Page 64 of Monster's Melody

We’re coming.

We’re coming.

We’re coming.

We’re coming.

We’re coming to fight.

We’re coming.

* * *

The next morning,I felt haunted, as if those shadowy dreams had followed me into the light, as if their whispers surrounded me still, their demands to fight a wisp of sound just beyond hearing range.

Despite that heavy feeling inside, when we joined everyone at breakfast that morning and I saw Mikaela, a rush of energy filled me.“Oh, my goodness.Toe beans,” I squealed, hopping up and down because they were so damn adorable.

“What?Where?”Mikaela glanced down at herself.

“Your face!”

Mikaela opened her phone’s camera, holding it up as if she was going to take a selfie, and stared at the screen, tilting her head to examine the two perfect little pawprints walking across her left cheek.“I wonder.”She pushed her sleeve off her left shoulder and revealed two bigger, back pawprints there.“Huh.I didn’t feel a thing this time.She’s getting better at this.”

“That’s it,” I said.“I’ve decided.”I plopped down at the table, Vorzak at my side.“I’m getting a familiar because I want a kitty to play with too!”

“Uh,” Vorzak rumbled beside me, but whatever he was going to say was drowned out by the others’ comments.

“Do sirenshavefamiliars?”Kasi asked.

“Who cares?I’m getting one anyway.”

“I don’t know,” Elliot said.“If sirens had familiars, don’t you think they’d be fish?”

“Catfish!”Mikaela exclaimed.

“Gross!”I glared at them.“I’m getting a cat that meows and that’s that.”I’d barely finished my statement when I had a face full of angry snakes hissing and lecturing me.

Hissies.

Kissies.

Yes.

Kitties.

No.

I giggled.“Just because I want a cat doesn’t mean I don’t love you guys, too.”

This set off another storm of hissing.

Hissies.

Love.

Jazzy.

Not.