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  Scotty had often complained that the ride should have had a real goose since in the story it was not a statue of a goose that laid eggs. Jack knew this complaint was more about Scotty showing off his knowledge rather than a serious complaint. He figured that surely Scotty must know some artistic license is required on a ride like this.

  The goose itself is small and painted gold, the kind of ornament you could buy at a crafts store. As the train rolls by it, Jack feels a tug at his heart. He broods, There it goes. Mason is never going to let me live this down.“Is anything going to happen in here?” Amy wonders out loud.

  “When we get past the table, we will hear steps and the table will rattle. Bats will fall down on wires.”

  “Oh, I hate—”

  The train makes a sudden jolt. The dim lights flicker once, a second time, and completely shut off followed by a blurring of the sound effects before they whine and go silent.

  With a sparkle and crack, two small emergency lights spur to life, but they only provide enough light for Jack to see outlines of shapes. Behind him, Clyde grumbles, “Dagnabit, here we go again.”

  Chapter 20

  The Braddocks roll toward home after their brief outing.

  “I really thought we had you two on the ropes,” Wallace Braddock confides to his wife from behind the steering wheel.

  “Oh, please! You guys haven't beaten Freda and me in months. I was just about to play the Queen of Diamonds when Freda ran to the bathroom. I hope she's okay.” Brenna comments, assuring her husband that her team had been in control.

  “Yeah, I haven't seen anyone turn that green since the last time Jack ate your tuna casserole.”

  Brenna eyes her husband, not pleased with the implication. “Wallace, I don't think my dish had anything to do with Freda's spell.”

  “No offense, dear, just putting two and two together.” Wallace grins trying to lighten up the tension.

  “Well you can keep your investigation to yourself, Sherlock.”

  “I'm just saying.”

  “You're being a jerk—everyone loves my casserole. Just because Jack got sick once—”

  “Twice.”

  “Oh, stop it, Wallace. You're really getting on my nerves.”

  “I'm just playing with you, dear.”

  She knows full well he is not playing at all and that this is just his way of avoiding further escalation. Still, Brenna decides to let him off the hook by changing the subject.

  “I wonder how the kids have gotten along tonight?”

  “We've only been gone a couple of hours. I am sure they have been wonderful, those two angels. I bet they're baking cookies and playing Monopoly, as happy as clams.”

  “Wallace, would it kill you to spend more time with them?”

  “Why do you want to start that again?”

  “Because, you never spend time with them. Maybe if their father would take some time and give them more attention, it would help ease whatever it is that they are going through.”

  “Honey, they're teenagers. What they're going through is natural. Brothers and sisters fight.”

  “I didn't fight with my brother like that.”

  “Give it time, Brenna. When Blair leaves for college in a couple of years—”

  “A couple of years? I can't deal with this for two more years.”

  The two drive in uneasy silence for a bit.

  “I was too hard on them today. I should have let Jack go to the park. The whole time we were at the Zuckermans’ I couldn't help but think I took something away from him.”

  “There you go again. Look, we baby them too much. He has to learn from this. Perhaps the whole reason they fight like they do is because we have looked the other way too often. No, do not second guess yourself tonight. It was the right thing to do.”

  “I know, but I just feel so bad.”

  The vehicle rolls into the driveway.

  “Well, since we're home early, I might write a letter to the mayor. It's high time I contacted him instead of just writing to the paper.”

  Wallace's keys jingle as the door is unlocked.

  “It's Friday night, Wallace…oh, never mind.”

  “What?”

  Inside, everything appears to be in order to Wallace and Brenna, at least downstairs. They perceive no signs of fighting, and Blair's music blasts away upstairs.

  “I'm going to check on the kids,” says Brenna.

  The door to Blair's room is cracked, and Brenna looks in.

  “Honey?”

  Blair is texting away on her phone, oblivious to her mom. The blaring music is not coming from the stereo but the headphones gracing her daughter's head.

  “Blair, you're going to go deaf!” Brenna yells and thinks, She's in her own world. Didn't she know she was grounded from everything? I'll take the phone away tomorrow. Too much drama for one night.

  Leaving Blair to her domain, Brenna takes ten steps down the hall and to the right to Jack's room. She slowly opens the door and sees her son sleeping like a baby. She thinks, That's it, Jack, get some rest. We'll talk tomorrow.

  Shutting the door behind her quietly, Brenna cannot help but chide herself again for prohibiting the boy from enjoying the park one last time.

  Chapter 21

  “Okay, kids—sit tight, don't panic,” says Clyde. He thinks, Why did I ever agree to this? I knew this would happen.

  Clyde reaches into his work belt and pulls out his trusty flash light. Clicking the red button near the nozzle, he waits for the stream of white light to cut through the darkness.

  “Look, I'm going to lead you out of here, back the way we came.”

  “Can't you just fix it? I mean we're halfway through the ride.” Jack's voice is full of emotion, crushed and disappointed.

  “Jack, there's got to be a short somewhere. Gwen and I thought we had found the wire giving us all the fits, but now I'm not sure. We're basically grasping at straws.”

  “But the power—it's been coming back on.”

  “Yeah, but so far, only after we jiggle a few wires at the box. It's not an exact science. For all I know, the power just comes on when it feels like it.”

  “Clyde, let us wait here. You can go mess with the box. If, or better yet when, the power comes on, we can finish the ride.”

  Clyde knows this is an exaggeration, but he can't blame the boy for trying.

  Amy chimes in, “Clyde, what could go wrong?”

  That was the wrong thing to ask, and suddenly the old man is re-established in his firm stance.

  “I can't just let you kids sit in here in the dark.”

  “Clyde,” responds Jack, “There are four of us, and we're not kids. I know this ride better than anyone, except you. Just let us finish, please. This is our last ride, ever.”

  The box is only a couple of rooms back, and Clyde tells himself, The kids are right. The power has been cutting back on all night. What would it hurt to let them finish? There are four of them. He says, “Okay, look, it's not like I am going to lose my job over this. It's everyone's last ride. I'll make a deal with you. Sit here in the cart, and then when the power comes back on, finish the ride. If the power shuts off again stay wherever you are and I'll come get you.”

  “Thanks, Clyde!” They each say with various degrees of sincerity.

  Climbing out of the ride, Clyde is at peace with his decision to comply with the will of the riders but reminds them again, “Stay put. If the power does not come on, I need to know I can find you here.”

  “Sure thing, Clyde!” Jack calls. All four teens nod in unison.

  Walking away, Clyde gives one last look back at the teens.

  Better make this quick, thinks Clyde, who second guesses himself, wondering, This is the right thing to do, isn't it? One last time for emphasis, he tells them, “I mean it…stay in the cart.”

  Chapter 22

  “I don't like it,” Mason offers dramatically.

  “You don't like what?” Scotty inquires gullibly.

&nb
sp; “Don't you guys think the old man was a little too eager to get outta here?”

  “Don't be ridiculous, Mason, I begged him to let us stay,” Jack retorts. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, I don't know…like, maybe the old man set this whole thing up. You know, to get us all in here by ourselves.”

  Jack knows this tone. Mason is trying to scare them.

  “I bet this is exactly what happened to Douglas Finch. The old man lured him in, then deserted him in the dark. Just like in one of those horror movies, he hunted him down and offed him, hiding his body somewhere in the ride.”

  “Okay, that's enough, Mason. I told you that's just a myth,” Jack defends.

  “And I told you, Finch really did disappear.”

  “If Clyde had something to do with it, don't you think the cops would have figured that out?”

  “I don't know, Jack. You ever watched CSI?”

  “Mason, just be quiet, you're not helping.” The tone in Amy's voice gives away her feelings. Jack can see Amy is not comfortable with the present situation. She is rubbing her hands together and scanning the room.

  Taking the opportunity to look around the room himself, Jack's eyes slowly become accustomed to the dim lighting. The room has never looked so frightening to him. His eyes check every corner.

  Scotty has his cell phone out, providing just enough extra light to make some of the room's objects visible. On the fireplace, Jack eyes the goose. There it is for the taking, he thinks. In his wildest dreams, this could not have been set up for him more perfectly. Now the moral dilemma begins anew, for he could easily get off the ride. It almost seems like this is meant to be, but Jack still wonders what Amy would say.

  From the front of the cart, Jack hears an iron bar jiggle. Turning to see what's going on, he can see Mason slide up and force himself out of the cart.

  “Sit down, Mason,” says Amy with newfound courage brought on by nerves.

  Mason rubs Lucky's head as he passes the second cart. He strolls around the room and says, “I always wanted to be able to just get out and explore this place. What about you, Jack?”

  There is an unmistakable emphasis on Jack's name. Mason is suggesting something—something more than just getting out of the cart, knows Jack.

  “Jack, don't leave,” Amy pleads. “Clyde said to stay put. What if the power comes on and you're not on the ride?”

  Now Jack is in a quandary. He must choose between disappointing Amy and irritating Mason. And, he has already pushed it with his friend. His eyes rest on the goose; he knows what Mason is getting at. It is a challenge and the golden opportunity. Before, with Clyde behind him, there was no way he was going to get his prop, but now it is almost like the ride wants him to take something.

  “No worries, Amy. If the ride starts back, I'll jump in. It's not like this thing is very fast.”

  Risking the scorn of Amy, he squeezes himself from behind the bar and joins Mason near the fireplace. Amy's glance is painfully disapproving.

  In low tones, Mason whispers to Jack, “Now is your chance. I saw you looking around. This is perfect. I can't believe we're having so much luck. Did you see me grab the badge?”

  “Yea, you almost got us busted. That mannequin thing almost fell over.”

  “But it didn't.”

  “What gave you the idea to snatch that badge?”

  “I don't know—it just called out to me, like, ‘Here's your chance.’ I knew the old man wouldn't see.”

  The old man, thought Jack. Just moments before, he had resigned himself to not steal anything. If Clyde found out, Jack would be devastated. Still, Jack thought, This is a clear cut chance. A chance to get the goose. They are closing the ride. It's not like anyone is going to miss something now.

  “Jack, you don't even have to worry about anyone seeing like I did. This is a lay-up. You can get whatever you want from in here with no worries,” says Mason.

  The phrase “no worries” brings Jack's eyes to Amy, and he tells Mason, “I don't want Amy to know.”

  “Why not?”

  “I just don't want to drag her into this, okay.”

  “Jack, you sure are acting all protective and stuff of her. What's going on?”

  “Nothing, I just mean, in the unlikely case that we get busted, she should not get in trouble. She's not in on this. Got it?”

  “Okay, I'll go over and distract her. You get what you want and come back when you're done.”

  With that, Mason strolls over to Amy. Jack can make out the small talk from where he stands.

  “So what do you think about the Enchanted Forrest, Amy?” Mason rests an arm on the side of the train, coolly making conversation.

  Scotty has left his seat, as well, and is walking around looking at the table. Jack wonders if he is searching for his prop as well.

  With Mason taking Amy's focus off of him, Jack goes to work. Moving backwards, he slips his hand around the neck of the goose. The goose lifts easily. He had thought it could have been glued down or something, so he is relieved. Turning his back to the train, he glides his other hand over the golden statue. It is smooth and solid, weighing about as much as one of his mom's 10-pound aerobic hand weights. Unzipping his backpack, the goose slides in easily.

  “Jack, what are you doing?” asks Amy. She has turned her attention back to him.

  Did she see me? wonders Jack, who turns back towards the girl with the goose tucked away inside the backpack. He replies, “Just walking around a bit. Always wanted to do this. In all my years of riding this ride, I have never gotten to just walk around. It's pretty cool. You should come out—uh, what do you see over there Scotty?”

  “You guys need to get back in the cart now.” Amy starts to sound like a broken record.

  “Come on, sis, lighten up,” Scotty calls.

  “No, you lighten up, Scotty. You guys are going to get us all in trouble.”

  Jack shoots a wink towards Mason to let him know that the mission is accomplished. A feeling of satisfaction washes over Jack. In his wildest dreams, Jack could not have imagined how perfect everything has fallen into place. He has the object of his desire, and Amy is none the wiser.

  Detaching himself from his small talk with Amy, Mason gives Jack a nod toward Scotty.

  “Let's go see what Scotty's up to,” Mason says, which Jack understands as code for “Let's help Scotty find something.” Mason and Jack walk over to the other boy standing underneath the oversized table.

  With a spark, a grind and a flash of the dimmed lights, sound crackles through the speakers. The train lunges forward.

  “Guys!” alerts Amy.

  The power is on. The boys are caught flatfooted standing twenty feet away from the train. All three boys dash to the carts, but they cannot catch the little vehicle. All Jack can do is catch Amy's scolding and frightened gaze as she disappears through two large black doors.

  Chapter 23

  The train pulls Amy into a new room. The doors slam behind her.

  She thinks, Those stupid boys. We are going to be in so much trouble. She didn't say this just because they had disregarded Clyde's instructions. Mainly, she had been so demonstrative in hopes that they would re-join her for the reason that she had no desire to be left alone in such a spooky place. Despite this, though, Amy finds herself alone.

  Winding up in a mess caused by Mason Chick reminds Amy of previous experiences with him. Oftentimes when they were younger, before Mason could stay alone at his house, he would spend two or three agonizingly long days at Amy's when his bachelor father was working on an especially rough case. One event in particular that had cemented her dislike for Mason occurred when she was in second grade. Amy was playing with one of her dolls in her room. She was setting up a surprise birthday party for Barbie and had arranged her other dolls around the dream house to surprise the doll. Her playtime was disturbed when Mason waltzed in carrying one of Scotty's dinosaurs. He started snarling and hissing, stomping around the room.

  “Stop it, Ma
son! You're knocking over my dolls.”

  “Godzilla not care, must destroy!”

  He threw down the play toy and apparently decided he would play the role of the giant lizard. Grabbing and slinging her dolls recklessly around, he hissed and growled, mocking the monstrous cries of Godzilla. He proceeded to stomp and break more than one doll. This was more than she could bear. She slung herself at his legs and tried to make him stop. With his left leg, he slung her into the dream house, cracking it in two. She was mortified with a combination of tears, rage, and hurt. Mason simply looked at her and snickered.

  Then he ripped the head off of Barbie and roared, “Godzilla—king of monsters—rahhhhhh!” And with that, he was gone.

  Amy heard that, as a result of this incident, Mason had gotten in trouble. However, he had never apologized to Amy, and despite the fact that they were only little kids when it happened, she had never forgiven him.

  The cart Amy is in slows to a crawl for riders to get a good view of the room. To her left is a campfire scene. Green lights provide the forest-like atmosphere, and a small tent provides shelter for what looks to be an oldtime spinning wheel. Gold strands of what appears to be hair are draped over a wicker basket. Amy immediately recognizes the scene as one from Rumpelstiltskin.

  The train stops, the sounds fade, and the lights cut off. The power seems to be off again. Looking backwards, Amy waits for the boys to spring through the doors. The two dull emergency lights provide little comfort for her. She is afraid.

  Waiting patiently, though, she sits and says, “I am supposed to stay in the cart. Clyde said to stay in the cart.”

  Nonetheless, her resolve to stay in cart is immediately tested. She imagines that the walls are closing in. Then she hears a crackle noise from behind, followed by a pop from above. Craning her neck to catch the cause of the noises, she tries to settle herself, thinking, It's nothing, just like at home when the house settles. The boys will be here in a moment. Amy takes another look at the door. On it are odd shadows that resemble a man. That's just plain creepy, thinks Amy who starts wondering what exactly happened to Douglas Finch. She tells herself, It's just a story, Amy, stop it.