were gatekeepers, then there was a gate—a way out of this place. It was as if someone had slipped him a note or whispered a secret into his ear. The gatekeepers guarded the wall. But they were just another obstacle, that was all. Jack leaned back and propped his feet upon a log, trying to shake out the nervous tension that had crept into his body.
“The Death Wranglers guard the only way out of the forest.”
“The wall,” Runt mumbled, his voice quivering.
“That’s right. The wall is the only way out, and it’s heavily patrolled. No one gets through the wall alive.”
Jack remembered the night he arrived in the forest and how Mussini passed right through. He must be in tight with the Death Wranglers. If Mussini could travel back and forth, then so could he.
“But you cross through the wall,” Jack said, deciding to give the bear a poke.
“You are correct. I made a deal with the Death Wranglers to pass through the gate.” Mussini brushed his palms together, and when he did, Jack saw that they were blackened from the fire.
“What kind of deal? What did you trade them?” Jack asked.
“I traded them a magical gift. A special something just for them.”
“Like what?”
“That’s enough,” Jabber said, kicking the log that Jack was sitting on.
“A smart boy like you should know when to be very careful, Jack. The Death Wranglers don’t show mercy,” Mussini said.
“No mercy,” Runt whispered.
“But don’t fear the forest, my children. You are always safe with me around,” Mussini said.
Jabber stood and corralled the kids toward their tents. “Time for bed.”
Safe like a fly in a spider’s web, Jack thought as he made his way to the tent with the other boys. Jack slept in the tent with Boxer, Runt, and T-Ray. Jabber and Violet each slept in their own tents, and Mussini had his own tent, though the canvas walls did little to muffle the volcanic snores. After hearing the story, everyone was a bit jumpy. Boxer took the lantern and inspected the grounds.
“No Death Wranglers or animal tracks. No nothing,” Boxer said as Runt pulled on his sleeve.
“Check my hammock for spiders, will ya?”
“All clear,” Boxer said, after scanning Runt’s hammock with the lantern.
“A kid could get scared here. Not me, but you could,” Runt said to Jack, holding on to Boxer’s arm. “Mussini and Boxer keep us safe.”
T-Ray climbed up into the hammock above Jack. Runt leaped into his hammock and let one of his legs dangle over the edge.
“Let’s tell Jack the rules of the top hammock,” Boxer said.
“No!” Runt squealed.
Jack had the feeling the rules were made specifically for Runt.
“Rule number one: No farting in the top hammock,” Boxer said. He had the dubious honor of sleeping in the hammock under Runt.
“It’s too late. Too late!” Runt yelled as a cacophony of toots erupted from above. Boxer snatched his blanket up over his face and yelled, “Shields up!”
T-Ray and Jack followed Boxer’s lead and pulled their blankets up over their noses to avoid the stench of Runt’s farts.
“Rule number two: No monkey swinging,” Boxer said, grabbing ahold of Runt’s leg to still it after he’d gained momentum from swinging it.
“Rule number three: No peeing from the top hammock. Go outside to pee.”
“Gross. Runt, tell me you didn’t do it,” Jack said, laughing.
“I thought I could make it out the flap without climbing down,” Runt said.
“Earthquake!” Boxer yelled as he lifted his feet and bounced Runt around in a simulated earthquake.
“Rule number four,” Runt yelled, clutching the edge of his hammock for dear life. “No kicking from the bottom hammock.”
“Boxer, you should get hazard pay for sleeping under Runt,” T-Ray said as he extinguished the lantern, casting the tent into shadows.
“It’s not so bad,” Boxer said.
Jack didn’t sleep. He waited all night while one by one the others drifted off. He was familiar with the sound a
“The Death Wranglers guard the only way out of the forest.”
“The wall,” Runt mumbled, his voice quivering.
“That’s right. The wall is the only way out, and it’s heavily patrolled. No one gets through the wall alive.”
Jack remembered the night he arrived in the forest and how Mussini passed right through. He must be in tight with the Death Wranglers. If Mussini could travel back and forth, then so could he.
“But you cross through the wall,” Jack said, deciding to give the bear a poke.
“You are correct. I made a deal with the Death Wranglers to pass through the gate.” Mussini brushed his palms together, and when he did, Jack saw that they were blackened from the fire.
“What kind of deal? What did you trade them?” Jack asked.
“I traded them a magical gift. A special something just for them.”
“Like what?”
“That’s enough,” Jabber said, kicking the log that Jack was sitting on.
“A smart boy like you should know when to be very careful, Jack. The Death Wranglers don’t show mercy,” Mussini said.
“No mercy,” Runt whispered.
“But don’t fear the forest, my children. You are always safe with me around,” Mussini said.
Jabber stood and corralled the kids toward their tents. “Time for bed.”
Safe like a fly in a spider’s web, Jack thought as he made his way to the tent with the other boys. Jack slept in the tent with Boxer, Runt, and T-Ray. Jabber and Violet each slept in their own tents, and Mussini had his own tent, though the canvas walls did little to muffle the volcanic snores. After hearing the story, everyone was a bit jumpy. Boxer took the lantern and inspected the grounds.
“No Death Wranglers or animal tracks. No nothing,” Boxer said as Runt pulled on his sleeve.
“Check my hammock for spiders, will ya?”
“All clear,” Boxer said, after scanning Runt’s hammock with the lantern.
“A kid could get scared here. Not me, but you could,” Runt said to Jack, holding on to Boxer’s arm. “Mussini and Boxer keep us safe.”
T-Ray climbed up into the hammock above Jack. Runt leaped into his hammock and let one of his legs dangle over the edge.
“Let’s tell Jack the rules of the top hammock,” Boxer said.
“No!” Runt squealed.
Jack had the feeling the rules were made specifically for Runt.
“Rule number one: No farting in the top hammock,” Boxer said. He had the dubious honor of sleeping in the hammock under Runt.
“It’s too late. Too late!” Runt yelled as a cacophony of toots erupted from above. Boxer snatched his blanket up over his face and yelled, “Shields up!”
T-Ray and Jack followed Boxer’s lead and pulled their blankets up over their noses to avoid the stench of Runt’s farts.
“Rule number two: No monkey swinging,” Boxer said, grabbing ahold of Runt’s leg to still it after he’d gained momentum from swinging it.
“Rule number three: No peeing from the top hammock. Go outside to pee.”
“Gross. Runt, tell me you didn’t do it,” Jack said, laughing.
“I thought I could make it out the flap without climbing down,” Runt said.
“Earthquake!” Boxer yelled as he lifted his feet and bounced Runt around in a simulated earthquake.
“Rule number four,” Runt yelled, clutching the edge of his hammock for dear life. “No kicking from the bottom hammock.”
“Boxer, you should get hazard pay for sleeping under Runt,” T-Ray said as he extinguished the lantern, casting the tent into shadows.
“It’s not so bad,” Boxer said.
Jack didn’t sleep. He waited all night while one by one the others drifted off. He was familiar with the sound a
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