Beyond the Wicked Willow: Chronicles of a Teenage Witchslayer

FOREST OF THE GIANT PINES

Dwarfed amid an ancient stand of enormous Calabrian pines, Frankie and his pals trudged through the underbrush, Ambroggio leading the way. Bookworm kept peering around vigilantly—in the air, over his shoulder, everywhere.

"You guys hear that?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah, it was Beef 's stomach growling," Sam said, with a snicker.

Beef shot her a wry smile. "You're funny, Sam. I see clowns in your future."

Bookworm seemed to be more paranoid by the moment. "Quiet, you guys. I'm serious. I hear something. The Oracle warned us of danger in the clouds."

"He was probably just talking about a thunderstorm," said Frankie reassuringly, as he patted Bookworm on the back.

Bookworm did not take solace in his words though. His eyes darted in the direction of every cracking twig, and squawk of a bird. Sam fell back a couple of steps and observed Bookworm carefully.

"Book, look out!" she bellowed, just inches behind Bookworm's ear.

Bookworm spun around in a wide-eyed panic, and as he did, Sam waylaid him. She quickly threw an arm around his neck and cranked him down into her signature Armstrong headlock. With her free hand she aggressively mussed his hair with the hard tips of her knuckles.

By this time, everyone else had come to a stop and stood watching. Ambroggio looked on irritatedly.

"Ow! Cut it out, Sam," cried Bookworm.

With a mischievous snicker, Sam set him loose. When he stood upright, his cheeks were cherry red, and a large tuft of hair stuck out from the top of his head like a rat's nest. With a deep sigh and a look of familiar exasperation, Bookworm shook his head disapprovingly.

"Sam, I told you, excessive friction can damage follicles and lead to early onset alopecia," he said.

Beef and Frankie tossed each other incredulous looks. Beef asked, "Early onset whata-whata?"

Bookworm looked at Beef and threw up his hands. "Really, Beef?"

Beef snapped, "Don't look at me like I'm the crazy one. I don't understand half the stuff you say."

Bookworm drew out the word sarcastically, "Al-o-pe-ci-a," then waited for a light to go on in Beef 's eyes, but one never did. Finally, he just explained in a huff. "Baldness! Alopecia, is baldness, okay?"

"Whatever, dude," replied Beef, "but, I've seen your father, and he doesn't have a single hair on his head, so I don't think avoiding noogies is going to help you one bit."

Bookworm scowled. "Oh, really? Do you know why my father's bald? Noogies!"

The others, except for Ambroggio, busted up laughing. After a moment, not even Bookworm could keep a straight face. After briefly observing their foolery, Ambroggio began thoroughly scanning the surroundings. They stood upon a somewhat open, level area with good cover beneath the dense canopy of the pines. After a good survey, he unshouldered his carry sack and tossed it onto the ground.

"The sun will soon set," he said. "We'll put down here for the night." Ambroggio pointed around the grounds haphazardly. "Gather some stones and tinder for a fire pit."

As Frankie and his pals went to work, Ambroggio peered out into the woods suspiciously as if he felt an unseen presence lurking in the shadows.

Not too far from the campsite, a large jagged rock jutted from the earth at a slight angle. Growing out from its edge was a twisted old bush full with green leaves and orange berries. Crouching behind it spying on Frankie and the others was the small brown-robed figure who had been trailing them since their arrival in the village square.