Chapter 11

chapter eleven Globlet and I followed the thick vine, which led us down to a narrow, crooked alley that we never would have found otherwise. And from

there, we escaped the head-spinning neighborhood maze. And I thought we left this thing behind us too. But nope. He's here. He doesn't bare his teeth or flash his talons or anything. He just... watches us. "Maybe it's like, y'know—when you see a spider," I say. "And it's just as scared of you as you are of it." "Which is NOT SCARED AT ALL!" Globlet exclaims. "HI, WRETCH! HUG PARTY?!" "Globlet!" I snap, throwing my hand over her rubbery mouth hole. "Just, like, don't pay attention to him—and maybe he'll leave. Don't look him in the eye or anything. Just be, like, nonchalant...."

I AM BEING VERY NONCHALANTLY. I glance back, just to see if he's still there. He is. He's hanging behind, but doesn't get too close. It's almost like HE'S wary of US. Which IS insane. He just, like... wants to be nearby. Which would be fine, if he wasn't evil. Finally, I'm just too fed up....

I turn to the Wretch and exclaim, "I don't know what you want—but whatever it is, I don't have it!" The creature looks at me, and our eyes catch. Suddenly, a brief burst of Wretch-like

vision appears in my mind. A tennis ball hitting the zombie.... My locker at school— All my head is mine. It's the solo party in there. Not a group hang. All my shouting works. The vision, which was just beginning to bubble up, stops. But as it clears, my eyes catch sight of a huge electrical tower in the distance, and I

can't help but think—TOWER. Argh. I look away, shaking my head. My gut is overriding my brain in a big way. "Globlet," I say softly. "I know what we have to do...." "Yup." She nods. "Rob a bank!" Globlet says, just as I say, "Get him back home." "Nope, Globlet. Not 'rob a bank.' The answer is never 'rob a bank.'" "Never?" "Never." She kicks the ground and mutters. We need to get him someplace safe. Someplace the Rifters won't find him— because if they do, they'll hand him over to Thrull. This creature is just a baby. A Winged Wretch baby, but still. He's alone and he's hurt, and that was why I helped him back at the playground. I can't just stop helping him now. Solo adventure or not.