Part 3:
Rick sat in silence, his face slack with amazement.
I felt proud. Like maybe I’d impressed him.
“And then what happened?” he asked. “You just went back home?”
“You know when I blink us somewhere? It’s usually instant,” Dale said. “I concentrate and boom, we just reappear there.”
“Not this time,” I added. “That witch threw a blue fireball. Not enough to stop us. But it slowed our exit. We could see her shimmering for a second.”
I felt proud. Like maybe I’d impressed him.
“And then what happened?” he asked. “You just went back home?”
“You know when I blink us somewhere? It’s usually instant,” Dale said. “I concentrate and boom, we just reappear there.”
“Not this time,” I added. “That witch threw a blue fireball. Not enough to stop us. But it slowed our exit. We could see her shimmering for a second.”
“And she made sure to let us know this wasn’t over.”
“Not over?”
“She said we’d ‘wrought a curse on our heads.’ That she would find us. And destroy us.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Dale nodded.
“As soon as we got home, I collected all my sports gear."
Rick looked puzzled.
“In case she burst in on the scene! I palmed a softball, ready to hurl it at her head. Kept my field hockey stick in arm's reach."
“Josie really stood on guard. Ready for battle."
“Oh, I was spoiling for a fight."
“The room seemed to vibrate with chaos. With fear. But she stay focused. More than focused — fierce. Like a warrior queen!"
“Well, thanks."
“Not over?”
“She said we’d ‘wrought a curse on our heads.’ That she would find us. And destroy us.”
“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Dale nodded.
“As soon as we got home, I collected all my sports gear."
Rick looked puzzled.
“In case she burst in on the scene! I palmed a softball, ready to hurl it at her head. Kept my field hockey stick in arm's reach."
“Josie really stood on guard. Ready for battle."
“Oh, I was spoiling for a fight."
“The room seemed to vibrate with chaos. With fear. But she stay focused. More than focused — fierce. Like a warrior queen!"
“Well, thanks."
“We waited. But ... nothing happened. Time ticked by. She never showed."
“Yeah, nothing."
“And we were still covered in syrup. So I took a quick shower. Kept the softball on the ledge by the shampoo the whole time."
“Nice," my brother laughed.
“Will syrup clog the drain?"
“I don't think so."
“Good."
“Even it if does, don't worry. And then what?"
“Dale got a bubble bath."
The lion smiled and nodded.
“Lavender truffle!"
“Cleaned up, calmed down, and definitely wiped out, we still had one last job."
“Take the dog home?"
“Take Maxie home."
“We got a leash. Went to Mrs. Kepperman's door. The lights were on inside. I rang the bell and Dale blinked us away."
“Yeah, nothing."
“And we were still covered in syrup. So I took a quick shower. Kept the softball on the ledge by the shampoo the whole time."
“Nice," my brother laughed.
“Will syrup clog the drain?"
“I don't think so."
“Good."
“Even it if does, don't worry. And then what?"
“Dale got a bubble bath."
The lion smiled and nodded.
“Lavender truffle!"
“Cleaned up, calmed down, and definitely wiped out, we still had one last job."
“Take the dog home?"
“Take Maxie home."
“We got a leash. Went to Mrs. Kepperman's door. The lights were on inside. I rang the bell and Dale blinked us away."
“Why'd you do that?"
“Hi lady, here's your dog, some weird witch had him, we almost died," Dale answered.
“Good point. Tough to explain."
“We got Maxie where he belongs. That's enough for me."
“You really are heroes. Both of you. I'll order food. Anything you want."
“What I really want is a vacation. To just get away and relax."
“Maybe we could arrange it,” Rick said. “You have a break from school coming up, right?”
“In two weeks.”
“Let’s go to Florida. I’ll book a hotel. Dale can blink us down there.”
“Deal. Thanks."
Someone tilted his head and sighed.
“Are we just skipping over dinner?"
“Easy there, Bubble Bath," Rick said. “Extra pepperoni?"
“Now you're talking."
I sat back and let myself feel heroic for the rest of the night.
The witch was still out there. But we'd be ready for her.
And right now, all was well.
We had survived a trip to a land of sugar.
It was time for rest and relaxation in a land of sun.
“Hi lady, here's your dog, some weird witch had him, we almost died," Dale answered.
“Good point. Tough to explain."
“We got Maxie where he belongs. That's enough for me."
“You really are heroes. Both of you. I'll order food. Anything you want."
“What I really want is a vacation. To just get away and relax."
“Maybe we could arrange it,” Rick said. “You have a break from school coming up, right?”
“In two weeks.”
“Let’s go to Florida. I’ll book a hotel. Dale can blink us down there.”
“Deal. Thanks."
Someone tilted his head and sighed.
“Are we just skipping over dinner?"
“Easy there, Bubble Bath," Rick said. “Extra pepperoni?"
“Now you're talking."
I sat back and let myself feel heroic for the rest of the night.
The witch was still out there. But we'd be ready for her.
And right now, all was well.
We had survived a trip to a land of sugar.
It was time for rest and relaxation in a land of sun.
