Orin’s Brave Little Badge — Behind the moon garden’s tallest weeds, Orin squeezed his pumpkin pail handle and listened to the bats squeak, peep, squeak. Read the full story →
Behind the moon garden’s tallest weeds, Orin squeezed his pumpkin pail handle and listened to the bats squeak, peep, squeak. He wanted to carry the first night signal to the gate, the shiny bat badge that told everyone, “The moon path is open.” But the badge was missing. Not in his pocket. Not under his collar. Not even inside his boot, which smelled like damp leaves.
Here is the secret: the badge was hiding where nobody looked, tucked under the pail’s grinning lid by a shy glow-moth. “I can do it,” Orin whispered, though his knees made tiny tap-taps. He pinned the badge to his vest and stepped out from the weeds, cape swish-swishing like a soft curtain. The bats followed the little bat shape on his chest straight to the gate. Ever since, young vampires wear a bat badge when they make their first brave walk under the moon—see if you can spot Orin’s, still shining above his pumpkin pail.
