AllFreeNovel
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“I want to play in the snow!” I tell Mom.
“We have to stay in the boat, honey.”
I notice a tiny door behind the igloo. “Where does that door go?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Somewhere. Oooh, isn’t that cute?” Mom points out a dancing girl to Jenna. Dad puts his arm around me. I’m here and I’m safe with my mom and dad and sister. But I can’t help it. I want to know where the door goes. I want to play. Over there.
And then I’m in the water, going under. Above me the surface gleams with color and light. Muffled screaming filters down. But it’s peaceful here, and I could just reach out and touch that other shore. My lungs can’t hold back anymore. I open my mouth and the water rushes in.
With a loud gasp, I break the waves and stagger toward the sand. Employee #457 is waiting with the weird gun in one hand and the Dulcie snow globe in the other. “Knew you couldn’t stay down there forever.”
“Give … her … back,” I pant.
“Sorry. She’s a threat that must be contained. Now. Smile pretty. Maybe we’ll call this one Beach Break.”
He lowers the nozzle. I hear it making a weird wheeeeee sound as it fires up.
“That’s the creep!” The motorcycle guy is back with the bicycle cops. “He was trying to kidnap a kid.”
“Officer, you’ve got it wrong. I’m working with United Snow Globe Wholesalers.” The vigilante points to his cap. “We’re working to protect your safety!”
The wail of sirens fills my ears. Cops scramble down the dunes and cuff the snow globe guy.
“Dude!” Gonzo waves to me from his protected spot behind a parked car. But I can’t stop staring at the snow globe. It’s got an angel inside. Her hands are pressed against the glass and her tiny plastic mouth is open in a scream.
“Dude! Now!”
I’m dazed and my body hurts. Gonzo half drags me behind a dune, leaving the snow globe behind. I try to fight him to go back, but I don’t have the strength, and the beach is crawling with USGW employees.
Down on the beach, Balder’s still kicking ass. No matter what they throw at him, it bounces off. They can’t catch him, and they can’t kill him. Suddenly, Balder looks out to the horizon, and with a shout of glee, drops the driftwood.
“Ringhorn!”
In a flash, USGW Employee #457 grabs the stick and plunges it into Balder’s back. It comes straight through his chest. Balder looks surprised, especially when he can’t pull it out. But it doesn’t stop him; he runs straight for the water, ducking under the waves, disappearing from sight.
I want to run after him, but we can’t chance it, so we stay hidden behind the dune, watching. Two of the vigilantes wade out and drag Balder back in, laying him on the sand. More cops are on the scene now. One kicks Balder with his foot.
“There’s your terrorist,” the cop snickers. “A yard gnome.”
Statements are taken, witnesses’ phone numbers given. The last people to leave the scene are the vigilantes.
“Should we take the gnome in for processing?” Employee #458 asks.
“Nah. Just leave it,” answers Employee #456. “Let’s go back to the hotel. They have Casino Cash on the channel options.”
“Can I have him?” a little girl with a plastic shovel asks.
“Sure,” Employee #458 says, and the kid starts burying our yard gnome in the sand.
“At least we got this one.” Employee #458 flips the snow globe in his hand, and my heart flips along with it.
As I watch, frozen, they cover Dulcie in bubble wrap, pack her away in a box of other snow globes, and load it into their truck. I memorize the license plate number: USGW 3111. They drive it across the street and park in the lot of the Ancient Mariner hotel. They secure the door with two different combination locks, and my heart sinks.
“Dude,” Gonzo says quietly. “Balder.” And I know there’s nothing else I can do right now.
We run out to rescue our valiant Viking, who is buried up to his neck, the driftwood still sticking out on the sides.
I offer the kid ten bucks. “For the yard gnome.”
