chuckled.
Aspen frowned. “But I’ve been here in jeans
before. How did that happen?”
“We don’t know. Sometimes we appear in our
earthly clothing, but most of the time we end up in clothing from
Lanta. That’s why it’s best to get outfits that you’re comfortable
wearing. If you can get something fashionable, then more power to
you.” Ginny’s eyes changed to silver as she smiled.
Feeling better, Aspen walked up to the
counter. Outside, the sky had darkened. Mona moved to the front
door and closed it just as the air began to cool. She turned a key
in the lock and made sure the door was sealed tightly.
Sandy walked up to the large shop windows and
gazed outside. “Hmm, we’d better stay in the store. It’s Lavendula
and the Chancellors will be roaming about outside. I don’t think
you want to mess up your new clothes before you’ve had a chance to
show them off.”
Joining her, Aspen looked out into the
street. Chancellors oozed out like sticky black tar from crevices
between buildings. She shivered involuntarily as their numbers
grew.
“These don’t create the nightmares,” Ginny
said in a low voice, gripping the hanger in her hands tightly as
she spoke.
“Really, why not?”
“They’re here to make sure that we don’t
attack the ones who do make them. The actual nightmare creators are
outside the village. They can cast a nightmare from the hills or
the trees, and even the rivers. These here will do anything to stop
us from attacking their casters.”
Sandy peeled a poster away from the window so
they could see the Chancellors better. They had pale skin and their
eyes were completely black. They wore their familiar black T-shirts
with cargo pants, and heavy boots on their feet.
Suddenly one of the Chancellors spied them
through the window and walked toward the shop. The girls held their
spot behind the window, but shrank back slightly from the creature
as he approached them. He was tall with dark hair cut close to his
skull. A sickly sweet odor permeated through the front door as he
approached them.
Aspen held her breath as he faced them
directly, and started when she realized that the thin sheet of
glass was the only thing separating them. She trembled and glanced
at the stern features of her friends. Ginny stuck her chin out and
smiled menacingly.
The Chancellor curled his lips upward in a
grim parody of a smile, but his mouth had no teeth. A large Adam’s
apple bobbed up and down his long throat. He raised a bony finger
and slowly dragged it in a circle on the glass.
Aspen watched his movements as he traced the
symbol on the smooth surface. After he’d completed the circle, his
eyes widened and he mouthed the word, “Boo.” She jumped as he
tapped the window.
Sandy and Ginny didn’t stir, so she squared
her shoulders and glared at him. He laughed silently but kept his
gaze on her. Even though she was a quivering mass of nerves, she
didn’t look away. She stared back and refused to show fear.
When the Chancellor marched away abruptly,
Aspen breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against Sandy’s back.
“Whew! What was that all about?”
“Just a friendly game of chicken,” Ginny
answered. Her pulse flickered at the base of her neck, and Aspen
realized that the encounter had rattled her just as much. They
watched him until he turned into an alley and was out of sight.
“Well, now that you’ve seen one up close and
personal, would you like a chocolate milk to calm your nerves?”
Sandy smiled.
“Yes, thanks, that would be great.” Aspen let
out a long exhale. The noxious odor had disappeared as soon as he’d
left, and she desperately needed a sugar fix to soothe the
tension.
Mona collected the clothes draped over
Aspen’s arm. “I’ll wrap these up and send them to Leeman’s house.
He told me I could send whatever you wanted there.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I’ve left some flavored milks on the table
in the kitchen at the back. Help yourselves.”
“Mona,
Aspen frowned. “But I’ve been here in jeans
before. How did that happen?”
“We don’t know. Sometimes we appear in our
earthly clothing, but most of the time we end up in clothing from
Lanta. That’s why it’s best to get outfits that you’re comfortable
wearing. If you can get something fashionable, then more power to
you.” Ginny’s eyes changed to silver as she smiled.
Feeling better, Aspen walked up to the
counter. Outside, the sky had darkened. Mona moved to the front
door and closed it just as the air began to cool. She turned a key
in the lock and made sure the door was sealed tightly.
Sandy walked up to the large shop windows and
gazed outside. “Hmm, we’d better stay in the store. It’s Lavendula
and the Chancellors will be roaming about outside. I don’t think
you want to mess up your new clothes before you’ve had a chance to
show them off.”
Joining her, Aspen looked out into the
street. Chancellors oozed out like sticky black tar from crevices
between buildings. She shivered involuntarily as their numbers
grew.
“These don’t create the nightmares,” Ginny
said in a low voice, gripping the hanger in her hands tightly as
she spoke.
“Really, why not?”
“They’re here to make sure that we don’t
attack the ones who do make them. The actual nightmare creators are
outside the village. They can cast a nightmare from the hills or
the trees, and even the rivers. These here will do anything to stop
us from attacking their casters.”
Sandy peeled a poster away from the window so
they could see the Chancellors better. They had pale skin and their
eyes were completely black. They wore their familiar black T-shirts
with cargo pants, and heavy boots on their feet.
Suddenly one of the Chancellors spied them
through the window and walked toward the shop. The girls held their
spot behind the window, but shrank back slightly from the creature
as he approached them. He was tall with dark hair cut close to his
skull. A sickly sweet odor permeated through the front door as he
approached them.
Aspen held her breath as he faced them
directly, and started when she realized that the thin sheet of
glass was the only thing separating them. She trembled and glanced
at the stern features of her friends. Ginny stuck her chin out and
smiled menacingly.
The Chancellor curled his lips upward in a
grim parody of a smile, but his mouth had no teeth. A large Adam’s
apple bobbed up and down his long throat. He raised a bony finger
and slowly dragged it in a circle on the glass.
Aspen watched his movements as he traced the
symbol on the smooth surface. After he’d completed the circle, his
eyes widened and he mouthed the word, “Boo.” She jumped as he
tapped the window.
Sandy and Ginny didn’t stir, so she squared
her shoulders and glared at him. He laughed silently but kept his
gaze on her. Even though she was a quivering mass of nerves, she
didn’t look away. She stared back and refused to show fear.
When the Chancellor marched away abruptly,
Aspen breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against Sandy’s back.
“Whew! What was that all about?”
“Just a friendly game of chicken,” Ginny
answered. Her pulse flickered at the base of her neck, and Aspen
realized that the encounter had rattled her just as much. They
watched him until he turned into an alley and was out of sight.
“Well, now that you’ve seen one up close and
personal, would you like a chocolate milk to calm your nerves?”
Sandy smiled.
“Yes, thanks, that would be great.” Aspen let
out a long exhale. The noxious odor had disappeared as soon as he’d
left, and she desperately needed a sugar fix to soothe the
tension.
Mona collected the clothes draped over
Aspen’s arm. “I’ll wrap these up and send them to Leeman’s house.
He told me I could send whatever you wanted there.”
“Thank you so much.”
“I’ve left some flavored milks on the table
in the kitchen at the back. Help yourselves.”
“Mona,
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