SECOND PLACE
WEREWOLF MAGNET

“Don’t you listen, Timmy!” To say that Elodie bursts forth from the closet would be putting far too much weight on that poor verb. Explodes might do a better job. Her face is flushed and she is not letting a single one of her thoughts do the talking for her. She’s figured out what’s going on.

“Youuuuu, Masque,” she says, with a stab of her finger, “are well overdue for a trip to the underworld! You can either get out of Timmy’s hair or I’ll see if my Dad has room on the next wagon to Tartarus!” It’s dangerous flaunting her position in front of Timmy like this, but what else is she supposed to do? Scream and faint and beg for somebody, anybody, to help? No. No, this must be handled [i]decisively.[/i]

“As for [i]you[/i], you poor dear,” she says, hauling Timmy up to his feet and hooking his arm with her elbow possessively, “you are under the effects of magic! I’m pretty sure it’s Analee [i]cheating[/i], just because she got to have you first!”

Oh, boy. Oh boy. Elodie, no. Ellie. Ellie please. Don’t air that out right in front of young Crompton. Don’t let him know that everybody knows.

“So what we are going to do is get you [i]uncursed.[/i] We may have to get physical! But that’s why I’m bringing my strong knight in shining armor,” she says, grabbing his hand and dragging him over to the door. The danger’s passed, and there’s a much more pressing danger now! “Don’t you believe [i]anything[/i] she says, and remember, we can’t let her go until she uncurses you, the jealous little [i]witch![/i]”