Chapter 4

chapter four After that, things happen fast. June and Quint run around like crazed gerbils, charged up at the possibility of finding other people— and, though neither has said it, the possibility of finding their parents. I still don't know how Neon's going to get us past Thrull's army without being seen, but if Neon sneaked his way in here, he must know a way to sneak back out. We decide the Mallusk—which is incapable of "sneaking" anywhere—will stay put, hidden. Skaelka, Johnny Steve, and our other monster pals will hang back with the Malluskians. Skaelka grumbles. "I dislike this scheme where you venture out to do big combating while Skaelka is left behind."

No one's doing big combating. We're just going to get to the baseball stadium in New York. See what's what, Then come back here to figure out our next move. We are going to do so much combating As Neon and Rover carry us down the Mallusk's gangplank, I'm tingling. We might actually find people. But, more than that, the stadium is in New York City. And so is the Tower. Everything is pointing in the same direction. At last, we're going to reach the place we've been journeying toward for so very long...—

Soon, we're racing away from the Mallusk, Neon leading us through the remains of the abandoned ski resort. He gallops through overgrown evergreens, running parallel to the marching army while keeping us hidden from view. From the corner of my eye, I spot a mounted trail map—and a big "WARNING! DANGER AHEAD!" sign. Seems ominous, but, hey, I'm probably reading too much into it.

I'm waiting to see how Neon will get us past the armed throng when I spot what looks like the mouth of a sewer. Neon leads us toward it. "So that's how Neon got to us," I realize. "He used a sewer drain to go under the army." "It's a culvert," Dirk says. "Basic civil engineering, dude." Whatever it's called, we're going in. Neon carries Quint and June into the tunnel. Dirk, Globlet, and I ride in atop Rover. We're quickly swallowed up by darkness. The tunnel is pitch-black and seemingly endless. The heavy footfalls of the army tramping above rattle the tunnel—along with my brain and my nerves. It's like racing through a steel drum being hammered on by a giant. Globlet is apparently unbothered—she's snoring. At last we emerge from the tunnel, and I pull a long gulp of fresh air. My eyes adjust to the sunlight, then I glance back. We've come out a few hundred yards beyond the marching army. "Hey, we got time for a quick pic—" I start. "Nope!" June says. "Onward, Neon!" With that, our breakneck race toward New York begins. Neon's paws pound the ground like a galloping bronco's. The nubs of his severed wings beat like he's trying to take flight, but that won't happen. His wings

were sliced off the day the apocalypse began. He's a victim of .e...c., just like the rest of us. We speed through towns and cities that are nearly unrecognizable. Monstrous vines rope around houses, dragging them into the ground. Streets are smashed. Bridges have buckled... As we bound down train tracks, I catch a quick glimpse of Quint. His face is all eager excitement. I get it: he has hope—real hope—that he might find his parents. He's on the highest high, and I'm happy for him. But I'm worried we're heading for the lowest low. We'll soon be at the Tower. And, sure, I'm doing my best to

lean into the Cosmic Hand and the monstrous change coming over me. But... I still don't know what to do when we get there! What happens when the Tower turns on and .e...c. comes into our dimension? The frustration and confusion build inside me, until— not even meaning to—I scream, "I JUST WANT ANSWERS!" "Huh?" Globlet asks, startled awake. I just want to know how to save us. Gotcha, gotcha. It's too bad. Shg off isn't here. She knows everything. I stare at her. "What? Who's Shuggoth? Where is she? Can we ride there, like, now?" Globlet frowns. "No, dodo. Shuggoth's in my dimension." "OK, not helpful," I say.