Gracie tried to keep herself busy but there was only so much housework she could do. The television got
terrible reception and she had read every book in the house. After she'd searched for something to do she
glanced at the clock; it was nine-thirty. She peered out the window and could see that the lights were still on in
Granny's kitchen so she wandered up to the house, following the long curving driveway through the trees to the
back door. It was late summer and there was a full moon, the light from it passed through the tree branches and
dappled the dark ground like fistfuls of silver coins that had been carelessly tossed away.
Gracie tapped on the back door cautiously, in case the light had accidentally been left on and the Barkers were
actually in bed. There was a sharp noise in response to the knock, as though whoever was in the kitchen had
been startled by the sound, and then Granny yanked back the gingham curtain and peered at Gracie in the
glow of the porch light. Before Gracie knew what was happening, Granny opened the door and literally yanked
her off her feet and into the kitchen.
"Child! Are you crazy?"
"I'm sorry," Gracie said quickly. "Did I come too late? Did I wake you?"
"No! I was up! But you don't wander around out here on a full moon. Ever!"
Granny was old, but she was sharp as a razor, and Gracie hated that her first instinct was to think she was just
being an old lady over snakes or what have you.
"Why?" Gracie asked, sliding into a kitchen chair. Granny went on doing whatever she had been doing when
Gracie's knock interrupted her, and spoke to Gracie over her shoulder.
"If Papa knew you had walked up here alone in the dark he would skin you! And on a full moon!" She clucked
her displeasure like an old hen fusses over her chicks.
Granny sat down in the chair across the table, sliding a cup of steaming spiced tea in front of Gracie as though
she had ordered it.
"I can't say what it is that wanders around out here in the night, but Papa wouldn't go out to the pasture on a
night with a full moon alone if every cow we owned was on fire and bawling for help. I won't even go to the
clothesline," Granny said, and shivered.
"What is it, Granny?"
"Some say a panther," the old woman went on, "some say it's something a lot less usual and a little more
unnatural. A panther I can deal with, but this thing leaves no tracks and has left mutilated bodies of cows, goats
and even people if the rumors are true. And if you're ever unlucky enough to hear it, which I have, you won't
ever forget it."
"What does it sound like?" Gracie asked, and instantly burned her tongue on the hot tea, but was too distracted
to care.
"Like a man screaming in agony," Granny said simply.
Gracie just stared at her not knowing what to say. As far as she was concerned, Granny Barker had hung the
moon. There was nothing she didn't know and she had a heart as big as all Texas. There was no reason for her
to tell Gracie these things unless she believed them to be true.
terrible reception and she had read every book in the house. After she'd searched for something to do she
glanced at the clock; it was nine-thirty. She peered out the window and could see that the lights were still on in
Granny's kitchen so she wandered up to the house, following the long curving driveway through the trees to the
back door. It was late summer and there was a full moon, the light from it passed through the tree branches and
dappled the dark ground like fistfuls of silver coins that had been carelessly tossed away.
Gracie tapped on the back door cautiously, in case the light had accidentally been left on and the Barkers were
actually in bed. There was a sharp noise in response to the knock, as though whoever was in the kitchen had
been startled by the sound, and then Granny yanked back the gingham curtain and peered at Gracie in the
glow of the porch light. Before Gracie knew what was happening, Granny opened the door and literally yanked
her off her feet and into the kitchen.
"Child! Are you crazy?"
"I'm sorry," Gracie said quickly. "Did I come too late? Did I wake you?"
"No! I was up! But you don't wander around out here on a full moon. Ever!"
Granny was old, but she was sharp as a razor, and Gracie hated that her first instinct was to think she was just
being an old lady over snakes or what have you.
"Why?" Gracie asked, sliding into a kitchen chair. Granny went on doing whatever she had been doing when
Gracie's knock interrupted her, and spoke to Gracie over her shoulder.
"If Papa knew you had walked up here alone in the dark he would skin you! And on a full moon!" She clucked
her displeasure like an old hen fusses over her chicks.
Granny sat down in the chair across the table, sliding a cup of steaming spiced tea in front of Gracie as though
she had ordered it.
"I can't say what it is that wanders around out here in the night, but Papa wouldn't go out to the pasture on a
night with a full moon alone if every cow we owned was on fire and bawling for help. I won't even go to the
clothesline," Granny said, and shivered.
"What is it, Granny?"
"Some say a panther," the old woman went on, "some say it's something a lot less usual and a little more
unnatural. A panther I can deal with, but this thing leaves no tracks and has left mutilated bodies of cows, goats
and even people if the rumors are true. And if you're ever unlucky enough to hear it, which I have, you won't
ever forget it."
"What does it sound like?" Gracie asked, and instantly burned her tongue on the hot tea, but was too distracted
to care.
"Like a man screaming in agony," Granny said simply.
Gracie just stared at her not knowing what to say. As far as she was concerned, Granny Barker had hung the
moon. There was nothing she didn't know and she had a heart as big as all Texas. There was no reason for her
to tell Gracie these things unless she believed them to be true.
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