Boo!

CHAMELEON

 

The tall black pointed hat, long black flowing dress and a large wart on her chin told me, without a single doubt, I had landed in a witches coven. In the middle of circle of unclad skeletons was a large seaming cauldron large enough for a tall muscular man to get in. Cackles and whistles sounded. Two skeletons straightened up, lifted two others and tossed them into the boiling water. They just melted into the steam. More black hats and wrinkled faces walked across burning coals. Robes caught fire, fire the witches couldn't feel. At the end of the burning embers, the black clothes, the witches were nothing but a pool of water.

 

My screams bring my father running to my rooo. 'What's going on, Bella? Bad dreams again? Bella lies as still as she can but the bed shakes with fear. 'Leave the light on, Pop. My dream hasn't left me yet.' He calls my mother. 'Mildred, will you come in here and stay with Bella? She had another terrible dream and I have to leave the house at 5 a.m.
We're opening the gates for the new cemetery at nine for the first six burials. Everything has to go like clock work. The mourners at Menorah Lakeside aren't going to need more problems.'

 

Mildred switches places with Pop Keller, Bella's step father. She lies down on a pillow wet with tears and cuddles Bella close to herself. They sleep until six. Pop Keller has set the kitchen table for them. Bella, unsuccessfully, begs to stay home from school. Her day is busy, rushing thru her science report, eigning an interest in Ivanhoe until an eternity later the dismissal bell rings and she can get on the yellow bus #13 to go home.

 

As soon as she opens the front door she gets Pop's big emergency flashlight and goes into her closet to make sure nothing is in there except her clothes. She shines the light under her bed. All is well. Mom's closet gets the going over, too. Behind the shower curtain there is nothing but shampoo and a back brush. Mildred calls her daughter down to set the dinner table, fix the salad. Bella begs off and wants to go to be early. 'I'm leaving my light on all night. Please, please don't turn it off, Mom.' Her mother suggests she stay up to watch her favorite show, 'Dancing with the Stars', tells her she can even vote if she wants.' 'No, Mom. I need some sleep.'

 

The full moon shines on Bella's eyes. They glow yellow. She starts to itch and scratches her body until tiny drops of blood run down her arms. Tears burn the scrapes. The wicked with pointed black hat leads the skeletons into Bella's room. Bella grabs her blanket, rolls it around herself, covering every inch of her being from head to toes. The night creeps slowly. Twelve skeletons circle her bed. Two sit on the headboard. There is a crack in the sky when the first light of morning comes thru.

 

Mildred and Pop come in to check on their daughter. 'Where is she, Pop?' They go downstairs together calling, 'Bella, Bella, where are you?' There is no answer. Pop leads the way back upstairs with Mildred close behind him. They rush into Bella's room and there, there in the middle of her bed, sitting on Bella's pillow, is a cat, a heavy black cat with exceptionally long whiskers. It is licking its paws. The sound it makes seems to say 'Pop, Pop'. Mildred tries to shoo the cat off the bed but it won't go. It takes Bella's blanket in its teeth and rolls it around itself until only a tiny bit of its tail is showing.

 

It's pitiful meow can barely be heard. It sounds like a crying child. Mildred unwraps the cat and finds nothing. The blanket disappears, so does the cat and Bella !