She shook the wand angrily and summoned another crash of lightning, and another, and another until her ears rang from the deafening thunder that came with every bolt. "Stay down!" she shouted, unable to hear her own words, but the monster refused. It got up, again and again and again, and each time it took a step closer to her and her little sister.
Finally, the smoking hulk had backed them into a corner. Covered in wounds and burns, it shrieked into Sabrina's face. She turned to her sister and slipped her hand into Daphne's.
Just then, much to Sabrina's disbelief, the Jabberwocky was lifted off its feet and slammed to the ground. The impact sent the girls tumbling over each other.
"I didn't do that," Sabrina said, staring down at the wand she still clutched in her hand.
"Doggy!" Red Riding Hood shouted, and clapped.
Sabrina turned to see what the little girl was raving about. There, standing over the monster, was an unusual man. He was excruciatingly thin, and wearing a suit that was several sizes too big for him. He had watery eyes and feeble hands. He also had a shock of white, unruly hair. "Mr… Canis?" Sabrina stammered.
"Mr. Canis!" Daphne cried, leaping up to race into his arms. Sabrina stared at their old friend, then grabbed her sister and pulled her back down. There was something different about him. He had bright blue eyes--the same color as those of his alter ego, the Big Bad Wolf.
The Jabberwocky didn't stay down long. It fought its way to its feet and tore into the old man, pounding its huge paws into Mr. Canis's chest. Despite the horrific blows, Mr. Canis seemed more than capable of handling the monster's abuse and dishing out some of his own. One swing from his elderly fist sent the Jabberwocky sailing through the hole in the diner's wall and into the parking lot. Cars went flying and pavement crumbled under its skidding body.
"Look! The doggy and the kitty are going to be friends," Red Riding Hood shouted.
Sabrina got to her feet and pointed the wand at the deranged little girl.
"Where are my parents, you little psychopath?" she cried. The little girl snarled like a wild animal and lunged to scratch Sabrina across the face.
"They're my parents!" she raged.
"You tell me right now or I'm going to fry you," Sabrina threatened, deflecting the little girl's attack and pointing the wand in her face. She could sense the clouds forming in the sky again. All she had to do was think it and the little girl would be a stain on the floor.
"I'm going to have my grandmother!" the little girl screamed in anger.
The air around Sabrina began to crack and pop. She knew she was about to unleash the lightning on the little girl and felt she had a right to do it. "You're asking for it!"
Suddenly, the wand was knocked out of Sabrina's hand. She turned and saw Daphne standing next to her.
"Sabrina, no!"
"Tell my grandmother I'm coming," Red Riding Hood shouted. She lifted her hand and the ring on her finger cast a crimson light on the room. A moment later, both she and the Jabberwocky disappeared into thin air.
"How could you, Daphne? She's got Mom and Dad!"
"Puck needs our help," Daphne shouted.
The two girls rushed to the fallen fairy's side, but Mr. Canis was already lifting him into his arms. "Get home, children," he said roughly as he dashed away at an amazing speed. Sabrina had never seen anyone, man or Everafter, run so fast. Before the girls knew it, Canis and Puck were gone.
"Uncle Jake," Daphne said, turning and racing to find their uncle. When they did, he was still unconscious. Their waitress, Farrah, was standing over him.
"Don't worry, girls. I don't think he's too hurt," she said. She tossed a glass of water into Jake's face and he quickly opened his eyes. "We get a lot of drunks in here around two a.m. This works every time."
Uncle Jake shook his head and looked around. "What did I miss:
"Let's just put it this way," Farrah said. "It's going to be a little while on the blueberry cobbler."
*
After Glinda the Good Witch scattered forgetful dust on the bewildered human diner customers and Sheriff Hamstead checked to make sure everyone was OK, the family got a highspeed police escort back home.
"Granny!" Sabrina shouted as they ran into the house. The old woman called to them from upstairs and the girls raced to find her. They burst into the old woman's bedroom and found her sitting next to Puck, who was in her bed covered in blankets.
Both the girls tried to explain everything that had happened at the same time.
"Lieblings, it's OK!" Granny shouted over them. The girls stopped talking and struggled to catch their breaths.
"Mr. Canis is alive," Daphne said.
"Of course I am," a voice said from the corner. They turned and found an exhausted-looking Mr. Canis sitting in a chair. The old man had never been the picture of health, but now he looked especially bad. His eyes were bloodshot and his face seemed to be hanging onto his head for dear life.