Here Comes the Shaggedy

  The creature dove for the officer, grabbed him around the waist, and tossed him aside. Before the other officer could react, the monster ducked its shoulders. It lifted the patrol car in both hands and heaved it into the house at the top of the yard.

  Screams rang out. A crowd had gathered at the edge of the street. Dogs barked. The two officers stood frozen, watching the creature stomp through town, searching for more damage it could do.

  Kelli turned — and saw Ranger Saul half-hidden behind a fat tree. He leaned into the tree trunk, watching. Not moving. Just watching.

  Kelli took a deep breath and ran across the yards to Saul. “Help me!” she cried. “I … I called it up. I followed your instructions. I did everything you said.”

  She couldn’t help her voice from trembling. Her whole body began to shake. “I did everything right,” she choked out. “But the Shaggedy won’t listen to me. The Shaggedy is going berserk. It’s so horrible. He won’t obey me at all.”

  Saul frowned and squinted hard at Kelli. “Shaggedy?” he said. “That’s not the Shaggedy.”

  Kelli gasped. “I … don’t understand.”

  “He doesn’t look anything like the Shaggedy,” Saul replied. “The Shaggedy is green with skin like a lizard. And the Shaggedy —”

  He stopped and suddenly grabbed Kelli by the shoulders. He tugged her behind the tree.

  Kelli felt the ground rumble as the monster stomped past them. She poked her head out from behind the tree and watched as the grunting creature returned to the path.

  Keeping a safe distance, people trailed after him. Kelli and Saul followed. The monster never turned back. It took long, heavy strides, its big feet squashing plants and vines. It strode to the water and kept walking.

  Kelli huddled close to Saul and watched as the creature appeared to sink under the slowly rolling river waters. Its chest … then its shoulders … then its head. The water churned as it vanished under the water.

  The crowd of people all started talking at once. The two police officers stood on the shore, guns drawn, shaking their heads.

  “He tossed my car a hundred feet,” a man said.

  “Who is going to pay for my house? He broke every window.”

  “I won’t sleep a wink tonight. I’ll be listening for that monster to come back.”

  “None of us are safe.”

  Kelli turned to Saul. “I followed the instructions. What did I do wrong?”

  She spotted the sheet of black paper caught under a vine tendril. She picked it up and shoved it into his face. “What did I do wrong? Why isn’t it the Shaggedy?”

  Saul took the paper and squinted hard at it. He began to move his lips. Kelli figured out that he was counting the drips of bird blood.

  Finally, Saul raised his eyes to her. “Only forty-eight droplets,” he said. “You counted wrong.”

  “Oh, no.” Kelli slapped her forehead. “I did it again. I … I hate anything to do with numbers.”

  Saul handed the sheet of paper back to her. “The legends say there are dozens of monsters who live deep in the bottom of Monster Hole. You called up a different monster, Kelli. You called up a monster you can’t control.”

  Saul shook his head sadly. “He’ll be back tomorrow, and he’ll destroy the whole town and everything in it.”

  Kelli’s throat tightened. She forced herself to breathe. She fought back tears. “But … Saul … Isn’t there anything we can do?”

  He shook his head again. “No. I am afraid there isn’t.”

  Saul snapped his fingers. “Except for maybe one thing. There might be something you can do.”

  Kelli grabbed his arm. “What? What is it?”

  He frowned. “No. Forget it. It’s too risky. Too dangerous.”

  “Saul, tell me,” Kelli pleaded. “What happened today … It’s all my fault. I want to do something to help. I’ll do anything.”

  Saul glanced around. The shore was deserted now. Everyone had gone back to town. The sun was sinking behind the trees. The air suddenly grew cool.

  “You’re the only one who can try this,” he told Kelli. “You called it up. The person who calls it up is the only person who can defeat this monster.”

  Kelli swallowed, her throat dry as cotton. “What do I have to do?”

  Saul motioned to a rowboat tucked between two trees. “I’ll row you out in that boat,” he said. “To the middle of Monster Hole. The monster will come up to the surface. He’ll want to see who is there.”

  Saul reached into the leather pouch that hung from his belt. He pulled out a small cloth bag. “This is snake powder,” he said. “I never go anywhere without it.”

  Kelli gazed at the bag in his hand. “What does it do?”

  “You have to sprinkle this on the monster’s head,” he told her. “If you sprinkle it on his head, he will sink into the water. And he will never come on land again.”

  Kelli’s brain spun. “You really think that will work?”

  Saul nodded. “I think it will.”

  “Then come on,” Kelli said, tugging his arm. “Let’s go. Let’s do it.”

  Her heart was racing so fast, she could barely breathe. But she forced her trembling legs to carry her to the rowboat.

  As she started to climb in, she heard a shout. She spun around and saw Shawn running toward her from the path. “Shawn? Are you okay?” she cried. “Where’s Dad?”

  “Dad … is in town,” he called breathlessly. He stopped beside the rowboat and lowered his hands to his knees, struggling to catch his breath. “I … I ran all the way. Dad is in town helping people whose houses were wrecked. He says for you to come home right away.”

  “I can’t,” Kelli said. “I have to go out in this boat with Ranger Saul. I have to do something about the monster.” Her voice broke. “It … it’s all my fault, Shawn.”

  Shawn stared at her. “What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll tell you when I get back,” she said. She started to climb into the boat.

  “No.” Shawn grabbed her arm. “I’m going with you.”

  Kelli almost laughed. “Are you joking? You’re terrified of water and terrified of being in a boat on the swamp.”

  “I … I know,” Shawn answered. “But I won’t let you go without me. We all have to be brave now.”

  Kelli nodded in agreement. “Okay. Jump in. But stay close to Saul. And hold on tight, okay?”

  Shawn climbed in behind her. His eyes were wide with fright. But his jaw was set, and he didn’t do his shoulder thing. Kelli could see that he was determined to be brave.

  The sky darkened to charcoal. As Saul began to row, the river water was a deep purple. The current made rippling sounds as it rolled against the boat. Kelli felt as if the current was trying to push them back, telling them not to float out into Monster Hole.

  She gripped the cloth bag of snake powder in one hand. Her eyes were on the tossing, dark water. No one spoke. In the distance, a bird cried, a high wail.

  The boat rocked as they reached the deep water. Shawn gripped the sides so tightly, his hands were a pale white, even in the dying sunlight.

  Kelli felt a wave of nausea roll down her stomach. Her throat tightened again. Hope I don’t barf.

  The cool night air made the skin on her arms tingle. She moved the cloth bag from hand to hand.

  “We’re just about in the middle of Monster Hole,” Saul said in a low voice just above a whisper. He stopped rowing. The boat slid back and forth on the rolling current.

  Kelli felt sick again. She swallowed rapidly. Held her breath. Peered down into the darkness of the deep water.

  Will Saul’s crazy scheme work?

  She didn’t have to wait long. The water began to churn violently. The rowboat rocked back. And Kelli could see a large, dark form floating up to the surface. As it came closer, she could see it clearly.

  The monster … rising under the boat … about to crash into it from underneath … about to smash their boat and send them tumbling into t
he water.

  Kelli opened her mouth to scream as the boat tossed back. Only a hoarse squeak escaped her throat. She rocked forward hard. So did Saul and Shawn. Then they were snapped back. The boat settled as the monster loomed up beside it.

  Its hair was tangled about its face. Water ran off its head and shoulders. Its eyes were shut. They snapped open and glowed eerily yellow in the gray evening light. The creature’s gaze went from Saul to Shawn and Kelli.

  “Quick!” Saul screamed. “The powder. Now! On his head. This is your only chance.”

  A frightened moan burst from Kelli’s throat as her fingers fumbled with the bag. “Oh!” She nearly dropped the bag in the water. If only she could make her hand stop trembling.

  Finally, she dug two fingers into the bag and pulled up a clump of gray snake powder. The monster bobbed in the water, hands down at its sides, water still running off its face. It peered at Kelli as if studying her.

  Kelli sucked in a deep breath and stretched her hand out. Stretched her hand over the side of the boat. Gripping the chunk of snake powder, she reached her hand over the monster’s tangled hair …

  Stretched as far as she could, leaning over the side of the boat. Held her shaking hand over the monster’s head — and let the powder drop.

  The monster darted to the right.

  The powder drifted down to the water.

  MISSED!

  Kelli missed. The boat tilted. She felt herself start to fall. With a scream, she toppled out of the boat. Splashed hard into the water. Surprisingly cold. Cold and dark.

  She gasped and swallowed water. Choking, she forced herself back up to the surface.

  “Nooooo!” She screamed as she saw the monster grab Shawn. The creature wrapped its huge, wet hands under Shawn’s armpits, lifted him as if he weighed an ounce, lifted him, kicking and thrashing, out of the boat.

  “Noooo!” Kelli cried out again as the monster raised Shawn above his head, spun in the water, sending up a high wave, and carried the screaming boy away.

  Kelli grabbed the side of the boat. Saul lifted her from the water and helped her climb in. She brushed water from her eyes and forehead with both hands, sweeping her drenched hair behind her head.

  “Where is he taking Shawn? What are we going to do?” she cried in a shrill, frightened voice.

  “Help me! Kelli! Help!”

  Shawn’s screams were soon drowned out by the loud splashes as the monster stomped across the water. Shawn flailed his arms and kicked and squirmed. But the huge creature was too strong for any escape.

  Kelli and Saul squinted into the gray light, rocking with the rowboat in the wake of the heavy footsteps, watching the monster kick up waves.

  “He’s taking your brother to that lagoon over there,” Saul said. He pointed to a stretch of sand that curved into the river.

  “What will he do to him?” Kelli cried. “Can we save him? Can we do anything? Should we follow them over there? Should we go for help?” The questions burst out of her, a frantic explosion of words.

  Saul narrowed his eyes and appeared to gaze into the distance. Kelli could see that he was thinking hard. “We have no choice now,” he said finally. “There’s only one way to save your brother.”

  “What? What is it?” Kelli demanded. “Tell me!”

  “We have to call up the Shaggedy,” Saul said. “We have to call up the Shaggedy and order it to destroy the other monster.”

  Rowing back to shore took only a few minutes. But it seemed like days to Kelli. Squinting into the distance, she could see Shawn on his knees in the sandy lagoon. The monster loomed nearby. She could see its head and shoulders bobbing in the water.

  She and Saul jumped out and pulled the boat onto the muddy shore. Kelli was surprised to see that a small crowd had gathered under the trees. They huddled together, murmuring quietly to one another.

  Off to the side of the crowd, she spotted Zeke and Decker. They sat cross-legged on the ground, their hands clasped in their laps. They weren’t talking. They were watching Saul and Kelli intently.

  Kelli shivered, still dripping wet from her fall into the water. Saul pulled her away from the crowd. He reached into his small backpack again and pulled out a plastic bottle. “This is snake blood,” he told her. “We can use this to summon the Shaggedy.”

  He reached again into the backpack and slid out a sheet of black paper. “I come prepared for anything,” he said. “This time, I’ll count the droplets.”

  Kelli held the paper while Saul dripped snake blood on it. He carefully counted fifty drops out loud. Then they both cupped their hands around their mouths and shouted “Here comes the Shaggedy” ten times.

  They turned to the water. Kelli could see Shawn on his knees on the sand on the other side. Would the Shaggedy rise up from the river bottom? Would it arrive in time to rescue her brother?

  She could barely breathe. Her heart raced so hard, she felt dizzy. She grabbed Saul’s arm. “It … it isn’t working.”

  The river rolled smoothly, the gentle current sending up low waves. No churning. No swirling. No sign of any creature.

  Kelli turned when she saw Zeke and Decker running toward her. Their blue eyes were wide, their expressions serious. They stopped in front of Kelli and Saul. Kelli waited for them to say something, but they didn’t say a word.

  “What do you want?” she asked impatiently.

  “You summoned us,” Zeke said.

  “Huh?” Kelli stared at them. “What are you talking about?”

  “WE are the Shaggedy,” Zeke said. “And you have summoned us.”

  “This isn’t the time for jokes,” Kelli cried. “My brother has been kidnapped by a monster. And you two idiots —”

  She stopped with her mouth hanging open as she saw the two boys begin to change.

  They leaned against one another. Pressed their blond heads together. And their bodies started to transform. As Kelli and Saul stared in silent amazement, Zeke and Decker melted … melted together … they disappeared into each other, growing as they combined. Stretching … stretching taller and wider.

  “Oh, wow. Oh, wow.” Kelli murmured in shock.

  The two boys melted into a huge, green, lizard-skinned creature. At least eight feet tall with powerful arms and broad shoulders. It opened its jagged-toothed mouth and bellowed in a thunderous voice:

  “TOGETHER, WE ARE THE SHAGGEDY!”

  “I … don’t believe it,” Saul murmured.

  Kelli gaped openmouthed at the huge, ugly monster.

  The Shaggedy’s lizard-skin chest heaved up and down. It gazed at Kelli with watery red eyes.

  Behind her, people screamed in fright. She glimpsed some of them running to the trees for safety.

  Kelli took a deep breath. She pointed to the lagoon across the water. “Shaggedy —” she cried. “Follow my order. Go rescue my brother from that other monster!”

  The Shaggedy grunted in reply. It swung around. It had a long tail like an alligator. As the creature turned, the tail slapped Kelli and nearly knocked her over. She caught her balance and watched it stomp into the water.

  Saul shook his head. “I never guessed …” he murmured. “I never guessed about those two boys.”

  Behind her, people shouted and pointed, watching the Shaggedy burst across the river, sending up tall waves on both sides of it. It appeared to shove the water out of its way. It reached the lagoon in less than two minutes.

  The other monster rose to greet it. Kelli saw Shawn back away in fright.

  The Shaggedy leapt at the other creature. Wrapped its massive arms around the creature’s waist and tried to squeeze its breath out.

  But the monster wriggled free and sent a blazing-hard fist into the Shaggedy’s belly.

  Kelli gasped as the Shaggedy doubled over in pain. As its head went down, the other monster swung its fist up and landed a punch under the Shaggedy’s jaw. The punch was so loud, Kelli heard the craaaaack from across the water.

  “Shawn — run! Run!” Kelli
was screaming without even realizing it. “Shawn — run away!”

  But he seemed frozen in fear. He didn’t move.

  The Shaggedy staggered under the other monster’s punches. One more hard punch to the Shaggedy’s head — and it dropped in a heap on the sand.

  The Shaggedy sprawled on its back on the sand. It didn’t move. Ten seconds went by … twenty … thirty …

  “The monster must have killed it,” Saul whispered, shaking his head. “I’m so sorry, Kelli. We lose. We lose.”

  Kelli froze, watching in horror, praying silently for the Shaggedy to move.

  The other monster tossed both fists in the air. It leaped up from the water, cheering itself in triumph. Then it turned and lurched forward with its huge arms outstretched, reaching for her brother.

  And as it staggered toward Shawn, the Shaggedy moved quickly. It pulled itself up and dove forward, tackled the monster around its legs. Then it flung the creature into the sand.

  The creature appeared to wilt. It went limp. The Shaggedy hoisted it high and heaved it across the water. Kelli watched, hands pressed tightly to the sides of her face, as the monster sank. Its body plunged into the water. Its head was the last to sink.

  It didn’t return.

  The Shaggedy lifted Shawn from the sand. It hoisted Shawn over one shoulder and began to cross the water, stomping hard.

  “Oh, wow!” Kelli cried. “Shawn is okay! The Shaggedy saved him!”

  She heard people cheering behind her. She turned in time to see her dad come running across the path. The Shaggedy lowered Shawn to the ground. Kelli and her dad wrapped him in a hug at the same time.

  “We’re okay! We’re okay!” Kelli kept repeating.

  She turned to face the Shaggedy. The creature stood with its big arms crossed, watching the family celebration. Water dripped off its reptilian legs. Its red eyes stayed on Kelli.

  Then it began to change. The body appeared to pull apart. The creature began to split in two. Its sides tilted away from each other. It made a snapping sound as it separated.