–3–
JUNE 22

On the fourth night, June 22, Caro could hardly wait to get to sleep, and then couldn't fall asleep for a long time because she was too excited.
            She had seen Geela outside all day, sometimes walking along the beach, occasionally throwing driftwood (which always came back), often stopping as if to pet and hug a smallish creature. Most of the time Geela had sat out on her veranda, on an old rattan couch piled high with cushions, one arm around her invisible dog, the other patting its invisible head.
            At 10:15, darkness complete, the half moon shining cold in the summer sky, Geela had gotten up, taken a last look over the ocean, bent down to kiss Fluffers, and opened the door to Pirate's Den. The door had creaked as it opened, and creaked again as it shut.
            Now Caro kept checking her bedside clock. 10:42. 11:27. 11:49. 12:14. She rolled one way and the other, looked out the window at the moon shining right in her window, looked around her room which was eerie and silvery in the moonlight. She was so mad at herself for not falling asleep, for missing out on time with Fluffers.

But then everything was different. It was a different Fluffers who tugged at her pajama sleeve. Caro woke up, rubbed her eyes, but knew she was still sleeping. But what a strange dream. She had never dreamt before of a Fluffers who was urgent and anxious.
            Fluffers let go of her arm, moved quickly to the bedroom door.
            Caro wasn’t sure what to do.
            Fluffers stood at the bedroom door, whining, barking tiny sharp barks, waiting for her.

CARO'S QUEST. Kid Story, Kid Books, Kid Book.
A Ghost Dog. A Hit and Run. Caro and Doug, preteens, try to find who did it.
Only Doug, psychic, can see the ghost dog.

kid story
kid books, kid book
children's literature

kid story
kids stories
children literature

****

the beginning     just before

Meg, Jon and Myra Face a Cold and Rainy Day

Who's there? Who was on the other side of the door? No one was supposed to be there.
They were supposed to be alone in the house.

"It's me," said the voice. "Can I come in?"

It was a girl's voice.

The voice didn't sound scary. But, for good measure, Meg intoned kid story three times over.
Then kid stories, kid's story, story for kids. She concentrated hard and said some more of her magic words:
kid books, kid book, online kids stories. And because Myra was there - and Myra like literature better,
thought it had more quality - so Meg said a few words with literature in them:children literature, children's literature,
literature for children, online literature for children, children's audio online literature.

That should do it.

Jonathan was the one who spoke. "But who are you?"

With that, the door burst open. On the other side stood a dirty girl. "I was dreaming. I dream a lot.
In the dream someone came. A girl. She kept calling me and calling me. Not by my name.
But calling for me to come from my story. And suddenly I found myself in a basement. Very dirty. And dark."

The girl looked a bit scared. "I tripped. That basement is awfully messy. Someone should clean it up.
I don't think anyone's been there for years. And now, has anyone seen Doug? Or Fluffers?"

Fluffers? Meg, Myra and Jonathan all looked very closely at the girl.

Fluffers?

Meg closed her eyes. On, no. Was this all her fault?
Did it come from her silent chanting? Her mother said that chanting was powerful.
But nothing had ever materialized from her mother's chanting.

Under her breath, she murmured, "Kid story, kid books, kid book, kids stories, children literature."

"Who did that?" the strange dirty girl exclaimed. "Who's calling me?"

Meg's eyes opened - and locked with the eyes of the stranger.

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