9 The Long Night

The Long Night Bethany stomped out of the attic and slammed the rickety old door behind her. Ebenezer blinked at the door. Then he quickly chased after her. "Get back this instant," barked Mr. Nickle. "That's an order!" "Oh botherkins. Don't gooooo!" cried the beast.

As he left the attic, Ebenezer glanced back and caught a look on the beast's face that had completely taken him by surprise. The beast hadn't looked angry at Bethany's words; it had just looked devastated. Ebenezer reminded himself that it was probably all part of some evil scheme. He sprinted down the many flights of stairs after Bethany, struggling to keep up—and wondering what on earth she had planned. "Have you got something I've missed?" he asked, as he panted down the penultimate staircase. "Because it seems to me that the beast and Mr. Nickle have us pretty much beat." "The beast never has me beat," said Bethany. "I'm never gonna let it win again."

She took the final staircase by sliding down the banister. When Ebenezer got down there, a puddle was emerging by the front door. A moment later, Mr. Nickle popped out. "What in the name of D.o.R.R.i.S. do you think you're doing?" asked Mr. Nickle. "Didn't you hear what I said upstairs?" "Oh, I heard it all. And I reckon… I don't have to do anything," said Bethany. "Ebenezer's the only one you can throw in jail. And I'd rather be kicked out of this house than help that thing upstairs. Heck—I'll go back to the orphanage, if it means not spending another moment with that creature. So when it comes to making me do things, Nickle—you've got nothing." "But, Bethany, you've got to help," said Ebenezer, laughing nervously. "I don't want to

go to prison." "I will do it. I'm not bluffing," said Mr. Nickle. "Neither am I," said Bethany, shrugging. "Sozza, gitface, but that's your problem to deal with—not mine." She grabbed her scooter from the hallway and stomped out the front door. She heard Ebenezer desperately calling her name, but she didn't turn back. "Insolent child!" said Mr. Nickle. He started fiddling with the tops of his sticks. "She can't just run away from D.o.R.R.i.S. I'll track her down." "No, don't!" said Ebenezer. "Just let her get it out of her system. Whenever she's angry, she takes to her scooter. She'll be back, I'm sure of it."

Ebenezer plugged the phone back in, just in case she called. He walked into the front sitting room and took a window seat, so that he would be able to see her as soon as she came back. He was sure that he wouldn't have to wait for long. "Not sure you're right about that," said Mr. Nickle, as he hobbled into the room. "That look on her face as she stormed out—I've seen it before. It's normally on the faces of rapscallions who decide they are going to try and make a run for it." "Bethany doesn't run away from things," said Ebenezer. He readjusted his armchair so he could see more of the road that led to the fifteen-story house. "And she doesn't abandon people."

Mr. Nickle sighed as he slumped into the armchair on the other side of the window. "I hope you know her as well as you think you do. Because she's right—if she doesn't agree to help, then there's nothing I can do to force her," he said. "And, no offense, but I was kind of counting on her to do most of the work. She seems a lot better on this do-gooding side of things." "You know 'no offense' isn't some sort of magical phrase," snapped Ebenezer. "I'm very much offended, thank you very much." "So you think you can help the beast be good?" asked Mr. Nickle. "No, I think the whole idea is a waste of time," said Ebenezer. "But if it was possible to tame the beast, then I'd be just as good at it as