10-GONNNGGG! GONNNGGG!

GONNNGGG! GONNNGGG! We followed the strange mice back into the castle. "Everyone keep their tails low and don't make a squeak," I instructed the others. "Squeak!" whispered Thea, winking at me. Why, oh, why will no one ever listen to me? I thought in despair. Hiding in the shadows, we crept quietly after the hunchback as he slunk toward the kitchen. A huge soup pot sat on the stove. He stuck a wooden spoon into the pot and tried to stir the contents. The stuff looked as thick as my grouchy grandma Onewhisker's split-cheese soup. You could use that soup to glue down wallpaper!

Eventually, the hunchback's spoon got stuck. "CREEPYCRAWLYCRABAPPLES!" shrieked the rodent. He began to pull on the spoon with all his might. There was a SUCKING sound, and out flew the spoon. It hit the wall and stuck there. The hunchback stared at the spoon, then snickered. He bounced over to a huge GONG and hit it with a big hammer. I peeked into the dining room. The count

and the young countess were sitting at opposite ends of a very long table. The hunchback carried two crystal goblets over to the table. Then he poured a THICK RED liquid into each one. I GULPED. I had a feeling this was no cherry berry punch. It looked just like blood! "How yummy!" said the young countess. She wiped her snout with a napkin, leaving DEEP RED SMUDGES. I shivered. The sight of BLOOD makes me faint.