Story Time

By Dorothy Frati

A collection of short stories of varying topics to delight your imagination. From spooky, to humourous, gather round the campfire with The Witchy Five, and The Human Ghost, learn why bullying is wrong, and share Elmo and Figaros happiness when they find new homes, find out what lesson Pepe learns and many other tales and stories to enchant.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 26, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491868959

Dorothy Frati

Dorothy Frati was born and raised in New York City. She spent many hours at the library writing short stories and poetry. She received two Masters Degrees from New York University(NYU) in Education and Nutrition, working for 25 years at NYU Medical Center. She enjoys nature, animals, painting, and traveling. However, writing has always been her passion.

Book preview

AuthorHouse™ LLC

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2014 Dorothy Frati. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 02/21/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-6946-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-6895-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014903752

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

The Witchy Five

The Human Ghost

Run, Pepe, Run

The Day I Found Ellie

When Cat Sitting Becomes A Chore

Lucky’s Cardboard Shoes

The Wine Maker

The Roaming Parrot

The Pin-Striped Suit

School Bullies

Figaro

A Cat Called Elmo

The Designing Witch

The Lawnmower

Igor And Gimpy

Dedicated to

My sister, Gloria and dear friends, Margaret, Kitty and Lucas.

THE WITCHY FIVE

F our wide-eyed witches sat around a blazing fire. They were waiting for their mama, Lady Witchcraft, to speak.

The wiry figure with piercing black eyes looked at her brood with pride. Kids, she said, I have a question for you. What is the most important day in a witch’s life?

That’s easy, Mama, the young witches shouted. Halloween.

And why is Halloween so important, Mama? little Itchy asked.

It’s the day we witches have the most fun. You bet your broomstick! Mama shouted.

It’s the day we witches can do the most mischief and get away with it, the four witches shrieked.

Mama Witchcraft picked up some twigs and threw them into the fire. Sit still and listen good, she said to her little witches. Today is Halloween and I’ve got big plans for us. Their faces lit with excitement, the young witches gathered closer. At five p.m., Mama said, the neighbor’s brats will go from door to door looking for handouts. They will show their pearly white teeth and say, ‘Trick or treat?’ The neighbors will compliment them on their costumes and throw candy into their shopping bags. The brats will say, ‘Thank you,’ and dash off.

I get it, Mama, Drafty said. You want us to steal the shopping bags after they’re filled with goodies.

Heaven forbid! Mama said. We witches don’t steal. I have a better plan. We will scare the brats away before they get to the neighbors’ doors.

I don’t get it, Mama, Switchy said.

There’s nothing to get. We will hide behind bushes and scare the daylights out of those beggars. When they run away, we will go trick or treating in their places.

How, Mama? Tell us how.

Piece of cake, she said. We will bark! We will meow! We will roar! We will shriek! We will do anything to scare those kids away. Mama laughed. The brats, she said, will be so scared they will go home with wet underpants.

Wet underpants, Crafty repeated, that’s real funny. The brood of witches, Itchy, Switchy, Crafty and Drafty, and their mama hopped on their brooms and whizzed silently into the suburban neighborhood. They landed and stowed themselves and their brooms behind a witch hazel hedge.

Here they come, Mama said. The youngsters laughed and joked as they dashed up the driveway. Are you ready? Mama whispered to her brood.

Yes, Mama, we’re ready.

Are you set? Mama asked her brood.

Yes, Mama, we’re set.

Then let’s do it! she shouted. Drafty roared like a hungry lion. Crafty meowed like a nasty cat. Itchy barked like a mad dog. Switchy shrieked like an angry witch. Mama hooted like an owl. The neighborhood kids stopped in their tracks and listened. What are those awful sounds? one kid asked. I’m scared. Let’s get out of here. The kids scooted back down the driveway, screaming.

You did good, my little witches, Mama said to her brood. You did real good. Itchy and Scratchy ran to the nearest house.

Trick or treat, they said to the elderly woman who opened the door.

You must be the new kids on the block, she said. What fun for you kids to dress up like witches.

Itchy was about to say, We are witches, but Switchy shoved a candy bar into his mouth.

Drafty and Crafty ran from house to house. The shopping bags were filled with goodies. Mama, Drafty said after a while, these bags are much too heavy. They will break our brooms into pieces.

"They won’t be heavy if we