Goddess of the Night by Lynne Ewing
Authors: Lynne Ewing
Tags: United States, Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, People & Places, Action & Adventure, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, supernatural, Los Angeles (Calif.)
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want me to give
you a ride over to Catty's house just in case she's come back?"
151
"Thanks."
She picked up
her messenger bag, and they drove over to Catty's house. No one
answered the front door. She and Michael went around to the backyard.
Wind chimes and hummingbird feeders hung from the eaves, and pink
oleander blossoms brushed lazily against the redwood fence. She
crossed the patio and knocked on the sliding glass door, then held
her hands around her eyes and peered inside. The sun set behind her
and the last rays colored the dining room with fire.
They walked
back to the van, holding hands.
"I wanted
to take you to Planet Bang tonight," Michael said, "but I
didn't know if you'd want to go."
"I'm
grounded. My mother won't let me tonight, but even if she said it was
okay, I'd feel funny going out, not knowing where Catty is."
"I thought
that's what you'd say, but I wanted to ask anyway." He didn't
hide the disappointment in his voice. "Come on, I'll give you a
ride home."
"I
promised I'd meet Morgan at Urth."
"I'll give
you a ride."
"Thanks,
but I need--"
152
"Time
alone." Michael put both arms around her. "Catty didn't
like rules much. I think she's run away. Maybe she didn't tell you
because she didn't want you to talk her out of it." His tone
implied that Catty wasn't coming back. "I'm sorry."
"I know,"
she said. She was grateful for the understanding she saw in his eyes.
"If you
change your mind and your mom will let you go out, then give me a
call, okay?"
"Yes."
"Promise?"
"I
promise." She smiled. Michael made her feel so good.
He climbed in
his van and she watched him drive away. Then she walked over to the
Urth Caffe near the Bodhi Tree book store.
Morgan sat
alone at a small table near the window. She sipped tea from a huge
cup. The steam curled around her face.
"Hi."
Vanessa sat down.
"Any luck
finding Catty?" Morgan said. She took another sip of tea.
"No. She
wasn't home."
153
"She
wasn't at the rose garden at Exposition Park either."
Vanessa must
have looked surprised, because Morgan answered her. "Well, I
thought maybe she had boy trouble and went someplace to think."
She shrugged. "I ditched afternoon classes and took the bus. I
like to go there."
Vanessa
wondered if she had gone there to think about Michael. She didn't
think she really went there looking for Catty.
Morgan stared
at her hands. "I can't believe her mother didn't even call the
police. That's so like Catty's mother."
"The
school called them." Vanessa spoke defensively. Catty's mother
had probably driven over to Griffith Observatory again this evening
to see if she could spot a spaceship and wave goodbye to her
daughter.
"We should
do something." Morgan caught Vanessa's look and shrugged. "So
maybe I didn't like Catty, but I hate what's happened to her. I'd
want everyone to keep trying to find me."
Serena walked
into the cafe. She was wearing gold platform shoes and overalls
spray-painted
154
with graffiti.
Serena saw them, waved, and came toward their table.
"Why is
she always following you?" Morgan said, exasperated. "You'd
better watch out for her."
"Hi,"
Serena greeted them. "I was just picking up some books at the
Bodhi Tree. I'm glad I saw you here. I've been trying to catch you
all week, Vanessa."
"I've got
to go." Morgan stood abruptly. "If I'm going to Planet Bang
tonight, I've got to buy something to wear." She gathered up her
things.
"Bye,
Morgan," Serena said.
Morgan ignored
her and hurried out.
"I heard
about Catty." Serena sat down. "Is Catty different like
you? She is, isn't she?"
"Look, I'm
feeling really bad right now about--" Vanessa stopped. She had
almost said "about losing a friend." The words felt too
final to say. She thought of Catty spinning down the tunnel for
eternity. Hot tears rimmed her eyes.
"You
didn't lose her," Serena comforted Vanessa. "I hope not
yet, anyway--if you'll come with me, maybe my friend can help."
155
"I'm sorry
you think this is another chance for a
you a ride over to Catty's house just in case she's come back?"
151
"Thanks."
She picked up
her messenger bag, and they drove over to Catty's house. No one
answered the front door. She and Michael went around to the backyard.
Wind chimes and hummingbird feeders hung from the eaves, and pink
oleander blossoms brushed lazily against the redwood fence. She
crossed the patio and knocked on the sliding glass door, then held
her hands around her eyes and peered inside. The sun set behind her
and the last rays colored the dining room with fire.
They walked
back to the van, holding hands.
"I wanted
to take you to Planet Bang tonight," Michael said, "but I
didn't know if you'd want to go."
"I'm
grounded. My mother won't let me tonight, but even if she said it was
okay, I'd feel funny going out, not knowing where Catty is."
"I thought
that's what you'd say, but I wanted to ask anyway." He didn't
hide the disappointment in his voice. "Come on, I'll give you a
ride home."
"I
promised I'd meet Morgan at Urth."
"I'll give
you a ride."
"Thanks,
but I need--"
152
"Time
alone." Michael put both arms around her. "Catty didn't
like rules much. I think she's run away. Maybe she didn't tell you
because she didn't want you to talk her out of it." His tone
implied that Catty wasn't coming back. "I'm sorry."
"I know,"
she said. She was grateful for the understanding she saw in his eyes.
"If you
change your mind and your mom will let you go out, then give me a
call, okay?"
"Yes."
"Promise?"
"I
promise." She smiled. Michael made her feel so good.
He climbed in
his van and she watched him drive away. Then she walked over to the
Urth Caffe near the Bodhi Tree book store.
Morgan sat
alone at a small table near the window. She sipped tea from a huge
cup. The steam curled around her face.
"Hi."
Vanessa sat down.
"Any luck
finding Catty?" Morgan said. She took another sip of tea.
"No. She
wasn't home."
153
"She
wasn't at the rose garden at Exposition Park either."
Vanessa must
have looked surprised, because Morgan answered her. "Well, I
thought maybe she had boy trouble and went someplace to think."
She shrugged. "I ditched afternoon classes and took the bus. I
like to go there."
Vanessa
wondered if she had gone there to think about Michael. She didn't
think she really went there looking for Catty.
Morgan stared
at her hands. "I can't believe her mother didn't even call the
police. That's so like Catty's mother."
"The
school called them." Vanessa spoke defensively. Catty's mother
had probably driven over to Griffith Observatory again this evening
to see if she could spot a spaceship and wave goodbye to her
daughter.
"We should
do something." Morgan caught Vanessa's look and shrugged. "So
maybe I didn't like Catty, but I hate what's happened to her. I'd
want everyone to keep trying to find me."
Serena walked
into the cafe. She was wearing gold platform shoes and overalls
spray-painted
154
with graffiti.
Serena saw them, waved, and came toward their table.
"Why is
she always following you?" Morgan said, exasperated. "You'd
better watch out for her."
"Hi,"
Serena greeted them. "I was just picking up some books at the
Bodhi Tree. I'm glad I saw you here. I've been trying to catch you
all week, Vanessa."
"I've got
to go." Morgan stood abruptly. "If I'm going to Planet Bang
tonight, I've got to buy something to wear." She gathered up her
things.
"Bye,
Morgan," Serena said.
Morgan ignored
her and hurried out.
"I heard
about Catty." Serena sat down. "Is Catty different like
you? She is, isn't she?"
"Look, I'm
feeling really bad right now about--" Vanessa stopped. She had
almost said "about losing a friend." The words felt too
final to say. She thought of Catty spinning down the tunnel for
eternity. Hot tears rimmed her eyes.
"You
didn't lose her," Serena comforted Vanessa. "I hope not
yet, anyway--if you'll come with me, maybe my friend can help."
155
"I'm sorry
you think this is another chance for a
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