The First Midnight Bow — At the cliff castle, the wind made every window hum like a bottle. Read the full story →
At the cliff castle, the wind made every window hum like a bottle. Orson wanted to carry Grandmother’s velvet cape through the front hall without tripping, so he invented a game: step on a moon stripe, bow to your shadow, step on the next. His shoes clicked softly. The cape dragged behind him, heavy as a sleepy cat.
Halfway across, the hall went dark. Bats rustled in the rafters, and Orson’s knees gave one tiny knock. “Just one more bow,” he whispered. He lifted the cape with both hands, spread it wide, and bent low. The wind rushed under the velvet, held it out like two brave wings, and the bats settled, quiet as folded paper.
From that night on, young vampires raised their capes before crossing any midnight room, not to frighten anyone, but to let the wind help them take the first step. If you find Orson’s cape flying wide, you may spot the very bow that began with one moon stripe.
