“New plan,” Nico blurted. “We go down the middle and pedal for the hills.”
The ATVs drove off. The Power Ranger was less than ten yards away and closing.
“Now, Emma!” They shot forward like corks from a champagne bottle, hurtling directly through the park.We can shoot the gap between Werewolf and Snake-man. We can make it!
Emma pedaled feverishly beside Nico. The werewolf howled and leaped, its claws swiping an inch from Nico’s throat. Emma ducked under the snake-man’s lashing bite and suddenly they were through. Snarling, the figments spun and gave chase.
Nico smiled fiercely. They’d done it! They’d broken freeandgotten the creatures’ attention. He slowed to a coast, reveling in the taste of victory.
But he’d forgotten about Bigfoot.
The Sasquatch stepped directly into their path, causingboth bikes to swerve. Emma kept upright and managed to shoot past, but Nico toppled over the curb and crashed.
“Nico!” Emma started to brake. Nico rolled to his feet and waved her onward.
“Go!” he shouted. “Set off the fireworks!”
Emma began pumping her feet twice as hard. “We’ll distract them. Hold on!”
Nico spun to find the Sasquatch glaring down at him with intelligent eyes. It picked up Nico’s bike and tossed it aside, thundering a roar. Then the figment stomped the pavement, chest heaving, giant hands flexing in what seemed like frustration.
Nico felt an odd tug at his heart. Though huge and terrifying, the creature carried a nobility its anger couldn’t mask. The Sasquatch glanced back at the other figments, who were racing closer by the second, and let out another growl.
It’s confused. It doesn’t belong here.
Nico wished the Sasquatch hadn’t been conjured to this dark street.It should be roaming the hills like in the legends, he thought.Not trapped in a place it doesn’t understand.
Nico felt sorry for it.
The creature tilted its head, then stepped forward and grabbed Nico by his sweatshirt, lifting him to eye level. Nico couldn’t breathe. He reached out a shaking hand and patted the Sasquatch’s wrist. “S-sorry, big guy. Please d-don’t kill me.”
Bigfoot vanished. Nico dropped to the pavement like a water balloon.
He shook his head, unable to believe his luck. The figment had disappeared an instant before it could kill him. Or hadhedone something? If so, Nico couldn’t say what. Another howl split the night, driving everything else from his brain. Nico ran for his bike, mounted, and pushed away just as the other figments arrived.
In the sky above the hill, red-and-white starbursts exploded, lighting up the night. The remaining figments stopped as if poleaxed, then rushed toward the fireworks, ignoring Nico as he swerved down a side street and pedaled away.
As windows opened and doors slammed, with shouts of “Fire!” carrying up the block, Nico coasted away from the anarchy on Main Street.
He’d done enough for one night.
26
OPAL
“It’s aftermath,” Opal said softly. “Aftermatheverywhere.”
She picked up a radish banner. The grinning vegetable was torn in half. Deep furrows crisscrossed the square’s formerly manicured lawn. The stage sagged in the middle. Bent and broken lampposts littered the block.
Townspeople walked around in a daze. Mr. Murphy stood by the fountain, head bowed as he surveyed the damage. Principal Kisner was sweeping up pools of broken glass.
“Who would do this?” Opal’s mother asked, a catch in her voice.
Opal didn’t answer.Whatwould do this was the real question. She glanced at the muddy ATV tracks leading into the hills. Could they trace those back to Logan?
“It’s awful,” Opal said, and meant it. Even though the festival was super cheesy, people had worked hard on it. And in a blink, overnight, everything had been ruined.
“Vandals,” Mrs. Walsh spat, scowling at a crumpled stop sign. “With some kind of heavy equipment to steal the fireworks.” She glanced at Opal. “You said you were with friends after school yesterday.”
