CHAPTER FIFTEEN

LOST IN THE PARK

Abby crept to the edge of the pond while Alexander, who was never too fond of large bodies of water, stayed behind by some empty cages. “The lake’s bigger than I remember,” she yelled back. She tossed a rock into the pond, listening for the sound for when it hit bottom. When there was no sound after several seconds, she shook her head. “And much deeper.”

Alexander stood on his tiptoes, craning his neck to get a glimpse of the body crumpled up on the island in the middle of the pond. He’d never seen a dead person before. Until yesterday, he’d never seen anything dead other than a rosebush. Abby motioned for him to join her, but he shook his head no. She was insistent, and after several requests, he finally inched his way closer to the water.

“We need to find a way over to the island. Can you swim?”

Wobbly knees and the terror in Alexander’s eyes answered her question.

“Thought so, I’m not the greatest swimmer either.” She skimmed a flat rock on the surface. The rock stopped in mid-skim as a slimy tentacle skimmed the rock back to them. “That confirms my suspicion. There’s something in the water,” Abby muttered to herself. Alexander stood beside an empty cage. His whole body quivered from fear.

“Come on, Alex. It can’t hurt you,” she yelled, although she wasn’t certain she was telling the truth. “Fine, I’ll find a way over by myself. I don’t need a baby’s help.” She dipped her foot in the water, hoping the rock-throwing monster wouldn’t tear it off and toss it to Alexander.

“Wait, I’ll go with you, but I ain’t swimming. How about trying to walk on those gigantic lily pads on the other bank?”

Abby was too busy throwing rocks to notice dozens of bright orange lily pads floating on the opposite side of the pond. The pads were the size of carts.

“That might work, but they don’t exactly reach the island.” She held her extended hand to her eyes and peered at the pads. “It looks like they’re short by about twelve feet. I can use my magic to jump twelve feet, but that doesn’t help you. We must find another way.”

 The sun broke through a bank of clouds, bathing the island in brilliant brightness. The dead body wasn’t dead or a body at all. The object was a Royal Rent-a Coach ripped to shreds, its spindly stretches of metal resembling lifeless limbs. Abby knew about Royal Coaches, and this was a newer model that had only arrived on the island a few days ago, judging from the banners.

“Orange lily pads…” She slapped herself on the forehead. “The only thing I know of that uses orange lilies are giant pond squirrels.” She shouted a warning to Alexander, “Run!” but he was gone.

                                                                 

 Abby dropped to her knees, which was a good thing because the slimy tentacles of the pond monster swooshed above her head. She would have been monster lunch if she’d been standing. She jumped up, but the dampness of the murky ground prevented her from getting any traction. Once she got the right foothold, she sprinted from the edge of the pond as if a slingshot shot her out.

She ran past a group of schoolchildren who’d just entered the park. Their teachers appeared unaware the park was possessed.

 “GET OUT,” Abby yelled without looking at the children or considering the chaos it would cause for a princess to yell GET OUT at a group of kindergarteners. The students ran around in frantic circles and flapped their arms as the teachers tried to corral them.

Alexander was gone. The last time she’d seen him, he’d been at the huge cage at the edge of the pond.

                                                                 

Abby huffed and puffed, out of breath as she arrived at the cage. She searched the yellow patch of grass for any clues or signs. A slight imprint of Alexander’s boots was the only trace of evidence.

She investigated the cages one by one. Bones of animals, at least she hoped they were animal bones, littered the floors—skeletons bleached white by an uncaring sun and carcasses stripped clean by park mice. Abby frowned at the death and decay around her. Except for the bones, the cages were empty. She found herself in a desperate race with time as sun sped from the east to the west. O’Toole and Malley would return with the setting sun. Still, there was no sign of Alexander.

I must be the worst babysitter in the entire history of babysitters. The sun mocked her, challenging her to find the missing boy before it dipped below the western mountains.

For an instant, she thought about returning to the pond and starting over, but she didn’t want to face whatever patrolled the lake, or accidentally run into a giant pond squirrel. Running into either of them would ruin an already bad day.

Beaten and exhausted, she sat on a log and buried her head in her cupped hands. What was she going to say to the leprechauns? They might forgive her for misplacing the boy if she explained they’d walked into a nest of giant pond squirrels… but that was a stretch. One thing was certain—she couldn’t tell them the truth: Alexander just vanished while I was busy fighting a pond monster.

                                                                 

Alexander’s voice drifted in from behind a large tree. “Abby could help you if she were here. No, I don’t know where she is. I think she was gulped down by a monster.” Abby heard only one voice, but Alexander was talking to someone. “They’ll be here soon. I’ve never heard of pond squirrels. The leprechauns will be here soon. They’ll know what to do.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ABBY AND ALEXANDER

 They walked all night long, and Alex was exhausted and starving. The slight haze of morning rose over the rooftops as the last mist of night stubbornly crawled into the western mountains. Lights flickered as homeowners stirred from their sleep. New smoke wafted from chimneys, and an excellent mix of breakfasts drifted in the air. Alexander’s stomach complained about a loud groan. “It’s not funny,” he snapped at Abby’s smirk. “I can’t help it if I’m hungry.”

Abby grabbed Alexander’s hand as they stopped at a corner. “The park is two blocks down there.” Pointing across a sleepy, wide cobblestoned street, she stopped and looked both ways. “We’re in luck. This road would be impossible to cross any later in the day.” She grasped his hand tighter and sprinted across the street. “O’Toole wants us to go to the park farther to the west.”

Alexander stopped in the middle of the street, causing Abby to stumble. He stopped only long enough to catch his breath, while Abby regained her footing and waited patiently—well, as patiently as a mother tiger.

Alexander sighed before he motioned he was ready to go. He was too exhausted to protest. Abby grabbed his hand and tugged him down the street. The sun settled into its usual early morning spot as the last remaining wedge of the previous night’s moon stubbornly hung in the opposite sky.

Abby dropped Alex’s hand and paused as a door opened, but relaxed when the owner pushed a white fluff ball of a dog outside to do its business. The dog yapped at the neighborhood intruders. Alexander bent over to pet it, but the dog bounced away, wagging its tail. The puffball followed them for a few houses, but returned to the neighbor’s garden to finish its morning duties.

                                                                 

More doors opened as the morning symphony of city-life played an ever-constant tune. Young children popped out of houses, like toast, on their way to school. Fathers dressed in work clothing left their homes, some kissing their wives goodbye and some hugging the children. Only a few stopped long enough to notice the young boy in rags walking with the princess. A few better-dressed men whispered to each other as Abby and Alexander walked past them.

 “Grab my hand,” she whispered to Alexander. He looked at her as if she was deranged. “Do it,” she whispered a little louder.

Alexander took a deep breath and looked at his hand, and then stared at Abby, and then his hand again. Abby glared at him. He finally relented and reached for her hand and held it as if it were poisonous.

“Yes, Jack, we are to meet Momma in the park,” she said more loudly than necessary, hoping to fool the crowd into believing she wasn’t who they thought she was.

“We can stop pretending.” Alexander jerked his hand away from Abby. “They got onto the trolley.”

Abby scrunched her nose, pushed her lip out, and batted her eyelashes.

Which, I might add, is what a woman or girl does as a way to counter-attack any positive boy emotions.

“Listen, I don’t like boys any more than you like girls. In fact, I like them even less since I got tricked into babysitting you.”

“But…” Alexander lamely defended himself.

“There are no buts. I… or we, have a job to do. I would rather stick my hand in a lion’s mouth than hold hands with you. The park is down one more block. I suggest we get to the park, find a squirrel to roast, get some sleep, and wait for O’Toole and Malley.”

“Roasted squirrel?”

“That’s the spirit. I have never eaten a roasted squirrel,” Abby stated, “but I hear it tastes like, well, squirrel.” Abby offered Alex her hand. “Friends?”

Alexander gazed at the hand and sighed. “Friends.” He extended his hand to her.

Abby pushed Alexander’s hand away and gave him a big hug instead. Alexander didn’t see that one coming.

“I… I thought you hated boys.”

“Nah, I like them.” She smiled. “I said that to get you to listen to me.”

Alex couldn’t remember a time when he wanted to hit somebody, but he knew he wished the aggravating girl would be the first victim. “I was just pretending to listen to you, so there.” He placed his thumbs in his ears, wiggling his fingers, and sticking his tongue out at the same time.

Abby didn’t react the way he thought she would. She didn’t yell, scream, or break his arm. To his surprise, she laughed. The tension between them melted. She hugged him without saying a word, and for the first time he didn’t squirm and fight the hug. Sure, it was still sickening, but he thought an occasional hug wouldn’t kill him.

“Ready?” Abby asked, “The park is only about a block away.”

Alexander noticed the houses became larger than before. The front yards were all manicured and neatly mowed. Tall wooden or iron fences ran from the corners of one house to the corner of the adjacent house. Perfectly matched gates mirrored each other.

“Do you live around here?” he asked Abby.

“No, it would drive me crazy.” She smiled as she answered his question. “My house is a little bigger.”

Alexander wondered just how much bigger her house might be. These houses were five times larger than his house. He decided the only thing larger was the castle, and he doubted she lived there.

                                                                 

Abby pointed to a rusty sign, hanging on one hinge and supported by moss-covered red brick pedestals. Bent poles jutted out from the pedestals to prop up an arch and the sign, which looked to be centuries old: LIBERTY PARK.

“The King has better things to do than maintaining park signs,” Abby commented, looking around the park.

A dirt road led from the entrance while smaller roads curved off to the east and west. Trees lined the unkempt sidewalks, and ivy-covered animal cages sat empty to the left.

“How far away are we from the castle?” he asked Abby, who was more concerned with a gigantic pond to the right.

“Seven blocks to the west, and twelve blocks to the north,” she answered without taking her eyes away from a human form lying on the island, in the middle of a pond.

 “That can’t be good,” said Alex.

CHAPTER  THIRTEEN

IN THE CITY

O’Toole looked at the ceiling and shrugged his shoulders.

“We should be going, Mr. Sighs. That’s if you can stay away from trouble for a few hours.” O’Toole looked away from the black goop overhead.

Abby offered her hand to Alexander, but he stared at it like it was deformed. Refusing her help, he got up on his own.

“It wasn’t my fault.” Alexander told the leprechauns while scowling at Abby. “She got me into this and then she disappeared, leaving me in the clutches of that.” Alex pointed to the splotch on the ceiling. “And a billion rats that were determined to eat me.”

“Calm down, Alexander,” Malley folded his shillelagh into a traveling size and placed it into his overstuffed pocket. “First, there were only five-hundred rodents.”

“And I doubt they would’ve eaten more of you than your toes,” added O’Toole.

“Second…” began Malley.

Abby interrupted him. “I’m sorry, Alex, I needed to go for help. I was sure you’d understand.” She took a step towards Alexander with her arms outstretched for a hug.

Alexander took one-step backward and ran into the wall.

“You could’ve taken me with you.” He closed his eyes hoping it would make the oncoming hug a little less gross.

“I’m kinda new to this witch thingy. I didn’t have the strength to take us both.” Abby wrapped her arms around Alex and kissed his forehead. “I promise to get stronger.”

Alexander wiggled free, rubbed the kiss away from his brow, and ran over to O’Toole, being careful not to stumble on the dead rat carcasses. His mouth trembled as he grasped his hands together and pleaded with the leprechauns not to allow Abby to join them.

“My dear friend,” O’Toole patted the top of Alexander’s head. “You’re just weak from hunger and thirst. If you were in your right mind, you’d know the witch will prove invaluable. Mark my words. Besides, the number three is an unlucky number when it comes to quests. The more, the merrier.”

“I thought three was a perfect number and four was the unlucky number.” Malley scratched his head and furrowed his brow.

O’Toole glared at his friend. “You’re mistaken, again. That’s why I’m in charge, and you aren’t.”

“But, but…” Alexander stammered, cut off by a wave of O’Toole’s hand. He’d lost. Abby was going with them.

O’Toole sniffed the polluted air as the dead rat bodies made loud pops and fizzled away in a puff of smoke. The black spot began to inch along the ceiling, removing the leprechaun’s light. “I think we should remove ourselves from here while there’s still enough night. We still have miles to walk tonight. I had hoped to arrive at Pioneer Park by dawn, but will settle for Liberty Park. But we must walk fast.”

A loud growl came from Alexander. The leprechauns and Abby jumped and looked at him as if he was possessed.

“Sorry. I’m just a little hungry.” Alexander tapped his stomach.

The room became dark and cold.

A set of yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. “We’re not open, but I am sure I can find a table for four in the back. I’m sorry to inform you that our waitress Shelly is under the weather, and it might take a few years before she gets to you. I’ll bring you a beer.”

“Don’t trust her,” said Alex and Abby at the same time.

“Oh my,” the voice from the darkness continued, “it’s the young gentleman from this afternoon. Are you still waiting for your lunch? I see your girlfriend’s returned.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. Can we go now?”

“Nobody leaves here, dearie…” She stopped in mid sentence as the glow from a small candle illuminated Malley’s face.

“We’ll just have four hot dogs to go.” O’Toole glared at the hostess. Alex’s stomach rumbled again, and O’Toole quickly amended the order. “Make that five hot dogs.”

“Yes, yes, would you like fries with the order?” the ghost hostess asked.

O’Toole and Malley chanted something in leprechaunese, and POOF—the four of them were standing on the sidewalk outside the diner. Malley reached into his pocket and pulled out the five hot dogs and greasy fries.

“Eat while you walk,” ordered O’Toole, handing Alex two, “And no talking until further notice.” He and Malley tied their completely useless invisibility cloaks around their necks as the group walked down the street. Alexander stifled a laugh as Malley reached around used his cloak as a napkin, wiping his greasy fingers.

“I’m still getting used to their manners,” Alex whispered to Abby as he shoved as much food into his mouth as humanly possible.

                                                                       

They walked in silence. The moonless night heightened Alexander’s uneasiness. He swore he heard the ghost waitress’ voice in the wind, telling him that she still wanted him. Nobody else heard it.

“This is unacceptable,” O’Toole whispered, pointing at his shadow from inside his cloak, as if he still couldn’t fathom the trolls selling him faulty merchandise. “At least the townsfolk seem to do what humans do after a hard day’s work.”

“You mean, most of ‘em,” Malley responded, pointing at a slow moving cart heading their way.

“You know where the park is?” O’Toole asked Abby as the cart trudged slowly in their direction, pulled by a spotted cow. An affirmative nod was all he needed. “We have pressing leprechaun business. It can’t wait. So, we’ll meet you and Alexander there just after sunrise.”

“Not a problem,” said Abby with confidence.

O’Toole turned to Alexander and said, “Oh, please try to stay out of trouble for the next fifteen hours or so.”

Before Alex could say a word, the pair of leprechauns vanished.

                                                                 

Abby and Alexander stood alone under the streetlamp as an old man and his cart stopped next to them.

The rickety contraption looked as if held together by a wish and some string. It carried cheese and extra-large containers of milk. “It’s a little late to be out and about, wee ones,” the driver observed, chewing on his long silver mustache.

“We were on the hill, now we’re on our way to the hospital, kind sir.” Abby curtsied.

“Hill? What hill?”

“You see, I am Jill, my brother here is Jack. We went up the hill to fetch a pail of water,” she smiled. “Jack tripped on a skunk and rolled down the hill, cracking his head on a tree stump.”

“That’s terrible.” The man rearranged his cheese, making a spot for the two children, “Here get in, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Alexander looked at Abby as if she was crazy, but thought it best to remain silent.

Abby smiled and twisted a strand of hair. “No, but thanks. I read somewhere that the best thing for a busted crown-type injury is to walk it off.”

The man frowned and tapped his fingers on his lips. “Where are your parents?”

“Parents?” Abby frowned. “Oh, our parents. Jack is such a klutz. They expected he would need hospitalization, so they’re waiting for us at the hospital. We need to be on our way.”

The man climbed out of the cart. His joints creaked and moaned as stepped onto the ledge. “I insist on taking you to the hospital.”

“That’s nice. We accept.”

Alexander knew she lost her mind and wondered if she’d hit her head too.

She waved to imaginary people across the street. “Oh, look! I see mom and pop.” She grabbed Alexander’s hand and sprinted up the road, pulling a surprised Alex behind her. They stopped when it was clear and the old man was safely about his chores.

Alexander jerked his hand from Abby’s clutches. “Are you crazy?” he asked.

“That was fun, but you have to be more careful. You almost got us captured. We would have been if it wasn’t for my quick wits.” She took hold of Alex’s hands again. “We’ll cause less suspicion if people think we are boyfriend and girlfriend coming home from a late date or something. The park is just a few blocks in that direction.” She pointed to the north and west.

Alexander protested, but decided he was lucky this time. At least she came back for him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

ABBY TO THE RESCUE

Alexander wished he’d never met the leprechauns.

Where are they?

They promised to protect me.

The leprechauns never asked me about adding a girl to the team, and an obnoxious one at that.

He struggled to free himself from his restraints, but they were too tight. The cuffs bit into his wrists if he moved them too much. He could forget about freeing himself from the yoke around his neck, surprised that he could breathe, let alone escape.

Now the rats crawled up his leg, inching their way up his chest. He yelled as loud as he could, but only his enemy could hear his cries. Then he denied the rats even existed, just before begging for mercy. Finally, he accepted his fate. “Get it over with. I have one request before you eat me.”

The lead rat stopped, stood on his hind legs, and scratched behind his ear. Alexander glimpsed briefly dozens of rats huddled together and discussing his foolish request before they ate him. They gazed at the boy and shrugged their shoulders, somewhat confused, before continuing their conversation. Confusing a rat is no easy task.

Several of the junior rodents nodded their heads in approval, but most of the senior ranks wriggled their noses, which Alexander took as a bad sign. Finally, a rather large one-eyed rodent with a tattered ear and crimped tail scurried up to Alexander’s chest. His deadly black eye zoned in on his victim. The rat gave a curt nod of his cone-like head.

“Does that mean I am granted my wish?” Alexander quizzed the rodent. Life lesson: Hope that you’re never in a position where begging rodents might be the difference between life and death.

The rat nodded his head again.

“My request is simple. Let me go,” Alexander mustered as much conviction he could gather, considering his dilemma.

Puzzled, the rat backed away and ran down Alex’s leg, huddling with his horde. This time, no whisker wiggling or head nodding, just a bunch of rats gnashing their teeth.

                                                                 

It didn’t take long for Alexander to assume they denied his request. To make matters worse, the wall behind him glowed and grow warm. “Great, they’re gonna barbecue me before they eat me.” He was surprised he didn’t burst into flames.

The heat on the wall intensified. The wall glowed like a volcano. Any rat near the wall sizzled and exploded. Then without warning, hot lava burst from the wall, turning the remaining rodents into crispy critters. Old one-eye-negotiator rat was the last to combust.

The door burst open, filling the entranceway with the dullness of a moonless night. Then the back doorway exploded, followed by a blinding flash of light.

He heard a voice say, “Did you miss me?” He didn’t need his sight to recognize the annoying voice.

“Miss you? I’m lucky your firework display only blinded me for life. What were you thinking? You know I’m flammable, don’t you?” His temporary blindness became a blur. Abby put her finger to his lips and shushed him.

Alexander’s vision soon changed from blurry to hazy. He saw the faint outline of two diminutive people shaking a stick at one ghost, floating inches above the floor.

“I might have known it was the two of you who put the brat up to spying on me,” Shelly cackled as she dodged a swing of O’Toole’s shillelagh. Then she saw the grizzled remnants of her beloved rat horde. “Look what has become of my lovelies,” she cried out. Her evil red eyes bulged as she pointed her ghastly ghostly finger directly at Alexander. “You will pay for this, dearie.”

Unfortunately, when Alexander’s vision returned, he saw Shelly was even more hideous than he’d imagined. Her red eyes were crossed, forcing her to look down her freakish and overly long hawk-like nose. One leg was missing at the knee, and the other at her ankle. Alexander felt more pity than fear. Then the expression on the witch ghost’s face extinguished any sympathy.

Shelly faced O’Toole and Malley with her hands on her hips. Her lip curled up to form the scariest, crooked smile you’d ever want to see. “You’re too late. I’ve already sent a messenger rat to Morgan. She’ll soon know all about you, the boy, and the white witch.”

Malley reached into his pocket and brought out a dead rat which he held by the tip of its tail.

Shelly’s eyes turned blood red, and she quivered. Fire spewed hot lava from her mouth. Her head swiveled 360 degrees. The witch let out a harsh screech that would curl the toes of even the bravest. “You have spoiled my plans! Now all of you must die!”

O’Toole and Malley stood back-to-back with their shillelaghs crossed, expecting an attack. Abby moved into position to protect Alexander.

Shelly’s body convulsed and her joints popped, one at a time. First, a dragon’s tail appeared, followed by wings, talons, and finally the head. She changed into a dragon, a tiny one, no taller than the tables, but still a dragon. The witch/dragon/ghost spewed fire from its nostrils.

Shelly, the dragon, circled the trapped leprechauns. Darkness replaced the light. “You can’t possibly think I sent just one messenger rat?”

O’Toole and Malley circled, following Shelly’s every move.

“Oh, come now, I’m shrewder than you might think.” She took a step closer. “I’m not a huge leprechaun fan. They are so tasteless and leathery. But, they are palatable with enough salt and ketchup.”

Alexander could take no more. “Leave my friends alone,” he called out from behind Abby.

“I’ll get to you later, boy,” Shelly hissed. “First, I’m going to eat the skinny one, followed by the chubby one. Your girlfriend will be next. And I’ll force you to watch the whole thing, my tender little snack.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. I don’t even like her.” For some reason, he wished Abby didn’t hear him. “No offense,” he whispered to Abby. “I don’t like girls. They’re all disgusting. Well, you not so much. But still…”

“We’ve wasted enough time,” O’Toole tapped Malley on the shoulder. “Are you as fed up with this dragon as I am?”

“I was wondering when you would ask. Let’s do this.”

O’Toole and Malley crossed their Shillelaghs and aimed them at the witch/dragon/ghost.

The last thing coming from Shelly was, “Isn’t that quaint? They think they can destroy me with a stick—” Then she exploded, leaving a trail of black goo dripping from the ceiling.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

SHELLY

A whirlwind blew thru the café, and all the light was sucked out of the room. Alexander felt his way to the wall in the darkness with his free hand. Abby held the other. In a hushed tone, he whispered, “We need to find the window or door. Maybe we can make our escape that way.”

They smelled their tormentor in the room, but could not see her. Alexander had never inhaled the rancid smell of rotting flesh before, and he hoped he’d never encounter it again. If they survived.

“I can hear your hearts beating,” a sinister voice came from the darkness. “And I can almost taste your fears.”

Alexander flattened himself against the wall, coaxing Abby to join him with a firm jerk. For a moment, he forgot all about how semi-annoying she was, or that this was her fault. He even briefly forgot she was a girl with cooties.

Abby placed her lips to his ears. She was too close. Alexander fought the urge not to cringe, but had to admit that she smelled much better than whatever was decomposing across the room. Abby whispered in his ear, but it was so soft he couldn’t hear a word she spoke. Maybe the sound of chains dragging nearer distracted him, not to mention the glow of yellow eyes only a few feet from them.

“I’ll eat your girlfriend first and save you for dessert.” Shelly’s yellow eyes burst into red flames. Laughter, evil enough to boil their blood, followed.

Abby released Alexander’s hand and whispered into his ears again. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s too late to be sorry, Dearie.” Shelly hid rather well in the darkness. “However, it won’t change your fate. Maybe the young boy will be sad once I’ve eaten you. I doubt it. Your hearts don’t beat as one. Is this your first date?”

Alexander refused to speak.

“It is your first date.” The yellow eyes brightened and dull yellow teeth illuminated in the darkness. “How sweet, first time out, first time eaten together. I’ll enjoy this.”

“I meant I’m sorry I’m not strong enough to carry both of us.” Abby stood up, and an off-white radiance shone around her body. Her face glowed bright, making her even more beautiful, if it were possible. “I’ll be back,” she promised as she slowly melted into the wall.

                                                                 

The room faded back into darkness, but the flash of Abby’s brightness was just enough for Alexander to get a peek at his bully. Shelly was a young girl, only a few years older than he was. Stringy red strands from her nearly bald hung to her shoulders, and her face matched the color of her hair. Chains wrapped around whatever little body she had which drug the floor like a wedding gown train. She must’ve been strong because she floated above the ground, despite the heavy restraints. Of course, she didn’t weigh much, because most of her rotten flesh hung in strips here and there. It was not a pretty sight.

Shelly let out a mournful scream. “You tricked me, you little brat. You brought a powerful light witch on your date. Your girlfriend will never return in time to save you.”

“She is not my girlfriend. All girls are gross, including dead bully girls.”

A cackle came from the darkness. “So, am I disgusting?”

Alexander remained silent since the answer was obvious and crawled far away enough to feel a draft from the window above him.

“You have no idea just how revolting I can be. However, I have lost my appetite. You’re free to go.”

“I can go?” Alexander’s hands relaxed, and his breathing grew calm.

“Of course not. I’m just not hungry.” He heard the sound of fingers snapping, followed by the noise of chains unraveling. Suddenly, Alexander found himself shackled to the wall. “However, I’m sure I’ll be famished once I wake from my nap.” A hot wind whiffed by Alexander as the clinking of chains sounded in the back of the room. “I promise to sleep only a month or two. My rats will keep you company until then.”

The room went darker. Alexander could no longer smell the ghost bully, but it didn’t mean he was alone. Judging from the sound of thousands of pitter-patting claws in the dirt floor all around him, he was now the main attraction in an over-sized rat’s nest.

Alex awaited his doom, but apparently the rats were content to fight amongst themselves. Hissing and squeaking noises surrounded him. Scary thumps and bumps ensued as the creatures scuffled. He wasn’t sure how long he’d hang on the wall before the rats snuck up and nibbled on him in the darkness.

His throat was parched. He almost wished he drank the beer. His stomach growled from hunger. Worst of all, his heart sank when a candle suddenly lit, and hundreds of beady eyes gravitated toward him. They’d regrouped into rows of horror. One rodent squeaked what Alexander thought could be some rat-command, and the rats marched in unison. It was quite clear to him he was the intended target of the rodent army. Alexander expected swift but excruciating doom.

His life flashed before him in slow motion. He wished his life was longer—thirteen years goes by fast, even in slow motion. He thought about Abby for the first time. She deserted him and left him to die alone. Girls are useless, he thought.

 Shelly reappeared. He was too busy promising never talk to girls again to notice the frightening feel of rats crawling under his legs and the glow of Shelly’s yellow eyes staring at him in the darkness. He squirmed, hiking his legs up as best he could.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she cackled. “I hope my lovelies haven’t caused you too much trouble.”

He heard the ghost sniffing at the air. “I see your girlfriend hasn’t returned.”

“She’s not my girlfriend. All girls are useless, including you.”

Shelly laughed at her dinner. “Me? Worthless. You have a lot of nerve.”

Alexander cringed when slimy fingertips poked his stomach.

“There ain’t even enough of you to make it worth my while.”

A cold, clammy hand rubbed against his cheek. Alexander almost passed out from the stench of her breath.

“Not to worry. You’re more than enough to my little friends.” Shelly snapped her finger as a chorus of rat squeaks filled the air. “Wait for me to leave, my lovelies. You’ll have your dinner soon.”

Alexander felt a cool swoosh of air.