Golden Box Book Publishing Three Ghosts in a Black Pumpkin | Page 36

“It doesn’t matter,” she said with warmth in her eyes. “You’re
still you.”
Yeah, I’m still me, Wishbone thought bitterly.
Nikki admired the young woman’s lace gloves and sparkling
rings and thought: She really likes turquoise. Goth. She’s
definitely Goth. She’s so pretty with her pale face, and her
clothes suit her very well. She’s a lot taller than me, too. I
wonder how old she is. She looks about eighteen-ish, Nikki
guessed, impressed by the older girl’s clothing and behavior.
Wishbone desperately wanted to avoid the tall woman’s looks,
which were filled with pity and sorrow. He nodded to Nikki and
Jack. “Let me introduce these very special children, my dear,”
Wishbone told the tall woman. “Nikki found my Key Stone to
the Ectomagic Gate. Jack found the black pumpkin and brought
it back with us.”
The black, humanlike cat took a step forward and said
excitedly, “Wonderful! My name is Otto, but I prefer to be
called Catman. I’m the caretaker of Wormbelow.”
“How come you look like a cat and can talk like a person?”
Jack asked.
“That’s because I am a person. Or was, I should say,” said
Catman. “You see, long ago I had a black cat named Poe,
whom I was very fond of. He lived all of his nine lives and then
got sick and was close to death.” Tears formed in his eyes and
he turned around.
Noticing Otto’s distress, Wishbone said, “The only way to save
Poe was for Otto and Poe to become one person.”
“That is so cool,” Jack said.
36