Later that day, Richie walked into the Social Science class and took a seat at the back. He dropped his bag on the floor and, when he noticed Noobie entering with Rodney, he let out an exasperated sigh. Normally, Noobie sat on the far left side of the class and Rodney sat next to him, but this time, they both approached him.

“Really guys?” Richie asked his friends while rolling his eyes.

“Richie, kids are disappearing and we have the relevant experience to save them,” Rodney responded, leaning against his desk. “Why doesn’t it bother you?”

“It’s none of our concern!” Richie snickered.

“You’re scared, aren’t you?” Noobie asked.

Before responding, Richie narrowed his eyes on Noobie, and his gaze was ridiculing him. He then slumped in his seat, and tried regaining his abandoned confidence. “No,” he finally responded, then added a scoff.

“I’m scared too,” Noobie said with a nod. “I almost died the last time, remember?” He then paused. “But remember who rescued me?” he finally asked, leaning in closer to summon Richie’s attention.

Instead of responding, Richie’s cheeks flushed a shy crimson. He paused to remember what had happened on that day at Bizzaro dimension. He remembered being terrified while looking at his mother’s Bizzaro version sucking the life out of his friend. When that happened, he had taken his first step while being purely absent minded. It was not even instinct, because his instinct was, instead, telling him to run, but he still moved without thinking to yank Noobie out of there.

After remembering the ordeal, Richie looked at Rodney, who should have been the most scared and reluctant, but was, instead, the most eager.

“I’m scared too,” Rodney said with a shrug. “But we have to save those kids, like you guys saved me.”

“We were lucky,” Richie finally said. “And I was the most scared back in Bizzaro.” He then paused, stuck in thought, before continuing. “I was terrified. I always feel responsible for you guys, like you’re my family. But these kids are strangers, and right now, I’m more concerned about living.”

After listening to Richie, Rodney opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by Richie, who gestured towards the front of the class. Rodney and Noobie then turned to find their Social Science teacher standing there, arms apart in a querying pose.

“Sorry, Sir,” Rodney said, and they both separated.

After leaving Richie’s table, Noobie plopped in his seat and robotically listened to the teacher. Rodney, on the other hand, looked at Richie, who was not even looking back at him. Instead, he was disheartened at his friend’s reluctance to have another adventure, but more than ever, he was disheartened even more by the fact that it was driving them apart.

**********

Rodney’s prior investigation showed that, in the most recent kidnapping, a girl who was in contact with the victim, Freddy, was Patricia Blythe. Son, one day, Nerdy spotted her as she was nervously walking out of the gates, looking like the whole school knew the truth and were out to get her already. On seeing her, he broke into a sprint, chased after her, and eventually caught up to her. His abrupt halt in front of Patricia sent chills up her spine, and she shrieked and recoiled as a result.

“Hey, hey, relax,” Nerdy said quickly.

Before responding, Patricia struggled to regain her breath, but when she saw Nerdy, her eyes studied him thoroughly, and she straightened up, feeling a little more stable now that she recognised him. “Norman? Are you trying to kill me, man?” she said, pushing him.

“I’m sorry, I just need to talk to you,” Nerdy responded while adjusting his school bag.

“How do you plan to do that when I’m half dead?” Patricia asked with a face painted red with rage.

“I did apologize, didn’t I?” Nerdy shrugged.

“I mean, bloody hell, mate, you almost scared the English out of me,” Patricia responded while readjusting her blazer.

Nerdy scoffed. “I can’t imagine that happening,” he said. “But I really would like to talk to you about Freddy.”

On hearing Freddy’s name, Patricia’s face lost colour, and she staggered off and started walking in order to shake off her wooziness. When Nerdy saw this, he knew that he had struck gold with her, so he gently followed her, much like a crocodile stalking its prey from the safety of the murky waters.

“You have to tell me what happened, Patricia,” Nerdy said, reaching out to grab Patricia’s shoulder, but then decided not to.

“For what, lad?” Patricia responded, waving him off. “I already told the coppers everything I know, mate, now please, bug off, will yah?”

Instead of complying with Patricia’s request, Nerdy kept his composure and stayed on her as she walked off, and she was by that time looking like she was now fully in charge of her body again.

“I can’t say what for,” Nerdy said. “But I need you to take me through what he did in order to put himself in that position.”

“No!” Patricia responded.

“Tricia, please,” Nerdy begged.

“No, now off with yah!” Patricia replied again.

“Patricia listen!” Nerdy said, then he unconsciously grabbing Patricia’s bicep and yanking her towards him.

When Nerdy yanked Patricia towards himself, she abruptly turned to face him, and her gaze latched onto his, and they stayed like that for a little while. “Norman, let me go,” she eventually said in a pleading whisper.

“I need you to tell me what I need first,” Nerdy said, returning the whisper.

“And what will you do … Are you going to save him?” Patricia asked in a mocking tone.

Instead of responding, Nerdy wavered his green eyes away from their tug of war. Patricia’s blue ones, on the other hand, started pacing. She was reading him as clear as a sieved riffle of water, and she chose her next words very carefully before saying them.

“Bloody hell, mate,” Patricia eventually said, bending her knees to meet Nerdy’s eyes, and her blonde wisps were standing in the way. “You are, ain’t yah?”

Nerdy did not respond, he only searched the ground with his eyes. His wan expression was enough for her, so she straightened her knees, looked back, and saw Victor patiently waiting for Nerdy, and Rodney and Toby approaching with their attention already fixed on them.

“So, the rumours are true, in’it?” Patricia asked, and after her question, Nerdy’s face rose quickly, and he latched his eyes on her again. “You guys are working for some sort of secret service, and that’s why there’s an agent hovering about,” she said.

On hearing Patricia’s question, Nerdy’s eyes widened, and his iris staggered in disbelief. He wondered if that was what people insinuated about them, while studying the seriousness in her eyes. “I can’t tell you much,” he eventually said, ruefully. “But we don’t work for anybody, and all we want to do is save Freddy.”

“Like you saved, Rodney?” Patricia asked, and her voice hovered about, like everyone else could hear them from where they were standing.

Nerdy nodded his head in response, and he let go of Patricia’s arm. He then pushed his glasses back over the bridge of his nose, and folded his hands in regret. “Sorry about that,” he said.

“I’m coming along!” Patricia’s said, looking back at Nerdy’s friends.

“What!?” Nerdy asked.

“What’s the matter, Bruv? You don’t want a girl in your team?” Patricia asked with a mocking smirk on her face.

“No but …” Nerdy responded, but he could not finish.

“But what, mate?” Patricia asked, stepping closer to Nerdy’s face. “You think that, since I’m a girl, I can’t face a mirror demon just as fiercely as you lot can?”

“No, but I don’t wanna add any more people to the team, it’s dangerous,” Nerdy responded, looking weak from the debate.

“Well, tough luck, man. I’m coming along, take it or leave it,” Patricia said, pretending to spit in her hand, and reaching it out for Nerdy. “Deal?”

Nerdy sighed in response, but he knew that, since Richie was out, they needed someone who would fit the vacant space. Besides, Patricia was known for her zeal and bravery, so she would be great for the mission. But even as Nerdy shook her hand, he knew that The Boyz would not like having a female addition this early in the novelty.

“Deal,” Nerdy finally said, forcing a smile.

“Brilliant!” Patricia responded, sparkling and grinning. “Now here’s what happened to ol’ Freddy boy.”

***

Tell us: Do you think the group of friends will be able to recover Freddy and the other lost children from the creature behind the mirror?