"You're being silly."
"No, I'm not," the little girl said a bit too loudly. "I saw your face when you used the wand. It was the same face you had when you used the shoes."
"What face is that?"
"You looked like you wanted to hurt someone," Daphne said.
"No, what I looked like is someone who isn't afraid anymore," Sabrina said. "Daphne, aren't you sick to death of running all the time?"
"The first thing I learned in Ms. White's self-defense class is that there are things that you stand and fight and there are things that you run from. A smart warrior knows the difference. You used to know the difference."
"You know, when I woke up in the hospital you claimed that I didn't include you in things anymore," Sabrina complained. "Did you ever think that the reason is because everything I do is wrong in your eyes?'
"We are still a team," Daphne said. "And you are still wrong. You're getting add… add… what's that word Granny said earlier?"
"Addicted?"
"Yes, addicted."
"Whatever."
"Don't you 'whatever' me!"
They sat in silence and eventually Daphne got up from her chair. "I'm going to bed."
"Fine," Sabrina said, still angry at her sister's accusation.
"Be careful, Sabrina," Daphne whispered and she stepped out of the room.
*
A loud, raspy breath woke Sabrina from her sleep. The room was dark and a girlish giggle sent Sabrina dashing to the light switch. She flipped it on and realized at once that she wasn't in her grandmother's room anymore. She was in her own bed and standing by it was the Jabberwocky and Red Riding Hood. Sabrina reached into her pocket and took out the Wand of Merlin. She aimed it at the monster and thought about big bolts of lightning rocking the sky.
"How did you get in here?" she asked.
The little girl laughed. "Silly."
"Where are my parents?" Sabrina demanded, eyeing Daphne. She was sound asleep and snoring heavily. Daphne could sleep through a war.
"They're safe. I've got my grandmother now and my doggy."
"You lie!"
The little girl giggled.
"Granny!"
Sabrina shouted, but the old woman didn't reply.
"Mr. Canis!"There was no sound.
"All I need is one more member of my family before we can play house. I need a little sister," Red Riding Hood said. Sabrina gasped and the Jabberwocky took a step toward Daphne's slumbering body.
"No!" Sabrina cried and a flash of light exploded through the window. It hit the Jabberwocky in the back and knocked it to its knees.
"Stop!" Red Riding Hood cried. "You'll kill my kitty!"
Sabrina didn't care. She scampered out of bed as another bolt hit the downed beast. It screeched in pain. Dozens more blasts lit up the room. The Jabberwocky cried out as each one fried it with white hot light. To Sabrina, the cries sounded like pleas for mercy, but she wouldn't listen. She wanted this thing dead and soon she got her wish. The monster slumped to the ground, gasped, and was still.
Red Riding Hood rushed to the Jabberwocky's body and cried in despair.
"You killed her!"
Sabrina smiled in triumph. She walked over to get a better view, but was surprised to find the monster was no longer there. Its massive, smoldering carcass had been replaced with the body of a young girl with blonde hair. Stunned, Sabrina dropped to her knees to see the girl's face. She brushed away the hair and gasped. "It's me!"
Sabrina turned to the mirror in her room and nearly screamed when she saw her reflection. Her legs were gone, replaced with hulking clawed feet. She looked down at them and noticed that she also had a long reptilian tail. It swung around the room uncontrollably, destroying the little desk and dresser. Her arms had become a scaly mass of muscles and tendons with razor sharp talons on her fingertips. She screamed for someone to help her but no one came. She was turning into the Jabberwocky. She was becoming a monster and no one could help.
"They tried to warn you," Red Riding Hood said. She laughed maniacally as she put a huge leash around Sabrina's neck. "Come on, kitty. Let's play."
"Sabrina!" a voice shouted. She felt someone's hand gently shaking her shoulder. She looked over and saw Granny Relda's concerned face.
"You were having a nightmare," she said.
Sabrina looked down at her body. It was back to normal. She had had another of her awful dreams. "Are you OK?" her grandmother asked. Sabrina nodded.
"Well, put on something warm. Your uncle and I have discovered who the hag of the hills is," Granny Relda said. "Good! Where's Uncle Jake?" Sabrina asked as she got up. "He's downstairs having a drink," the old woman said. "A drink? Why?"
"To calm his nerves, I suppose. He's not too excited about who has the last piece of the Vorpal blade."
"I don't understand," Sabrina said. "Who's got the last piece?"
"The witch," Granny said. "The one they call Baba Yaga."
Chapter 9