The Dark Corner Read Free Page B

way.”
    â€œWhat I mean is we don’t have to worry about getting killed here,” Sally said. “I think if Bryce is around, people will be happy to lead us to him.”
    â€œThen why did he carve his initials on the base of the tombstone?” Adam said. “He could have just set out a sign announcing that he was here.”
    â€œHe might have been afraid of something,” Watch agreed.
    Sally laughed. “Nonsense! This is one place where I’m not afraid. Let’s go explore. I think that Bryce is here, and when we find him he’ll probably be having the time of his life.”
    â€œI hope you’re right,” Adam said.
    They walked along the road that wound downtoward the ocean and the center of town. Along the way they passed the castle. To their immense surprise they saw Ms. Ann Templeton—or this dimension’s version of her—supervising a picnic for a bunch of dwarfs and elves. She waved, and they didn’t know what else to do so they waved back. They were having a barbecue of chicken and fish. Each of the dwarfs had a can of Coke, but the elves were all drinking orange soda out of clear glass bottles.
    â€œSee,” Sally said. “Here she doesn’t have nasty goblins working for her.”
    â€œI kind of liked Belfart,” Watch mused. “I hope the marines accepted him.”
    â€œMaybe we should stop and talk to Ann Templeton,” Adam said, thinking out loud. “Get the scoop on this place.”
    â€œNo,” Sally said. “I want to get into town. Bryce is probably there.” She added, “I wouldn’t mind going to my house to see what the Sally on this side is like.”
    â€œI don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Adam said, although the same thought had occurred to him. “It might complicate things if we met ourselves.”
    â€œIt might give us a mild case of schizophrenia,” Watch agreed.
    â€œYou guys are no fun today,” Sally said. “I’m dying to meet the heavenly version of myself—no pun intended. I bet I’m simply extraordinary.”
    â€œWell, there is a lot of room for improvement,” Adam muttered.
    Sally snorted. “I heard that. Come on, let’s at least get something to eat. I bet the food here is delicious.”
    They ended up stopping at a fast food joint on the edge of town. In their normal Spooksville the place was called FRED’S FAT FOOD . But here it was called FRIEND’S FANTASTIC FOOD . Plus the guy at the counter didn’t look anything like Fred, who had tattoos, dirty fingernails, and an apron stained with human blood. The handsome young man who took their orders had long golden curls and eyes as clear blue as the sky. In fact, he didn’t even want to be paid. He pushed their money back when they set it on the counter. The food was on the house.
    â€œI could get into living here,” Sally said.
    â€œMaybe that’s why Bryce didn’t return,” Watch said. “He liked it so much he just decided to stay.”
    â€œWhatever he decided doesn’t matter; we have to go back,” Adam said. “Cindy’s waiting for us. She’ll be worried.”
    â€œIf she hadn’t been such a coward she could be with us here now,” Sally said.
    â€œYou thought she should stay,” Adam protested.
    â€œAnd I’m glad she did,” Sally said. “She was so scared—we probably all would have ended up in some dark corner of the universe.”
    Their food arrived and it was wonderful. Really, it tasted better than any meal they’d ever had in their lives, and it was just hot dogs and french fries. Sally was so pleased by the food that she ordered a vanilla milkshake, which she refused to share with Adam.
    â€œYou can still get fat in heaven,” she said. “I wouldn’t want that for you if we’re going to live forever now.”
    When they were about to leave the