Chapter 6

chapter six I'm really hoping that whatever made that pained screaming noise is something kind and friendly, who's only, like, slightly hurt or kinda wounded. Like maybe a baby rabbit who stubbed its toe? Or a hamster with a tummyache? Or a hedgehog who's really nervous about its first day of hedgehog school? Globlet clings tighter to my shoulder. I scramble up an overturned fire truck that's erupting from the ground like some end-ofthe- world Pride Rock. "Ooh," Globlet says. "Fancy view." A distant flicker of light catches my gaze: a flagpole. It's jutting out of a strange, vine- choked forest. I see bits of wood, yellow

plastic, flashes of metal. It takes me a second to realize it's not a forest at all, it's a— "Playground!" I say. "YAY! I love playing!" says Globlet. "And I extra love ground!" I pause. "You love... ground?" Globlet shrugs. "Duh." This playground is not one of those swanky new ones where everything is colorful and the ground is squishy. This playground is a sprawling, old, run-down mess of a thing. You could get a splinter just looking at it. "Whatever made that screaming sound," I say, "it's in there. C'mon." "You don't need to say 'c'mon,' I'm on your shoulder. I'm coming on regardless." As we get closer, I see a sign for the playground: WELCOME TO FRIENDSHIP PARK. That makes me chuckle. This is about the least welcoming place ever —and also the least friendly. The crisscrossing

walkways, ladders, and beams are all rotting. Vines twist and wind around them. I scramble over a vine-covered fence, then crouch down, trying to be extra inconspicuous. "Okay, we're in," I whisper. "Yes, I know," Globlet says. "Oh. Right. Well... whatever." YEEAAAAIIIEEEE! The scream again. Louder. We're close. There is a rusty slide ahead of us. I quietly scale it, then creep to the edge of the climbing tower. Now we'll be able to see what's what. But when I do see what's what, it makes my stomach do a barrel roll.... "The Rifters," I growl. "And look what else," Globlet says as she stands on her gooey tiptoes. "It's that squirmy creature they were chasing."

"Sit still, ya dumbin'!" one Rifter roars. The Rifter wears oil-splattered spiked armor—and I can almost smell his monstrous stench from here. He lunges forward and jabs with a hooked blade. But the creature rolls and the Rifter stumbles. I whisper, "They're trying to catch it." "DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AROUND HERE?" a loud voice barks. It's the largest of the Rifters—the previously established Boss Rifter. He carries a long

polearm, like some sort of other-dimensional dog-catcher. The blur creature inches back, but it's too late— SLAM! The Boss Rifter swings the polearm down, pinning the creature's tail to the ground! Globlet's ready to leap over the side, straight into the Rifters' circle, rubbery fists flying. But I hold her back. "Steady, goo-ball," I say. "We're out-numbered, out-sized, and way out-weaponized." "But Jack would just jump in and save the day!" "Maybe. And then I'd have to jump in and save his bony butt like I do half the time anyway. You and I—we gotta be smart. We gotta be stealthy." "Yesss..." Globlet says, "stealthy." She rubs her tiny hands together like a little evil overlord.

TAKE THE CREATURE BACK TO CAMP. WE'LL HIT THE ROAD AND BRING IT TO TH TOMORROW. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. "Thrull. That big dude said Thrull! You heard that, right, Globlet??" "I heard it all right," she growls. "And also, those other words that he said." "Globlet, we gotta save this creature. I have zero clue why Thrull wants it, but if I had a post-apocalyptic motto, it would be "DON'T LET THRULL HAVE ANYTHING HE WANTS BECAUSE ANYTHING HE WANTS WILL BE USED FOR EVIL." Globlet thinks for a moment. "My motto would be that 'Dance like no one's watching'