Boo York, Boo York

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  CHAPTER 1

  The Purr-fect Pop Star

  The skyline of Boo York shone in the darkness. Lights blazed from the Monster of Liberty’s torch, the top of the Vampire State Building, the golden Ptolemy Tower, and the flashing neon signs of Times Scare. But the brightest light of all was a fiery comet shooting across the sky.

  From inside a packed theater on Bloodway, a spotlight revealed Catty Noir opening her mouth onstage to sing her hit ballad, “Love Is a Storm.” The crowd cheered. Cameras clicked. The stage lit up with pyrotechnic fires, illuminating a backdrop of diamond-like pieces of broken mirrors. Catty’s pink mane of hair, the same color as her sequined gown, fell to her waist in long, soft curls. Her dark eyes were full of soul. Pure, pitch-perfect notes filled the arena of Madison Scare Garden. No wonder Catty Noir was an international pop sensation and Thrillboard magazine’s musician of the century. She could sing about love like no other monster.

  “Love is like a storm tonight. Love in the air, love in the clouds, love like a flood!”

  As her voice hit the last note, the crowd began to clap and cheer. Catty bowed and blew kisses to the audience. “Thank you! I love you, Boo York! Good-bye!” After the curtain came down, Catty slipped out of the back of the theater and headed to her waiting limo. Black-suited security gargoyles kept back the crowds as fans thrust programs and autograph books toward her to sign. Catty tried to smile, but she was overwhelmed by the glare of her success. As the door shut behind her, Catty closed her eyes. She was exhausted.

  The next day, Thrillboard magazine’s cover story was about Catty. But it wasn’t about the concert—the big news was that Catty, the queen of the love song, was dropping out of show business! But why? No one knew… except Catty.

  CHAPTER 2

  What a Ghoul Wants

  The bell rang, and monsters grabbed their homework and slammed their lockers shut. It was another busy day at Monster High. Catty grabbed her backpack and smiled at Frankie Stein and Draculaura. Frankie, a voltageous mint-green ghoul who was brought to life in her dad’s laboratory, and Draculaura, the vegetarian vampire daughter of Dracula, were friends of Catty’s. They had taken such good care of her ever since she had dropped out of the music scene to come and be an ordinary ghoul again.

  “Well, I’m off to the rehearsal room!” Catty announced.

  Frankie smiled. “Can’t wait to hear your next song!” She still couldn’t believe that a pop sensation had become one of her dearest friends.

  “Good luck with the music-writey stuff!” Draculaura exclaimed.

  As Catty strolled down the hallway, monsters called out greetings to her. She was one of them now, and so she had something to write about other than stage lights and limousines. She knew what it was like to be a real ghoul again. If only she could find the right words to express everything that was in her heart.

  She flicked on the light above the stage and sat down at the piano. “Finally, I can write a song for me. About something that really matters. Something that I know. Something I have lived,” she whispered to herself.

  She tried out some chords, scribbled them down on music sheets, stared at them, and then crumpled the sheets up. Soon, the floor around her was covered in paper. Frankie and Clawdeen Wolf walked by, peeked into the auditorium, and saw Catty slam her fists into the keyboard in frustration.

  Clawdeen, fierce fashionista, daughter of the Werewolf, and Frankie’s other BMFF, giggled. “Genius at work!”

  But Catty didn’t feel like a genius. The problem was that she wanted to write a love song, a great love song, but she didn’t know anything about love. Not really. She sighed. “I’ve never had that music in my heart.” Alone, she could admit the truth. “I feel like a fake. I have to find my own voice! My own music!”

  She got up from the piano, frustrated, and began climbing a spiral staircase that led to the roof of the school. She wanted to know what love felt like, and she wanted to sing about it in her own voice. But would she ever find true love?

  She passed a room where couples were listening to music and dancing. “I try and try but I can’t catch hold; there’s a fire that burns inside me,” she sang.

  She came onto the roof and saw the sky twinkling with stars. She felt full of emotion, as if some secret were hidden for her there. “Oh, now I’ve seen what I’ve tried to find. I’ve been looking far and wide. High and low, low and high. In the dark, now I’ve found the light.” The words were pouring out of her.

  Catty leaned against a wall. Carved into it were a heart and initials, symbols of a love she still didn’t know.

  Just then something close to the horizon caught her eye. It was the faint light of a shimmering comet. It flared and pulsed with a blue aura. The beauty of it made Catty gasp. She leaned over the railing and reached her hands out toward it.

  “I guess I’ve been looking in the wrong place the entire time,” Catty realized. “Maybe I should search inside.”

  CHAPTER 3

  Bad Hair Day

  The glow of the comet was reflected in the De Niles’ fancy swimming pool. Ramses de Nile, father of Egyptian princesses Cleo and Nefera, was peering through a telescope up at the sky.

  “The long wait has come to its end,” he said out loud, pleased. “After thirteen hundred years, it is time.” With a swirl of his magnificent white robes, he swept past tall pillars rimmed with hieroglyphics and a magnificent peacock throne and marched back into his palatial mansion.

  Cleo’s older sister, Nefera, was curled up in a chair reading when he came in.

  “Nefera, my daughter,” commanded Ramses, “summon your sister, Cleo, and pack your bags. We travel to meet our dynastic destiny to Boo York City.”

  Nefera was thrilled at the thought of a trip. “Boo York City! Clawesome!” she shrieked, but then she realized her younger sister was coming too. “Does Cleo have to come?” she whined.

  “Nefera de Nile!” Ramses scolded her. Having two Egyptian princesses in one palace could be a lot of work sometimes.

  Cleo was thrilled about the upcoming trip. It was all she could talk about the next day in school. She downloaded all her favorite photos of the city’s hot spots and kept pulling out her iCoffin to show everyone where she was headed. “That’s right. I’m going to Boo York City!” she kept explaining. “I’m so excited I’m about to burst through my bandages.”

  Walking through the hallway of Monster High, her arm linked through Deuce’s, she kept flipping through the images without looking up. Kids jumped out of her way to avoid collisions, and she didn’t even notice.

  Deuce Gorgon, Cleo’s boyfriend, was happy for her, and he grinned. “Sounds pretty sweet, Cleo. What’s the occasion?”

  “Daddy’s taking us to a very exclusive gala opening at the Boo York Museum of Unnatural History,” she gushed.

  Deuce scratched one of the snakes on his head. “Uh, okay, cool?”

  Cleo couldn’t believe he didn’t know what she was talking about! “Oh, Deuce,” she sighed. “It’s the first public showing of the most important Egyptian artifact ever—the comet crystal!”

  The bell rang, and Cleo was still talking nonstop about the big event when they settled into their desks in the classroom.
She handed Deuce her iCoffin, which now displayed a picture of the famous comet crystal. “It’s a little stone that fell from the comet thirty-nine hundred years ago, three thingies, you know, when it circles around?”

  Ghoulia Yelps, who was sitting behind Deuce, leaned forward to check out the crystal. She moaned.

  Cleo nodded her head at her brainy zombie ghoulfriend. “Okay, circumgyrations. Whatevs. When the pyramids were young. They say the crystal gains magical powers when the original comet passes overhead!”

  “Uh…” Deuce gulped, still not sure what to say. “Okay, cool?”

  That afternoon at the Casketball game, Cleo was still talking about Boo York while she sat next to Deuce on the bleachers. Clawd Wolf, Clawdeen’s brother, was on the court dribbling the ball and being pursued by a giant Cyclops.

  “Go, Clawd!” shouted Draculaura.

  Cleo did not appreciate being interrupted. “Anyway, so the original comet is on its way back toward Earth, so they’re finally unveiling the comet crystal.”

  The ref blew his whistle just as Clawd dropped the Casketball through the hoop. The crowd cheered, except for Cleo, who was too preoccupied with her thoughts of Boo York.

  “You haven’t heard the best part,” she confided to her boyfriend as they headed to their lockers after the game was over. “You are coming with me, Deuce!”

  Deuce stopped in his tracks and gulped again. He couldn’t believe it. “For reals?”

  Cleo tossed her highlighted hair. Her gold jewelry jangled. “Oh. My. Ra! You are going to love it! We get to go to his big fancy gala at the museum, get all dressed up, rub wrapped elbows with all of the Egyptian dignitaries!” She grinned happily at the thought.

  Deuce tried to hide how uneasy he felt. He adjusted the sunglasses he always wore so he wouldn’t turn his fellow monsters into stone. “I don’t really do big and fancy,” he said.

  “Oh, Deuce!” Cleo giggled, touching him affectionately on the arm as if he were joking with her. “And at midnight we all go up on the roof of the museum and watch the great comet shoot across the sky! I want you looking clawesome.” She swiped off his sunglasses, and Deuce quickly shut his eyes. Cleo pulled out a pair of designer shades and slipped them on his face. “Booci sunglasses,” she said.

  Deuce grinned. “All right!”

  “And,” said Cleo, clapping her hands delightedly, “I got this for you to wear in Boo York!” She opened up her locker and pulled out a beard made of solid gold, just like the best mummies in Egypt wore, with a braid down the center.

  Deuce cocked a single eyebrow, uncertain. Cool shades were one thing. A heavy fake beard was another. “All… right?” he said tentatively.

  Cleo held it up to Deuce’s face and stuck it on to his chin. All the twisting green snakes of Deuce’s gorgon hair began to hiss. “Oh, Deucy! You look so high class! We’re going to one of the most fashionable cities in the world, and I want my manster looking freaky fabulous!”

  The snakes were hissing and trying to reach down and pull off the beard.

  Cleo felt a moment of worry but shrugged it off. “Here,” she said. “I’ll just hang on to this for you until we get to Boo York.” She pulled the beard off Deuce’s chin and tucked it back into her backpack.

  Deuce rubbed his face. “I don’t know, Cleo. Dressing up, fancy galas, solid gold Egyptian beardy things. I don’t know anything about that rich people stuff. I mean, your dad already doesn’t think I’m good enough for you. What if we get there and I embarrass you?”

  Cleo took Deuce’s hand and smiled. “You? Embarrass me?” she said sincerely. “Look at me. We belong together. We’re Cleo and Deuce, and nothing changes that.” She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

  But Deuce wasn’t so sure. It was one thing to be Cleo’s boyfriend at Monster High and another altogether to go with her royal family on a fancy trip to Boo York. How would he manage? How would he cope with that beard? He’d have to think of something.

  CHAPTER 4

  All the Ghouls Are Going!

  Across the room, Cleo and Deuce were putting down their lunch trays with Draculaura. Frankie hurried over to them. “Ooh! Hey, Cleo!” she called out. “Is it true? You’re going to Boo York! I would give my right arm to go to Boo York!” With that, her right arm actually did fall off, and Frankie caught it before it hit the floor. She reattached it. “Oops!”

  Cleo didn’t even notice. She had just realized something. “Well,” she said slowly. “You know, Frankie… my dad did say I could bring a friend… or two.”

  Draculaura gasped. “I’m a friend or two!”

  “Oh, Cleo,” sighed Clawdeen, sitting down at the table. “I have to go to Boo York. The fashion scene there is to die for.”

  Operetta, daughter of the Phantom of the Opera, popped up behind Cleo. “I hear that in Boo York they play music on every street corner.” She smiled at her friend. “You know… just sayin’.”

  “Boo York?” said Catty, sitting down with the ghouls. “Maybe that’s where I’ll find my music.”

  Cleo threw up her hands, her gold bangles jingling. “Okay, okay, I have decided.”

  All the ghouls froze in anticipation. Who would get to go? Who was Cleo going to pick? As Cleo looked from one ghoul to another, her heavily-lined eyes narrowed. “The ghoul going to Boo York,” she announced at last, “is… ALL OF YOU!”

  The Creepateria was filled with thrilled cheers and squeals of excitement.

  “I have to pack!”

  “What should I bring?”

  “Boo York, here we come!”

  Deuce scratched his head. “Are you sure about this?” he asked Cleo. “Your dad said only a friend or two.”

  “Hey, I can handle Daddy. Look at them!” replied Cleo breezily. “They love me! I’m Cleo de Nile, and I’ve got to give the people what they want.”

  Catty looked down at the scribbles for songs in the notebook in front of her. “They say that whatever you’re looking for, you can find it in Boo York!”

  All the ghouls sighed, picturing the skyscrapers and bright lights of the famous city. Clawdeen was imagining the fashion shows and the models and the runways she was going to see. Draculaura wanted to visit all the tourist sites—from the Monster of Liberty to Times Scare. Operetta could already hear the music from violinists on the subways to Bloodway stars belting out show tunes.

  “You can find it all in Boo York,” murmured Catty. “You can find what you are looking for.” She thought of her wish on the comet. Was love waiting for her in Boo York? Was her voice there to be found? Maybe, just maybe it was.

  Cleo clapped her hands, reminding everyone who was making this trip possible. Not only would she bring her boyfriend but she’d bring her ghoulfriends too.

  “You are all invited; come with me now. I’ll take you to the greatest city unearthed!”

  Everyone cheered. They were going to Boo York, together!

  CHAPTER 5

  On Bloodway

  The scareplane dipped through the clouds, and the ghouls looked out the windows to see Boo York beneath them at last. The city rose up closer and closer, and the plane touched down. A fleet of limos whisked the ghouls across the Spooklyn Bridge toward the heart of the city. Cars and taxis honked around them. The ghouls stared in amazement at the shopwindows and the crowded streets. “Big city, bright lights. On our way to living the city life,” sang the ghouls.

  The limos pulled up in front of a fancy hotel, and gargoyles in bellhop caps zipped forward to unload a mountain of luggage.

  Cleo held out her credit card to one of the bellboys. “Oh yeah, I’m ready, gonna rock this place.”

  Cleo took Deuce by the hand, and the ghouls followed them down the avenue to get an up-close look at everything. Banners stretched across the street announcing the arrival of the once-in-thirteen-hundred-years comet, and kids passed them wearing comet T-shirts and comet baseball hats. Everyone was gearing up for the big day.

  Clawdeen wanted to check out the fashio
ns at once. “Ghouls, we have to stop in that boo-tique!”

  Without a moment’s hesitation, they all rushed in. “Me and my ghouls gonna run this town. We’re gonna break the ground when we come around. Me and my ghouls gonna hit the scene. We’re gonna make real life out of our dreams,” sang the ghouls. They were trying on everything and giving one another a fashion show in the changing rooms. They snapped photos of each other to post online.

  Arms linked and singing with happiness, the ghouls boarded the subway, heading to the Forty-Second Screech station. “City streets never sleep. Let’s hit the town every day of the week.

  “Call out my name. I’ll be center stage. We’re on our way. C’mon, don’t be late because this is the life. Sittin’ pretty in the city. Yeah, this is the life.”

  Their train groaned to a halt, and the ghouls and Deuce skipped out of the subway station into Times Scare. Huge screens flashed with advertisements for all the hit shows. West Side Gory! Avenue Boo! Dreamghouls! Gory Poppins! Screamy Todd! There was so much to see! There was so much to do! A street rapper was dazzling the crowds with his rapid-fire lyrics. His dark eyes glittered, and he grinned when he saw the ghouls. Draculaura snapped a photo of him and the rapper stopped, staring at Catty.

  A Ghoulhound bus came to a stop by the curb. Out stepped a beautiful, earnest Jersey moth named Luna Mothews. She spun around in joy and tossed her hat into the air and caught it.

  “Boo York City, here I am!” she announced in a lovely voice.

  Draculaura stepped forward. “Hi, I’m Draculaura.”

  “Luna Mothews. Nice to meet you.”

  “And these are my ghoulfriends from Monster High,” said Draculaura, introducing them.

  Luna shook Draculaura’s hand enthusiastically, and her suitcases fell to the ground. She giggled. “Nice to meet ya!”

  “First time in Boo York?” Draculaura asked.