Henry Rider: Clown Hunter

Chapter Nine

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Chapter Nine

"Seriously, Henry, what's Feverdream Field?" Ethan demanded.

School was over, and we'd just gotten off the IW at Mauldibamm. I could have warped us here since I still had the Cube, but after the close call we'd had yesterday at Fun Lane I didn't feel like pushing my luck again.

"Your initiation into my group of friends," I answered.

"I picked up that much myself," he said flatly. "But what is it?"

"If I told you, that would ruin the surprise."

As we made our way down the streets, we passed jugglers and unicycle riders, pie shops that advertised edibility and throwability, fake magic shops, real magic shops, and a Taco Bell. Have I mentioned just how much I love Mauldibamm? It's so bright and colorful, and something interesting is always happening no matter where you look. Not like the human world, where "interesting" usually means somebody died. I came here at least a couple times a week, either to see the council or McGus, but I never got tired of it. I'd decided years ago that I was going to move here as soon as I was old enough.

"And is that what you want?" Ethan asked coldly, ignoring the fish slapping demonstration going on beside him. "For us to be friends?"

I shrugged. "Why not? If we're going to be stuck together, it'd be nice if we weren't always at each other's throats."

"You don't act like you want to be friends."

"Yeah, I know. You haven't exactly been friend material, know what I mean? Might want to work on that."

His face turned red. "You're the one who...hey, come back!"

I'd sprinted ahead of him, making him chase after me. Our destination was an old brick house at the very edge of town, where visitors were rare and neighbors were mythical. "Doorbell Broken! Go Away!" declared the sign hanging from the front door. Amidst Mauldibamm's color and excitement, this boring old place stuck out like a piece of steamed broccoli on a bright pink birthday cake.

Now, manners and professional etiquette demanded that I treat another person's property with respect. Whoever lived here clearly didn't appreciate unexpected company. The right thing to do would be to knock gently and let the homeowner answer the door at his own pace.

So I kicked the door open.

"LUUUCYYYY, I'M HOOOOME!" I yelled.

A groan came from inside. "I knew I was having too nice a day for you not to show up and ruin it."

"You told me to come over after school," I said, leading Ethan inside, "and here I am. Funny how that works, isn't it?"

I made my way down the hall with Ethan right behind me. The place smelled like old man and cigarettes, and the dusty wooden floors probably hadn't seen a mop since before I was born. McGus' grunts echoed through the empty hallways, and I followed them to his training room.

"What in the world is he doing?" Ethan asked.

"Shh," I hissed. "Just watch!"

McGus was standing in the center of the room, surrounded by wooden dummies. In his hands he held a pair of hammers that were small enough to swing quickly, but still heavy enough to do some serious damage. The dummies moved on their own, hooked up to an elaborate web of ropes and pulleys strung around the ceiling. He was covered in sweat and breathing hard, but when one dummy came forward, he still moved like cranky green lightning. He spun, knocking the dummy's head clean off its shoulders, before whirling back around to attack the one coming up behind him. One hammer blocked the wild flail of the dummy's arm, and the other smashed its leg to splinters. It toppled over, and McGus shoved it into the one behind it, knocking them both down. That left two still standing. He slammed both hammers at once into another's chest, shattering it. Meanwhile, the final dummy snuck up behind him...