Free Witch Twins by Adele Griffin Page B

offense.”
    Lindsey Berger began to laugh, and then Angelica giggle-snorted. It was a mean, sixth grade giggle-snort, as awful as if Angelica had crushed the rose underneath her shoe.
    Luna couldn’t think of a thing to say. Her eyes felt hot. She hurried off.
    She watched Act Two from the wings. Angelica’s voice still was beautiful.
    That almost made it worse.
    In Act Three, when she and Claire were onstage for the Princess’s royal wedding, Luna forgot all the chorus lyrics. She did not even remember to mouth along. All she could hear was Angelica’s giggle-snort.
    “Luna Bundkin, you sure got a case of cold feet out there,” said Mr. Rosenthal in the lobby after the show. He clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Stage fright, hmm? I guess that’s one way to tell you from your sister.”
    “I guess.” Luna swallowed.
    Her parents and Steve and Fluffy all looked at her sympathetically. It was embarrassing.
    I will never do a single nice thing for any body, ever again, Luna thought as she lay in bed that night. No More Nice. That would be her new policy.
    The next morning, the sound of Angelica’s giggle-snort had not left Luna’s memory.
    “Crumbs, Loon, you’re still thinking about that? Who cares about snotty Angelica Antonio’s giggle-snort?” Claire scoffed. “But if it really gets to you, cast a little itching-pink-eye spell on her. I won’t tell Grandy.” She grinned and rubbed her hands together. “In fact, I cast one on Jemina Consolo after she stole my rainbow eraser.”
    “Mmm.” Luna pretended to agree, but it wasn’t a witching revenge that she felt. It was a sadder feeling.
    All week, whenever she saw Angelica, it was as if she was trapped in that same awful minute of the giggle-snort. It hurt the same amount.
    No More Nice, thought Luna.
    The next weekend, rain poured over the city. A tornado watch was on.
    “May is coming in like a lion!” squealed Claire.
    “No way I’m going to Bramblewine,” said Justin. “It’s even worse there when you’re stuck indoors. Tell Grandy I have a debate competition.”
    “Maybe you girls should take a rain check on Bramblewine, too,” joked their mother. (Most doctors tell pretty bad jokes.)
    “We’ll be fine!” Luna said. She was still upset about Angelica. At least at Bramblewine, she could cast a few grumpy spells in this witching weather. Grandy had promised to teach them how to shake branches down from the trees. Or, with Claire’s help, she could send a mini-clap of thunder across the sky.
    After layering them in raincoats and hats and preparing a thermos of hot cider, their mother dropped them at the station. The twins sat together in the train, passing the cider back and forth. The train creaked and swayed, and the lights flickered.
    “I never took the train in a rainstorm,” said Claire. “It’s scary cool!”
    To Luna, it was just scary. The trees bent in the wind. Rain hammered the top of the car. The conductor’s shoes squeaked as he walked down the aisle.
    “Maaay-rose!”
    “Siiilver-toad!”
    Men and women collected their umbrellas and blundered into the howling weather. The train chugged on.
    “Laaang-ham!” the conductor shouted.
    As always, the only person left was the man in the old-fashioned hat and the pea coat. As always, he was sleeping.
    “Poor thing, he doesn’t have an umbrella,” murmured Claire. “I wonder why he didn’t remember one? He might catch a cold. If I hadn’t lost my umbrella, I’d sure lend him mine.” She looked at her sister meaningfully.
    Luna clutched her own umbrella. She did not want to lend it. It would go against her new policy of No More Nice.
    Besides, it was never a good idea to talk to strangers.
    Yet after so many years spent riding the train with the old man, he did not seem exactly like a stranger to Luna. He seemed more like a very nice old gentleman who would be soaked the minute he got off the train.
    The train creaked around a narrow bend, and just as he always did,