The giant roared again and leaped forward, only to be met with another painful shock. This one sent him down to one knee. He pulled himself back up to his feet, but Pinocchio was ready with another blast.
“We have to help,” Daphne said. She scooped up a rock and rushed at the boy. Puck got out his wooden sword and followed. Sabrina clenched her fists and smiled. It had been a long time since she’d had a chance to use them, and she couldn’t think of a better punching bag. While Pinocchio was distracted by the giant, the three children set on him, kicking and scratching. Puck smacked him in the mouth with his sword. Daphne kicked him in the shins. Sabrina punched and slapped. The combined assault forced the little boy to stop his attack on the giant and back away. When he could break free, he rushed into the woods and the children gave chase. They found him in a clearing where a magic door had materialized. Pinocchio opened it and turned to face his pursuers.
“It would be ill-advised for you miscreants to follow me,” the boy said. “I have no qualms about hurting you.”
“What did he say?” Puck asked.
“Who knows?” Daphne replied.
“Philistines!” Pinocchio cried, and then he stepped into the doorway and vanished. A moment later, the door disappeared as well.
“What does ‘Philistines’ mean?” Daphne asked.
Sabrina shrugged. “My best guess is he’s calling us morons.”
“I want to punch some of those big words right down his mouth,” Puck said.
“I’m very worried you won’t get your chance,” Sabrina said. “Pinocchio just took our door. We may be stuck here.”
“No problem,” Daphne said as she removed the ball of magic yarn from her pocket. “We still have this.” She leaned over and whispered something into the yarn, but it sat motionless in her hand. “It’s not working.”
“Because there isn’t a door to find,” Sabrina said. “It can’t direct us someplace that doesn’t exist.”
“Oohg want to say thanks,” the giant interrupted. “You make Oohg happy.”
“Happy? How?” Daphne wanted to know.
“Oohg stomp through story many times. Each time Jack kill Oohg. This time, Oohg survive.”
Sabrina frowned. “I’m afraid the Editor will come and fix that.”
“Editor can try. Until then, Oohg going to enjoy new ending. Also, Oohg very honored to take part in celebration.”
“Huh?”
“Meet my best man,” Puck said, and then turned to the giant. “See you at the church, pal.”
The giant nodded respectfully and ran into the woods. Trees were uprooted as they caught in his boots and were pulverized into mash. And then he was gone.
“Daphne miss Oohg,” the little girl said. “Hmmm, Oohg Grimm . . .”
Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Mom would love that.”
“I think she would! Oohg Grimm is Pucktastic.”
“Hey, you think the Editor is sending revisers?” Puck asked.
Sabrina nodded. “I’m sure he is. Our new boss doesn’t seem to have a problem erasing his employees.”
They wandered into the woods until they found a pear tree. Puck shook it and dozens of plump, juicy treats fell around them. There was a clear pond only steps away, so the children washed the fruit and then sat under the tree for a feast. It was good to have something in their bellies. Sabrina, however, couldn’t enjoy the snack because she was busy forcing down the panic rising in her throat. Her thoughts were haunted by images of little pink monsters pouring into the story and eating everything in sight. Without an escape door, there would be nowhere to run when the revisers came. All they could do was wait for the end.
“You two get some rest,” Sabrina said. “I’ll take the first watch.”
Puck and Daphne didn’t argue. They lay down and soon both were snoring. Sabrina looked down at them. When the revisers came, she wouldn’t wake them. Better to die in their sleep, she thought.
To occupy herself, she found some smooth, flat stones by the pond and practiced skipping them along the surface of the water. She had seen people skipping stones on TV, but there was little opportunity to learn such a skill in Manhattan. Sure, she lived on an island bordered by a river and the ocean, but almost every square inch of land was paved.
Still, after some effort, she managed to get one to skip three times before it sank into oblivion. She searched the shore for more stones, collecting them in her pockets and in the belly of her shirt. When she’d had enough, she turned back to the pond only to see something unexpected rising from it. There was a creature in the water—no, better to say it was a creature made from the water. Though it was the shape of a man, it was made entirely of liquid. Leaves and pebbles swirled around in its body as it raced across the pond’s surface toward her.
Sabrina was dumbfounded. Before she knew what was happening, its cold, wet hands were around her throat, squeezing tight. She fell back, spilling her stones at her feet and landing hard on the muddy ground. She tried to call out, but the creature’s watery hands were so strong they cut off her ability to speak and breathe.