Babushka left right after lunch. It was an abrupt disappearance like usual, only this time she didn’t leave him alone.
Loki was surprised to learn that Axel and Fable were preparing a room for him to stay in—finally, an actual bed. He was eager to sleep in a room he could call his own for the first time. He had to admit that Axel and Fable had become like family and that it made things harder since he knew he couldn’t stay. He didn’t know much about goodbyes—and even less about ‘hello’—but he didn’t resist going against the flow as much as before.
He decided he’d go out to his Cadillac and nap in it one last time. He’d been exhausted, and he needed a little relaxation—and the chance to say a small goodbye to Carmen’s driver seat.
A couple of hours later, Axel came back to wake Loki up.
“Hey,” Axel shook him. “Wake up. We got work to do.”
“Uh—“ Loki looked at Axel, right next to him in the passenger seat. “You finished my room?”
“Fable did,” Axel said. “But that’s not important right now. You’re not going to use your room before we get the Baby Tears.”
“Baby Tears,” Fable cheered from the backseat.
“Yeah, I’m not deaf,” Loki said. “Can you remind me again where Babushka said we’d get the Baby Tears from?”
“Your mom said we should get them from a Boogeyman,” Fable said.
“Ya—my mom. Um—where is she?”
“Are you on drugs or something?” Axel asked, checking Loki’s pulse. “She had business to finish.”
“Ghost business,” Fable giggled. “She told me she had to scare some bad boys who were bullying a little girl by dragging her into a haunted house. Your mom will kick their behinds. Did I tell you your mom was awesome?”
“Yeah, I noticed,” Loki muttered. “So what was the plan again?”
“Offff. What kind of Dreamhunter are you?” Fable puffed, folding her hands. “We need to get back to the castle so you can get into Snow White’s dream again, and since she has the ability to control her dreams, the only way to strip her from that power is to drop Baby Tears into her eyes—“
“Yes, I remember,” Loki blinked, looking at Fable in the mirror.
“And then I have to find the Incubator,” Axel said. “I just came from Bedtime Stoories. I brought all the books needed. I’m on it. You think we could use the word ‘Sorrow’ as an Incubator?”
“How should I know?”
“According to what we read, the kingdom where she lived in the dream was called Sorrow. I am guessing this town is the Kingdom of Sorrow, two hundred years later. I think the word ‘Sorrow’ should do it.” Axel speculated.
“Maybe her real name could be an Incubator,” Fable said.
“How can I get her real name,” Axel said. “Even Jacob Grimm’s diary doesn’t mention her real name. And who said she has a name other than Snow White?”
“I don’t remember the Brothers Grimm fairy tales mentioning names,” Loki tried to interact with the detective duo.
“That’s actually true,” Axel said. “I don’t think I’ve ever read a fairy tale with names of the prince or the huntsman or even the queen. I wonder why no names were ever mentioned? Maybe that proves they were forged or played with, someone hid the names intentionally.”
“Now, you’re reading too much into it. So how about the Baby Tears,” Fable said. “We need to find a Boogeyman.”
“About that,” Loki said. “Don’t you think this is a big joke?”
“You don’t believe in Boogeymen, now?” Axel said.
“I don’t know,” Loki shook his head. “I know we live in a town full of vampires, ghosts, haunted houses, and even werewolves, but I don’t think we can just go find a Boogeyman. Do you even know what a Boogeyman looks like?”
“Ugly,” Axel shrugged, remembering the one who ate his serial when he was a kid.
“Your mom said there are many Boogeymen in children’s closets. Maybe we could ask around,” Fable said.
“Closets?” Loki said.
“According to your mom, it’s where they live,” Axel said.
“She said that if we ask the right person, we might be able to hire a Boogeyman to get us the Baby Tears,” Fable said.
“Right person?” Loki said.
“Someone who’s been around the block a few times or an authority on specific items teen vampire hunters might need to know about,” Fable said.
“I think I know someone who might be able to help,” Loki picked up the phone and dialed a number.
“Who’re you calling?” Fable asked.
“Lucy Rumpelstein” Loki replied, waiting for the Beep.
“Lucy?” Axel’s eyes glittered.
“Who’s Lucy?” Fable asked.
“She is Professor Rumpelstein’s daughter,” Axel informed her.
“Kewl,” Fable mused. “Who’s Professor Rumpelstein?”