“We’re not too late,” Ben said as he and Pearl stopped running.
Although her back was turned, it was easy to identify Mrs. Mulberry because she always wore her Welcome Wagon uniform—a pair of red overalls and a red baseball cap. With her was her daughter, Victoria Mulberry. Victoria was ten years old and also dressed in red overalls and a red baseball cap. Both mother and daughter possessed the reddest, frizziest hair Ben had ever seen.
“Yoo-hoo!” Mrs. Mulberry hollered, her face pressed against the padlocked gate. “I have a sick worm! I demand to see Dr. Woo!”
“Mom, just climb over the fence,” Victoria said. She was sitting in a red wagon, a book in her hands.
“Climb over?” Mrs. Mulberry snorted. “How am I supposed to do that, Victoria? The tips are pointy. Do you want your mother to get impaled?” She was right. The tops of the fence were as sharp as spears. Ben and Pearl knew a secret spot where it was safe to climb, but they weren’t about to share that information.
Mrs. Mulberry set her little worm box on the ground. Then, with each hand gripping a metal bar, she shook the gate. “Yoo-hoo!” She shook it again. The gate shuddered from the brute force. Good thing she didn’t have a battering ram or she’d bust right through!
Ben and Pearl eyed the little box. “Maybe we should grab it and go,” Pearl whispered. Ben wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. Two weeks ago, they’d trapped Mrs. Mulberry in a sasquatch-catching net, but they’d never tried to outrun her. He wiped a drop of sweat off his nose. Was he perspiring from the sunshine, or could this be the first sign that he was getting sick?
Victoria was busy reading, so she hadn’t noticed Ben and Pearl standing at the sidewalk’s edge. Cautiously, they took a step, then another, reaching out their hands. If they could get the worm box, then they could put a stop to this whole predicament.
Mrs. Mulberry whipped around and sneered at them. “What are you two doing here?”
It was a good thing Mrs. Mulberry had turned around, because at that moment, a dark shape flew across the sky and landed on the hospital’s roof. Then the shape disappeared behind a cluster of tall chimneys. Ben exhaled with relief. Metalmouth was safe in his nest, and Mrs. Mulberry was none the wiser.
“I asked you a question,” Mrs. Mulberry said huffily. “What are you doing here?”
“Work,” Pearl blurted.
“Yeah, work,” Ben said, sticking his hands into his jean pockets.
“They’re fibbing.” Victoria peered over the top of her book. “They work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Today is Tuesday.” She wore a full set of blue braces and tended to spit when she spoke.
“We heard you have a sick worm, so we came to help,” Ben said. “You don’t have to bother Dr. Woo. Pearl and I know all about worms.”
“Bother?” Mrs. Mulberry set her hands on her hips. “Why would I be bothering Dr. Woo? She’s supposed to take care of worms. It says so right there.” She pointed to the sign that hung on the front gate.
“Yes that’s true, but…” Ben couldn’t tell them that Dr. Woo was sick with something that didn’t even come from this world. He pointed down the long driveway, where a sign was taped to the hospital’s front door. “Dr. Woo can’t see you today, because the hospital is closed.”
“That sign is always on the door,” Mrs. Mulberry said. “What I’d like to know is, how can a hospital be closed every day of the week? That doesn’t make sense.” She folded her arms tightly and scowled at the apprentices. “Is there a reason you’re trying to keep me from going inside?”
Pearl chewed her gum extra fast. Ben’s toes fidgeted. There were dozens of reasons. Like the switchboard operator named Violet, who was half person, half goat. And the magical Portal that traveled to the Imaginary World. And the yellow fairy dust that clung to Dr. Woo’s hair.
“We’re just trying to help,” Ben said.
Pearl forced a big, fake smile, showing the gap between her front teeth. “If you give us the sick worm, Ben and I will take care of it for you.”
Everyone looked down at the box. How sick is the little creature? Ben wondered. He and Pearl had actually never cared for a worm. They’d flea-bathed a sasquatch, they’d cured a lake monster’s loneliness, and they’d mended a rain dragon’s wound. Everyone thought Ben and Pearl were worm apprentices, but neither of them had encountered a worm inside Dr. Woo’s hospital. They’d never done anything worm-oriented.
And yet, how difficult could it be? Worms were simple creatures, right?
Mrs. Mulberry grabbed the box. “It’s my job as the president of the Welcome Wagon Committee to interrogate, I mean, to meet everyone who moves to our town. That includes Dr. Woo.” She whipped around and faced the gate again. “Yoo-hoo! Let me in!”
Pearl pulled Ben aside and whispered, “What do we do?” But before Ben could come up with a suggestion, Victoria scrambled out of the wagon, then elbowed her way between Ben and Pearl.
“I know there’s a dragon living on that roof,” Victoria said, keeping her voice low so her mom wouldn’t hear. “I’ve seen it and I know it’s real.”
Ben and Pearl said nothing. They glanced at each other, eyes narrowed. Neither of them trusted Victoria.
“If you want to keep secrets from my mom, then you’ll need my help,” Victoria told them as she adjusted her glasses. “But my help will cost you.” She leaned closer. “I want to meet the dragon.”
Ben gulped. Unfortunately, exactly one week ago, Metalmouth had paid a daytime visit to the roof of Buttonville’s Town Hall. Most of the residents had been inside the hall, attending a meeting, but Victoria had come out just in time to see Metalmouth fly away. Of course, both Ben and Pearl had denied the dragon’s existence. But Victoria wasn’t stupid. She knew a dragon when she saw one.
Pearl put her hands on her hips and glared at Victoria. “You can’t blackmail me, Victoria Mulberry! I’m not scared of you.”
Ben cleared his throat. “What Pearl meant to say is that dragons aren’t real. You imagined the whole thing.”
Victoria jutted out her chin. “Fine. Be that way. But you’re going to regret this.” She grabbed the gate and began shaking it. “Let us in! Let us in!” Mrs. Mulberry joined her.
Things were taking a turn for the worse. Ben wasn’t sure how to get the Mulberrys away from the hospital. He needed a good story, and he needed it fast.
But then he froze. Pearl froze, too. Mrs. Mulberry and Victoria stopped shouting.
The front door to the hospital had opened!
5
Ben and Pearl held their breath, waiting to see who or what would emerge from the hospital’s front door. Ben stood as stiff as a starched collar. An imaginary clock ticked in his head. Pearl wasn’t moving, either, which, until that very moment, Ben had thought impossible. What would happen next?
A man stepped onto the front stoop.
“What’s Mr. Tabby doing here?” Pearl whispered. “I thought Tuesday was his day off.”
Mr. Tabby was dressed in his usual work attire—a crisp white shirt, perfectly pressed black trousers, and polished shoes. A green striped vest completed the outfit. He always reminded Ben of a butler. His long red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, like Pearl’s, only tidier. As he strode down the gravel driveway, his gaze remained fixed upon the front gate.
“He looks angry,” Pearl said from the corner of her mouth.
Mr. Tabby always looked grumpy, so his serious expression didn’t worry Ben. However, the ring of keys that dangled from Mr. Tabby’s left hand had caught Ben’s attention. Was he going to unlock the padlock and let the Mulberrys inside?
Upon reaching the gate, Mr. Tabby turned his yellow-eyed gaze to Mrs. Mulberry. “You hollered?” he asked, his upper lip curling into a sneer.
“What does a person have to do to get some help around here?” Mrs. Mulberry complained. “I have a very sick worm.”
“Is that so?” His red mustache, which was waxed into sections, twitched like a cat’s whiskers. Mrs. Mulberry
held the box up to the gate. Mr. Tabby sniffed the air. “I detect the odor of an ordinary red compost worm.”
“That’s right,” Mrs. Mulberry said. “I got a whole shipment of them. But this one’s not wiggling like the others.” She clutched the box tightly, as if she’d never possessed anything more valuable in her entire life. She’d been trying to get inside that hospital all week, and this was her golden ticket.
Ben wanted to ask about Dr. Woo. How sick was she? Was it serious? But that couldn’t be discussed in front of the Mulberrys. Mr. Tabby glanced at Pearl. “Do I also detect cinnamon gum?”
“Oops.” Gum was not allowed inside the hospital. Pearl spat it into a clump of weeds.
“I want to see Dr. Woo,” Mrs. Mulberry demanded.
Mr. Tabby carefully smoothed one of his mustache sections. Then, very slowly, he unlocked the padlock.
“Wait! Are you…?” Ben couldn’t believe it. “Are you letting them in?”
“Yay!” Victoria cheered as the gate swung open. She grabbed her wagon and started to pull it through, but Mr. Tabby blocked her with an outstretched hand. “I must first verify that the patient is ill.”
Mrs. Mulberry’s cheeks turned as red as her overalls. “You don’t believe me?”
“It is not a matter of belief, my dear woman. It is a matter of proof. Dr. Woo’s days are quite busy, and it is my duty to make certain that she does not waste her time tending to a healthy worm.” He tapped a long fingernail on the box. “If you’d be so kind.”
Mrs. Mulberry opened the box. Mr. Tabby reached into his vest pocket and removed a monocle, which he placed over his left eye. The thick lens magnified his strange moon-shaped iris. Ben and Pearl stepped closer to get a better look. The little worm lay on the bottom of the box.
“Is it dead?” Pearl asked.
“On the contrary,” Mr. Tabby said. He plucked an ivy leaf from one of the vines that grew up the fence, then shook it gently into the box. Drops of dew fell from the leaf and landed on the worm. The little critter began to wiggle.
“Was it thirsty?” Ben asked.
“Worms require moisture. They absorb it through their skin. If no moisture is provided, they dry up and die.” Mr. Tabby removed his monocle. Then he set a few ivy leaves into the box and replaced the lid. “The examination is concluded,” he said. “Good day.”
“Good day?” Mrs. Mulberry gasped. “But I didn’t get to meet Dr. Woo.”
“Indeed you did not.” Mr. Tabby jangled his ring of keys.
Ben and Pearl smiled at each other. There’d been no need to worry after all. Mr. Tabby would never let a terrible person like Mrs. Mulberry into the hospital.
Mrs. Mulberry stomped her foot. “But—”
“But is a contrary word, madame, and I am in no mood for contrarians today.” He grabbed the gate. “Now, if you’d be so kind as to move your red wagon, I shall return to my duties.”
Mrs. Mulberry stuck out her chest. “I have duties, too. I’m the president of the Welcome Wagon, and it’s my duty to meet everyone who moves to Buttonville.” She pointed to the words on her baseball cap: WELCOME WAGON.
As Mr. Tabby tapped his fingers on his key ring, a growl sounded in his throat. Ben could tell, by the peevish look on his face, that he was running out of patience. “Our business is concluded.”
Ben didn’t want to further annoy Mr. Tabby, but he really wanted to talk about the sickness. After all, if he and Pearl were about to succumb to a strange Imaginary World illness, he’d like to know what to expect. “Mr. Tabby, can I ask you something?” Ben asked. “In private?”
“I have no time today,” Mr. Tabby replied. “There are urgent matters to tend to.” He attempted to close the gate, but the wagon was still in the way. Victoria’s book lay in the wagon’s bed.
“I’ll help,” Pearl said. “Hey, Victoria, move your wagon! Victoria?” Pearl’s face suddenly went very pale, and she pointed behind Mr. Tabby.
Victoria Mulberry was at the other end of the driveway, heading straight toward the hospital’s open door!
6
What is that child doing?” Mr. Tabby asked as Victoria barreled up the front stoop, her baseball cap bouncing against her frizzy red hair.
Ben knew exactly what Victoria was doing. She wanted to see the dragon.
“Victoria!” Pearl yelled. “Come back here!”
“Victoria!” Mrs. Mulberry screeched. “Be a good girl and tell Dr. Woo that your mommy wants to meet her!”
“This is an unfortunate turn of events,” Mr. Tabby said, shaking his head. “Trespassing can lead to all sorts of unpleasant situations.”
“We have to stop her!” Pearl darted around Mr. Tabby and raced up the driveway, gravel crunching beneath her sneakers. Ben had been worried about Mrs. Mulberry getting inside, but it turned out that Victoria was just as sneaky. He squeezed past Mr. Tabby and took off at a full sprint. But before he was even halfway up the driveway, Victoria’s red overalls disappeared through the door. Pearl could run like the wind, but she hadn’t been fast enough. Victoria was inside!
Ben’s mind raced with all sorts of dreadful outcomes. When he’d first visited the hospital, he’d accidentally let the sasquatch escape. The sasquatch had spent the afternoon riding in a grocery cart and eating pudding at the senior center. Thanks to a Sasquatch Catching Kit, the kids had been able to return the big, hairy beast to the hospital before any of Buttonville’s residents had noticed. But what if Victoria let something worse escape? Something that made a lot of noise, or had a hankering for flesh instead of pudding? Not every Imaginary creature was as nice as the sasquatch.
Ben pumped his arms as fast as he could. Once he’d dashed up the stairs, he glanced over his shoulder. Somehow, Mr. Tabby had managed to get both Mrs. Mulberry and the red wagon back onto the sidewalk. The gate was closed and padlocked, and Mr. Tabby was hurrying toward the hospital. “Victoria! Be careful!” Mrs. Mulberry yelled.
Ben raced through the doorway. The lobby looked as it always did. The old button factory’s sign leaned against the wall, and dusty cobwebs sparkled in the corners of the ceiling. There was a door marked EMPLOYEES ONLY and another marked IDENTIFICATION ROOM. But Victoria was nowhere to be seen.
Ben nearly jumped out of his skin as a siren sounded and a nasal voice blasted from a wall speaker. “Emergency code red, emergency code red. Unauthorized human on the loose. Secure all areas.”
Pearl stood at the far end of the lobby, pounding on the closed elevator doors. “Victoria! Come back!”
“I know there’s a dragon on the roof,” Victoria’s muffled voice sounded from inside the elevator. “I want to see it, and you can’t stop me!”
Ben leaned over, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. “The elevator doesn’t go up that far,” he realized. The elevator didn’t go to the roof, and it didn’t go to the tenth floor, either—which housed the magical Portal, the transportation device that linked the hospital to the Imaginary World. But that was the only good news, because there were eight other floors where Victoria could still get into plenty of trouble.
The elevator hummed. As its panel lit up, the arrow began to drift away from the number one and toward the number two. Victoria was on the move!
“Mr. Tabby!” Pearl cried as he hurried into the lobby. A strand of his long red hair had fallen out of place. “She’s in there.” Pearl pointed at the elevator.
“Chasing children is not part of my job description,” Mr. Tabby said grumpily. As the arrow moved past the number two, Mr. Tabby hastily shoved one of his keys into the elevator’s panel. The arrow stopped moving. But it had landed on the number three.
“Uh-oh,” Ben said.
While Ben and Pearl had never been on the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth floors of the hospital, they had been to the third floor many times. It was called the Forest Suite because it was a living forest, complete with trees, frogs, and a babbling brook. It was where the sasquatch currently resided while bein
g treated for various ailments like foot fungus and a flea infestation. If Victoria stepped into the Forest Suite, there was no telling what might happen.
“Emergency code red, emergency code red,” the nasal voice repeated. “Unauthorized human on the third floor.”
Mr. Tabby always kept his cool, even when faced with situations like percolating pixies and a runaway sasquatch. “I shall take the back stairs. You two will remain here,” he told Ben and Pearl.
Pearl groaned. “But—”
Mr. Tabby’s response was another growl from deep within his throat. Pearl closed her mouth and nodded. He pressed his palm to the security pad. The EMPLOYEES ONLY door clicked open, and he disappeared, the door closing behind him. Neither Ben nor Pearl had been given security clearance, so they were stuck waiting in the lobby, as instructed.
“He’s in an extra-cranky mood today,” Ben noted.
“Who can blame him?” Pearl said. “That Victoria makes me so mad! I hope the sasquatch scares the daylights out of her.” Pearl paused, then snickered. “I hope it chases her up a tree.”
Ben began to pace. Whether or not Victoria got treed was the least of their worries. He felt like a total failure. If he hadn’t been distracted by the worm examination, Victoria wouldn’t currently be on the third floor, learning all sorts of secrets that could ruin Dr. Woo. He felt kind of sweaty again. Was that from nerves, or the mysterious illness?
The Griffin's Riddle Page 2
