3 The Great Game

The Great Game I'm dying," said the beast, all those centuries ago. Ebenezer looked behind him. The Nickles weren't far away, and they were each armed with sticks, rocks, and mud. He looked back at the beast and wondered what to do. "If I don't have something to eat soon, I'll disappear entirely. Please, show me some kindness." Ebenezer had never been needed by anyone before. He generally felt like he got in

people's ways—especially his mother's. It was a rare sensation to feel like he could actually help someone, and he seized upon the opportunity by feeding the beast a few handfuls of grass and daisies. "Very kind of you," said the beast in a soft and slithery voice. "But that's the wrong kind of kindness. None of this will give me the strength I need." Ebenezer looked behind him again and saw that the Nickles were almost within rock-throwing distance. He ran farther into the field and picked some blackberries from a nearby bush. "Well done for trying," said the beast through tiny, gritted fangs. "But this isn't exactly a proper meal now, is it? Surely,

somewhere, you can find me something with… a pulse?" Ebenezer quickly searched around, but the only living thing he could find was a spider, who was dozing on a cobweb between two bushes. He apologized to the spider before offering it to the beast. The beast devoured the spider and its home in one bite. A dribbly smile spread across its lips, and its small body grew ever so slightly larger. "Keep up the good work and bring me MORE!" said the beast. Fortunately for Ebenezer, a butterfly happened to fly right into his path. Unfortunately for the butterfly, Ebenezer fed it to the beast.

The dribbly smile stretched wider, and the beast's body expanded a little more. "Clever little boy—now you're getting the hang of it," said the beast. "We'll soon get me back to full strength." Ebenezer was pleased to have made the peculiar creature happy, but his pleasure was interrupted by a rock, which sailed through the air, whacked his shoulder, and ripped his ruffled shirt. Nicholas had thrown it, and he had a pointed stick in his other hand. His siblings were both carrying splotchy mud balls. "There's no running away now, Ebenoozer Loooser," said Nicholas. "I'm awfully dangerous with sticks like these." Ebenezer instinctively covered the beast with his other hand so that the Nickles

couldn't hurt it. He smiled weakly at the three of them. "Congratulations, you win!" said Ebenezer, trying to speak in a light, chummy tone. "Such a smashing game. Is it my turn to chase you now?" "This isn't a game, you friendless Loooser," said Nicola. She threw a mud ball, which hit him right in the stomach and left a horrid mark on his shirt. "Please, don't be like that. You might like me, if you gave me a chance," said Ebenezer. "And I'd really appreciate it if you could be careful. This shirt is made from the finest silk." This did little to improve Ebenezer's relationship with the children. Nicco threw

his mud ball and left a nasty bruise on Ebenezer's kneecap. "Owww. This is my third most favorite pair of trousers," said Ebenezer, rubbing his kneecap with the hand that was being used to cover the beast. "What's that?" asked Nicholas, pointing with his pointy stick. Ebenezer saw that the beast was wiggling angrily in his hand. "How dare you treat my servant like this! Don't you know who I am?" it asked Nicholas. "Is that a pet worm? You really are such a loooser, Ebenoozer," said Nicholas. "Right, that's it!" The beast closed its three black eyes and shut its dribbling mouth. It started to wiggle its blob of a body and made a low humming noise as it moved from side to