Witch Switch (3 page)

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Authors: Nancy Krulik

BOOK: Witch Switch
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Something awful always happened when Katie switcherooed into someone else. Like the time the magic wind turned Katie into Emma W. That time, Katie had actually lost Timmy and Tyler. Emma could have gotten into big trouble if Katie hadn't found the boys just before the magic wind returned and switcherooed her back into herself.
That was why Katie didn't make wishes anymore. When they came true, they really made a mess of things.
Especially a wish like Kadeem's. As much as Katie loved Halloween, she didn't want Kadeem's wish to come true. She didn't want every day to be Halloween. Then the holiday wouldn't be special anymore.
Katie looked up at the big blackboard in the front of the room. Mr. G. was busy writing the date and the WFT—“Word for Today”—on the board.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27 WFT: PETRIFY
Katie didn't have to wait for Mr. G. to write down the definition of that word. She already knew all about being petrified. That was exactly how she felt every time the magic wind came.
Chapter 5
“So what candy is your mom giving out this year for Halloween?” Suzanne asked Katie later that afternoon as the girls walked toward Katie's house. They were going to start planning their costumes.
“I'm not sure. I think she bought some bubble gum and those little chocolate bars,” Katie replied.
“You're so lucky,” Suzanne told her. “My mom gives out pencils. Hardly anyone comes to my house to trick-or-treat.”
“Mew. Mew.”
Just as the girls reached Katie's house, they noticed something moving in one of the bushes! A little black kitten poked its head out from between the leaves and scampered quickly across a nearby lawn.
“Oh, look at that kitty,” Katie cooed. “It's so tiny.”
“Whose cat is it?” Suzanne asked.
“I don't know,” Katie replied. “I've never seen it before.” A look of concern crossed her face. “It's not wearing a collar. Do you think it could be a stray?”
“Who knows?” Suzanne replied. “Come on. Let's go inside. Maybe we can get your mom to take us to the mall right now. We've got to get going on those costumes.”
“Suzanne, how can you think about costumes when that poor little kitty is probably all alone in the world? I'm going to get her some milk.”
“No!” Suzanne shouted out.
“Why not?” Katie asked. “She looks hungry.”
“Katie, you can't go anywhere near that kitten,” Suzanne insisted. “If you do, you'll ruin everything.”
“What are you talking about?” Katie asked.
“That's a black cat,” Suzanne explained. “Black cats are bad luck.”
“Huh?”
Suzanne shook her head in disbelief. “Don't you know about black cats? If one crosses your path, you'll have bad luck. We'll probably lose the Halloween parade contest.”
Katie sighed. “But—” she began.
“You have to stay away from that black cat,” Suzanne insisted. She folded her arms across her chest. “Otherwise, we can't be partners anymore.”
Katie frowned. It had been Suzanne's idea to be partners to begin with. Katie would have been just as happy being a cocker spaniel for Halloween. But she had already agreed to be the Wicked Witch of the West, and she couldn't go back on her promise.
“Okay, I'll stay away from the kitten,” Katie assured her friend.
“Good,” Suzanne said. “Anyway, I'm sure the kitten's mother is somewhere. She'll take care of her.”
Katie sighed as she heard the kitten mewing sadly from the side of the house. It sure didn't sound like her mother was nearby. It sounded like the kitten was lost and all alone.
“Now, about our costumes,” Suzanne said, pulling Katie's attention away from the kitten. “Like I said, I'm going to wear my fancy tutu. And I thought I would go to the mall and buy a glittery magic wand and matching crown.”
“Cool,” Katie said. “You'll look really pretty.”
“I know,” Suzanne agreed. “Now we need to make
you
look really
scary
. We'll have to get a really tall black witch hat and one of those witch costumes. You know, the kind that comes in a bag. They usually have a dress and a cape in them.”
“Oh, I'm not going to buy my costume,” Katie told her. “I'm going to make it, like I do every year.”
“But Katie, this isn't every year. This year we're going to win the Halloween contest at school,” Suzanne insisted. “And it isn't going to be easy. I overheard Jeremy Fox telling Manny Gonzalez and Sam McDonough that he was building a robot costume out of real metal!”
“Wow!” Katie exclaimed. “Jeremy always has the best costumes.”
“His aunt helps him, that's why,” Suzanne said knowingly. “She designs costumes for plays in New York. My mother told me. So, if we're going to beat him, you'd better
buy
your witch dress.”
“No way,” Katie insisted. “Don't worry. My mom and I will make something really cool. We'll go to the fabric store at the mall tonight and pick out some really creepy black cloth.”
“All right, as long as you're sure it will be scary,” Suzanne agreed.
“I promise,” Katie vowed.
“Maybe I should come along,” Suzanne continued. “Just so I can see if the costume is good enough.”
Katie sighed. Suzanne was so bossy sometimes. But there was no point in arguing with her. She was going to come anyway.
“Whatever you want,” Katie told her friend. She tried to sound excited about shopping. But the truth was, all she could think about was that poor little kitty.
Chapter 6
“Hey, there's Jeremy!” Katie shouted as she walked into the Fun and Funky Fabric Store in the Cherrydale Mall. She hurried over to where Jeremy Fox was standing. Katie's mother and Suzanne followed close behind her.
“Hi, Katie. Hello, Mrs. Carew,” Jeremy greeted Katie and her mom. “Hi, Suzanne,” he added less enthusiastically.
Just then a tall dark-haired woman with glasses just like Jeremy's came walking over. “Jeremy, I found the perfect silver-colored cloth . . .” She stopped when she noticed the girls. “Oh, hi,” she greeted them sweetly.
“You guys know my Aunt Sheila,” Jeremy said.
“Well, my mom and I do,” Katie told him. “But I don't think Suzanne has met her.”
“I'm Suzanne Lock,” Suzanne introduced herself. “I've heard all about you. You design costumes for shows. That's interesting to me, because I am an actress.”
“An actress. Yeah, right,” Jeremy snorted. “What show have you ever been in?”
Suzanne frowned. “Well, I am going to be an actress. Right now, I'm modeling.”
“You're taking modeling classes,” Jeremy corrected her. “It's not the same thing.”
“Well, I'm happy to meet you, Suzanne,” Jeremy's aunt said. “Jeremy and I are just picking out some of the materials for his robot costume. I came into town to help him. I just adore Halloween!”
“Me too!” Katie squealed.
“Who doesn't?” Suzanne said. She smiled at Jeremy's Aunt Sheila. “It's so theatrical!”
Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Oh, no. She's acting like Suzanne Superstar again.”
Katie giggled. Suzanne had decided that when she became famous, her name was going to be Suzanne Superstar. The kids thought that was ridiculous.
“My costume is going to be so cool,” Jeremy said. “Aunt Sheila is going to use all these soda cans and silver fabric to make me look like a real robot.”
“That sounds fantastic!” Katie told him.
“I can't wait to see you when you come to our house to trick-or-treat,” Mrs. Carew added.
“I think I have a real chance of winning the prize at the parade this year,” Jeremy continued.
“Nice try,” Suzanne interrupted. “But Katie and I are going to win this year.”
“What are you guys going as?” Jeremy asked the girls.
Katie opened her mouth to speak, but Suzanne stopped her. “It's a secret,” Suzanne told Jeremy. “No one can know but Katie and me.”
“What's the big deal?” Jeremy asked her. “It's not like I'm going to change my costume and copy you or anything.”
“Well, I can tell you what Pepper's going to be for Halloween this year,” Katie said, trying to change the subject. “I got him a clown hat. But I don't think he'll wear it for very long. Pepper hates hats.”
Jeremy laughed. “Remember what he did to those antlers you put on him last Christmas?”
“Uh-huh,” Katie recalled, giggling. “He shredded them! But he had a lot of fun doing it!”
“Pepper's funny,” Jeremy said with a chuckle. “You are so lucky to have a pet.”
Katie knew how badly he wanted to have a pet of his own. But his mom didn't really want an animal in the house. She thought they were too messy.
“I remember how much your mom and I wanted a pet when we were kids,” Jeremy's Aunt Sheila recalled.
Jeremy looked surprised. “My mother wanted a pet?” he asked her.
“Oh, yes,” his aunt said. “In fact, she and I used to feed all the stray cats and dogs in the neighborhood. We would leave bits of food behind our house for them so they wouldn't starve.”
Katie frowned. Hearing about that made her remember the little black kitten. She hoped it wasn't starving right now. Katie felt kind of awful about listening to Suzanne. Maybe she should have helped the kitten, instead.
“I'm surprised your mom hasn't gotten a pet by now,” Jeremy's aunt continued. “She used to love animals a lot.”
“No way!” Jeremy exclaimed.
His Aunt Sheila laughed. “Way,” she replied. “Keep working on her, Jeremy. And I'll talk to her, too. Maybe between us we can get her to remember how much she always wanted a pet.”

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