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Paige’s jaw dropped open, and she shot a glance at Dewey. “Oh, I’m sorry. We must have taken a wrong turn.”
She thumbed behind her. “The sign back there was down.”
“Cut, actually,” Dewey added. “Cut down.”
“Right, sabotaged. And we just guessed at the direction. We were like, is the sign right? Or did the saboteur turn it around so we’d go the wrong way?”
“Or did they leave it the same so we’d be tricked into thinking they turned it and go the wrong way,” Dewey chimed in.
“Exactly! We had no idea. And we just picked a direction and walked. And then we saw the pool of water and assumed–“
“SILENCE!” the beast boomed.
Paige and Dewey pressed their lips together, quieting their babbling tongues as their eyes went wide.
“I have had enough. I am the FearMonger, guardian of Lake Dread. You have disturbed my rest. And now you must pay.”
“Umm, here’s the thing. We are so sorry about this,” Paige answered. “We can totally just turn around and leave. Let you get back to your slumber.”
“Yeah, no worries at all,” Dewey added. “We will just turn around and get right out of your very thick hair.”
“No!”
Paige and Dewey exchanged a glance before returning their attention to the angry creature.
Dewey narrowed his eyes at the sea monster, focusing on the scales crawling up his midriff. “Wait a second. I mean, how can you do anything to us? Aren’t you half merman?”
“I am. Come into the water so that I might inflict your punishment.”
Dewey’s eyebrows squashed together. “Uh, no, pass.”
“Come receive your sentence.”
“No way, uh-uh,” Dewey retorted.
“Paige Turner,” the creature bellowed, “come into the water.”
“I’m with Dewey on this one. Hard pass.”
White teeth shone as the creature snarled at them. “Come to me.”
“Make me,” Dewey shouted back.
The beast tossed his hairy, muscular arms out to the side, howling in frustration. The water around him bubbled and churned. A trident rose from under the waves, sliding into his hand.
“Uh-oh,” Dewey murmured. “I think we’d better get out of here.”
“Agree,” Paige said, already stumbling backward before she spun on her heel and took off.
Dewey sailed next to her.
“COME BACK HERE!” the FearMonger shouted after them.
Paige continued her sprint up to the top of the hill, slowing only as the lake disappeared behind them when they started their descent.
“Whoa, that was…” Paige shook her head.
“Ridiculous,” Dewey said.
