Chaos Descends

“No ejector seats either,” replied Hugo. “Look, we’ll have plenty of time to—”

“But it has Desiccators in the bumper, right?” asked Nils, undeterred. He pushed his arm into the car. “I love gadgets. Have I shown you my souvenir cufflinks? I wanted something really explosive for my trip and—”

“Dad,” said Finn as the dot passed right by them, hidden by parked cars and Nils’s big head. Hugo pushed open the door, practically shoving Nils out of the way. Finn got out of his side of the car, the scanner held low under his hooded jacket. Blipblipblip. Blip. Blip.

“He’s gone down the alleyway to our one o’clock,” said Hugo.

“What’s at one o’clock?” asked Nils, standing in his way. “Can I come?”

“Nils,” said Hugo. “Do you want to know a Darkmouth secret?”

Nils nodded with the enthusiasm of a toddler.

“That postbox over there is a spring-loaded Legend trap. You should go and have a look. But only look. One touch and you might lose a foot.”

“Oh wow.” Nils bounded away.

Hugo grabbed the Desiccator, tucked it tight under his armpit. “I’ll take this alleyway, you take that one just behind us. They meet at a dead end. There’s nowhere for him to go.”

Finn jogged back to the alley known as the Gutted Narrows, eye on the scanner, watching the Hogboon move along the curve between them, just ahead out of sight. Each time he thought he might glimpse Broonie, the creature scuttled on a little further, before stopping at the very corner where the two laneways met.

Finn rejoined his father there, at a fruit and veg shop at the elbow of the two paths. On one side of the door was a tall rack of potatoes and onions. On the other, boxes of apples and melons. And, in the middle, the door inside which they knew would be a cowering Hogboon.

“It’s quiet,” whispered Finn.

“Not for much longer,” replied his father.

They burst in, Desiccators high, ready to fire, Hugo shouting, “Right, you little scut, it’s bedtime!”

The shopkeeper shrieked and dropped a lettuce.

Kenzo’s rabbit hopped over to where the vegetable lay and nibbled on its leaves. Finn bent down. On the animal’s neck was a locket with a combination lock on it.

Finn remembered loosening it when it was on Broonie’s neck, but now wasn’t entirely sure he’d locked it properly afterwards.

“Any idea how Broonie got out of that lock?” Hugo asked.

“No clue,” said Finn.

He wanted to hide now. From responsibility. From everything. He felt like his face might burn up with guilt.