All day, Zoe had been desperate for the last bell to ring. When it did, Miss Hawkins clapped her hands and called, “All right, everybody, time to go home. Remember, your parents or guardians need to bring you to the Rescue Zoo by seven o’clock tonight, and we’ll be singing at half past seven. I can’t wait to see your costumes! See you all there!”
Zoe had been so excited about her idea to help Shadow, she’d almost managed to forget about singing at the Spooktacular that evening. But as she walked through the playground with her mum, she heard some of the other children from her class practising the words, and she felt a familiar nervous feeling in her tummy. Just think about Shadow, she told herself firmly. This is for Shadow!
When she and Lucy arrived at the gates of the Rescue Zoo, Zoe had a surprise. Two huge bunches of orange and black balloons had been tied to the gates, and a banner had been stretched along the top of the entrance, which read:
Zoe looked up at her mum. “All money raised?” she repeated. “I thought just the donations we collect at our concert were going to help Shadow?”
Lucy smiled. “When I told Great-Uncle Horace your idea to help Shadow this morning, he liked it so much that he decided the whole Spooktacular would be to help Shadow,” she explained. “All the money we raise from the ticket sales, from the raffle, from people buying toffee apples and hot dogs and candyfloss. Everything!”
Zoe couldn’t believe it. In just one night, maybe the zoo would be able to raise all the money they needed to fly Shadow’s pack over to join him! Then the little wolf pup wouldn’t be alone any more.
“Zoe, hurry up! I want to see your costume!” squeaked Meep, hopping up and down excitedly.
“I’m almost ready!” replied Zoe. “Keep your eyes closed until I say, Meep, and no peeping!”
Zoe and Meep were in Zoe’s bedroom. It was after tea, and almost time for the Spooktacular to begin! Meep was perched on the bed with his tiny paws covering his eyes, while Zoe pulled on her grey wolf costume: grey leggings, a fluffy grey jumper, and furry grey gloves and boots. Now she just had to add a woolly hat with furry ears attached, and colour her nose in black using an eyeliner pencil that her mum had let her borrow.
“OK, Meep – now you can open your eyes!” said Zoe.
Meep took his paws away. “Wow, Zoe!” he chirped, his eyes wide. “You really look like a wolf!”
Zoe giggled. “Thanks, Meep! I hope Shadow likes it. I can’t wait to see what everyone else in my class looks like too, especially Jack and Nicola!”
“Woooooooo!”
Meep nearly fell off the bed in fright as a spooky moaning sound came from outside. “What is that, Zoe?” he squeaked, looking around nervously.
Zoe ran to the window and looked out. “Oh, Meep, it’s nothing to be worried about!” she laughed. “It’s just some of the zookeepers. They’ve made a recording of scary Halloween sounds and they’re going to play them over the zoo loudspeakers as all the guests arrive!”
“I’m not sure I like that idea,” grumbled Meep.
Zoe giggled and scooped him up for a cuddle. “Meep, remember what we told Star the other day? Halloween isn’t really scary. It’s fun!”
Just then, there was a knock on Zoe’s bedroom door, and a spooky green face with a pointy nose and wild black hair appeared! Meep gave another terrified squeak and hid his face against Zoe’s jumper.
“Oh dear!” said Lucy, coming into the room. “I think I might have frightened Meep. I suppose I do look quite scary! What do you think, Zoe?”
Zoe smiled. Lucy was wearing a long black dress, pointy black shoes, a wig of messy black curls and a tall black hat covered in silver cobwebs. She had covered her face with green face-paint and a fake green nose. “You make a great witch, Mum!” she said.
“And you make an excellent wolf!” replied Lucy. “I wonder what Great-Uncle Horace will dress up as? He still won’t tell anyone!”
Another spooky noise came from outside. This time it was a wicked-sounding cackle.
“Ahahahaha!”
Lucy smiled. “I think everything’s about to start!” she said. “Are you ready to go, love?”
“Ready,” said Zoe. “Everyone in my class is supposed to meet outside the café.”
“Come on then – I’ll walk you there,” said Lucy. “I’ll just fetch my broomstick!”
As Lucy, Zoe and Meep walked through the zoo, Zoe couldn’t believe how busy it already was. The paths were bustling with crowds, all dressed up as witches and black cats, spiders and toads, skeletons and vampires.
Meep was still nervous, and snuggled down in Zoe’s arms to begin with, but after some reassuring whispers from Zoe he started to look around, and as soon as he realised everyone was having lots of fun, he cheered up.
“They’re just normal people in costumes, remember!” Zoe told him quietly.
Meep cheered up even more when Lucy gave them both a bag of Halloween treats to share. “There are jelly frogs and chocolate bats for you, Zoe, and lots of fruit and seeds for Meep,” she explained.