right, Max,” said Burly, “this is fun, everybody’s so friendly.”
“It is pretty cool isn’t it?” said Max. “I don’t think I’ve ever collected so much candy, I’ll have to bring you guys every year. Now Meg, we’ve got to the end of the street and a deal’s a deal, you have to tell us where you live.”
Meg’s eyes took on a determined look. “I don’t want to go home and you can’t make me I love Burly and I’m going to live with him forever.”
“Could have told you that was coming,” remarked Grum.
“You must tell us where you live Meg, your parents will be worried about you. If you like I can give you a piggy back home, what about that?” said Burly.
“I want a piggy back ride but I’m not going home.” Meg folded her arms.
“Are all human girls like this?” asked Grum. “She’s worse than my brothers.”
“We’ve got to take her home,” said Max, worried, “there could be people out searching for her and I really don’t want to get into any sort of trouble especially with you guys around.”
“We could always ask Mike for help,” suggested Burly. “He’s pretty good at this sort of thing.” Mike was a friend of theirs who lived in the Great Forest. He was an angel and a lot of his time was spent getting Burly and Grum out of trouble.
“I should think he’s pretty busy, it being Halloween and all,” said Max. “I mean, he’s one of the good guys and is probably out fighting zombies and stuff.”
“This is a much bigger emergency than zombies,” said Grum. “We need to get rid of her and then get something to eat, I’m starving.”
“Yeah, I’m hungry too,” said Max. “I agree, let’s get Mike here, he’ll make sure she gets home safely and then we can start eating some of this candy.” He rattled his bucket.
Burly nodded and looked down. Meg was gone. He looked around wildly.
“Well that solves a problem,” said Grum. “Come on, we can get some grub now.”
“We can’t leave a little girl out all alone in the dark!” yelled Burly still anxiously scanning the street.
Max sighed heavily. “Yeah, you’re right, we’d better find her, come on, she can’t have gone far. Burly, you’re good at tracking – start sniffing.”
“He doesn’t have to, I can just see her – she went back the way we came,” said Grum. “Look – she’s going up that garden path – can you see?”
Max and Burly followed Grum’s gaze and sure enough there was Meg making her way towards a large dark house.
“Oh no - that’s the house where the man was mean to her!” said Burly. “Why’s she going back? Come on you two!” He started running along the street with Max and Grum right behind him.
“Slow down Burly! I’m dropping my candy!” yelled Max but Burly wasn’t stopping for anything let alone some candy because ahead of him he could see that the door of the house had opened. A tall figure appeared in the doorway and looked down at Meg. Meg walked inside the house.
“She’s in the house!” puffed a panicked Burly.
“Uh oh, that can’t be good,” said Max.
“At last, a bit of excitement!” said Grum.
They arrived at the entrance to the house. Max opened the gate and they walked up to the door.
“Go on,” said Grum, “knock.”
Max knocked on the door. There was no reply. He knocked again. No reply. “What do we do now?” he said. “We can’t exactly break the door down.”
“Oh really?” said Burly. “Just watch.” He reared up on his hindquarters and brought his weight down on the door – just as it opened. He thudded to the ground and a dust storm of talcum powder billowed up and around filling the night air.
“Wassup dudes?” said a voice.
Burly scrambled to his paws. Max and Grum were coughing and trying to waft away the clouds of talcum powder.
“Where is she!” demanded Burly. “Where’s Meg? What have you done with her?” The haze of powder cleared and he could see he was talking to a young man wearing a black t-shirt and torn jeans. He was tall and thin with shoulder length hair that looked as though it hadn’t been washed in a while.
“Hey, be cool man, chill.” The young man seemed amused, relaxed. “She dropped her fairy glitter on the path and came back to collect it – no big deal y’know.”
Burly stared at the young man before him, his face was smiling and friendly but there was something about him that wasn’t quite right. He sniffed the air. The man didn’t smell of anything. He growled deep in his throat.
“Hey dude! You’re a real bear!” said the young man delighted.
Grum coughed and the man looked down at him. “Dude,” he said, “you’re not human either - wow, this is way cool. Hey, I’m Frank by the way.”
Grum took a large hank of Burly’s fur and tugged hard. “We need to talk,” he said.
“No problemo, you guys take your time,” Frank held up his hands.
“In private,” added Grum. Max, Grum and Burly went back to the garden gate and huddled. “I don’t know what he is,” said Grum, “but he’s not human.”
Max was surprised at this news and looked back at Frank. Frank gave a little wave. “He looks okay,” said Max.
“He doesn’t smell, there’s no scent at all and my nose is never wrong,” said Burly. “I agree with Grum, he’s not human - he’s not anything, I’m not even sure he’s alive.”
“Whoah,” breathed Max, “that is so cool.”
“What is it with you humans?” asked Grum tetchily. “Why would you think that’s cool?”
“We’re open minded,” declared Max. “I wouldn’t be friends with you two otherwise would I?”
“This is different,” said Burly, “he’s ‘wrong’, I told you he’s not anything at all – we’ve got to get Meg.”
“Well come on then,” said Grum, “let’s stop talking and go get her.”
They strode determinedly back up the garden path. Frank was leaning against the door frame, arms folded, smiling. “Hey non-human dudes,” he said.
“I’m human,” said Max.
Frank looked him up and down. “Well so you are,” he said. Hairs rose on the back of Max’s neck and he suddenly wished he hadn’t drawn attention to himself.
“We want our friend Meg,” said Burly.
“Hey man, chill out, she’s in the kitchen eating some cookies – come on in and join her.”
“Why did you call her ugly?” asked Burly.
“Oh,” said Frank, “so that’s why you guys are uptight? Hey, I would never hurt a little girl’s feelings – that would be my dad she met – he is so uncool and gets grumpy this time of year.”
“Your father?” asked Burly.
“Yeah, but he’s out somewhere y’know hanging around. Look, why don’t you guys come on in? Don’t often get visitors.”
“Wonder why?” muttered Burly under his breath as he pushed forward and stepped into the house. Grum and Max followed close behind.
“Why haven’t you got any lights on?” asked Max.
“Don’t need ‘em little dude,” replied Frank.
“Why?” Max’s voice came out as a squeak but before Frank could answer Burly stood up and looked around.
“Meg!” he shouted. “Are you there?”
“Burly!” shouted back Meg’s voice followed by the pattering of small feet. Within seconds Meg had wrapped her arms around Burly. He sniffed her with his large snout, she smelt of cookies.
“Meg, are you okay?” he asked.
“I remembered where I lost my glitter so I came back and got it I was so lucky that nasty man wasn’t in but Frank was and he gave me cookies and my glitter I’ve had a really nice time.”
“You should not go into stranger’s houses,” said Max sternly. “I’m sure your parents have told you that. Do you know how worried we were?”
Meg’s chin wobbled. “I’m sorry please don’t tell them I
didn’t mean to be naughty.”
Burly frowned. “Meg,” he said, “we are taking you home and this time you’re going to tell us where you live do you understand?”
Meg nodded. “I’m sorry Burly please don’t be mad look I got my glitter back now I can do spells and stuff.” She gave a little bottle filled with sparkling glitter a quick shake.
“Come on,” said Max, “let’s get out of here.” They turned to go. Frank stood in the doorway.
“Hey dudes,” he said.
“We’re leaving,” said Burly.
Frank nodded, he looked sad. “Yeah dudes, I know, no one wants to stay here.”
Meg trotted over and took his hand. “Burly and Grum and Max are taking me home why don’t you come as well we can get some more candy on the way it’ll be fun honest.”
Frank gave a small smile. “Thanks little dudette, but I don’t think the guys are keen.”
Meg looked at Burly and Grum. “You don’t mind do you I mean it is Halloween and stuff and I’ll be good if you let him come I promise he’s really nice you know honestly.”
Burly gave Frank a straight look. “You know our secrets now you tell us yours. Why don’t you smell of anything?”
Frank looked down at the floor. “Well dude, it’s like this, I’m….” there was a squeaking sort of noise and then pouf, he was gone. In front of them a little bat flapped up and down in the air. It looked at them with sad black eyes.
Max’s eyes shone. “Whoah, man, that is so cool! You’re a bat, that is brilliant!”
“Frank the bat,” said Grum. “Who’d have thought? Well, I guess that’s alright with me.”
“Whoah, a real vampire living here in town,” continued Max completely mesmerised.
“His