CURLY TO THE RESCUE
“Okay, Dad,” crowed Adam to his father, “here’s the deal. I suckered Harold J. Pumpernickel into helping me on the science fair competition.”
“Pumpernickel?” said his father, outraged. “His father’s a garbage truck driver. I don’t want you associating with people like that.”
“I know, I know, but the little twerp’s got brains — enough brains to take down Freddy Freako. And even better, I got that idiot Funkhouser to bet on the competition.”
Under the Invisibrella, Freddy balled up his fists at this insult.
“Our science project is going to be a huge volcano that we’re going to build in the vacant lot next to the Patty Cakes,” proclaimed Adam proudly.
“A volcano!” exclaimed Stewie Spanker.
“Yep. A volcano. Harold says he can make it work just like the real thing, only when it erupts it’ll be some goopy stuff coming out instead of lava.”
Stewie jumped out of his chair. “Erupts! But it’ll hit the Patty Cakes.”
Adam laughed. “Nope, that’s the brilliant part. Harold can make the goop go in any direction he wants with some thingamajig he’s putting in. So it’ll cream the Burger Dump instead. It gets covered with four feet of sticky goop and they’re out of business. On top of that, I win the competition, and Funky has to come work at the Patty Cakes for a month, where I can make his life miserable.”
“But the Pumpernickels are honest people with integrity, so Harold might tell somebody the truth — the dirty, stinking rat.”
“He doesn’t know about my plan. I’m going to sneak in when the volcano’s finished and aim it at the Burger Dump, and then I’ll blame it all on Harold because he’ll be doing all the work on it. See, it’s perfect.”
His father stared at him for a long moment and then said, “That is the most dirty, underhanded, despicable plan I’ve ever heard.” He paused and wiped away a tear. “I love it, son.”
Freddy was getting madder and madder as he listened. Then he felt something poking him on the shoulder. It was Howie; he was pointing across the room.
Freddy didn’t understand what the big deal was. All he could see was himself and Howie in the reflection of the mirror.
Freddy’s eyes popped. THEIR REFLECTION!
If the Spankers simply looked in their direction, they were dead. Freddy and Howie stood as quietly as they could and held their breath.
Then something even worse happened. The Invisibrella started turning different colors. The Spankers would see that any second. Howie gulped and started to put a cheese cube in his mouth.
Freddy caught his breath as something grabbed him and lifted him off the floor. The Invisibrella fell, but before it hit the floor it was snatched up too. Freddy and Howie were yanked across the room and through the trapdoor, which slammed shut behind them.
“What was that?” yelled Adam Spanker, looking around the room suspiciously. He walked over to where Freddy and Howie had been standing and looked around. Then on the floor he saw something and picked it up. It was Howie’s cheese cube. Adam started thinking hard — at least hard for him — and then smiled wickedly.
Down in the underground passageway Curly put Howie and Freddy down after using his long arms to zip them to safety.
“Wow, Curly, you saved our butts,” said a breathless Freddy.
“Yeah, I thought we were goners for sure,” added Howie.
“Gladlcouldhelp,” mumbled Curly.
Theodore quickly told the boys about the Invisibrella’s bug.
“Figures. My Dad always has lots of bugs to work out But it was worth it, because now I know Spanker’s entire plan. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
They ran back down the passageway, turned a corner, and ran smack into Nancy, her hair wrapped in a black scarf. She undid the scarf and her wild hair shot out. “Look familiar?” she snapped.
Freddy had to cough back a laugh. “Why, Nanny Boo-Boo, I’ve never seen you look so beautiful.”
“Don’t ever fall asleep, Freddy Funkhouser, or you might wake up with no hair at all. Or a head, even.”
“You don’t scare me.”
She grabbed the Invisibrella out of Curly’s hands. “Wait’ll I tell Dad you were using his stuff.” She stopped and demanded, “Okay, I want to know exactly what you and your gang of freaks have been doing down here.”
“I don’t have to tell you anything,” answered Freddy hotly.
“Fine, then you can tell Dad after I tell on you.”
Si stepped forward, “Hey, kiddo, we don’t have to do anything hasty like that. What say we just keep it on the QT?”
Nancy stared at him with contempt. “Look, you double-headed dum-dum, I’m not keeping anything on the QT.”
Theodore said in a gracious voice, “Young lady, it’s easy to see that you are a person of uncommon intelligence and wit, with a strong sense of style and theatricality.”
“Well, at least one of you has taste,” she said, glaring at Freddy.
“I believe Freddy wanted to keep this a secret because he didn’t want to spoil the surprise.”
“Surprise, what surprise?” she said.
“Yeah, what surprise?” said Freddy before Theodore kicked him in the shin.
Theodore continued, “Quite by accident we stumbled upon this secret area and Freddy thought what a wonderful idea it would be to turn it into an extension of the Burger Castle. We could have seating down here, little rides for the children, perhaps a haunted mansion area with thrills and scary things popping out, and a stage where plays could be produced.”
“A stage! For plays!” said Nancy. “I don’t believe it!”
“It’s quite true,” said Theodore. “And Freddy was just now saying that it would be perfect for someone with your talents to oversee such an operation, including perhaps acting in several of the productions. Despite what you might think, he is very well aware of your talent as an actress.” Theodore added diplomatically, “He’s told us many times exactly what he thinks of you.”
Nancy stared at Freddy in disbelief. “Really?”
“Absolutely,” said Theodore. “In fact, we’re in the process of drawing up the plans to build it. I think you’ll be very pleased with the result.”
Nancy gave her brother a hug and then started bawling all over his shirt. “Freddy, that’s the most wonderful thing anyone’s ever done for me. I even forgive you for what you did to my hair. I don’t know what to say, you adorable little cutie-pie,” she gushed between sobs.
“Yeah, me either,” Freddy said, shooting a nasty look at Theodore.
“I won’t let you down, Freddy,” she said. “I’m going to go and start writing up some scripts and picking out some costumes. Oh, I’ve got so much to do.” She hurried away.
Freddy said, “Thanks, Theodore; that was actually a pretty good idea. Until she finds out it’s all a lie, and then I’m dead.”
“Sorry, Freddy, it’s the best I could do at the moment.”
“Well, let’s get back to the lab and start planning how we’re going to turn the tables on Adam.”
They headed back down the passageway, and then Freddy stopped dead. There was the door again that led to the room where he had seen Silas Finklebean floating in the air. And the door was wide open.
“Uh, guys,” he began.
“Don’t even think it, Freddy,” squeaked Ziggy.
“But I saw Silas Finklebean in that room. I don’t know if he was a ghost or not, but he was there.” Freddy looked at Theodore. “What do you think?”
“I think that there’s something behind that door that needs to be investigated.”
Freddy drew a deep breath. “Okay, everybody, let’s go.” They all started forward except Wally, who wasn’t moving. They looked back at him.
The purple Fry said sheepishly, “So when you said everybody you meant, like, everybody?”
“MOVE IT, PURPLE BUTT,” shouted Ziggy, and Wally shot into the room.
The others quickly followed, and the door slammed shut behind them.