Chapter 4

chapter four "I knew the mall would be big," I say. "But I didn't know it would be this big." It's so busy, my eyes don't know where to begin. This place is like a cruise ship's DNA was spliced with a creature carnival to create some massive mobile monster metropolis.

The mall's wide halls are busy thoroughfares, stretching off into the distance. And if what I'm seeing here is any indication of the mall's population, there must be thousands upon thousands of monsters aboard. I can only hope they're friendly... Welcome to Mollusk City. Four levels of Monster Living, six hundred and fifty-two stores, three coasters for rolling two alleys for bowling carousels and monorails, five parking garages, holding hundreds of carapaces. And how many of these monsters are we going have to fight? Dirk just asked the big question: the exact thing I was thinking. Four levels of monsters... They can't all be friendlies.

"Most everyone aboard is peaceful," replies Johnny Steve. "Mallusk City is a haven of sorts. A place for creatures who do not wish to involve themselves with events in this dimension or the larger war against .Reza" 'Do not wish to involve themselves'?" Quint repeats. "I didn't know not getting involved in the war was an option." I glance at my friends. "Did you guys know not getting involved in the war was an option?" "Remember when you blew up Thrull's big Rezzoch tree, Jack?" Dirk says. "That's when it stopped being an option." "Wait," June says. "What do you mean when you say most everyone on here is peaceful?" "Sometimes..." Johnny Steve says mysteriously, "among the scents of giant cookies, Orange Juliuses, and deep-fried—" Quint moans, "You're making me hungrier." "Sometimes," Johnny Steve continues, "among those scents, I smell evil. I suspect I know which creature is emanating the smell, though I have yet to confirm my suspicions. However!" Johnny Steve pulls us close and uses his whispery spy voice. "I will figure it out. I am on board the Mallusk, undercover, keeping my ears open and an eye to the ground for anything that may help in the fight against Raza

I feel like Johnny Steve's not a great spy if he just goes around talking about being a spy a whole bunch, but whatever. Plus, if you're gonna be a spy somewhere, this is not the worst place... dudes. Some of the stores still have real human stuff. First thing I'm doing getting fresh underwear. Oh yes, you shall all have fresh underwear. That is the mollus promise. We pass a large fountain at one of the mall's many rotundas. It's now a hot tub. Monsters sit along the edges, sipping fizzy drinks and tossing a giggling Koosh-ball-type creature back and forth. I feel a sharp pang of loss I want to sit in that hot tub and goof around with Bardle while Rover snores happily at the water's edge. I'm suddenly yanked backward as Quint says, "Look where you're walking, Jack!"

"I totally am, what are you—" ZOOM! A two-car roller coaster rockets past me, zipping around a winding track so long it must stretch from one end of the mall to the other. Inside each car is a rock-and-roll sorta monster, and they're engaged in something like a heavy metal showdown. Their instruments are standard Guitar Center stuff, but upgraded with other-dimensional modifications and alterations. These monsters are absolutely slaying—otherworldly shredding like nothing anyone has ever heard before.

I do believe that's what's known as a battle of the bands. Y'know, I got to dig their sound retro, very millennial