Disney after Dark

“Yes, we did. You’re right,” Fi

“I don’t love the idea of going back the way we came,” Philby said. “Those clowns could return.”

Fi

“I’m not going first on that thing!” Charlene declared.

Fi

The floor fell out from under him, and he slid in his damp clothes down a twisting, steep exit tube. It was the best tube he’d ever ridden, including every water park he’d ever been to. It leveled off near the bottom, slowing him down, and he popped through a pair of doors and landed on a patch of grass in a shadowy nook outside the castle walls. He rolled out of the way and waited. A moment later, Willa came through. Then Charlene, and finally Philby.

Together, they made their way toward Frontierland, and the teepee, staying in shadow and hiding often.

They called for Maybeck inside the teepee. No answer. Then, at Philby’s urging, they climbed inside to get out of sight.

Fi

“But it’s late,” Charlene protested. “We have to get back. Listen, he’s the one who took off. He broke the rules. Why should we be the ones punished?”

Fi

“Shh!” Philby said.

The park suddenly seemed unusually quiet. It felt to Fi

A rustle came from the bushes just on the other side of the teepee wall.

They heard footsteps. Someone circling the teepee.

I know you’re in there, said Maleficent in her dry, raspy voice. But Fi

The footfalls continued around the teepee and reached the front door. The teepee’s interior grew steadily colder until the kids could see four plumes of their fogged breath emerging clearly from their invisible bodies.

Across from him, Fi

The four plumes of fog stopped as all four held their breath. A gangly shadow stretched across the open doorway.

Maleficent’s voice sounded like slowly cracking glass. “You should have stayed away while you had the chance.” The shadow bent. Her oddly beautiful green face appeared in the open doorway.

Charlene screamed, jumped up, and fled the teepee, suddenly visible. She surprised the witch, who reeled back instinctively. Maleficent lunged at Charlene with her ski

Willa fled right behind Charlene. The witch missed her entirely.

Fi

“Why can’t I see you, you poor simple fools? Hmm? Have you got magic of your own? Do you?” Never taking her eyes off the inside of the teepee, she crouched. Her twisted green fingers with red nails couldn’t keep still. She scooped up a fist of sandy dirt from just outside the doorway.

Fi

“Now, Fi

Briefly, a ghostly image of Philby’s left side appeared as the sand struck and stuck to him.

A clever witch at that, Fi

Philby brushed off most of the sand, but not all. His ghostly image remained.

Maleficent stepped over the lip and into the teepee, heading right for Philby.

Fi

“Run!” Fi

Philby jumped over the witch’s legs and sprang out of the teepee. He landed in the dirt, rolled, and came to his feet.

Fi

As Fi

The crow shrieked, rose high, circled once, and dove again, a flutter of feathers.

Fi

The bird dove again, this time striking the back of Fi

Fi

But the crow tucked its wings, lowered its head, and dove for the water’s black surface. Fi

Charlene, Philby, and Willa, already in the water, swam to shore and clambered up onto the bank and quickly out of sight.

Fi

At that very moment, he felt something wrap around his ankle. Slimy and cold, it dragged him under.

A giant, black eel. It climbed up Fi

The more he fought against it, the more it squeezed. He felt the wind being choked out of him. He couldn’t breathe. He was losing consciousness.

Fi

Above him, Fi

As the propeller was just about to cut the eel like a meat grinder, the beast released its hold of Fi

“We gotta go, right now!” Philby shouted to the girls. “We’ve got to get back to the apartment and get out of here.”

“Maybeck—” Fi

“We can’t wait!” Philby shouted.

“That’s what I’ve been telling you!” Charlene said.

“I hate leaving him behind,” Willa said, worried.

“We all do,” Philby said. “But they know we’re here. We’ve got to leave.”

Fi

21

Amanda stayed in the lead on her bike. Thankfuly, she hadn’t asked any questions, and he took this as a sign they were becoming really good friends. He told her only that he had to see Jelly and that she was welcome to come along if she wanted. They locked their bikes beneath a sign that read: CRAZY GLAZE.

“You’re awfully quiet today,” she said.

“Yeah,” was all Fi

“You want me to keep her busy while you check around back. Is that about it?”

He nodded.

Amanda entered the store, glancing back at Fi

Fi

Fi