The Monster Hero

Chapter 32 - Map

"This is where we leave the scooters. The path is pretty tangled from here on out," Elliott says.

I roll my eyes.

"Elliott, did you even read the instruction manual?" I ask.

"There's an instruction manual?" Elliott asks.

I roll my eyes.

"I ask that, because there is a shrink code."

I enter the code.

"What's the code?" Elliott asks.

"Look it up in your manual. It's different for every scooter."

I pull the manual up for Elliott.

"Is your scooter model similar to ours?" I ask Abby.

She nods. I look up her code and enter it for her.

"Red, it didn't work for mine. It didn't work for yours either," Elliott says.

I turn around.

"Did you press the shrink button after you put the code in?" I ask.

Elliott shakes his head and turns back to the scooter. Before I press the shrink button, I take my backpack out of the compartment and put it on. Elliott does, too. So does Abby. I pick Fred up from inside the side car and take off his helmet. Then, I press the button. I put the shrunken scooter in my jean shorts pocket.

"You know, your shirt matches your hair," Elliott says.

"Yours doesn't," I say.

Elliott's shirt is gray. He puts his scooter in his jean pocket. Abby puts hers in a apron pocket. I put Fred down. We walk into the tangles of vines and branches.

"Ow!"

I turn. Fred is on the ground with his foot is stuck in a loop of vines. I go back to help him. I hold his hand as we continue.

"Elliott, are you sure this is the right way?" I ask.

"The map says to go this way," Elliott answers.

"Help!" Abby yells from behind.

I turn to find her stuck in quicksand. Fred stands off to the side, while I pull on one of Abby's arms and Elliott pulls on the other. It doesn't work.

I get a branch and put it on a rock, like a lever. I tell Fred to get more rocks and put them on the end. Abby grabs the end that is hanging over the quicksand. Fred starts putting the rocks on the end. We get her out a few minutes later.

"Go on without me. I'll catch up," She says.

I look at Elliott. He nods. I motion for Fred to come over. He runs over to me. We continue following the map. I look back one more time at Abby. She smiles weakly and waves us on. I turn back to Elliott.

"Bye-Bye, Abby," Fred says.

I pull his hand. We go on, without any idea of what would happen.