals you saw. They were ripped to shreds—right? If the
Marlings see you, they’ll do the same thing to you!”
Her words sent a cold shiver down the back of my neck. But I was desperate to
solve the mystery—and to snap a great photo.
“They won’t see us!” I told her. “We’ll hide behind the bushes at the side of
the house.”
“Don’t say us ,” Hannah called out. “I’m not doing it, Alex. I’m too
scared. I’m warning you, go back inside.”
“Please!” I pleaded. I grabbed her arm. “Come on out, Hannah. You want to see
the werewolves too—don’t you?”
“No way!” She jerked her arm away. “Go home, Alex,” she repeated. “It’s not a
game. It’s really dangerous.”
“Listen, Hannah—” I started.
But she slid the window shut.
I stared at the reflection of the trees in the glass. Maybe she’s right, I
thought. Another cold shiver ran down my back. Maybe this is a big mistake.
Maybe it is too dangerous. If the Marlings catch me…
I gasped when I heard a low growl.
I froze.
I didn’t have to turn around. I knew from the sound.
A werewolf—it had sneaked up behind me.
22
Another low grunt made me cry out.
My knees started to collapse. I took a deep, shivering breath and spun around
to face the creature.
No.
Not there.
No one there.
I swallowed. Swallowed again. My mouth suddenly felt bone-dry.
Another growl. I realized where it came from. From the back of the Marlings’
house.
They’re about to jump out the window, I told myself. Those are the sounds I
hear every night just before they climb out the bedroom window.
And I’m standing out here in the open. I’ll be the first thing they see!
My legs didn’t want to work. But I gritted my teeth, took a deep breath—and
forced myself to move.
My sneakers slid on the wet grass. I slipped, but I didn’t fall.
I scrambled to the bushes that divided my aunt and uncle’s house from the
Marlings’ house.
I dropped to my knees, panting noisily. My heart pounded so hard, my chest
hurt.
I ducked my head. And grabbed for the straps on my camera case.
A high, shrill animal howl floated out from the Marlings’ open bedroom
window. The light of the moon made the side of their house gleam.
The yard was nearly as bright as day. Everything glistened from the frosty
dew.
Ducking low behind the bushes, I could see every leaf, every dew-covered
blade of grass.
I tugged at the zipper of my camera case. I knew I had to pull the camera out—fast. But my hands were shaking so bad, I couldn’t budge the zipper.
Another howl made me turn back to the window.
A shadow moved.
A leg slid out.
Another leg.
A slender form dropped to the ground.
It all happened so quickly. As if time had been put on fast-forward.
My eyes on the window, I struggled to unzip the camera case.
Another body crawled out from the darkness of the Marlings’ bedroom window.
Two forms stood on the ground and stretched.
Two humans !
Not wolves.
Humans.
What were they wearing?
Capes?
Dark fur capes, draped over their shoulders, hanging heavily behind them.
They had their backs to me. I couldn’t see their faces.
Hands on their waists, they stretched, bending back, bending from side to
side, as if limbering up their muscles for a long jog.
And then they raised their heads to the moon—and howled.
Turn around! I pleaded silently, trembling behind the bushes. Please
turn around! I want to see your faces!
“Ohhhh…” I uttered a startled moan as their fur capes began to move. The
heavy capes began to curl around them, to tighten around their bodies.
And I realized they weren’t capes. They were some kind of animal skins.
Furry skins. With arms. And legs…
The dark
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