by Sue Bentley
Storm shook his head, his midnight blue eyes troubled. “I sensed that Shadow was close and I heard dogs growling in the street outside the house. I think he has set them on to me,” he whimpered.
Paige felt a stir of alarm, but she hadn’t heard anything with the TV on. She went and peered through a crack in the curtains, but the street below was empty. “There aren’t any dogs there now,” she told him. “How will I know they’re Shadow’s dogs if they come back?”
Storm lifted his head. “They will be ordinary dogs, with fierce, pale eyes and extra-long, sharp teeth. Shadow’s magic will make any dog I meet into my enemy now.”
“Then we’ll have to make sure that you keep well hidden,” Paige said. She managed to reach right underneath the dressing table with one hand and stroke Storm reassuringly.
The terrified puppy slowly uncurled and finally crept out with his belly brushing against the carpet. Paige picked him up and gently tucked him into bed. “There, you’re safe now. I hope that horrible Shadow will keep right on going and fall into the sea! Then you can stay with me forever and live in our apartment,” she said.
Storm peeped over the covers, his little face serious. “I cannot do that. One day I must return to my own world and the Moon-claw pack. Do you understand that, Paige?” he woofed.
Paige nodded sadly but she didn’t want to think about that now. She loved having Storm all to herself. Climbing onto the bed, she curled herself around Storm.
“I’ve just been talking to Debs. I’ve got some great news about my party . . .”
Paige grinned at the squeals of delight coming out of the phone the following day when she told Amy and Tori about her party. They were both at Tori’s house listening to CDs.
“A scary sleepover is so cool!” Amy said.
“Yes. Almost as good as my party,” Tori said.
“See you both on Saturday! And remember to bring your PJs.” Paige hung up the phone before turning to Storm. “I’m going into town with Debs now. I’d love you to come with us, but I’m worried about Shadow finding you.”
“I am, too,” Storm barked, his bright eyes flickering with fear. “You go with Debs and I will stay here and hide.”
“Okay then, if you’re sure. See you later. We’ll bring you back a treat,” Paige promised.
Although she had a lovely day with Debs in town, she couldn’t help feeling anxious. What if Storm’s enemies came back? He might have to leave without even saying good-bye. The thought of Storm leaving made her realize how much she adored her magical friend. She felt determined to enjoy every precious moment with him.
“Would you like something to wear for your birthday?” Debs asked. They were on the way back to the bus stop with bulging shopping bags and had stopped outside a clothing store.
“Okay,” Paige said, hiding her impatience for Debs’s sake. Inside the store, she ran up to the first rack and grabbed a black and silver top in her size. “Can I have this, please?”
Debs raised her eyebrows. “Don’t you want to try it on?”
“No. This size fits me fine. I love it. It’s just right for my sleepover.”
“All right. If you’re sure,” Debs said. She paid for the top and they set off for the bus.
It was only half an hour later, but to Paige it felt like hours before the bus dropped them at the bottom of the lane in Brookton. The moment they got in the house, she dumped her shopping bag in the kitchen and shot upstairs.
“I need to go to the bathroom!” she shouted over her shoulder at a surprised Debs.
As soon as she went into the bedroom, Paige saw Storm’s little, spotty tail sticking out from under one of the pillows. “I’m back. Storm!” she crooned happily, gently uncovering him. She picked him up and cuddled him, breathing in his clean puppy smell. “I’m so glad that you’re still here! My scary sleepover party wouldn’t be any fun without you.”
“I am looking forward to that very much,” Storm yapped, his pink tongue darting out as he covered her chin and nose in warm, little licks.
“Happy birthday, sweetie!” Mrs. Riley said, handing Paige her card and presents.
As Paige opened them, her face lit up. She had some new sneakers, a Hunt the Monster board game, and a gift card for downloading music. “Wow! Thanks. These are amazing!” she said, hugging her mom and then Keith.
Storm sat beneath the visitor’s chair. As there’d been no more sign of any enemy dogs, he and Paige had decided that it was safe for him to come, too.
At the end of visiting time, Paige kissed her mom. Paige thought she looked a bit pale. “Are you okay?” she asked her.
“Yes, fine. Your brother’s a bit restless, that’s all.”
Paige remembered what Storm had said to her about having a new little brother. It did sound like he needed someone to take care of him. Paige decided that she’d think about it some more later on.
“Have a lovely sleepover party, darling. And I wouldn’t mind a slice of birthday cake!” her mom said.
“I’ll bring you one tomorrow. Bye!” Paige sang out.
Chapter NINE
Paige and Debs got to work right away, getting things ready for the party. Paige helped decorate gingerbread men biscuits with black-and-white icing for skeletons. The blood tablets turned out to be tiny strawberry-jam sandwiches. But the dead man’s hands were her favorites.
“These are dead clever. Dead, get it!” Paige joked, filling clear plastic food gloves with popcorn, before tying the ends and dipping the finger tips into pink icing.
Debs laughed. “That’s a truly terrible joke.”
Paige smiled at Storm, who was “helping” by crunching up any bits of popcorn that escaped. Time seemed to fly and Paige had to run upstairs to get changed.
She had just thrown on her new black and silver top, when the doorbell rang. Paige came downstairs, with Storm at her heels to let her friends in.
Amy beamed at Storm as he wagged his tail in a friendly fashion. “Oh, what a cute puppy! Is he yours?” she said, fussing over him.
Tori bent down to stroke Storm, too. “Was he a present for your birthday? You never said you were getting a puppy. What’s his name?”
“Storm,” Paige said. “He’s . . . er . . . not mine. I’m just taking care of him for someone while I’m staying here. Debs has been great about it.”
“Did someone mention my name?” called a deep, hollow voice. Debs glided into the hall, wearing flowing black clothes. Her face was milk white and her mouth was a slash of red. “I am Paige’s witchy godmother and I am at your service for tonight! This way, please!”
Paige was impressed. Debs was very convincing. She must have been a really good actress.
Amy and Tori’s eyes widened in delight when they saw the party food. The dead man’s hands were a huge success. The birthday cake was an extra surprise from Debs. It was shaped into a monster face, with sugared jelly-worm hair, a liquorice nose and eyebrows, and gobstopper eyeballs.
Debs made a magic potion by scooping ice cream into glasses of cola before handing them out.
Paige loved her presents. Amy’s was a comedy DVD called Revenge of the Monster Moles. Tori had bought her an expensive-looking notebook and matching folder and some sparkly hair pins.
“Your chamber is ready, young ladies, if you’d like to follow me upstairs,” Debs said in her spooky voice.
“I can’t wait to see their faces when they see my room,” Paige whispered to Storm.
Plastic bats and spiders hung from the ceiling. Red and black streamers and fake spider webs decorated the bed, and candles glowed from inside jam jars on the window sill.
“I cannot believe that bed!” Tori jumped on to it and lay spread out like a starfish. “Come on. Let’s get our PJs on!”
They all changed and got into bed. Even with three girls and a puppy in the bed, there was still tons of room. Storm curled up on the pillow next to Paige. Tori and Amy made a huge fuss over him.
“I wish I had a puppy like yours,”
Tori crooned. “I’m going to make my mom and dad buy me one exactly like Storm,” she decided.
Paige bit back a grin. “I think they’d have a hard time finding a puppy like him. Storm’s one of a kind,” she said, smiling fondly at him.
Tori looked a teeny bit annoyed. “He’s not the only Dalmatian puppy in the world, you know,” she said huffily.
“You’re so lucky, Paige,” Amy said. “Debs is great and you can stay in this amazing house whenever you like. And you’re going to have a sweet, little baby brother soon.”
“I wish I had a younger brother or sister. I’d love to cuddle a baby and take it for walks in its stroller,” Tori sighed.
Paige hadn’t considered it like that. Maybe Amy and Tori were right. She’d thought her friends were the lucky ones and now it seemed like they envied her.
Tori suddenly grinned. “Anyway,” she said, changing the subject. “I thought this was supposed to be a scary sleepover. I haven’t exactly been scared of anything yet.”
Paige saw Storm dive under the bedclothes and then felt a familiar prickling sensation. What was he up to?
“Whoooo! Whoooo!” A loud noise wailed suddenly. All the spiders, bats, and ghost shapes leaped off the walls and zoomed toward the end of the bed, where they hovered in the air before shooting back into place.
“Argh!” Tori screamed delightedly. “That was fantastic. How did you do it?”
“Sound effects and . . . er . . . hidden wires,” Paige said, winking at Storm as he reappeared and snuggled up next to her.
“This is the best party ever,” Amy exclaimed.
“Until mine, next year . . . what?” Tori said as Paige and Amy grabbed a pillow each and battered her.
They made a pact to stay up all night, but after playing Paige’s Hunt the Monster game and giggling for an hour as they swapped silly jokes, they snuggled down together. Amy and Tori went to sleep first.
“Good night, Storm,” Paige whispered, her eyelids drooping.
“Good night, Paige,” Storm woofed, sighing contentedly.
Paige’s eyes snapped open. A noise somewhere outside the house had woken her. She reached for Storm, but there was only a tiny, warm place next to her where the puppy had been.
Paige crept quietly out of bed, so that she didn’t wake Tori and Amy, and tiptoed out on to the dark landing. From the window, she could see two fierce dogs sniffing around in the front garden. Moonlight glinted on their pale eyes and extra-sharp teeth.
Paige gasped. Shadow’s dogs! Storm was in terrible danger. The moment she had been dreading was here. Her heart pounded as she knew she was going to have to be strong for Storm’s sake.
Suddenly, a bright flash of gold light streamed out from the open bathroom door at the far end of the landing. Paige threw herself forward and rushed inside.
Storm stood there, a tiny, spotty puppy no longer, but a majestic, young, silver-gray wolf with a glittering neck-ruff. An older she-wolf with a gentle face stood next to him.
Tears pricked Paige’s eyes. “Your enemies are here! Save yourself, Storm!” she burst out.
Storm’s big, midnight blue eyes narrowed with affection. “You have been a true friend, Paige. Be of good heart,” he said in a velvety growl.
“I’ll never forget you, Storm,” Paige said, her voice catching.
There was a final dazzling flash and big, gold sparks filled the bathroom, floated down around Paige, and crackled as they hit the floor. Storm and his mother faded and then were gone.
A furious snarling sounded outside in the front garden, but then all was silent.
Paige stood there, still stunned by how fast it had all happened. Her heart ached, but she was glad that she’d had a chance to say good-bye to her magical friend. She knew that she would always remember the time she’d spent with him.
She looked up with tears in her eyes to see Debs standing there. “Paige? Did the telephone wake you up? Keith just called. You’ve got a beautiful baby brother. He was born a few minutes ago. Apparently he’s got the most amazing dark blue eyes.”
Just like Storm, Paige thought, with a sense of wonder. She had a sudden thought. “What time is it?” she asked.
“About ten minutes to midnight,” Debs told her.
Her little brother had been born on her birthday! She was a big sister now. Paige felt an unexpected warmth flood through her at the thought of meeting her tiny, helpless, brand-new little brother. Wherever he was, she knew that Storm was smiling in approval.
About the Author
Sue Bentley’s books for children often include animals or fairies. She lives in Northampton and enjoys reading, going to the movies, and sitting watching the frogs and newts in her garden pond. If she hadn’t been a writer, she would probably have been a skydiver or a brain surgeon. The main reason she writes is that she can drink pots and pots of tea while she’s typing. She has met and owned many cats and dogs and each one has brought a special kind of magic to her life.