Hide and Seek

by Sarah Mlynowski

  Lacey was growing bigger and bigger.

  No, no. Lacey wasn’t growing bigger. Nory was growing smaller … and smaller and smaller!

  What was happening? Lacey’s face loomed over her. Nory felt dizzy and strange.

  “YOU KNOW YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE A SKUNKEPHANT!” Lacey yelled. “WHY ARE YOU JUST A SKUNK? AND WHY ARE YOU SO TINY?”

  Tiny-Skunk-Nory was about the size of a teacup. There was no elephant in her, not one drop.

  What happened next happened quickly.

  Tiny-Skunk-Nory saw a giant face attached to a giant body.

  It was Pepper. Pepper the Fierce, and her looming face was the scariest thing Tiny-Skunk-Nory had ever seen. She felt Pepper’s fiercing magic zoom at her.

  Run, run, run!

  Tiny-Skunk-Nory ran, ran, ran.

  Out of the cafeteria!

  Out of the building!

  Into the courtyard! And …

  Plip!

  Nory fluxed back into her girl-self.

  She leaned over, pressing her hands to her legs and sucking in air.

  She was alone.

  Had anyone but Lacey and Pepper even seen her tiny skunk?

  And why had she gone tiny? Marigold hadn’t shrunk her.

  She’d felt panicky. Itchy. Weak.

  She hadn’t been able to put elephant into her skunk, not one measly elephant toenail or elephant hair. And her skunk had been so strangely small!

  Also, never mind what was going on with her magic, tiny skunk had not gotten her expelled. And her new goal was to get kicked out of Sage, so she could go back to Dunwiddle.

  But maybe she could try again?

  What could she do that would get her kicked out of Sage once and for all?

  It was ten minutes until Thursday night’s teeth-brushing time. Andres and Elliott were returning to their dorm together, after an optional evening study session. Andres was on his leash, and Elliot held the other end.

  “I keep thinking about how tonight is our last night,” Andres said. “I’m getting used to being here.”

  Elliott craned his neck and looked up at him. “It’s bittersweet to think about leaving, huh?”

  Andres nodded. “I miss my sister, though,” he confessed. “Carmen always comes to talk to me before bedtime, and we play cards. I don’t like sleeping in a dormitory. Or sleeping in my brickpack.” At home, Andres’s parents had created a bed for him on the ceiling. There was no such setup here.

  “I can’t blame you,” said Elliott. “Sleeping in a brickpack: blech. But I think the dorm is pretty fun.”

  They walked along the path. Ahead and to the right was a topiary garden, the trees trimmed to look like math symbols. To the left was the canteen, where students could get hot chocolate with alphabet-shaped marshmallows. It was closed now. Above were stars and stars.

  They reached the dorm, which was flooded in a gentle golden glow of light. Elliott heard voices from inside, kids laughing and goofing around. He paused outside the main door. He knew, when they went in, he would be caught up in the bustle of his friends in pajamas, his friends whacking each other with pillows, his friends brushing their teeth and spitting foam into the porcelain sinks. He was excited to step inside and be part of it all.

  But he wanted to savor this “before” moment just a little longer, because being out here with Andres was really good, too.

  “Will you miss Sage?” he asked Andres.

  “I’ll miss the Flyer teacher a little. And my Flyer friends.” Andres bobbed in the wind. The leash tightened and pulled against Elliott’s hand. “But mainly I’m ready to go home. You?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Elliott said automatically. “I mean, we get what we get, right?”

  “What do you mean?” Andres asked.

  “Oh, nothing,” Elliott said, a little embarrassed. He pushed open the heavy dormitory door, and warm air enveloped him. Buxbom Dorm smelled like clean laundry and lemon-scented floor polish, plus a musty smell that grew stronger whenever the building’s ancient heater kicked on.

  Elliott would miss this smell.

  He would miss Sage, period.

  Was that what growing up and experiencing new things meant? No matter where he was, would there always be something to miss from wherever he wasn’t? It didn’t seem fair.

  Andres whooped as he flew past Elliott into the dorm. He unhooked the lead from his leash and dropped it down. Elliott caught it.

  Andres soared to the ceiling and did a flip turn. He pushed off the ceiling with his sneakers and extended his arms, dive-bombing Sebastian and Pepper, who shrieked.

  “Tally-ho!” he crowed.

  Elliott laughed. He ran after Andres, jumping and trying to grab hold of his ankle.

  It was now five minutes until teeth-brushing time. If Elliott was going to goof off with his friends, it was now or never.

  On Friday morning, as Nory hurried to get dressed, she felt hopeful. She had spent the whole night coming up with a plan, a most extremely awesome plan that would definitely get her kicked out Dunwiddle.

  It involved the bag of frozen cranberries she had found in the kitchen. Mwahaha.

  She left a note for Dalia and Hawthorn on the kitchen table and walked to Sage Academy in the early morning light. She slipped through the fence that opened onto Sage property.

  Up ahead was the Hall of Magic and Performance, where the dreaded morning assemblies were held. Nory marched to its back door and then carefully,

  secretively,

  sneakily,

  left a trail of cranberries from the back door of the hall to the skunk garden.

  Done and done, she thought, sprinkling the last of the cranberries in front of the garden door.

  Next step? Get the hidden key.

  The step after that would be to free one skunk. One skunk, and only one.

  Yes, Nory wanted to get kicked out of Sage and then sent in disgrace back to Dunwiddle.

  Yay, disgrace! Yay, Dunwiddle!

  But she didn’t want to cause real damage to the Hall of Magic and Performance. Nor did she want to humiliate Father so much that he stopped loving her or whatever.

  Not that he would. But.

  So, one skunk (and one skunk only!) would be released at exactly 8:58. Two minutes before morning assembly began.

  Nory checked her watch. 8:56.

  She checked her watch again. 8:57. Okay, then. She took a breath for courage and stepped forward, brass key in hand.

  “Ready, skunks?” she said.

  “I don’t know,” said the skunks. “For what?”

  Nory whipped around. It wasn’t the skunks who had answered her. It was—

  Oh, for the love of pudding. It was Lacey Clench, arms folded smugly over her chest and eyebrows raised.

  “Wha’cha got there?” Lacey asked, jerking her chin at the key.

  Nory hid the key behind her back. “Nothing.”

  “Is this your new plan to get expelled?” Lacey asked. “Since your skunkephant was a dud?”

  “Listen, Lacey,” Nory said. “I know you hope you’ll get my spot once I’m gone, but guess what? That doesn’t mean I have to tell you what I’m up to.”

  “You do know that the only reason you got in is because your dad’s the headmaster,” Lacey said.

  “No. If I was going to get in because of my dad, I would have been accepted the first time I applied.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Exactly,” Nory said. “But I didn’t get in, because my magic wonked out. And then, at Dunwiddle, I got better at fluxing. And this time, when I took the Big Test, I did puffer fish. And mosquito.” Nory put her hands on her hips. “So you know what? I think I’m pretty qualified, actually.”

  Lacey huffed. “The wait list should determine who gets in.”

  “Maybe yes, maybe no,” said Nory. “But guess what? I have no say in that. My dad is making me take the spot. And now I have to find a way to get booted, so please go away.”

  “Are you going to let
the skunks free?” Lacey pressed. “Is that it? And they’ll all run around and, I don’t know, spray your dad with skunk spray?” She barked a mean laugh. “Not a bad plan, actually. If your dad got skunked? In front of everyone? He. Would. Die.”

  Nory grew faint. Lacey was right. Father would die of humiliation if the skunk happened to spray him. He’d be even more humiliated than on the great hide-and-seek night, when Sebastian found him cross-legged on top of that filing cabinet!

  She gulped. “I’m not going to do it after all. I changed my mind!”

  “Oh, Nory,” Lacey said. She was already close, and now she came closer. “I think those little skunkies want out pretty badly.”

  “No, they don’t,” said Nory. “They like it in the garden.”

  “But you want to get booted,” said Lacey. “You said so yourself. I’m helping you, Nory.” She stuck out her hand. “Hand over that key behind your back.”

  “No!” Nory stepped away.

  Lacey stepped forward. “Go on and give up,” she said. “You can’t stop me.”

  Nory popped the key to the skunk garden into her mouth.

  “Ew,” Lacey said with a grimace. “Germs much?”

  Nory ignored her. She’d flux into a bluebird, that’s what she’d do. Then she’d add elephant! She’d be a giant elephant-sized bluebird, and she’d flap her wings at Lacey and run her off!

  She took a deep breath and fluxed. Pop pop pop!

  She fluxed, yes, but not into a giant bluebird.

  Instead, she was Tiny-Bluebird-Nory.

  What? No! A tiny bluebird was not going to be any use in a battle against Lacey Clench! She was so tiny that the key stuck out of her mouth. It was so heavy she couldn’t even fly.

  Lacey held out her hand, flicked her fingers, and shot a burst of flame at the key. Ow! The key grew hot in Tiny-Bluebird-Nory’s beak.

  “Tweet!” Tiny-Bluebird-Nory cried, spitting it out.

  “Ha-ha!” Lacey cried. “Your magic might be fading here at Sage, but not mine!” She grabbed the key and waved it triumphantly.

  Nory popped back to human form and scrambled to her feet. “Lacey, don’t let the skunks out!”

  Lacey shoved the key into the lock, twisted it, and clink! The bolt sprang open. Lacey opened the door. And not one,

  not two,

  but all the skunks came rushing out, noses twitching and tails swishing.

  The skunks ran for the cranberries.

  All the skunks.

  All the cranberries.

  “Noooooooo!” Nory cried.

  Today’s morning assembly was about an Important Historical Flyer who did important historical things. Usually, Elliott enjoyed morning assembly. But today he had a hard time paying attention. He kept thinking about how today was his last day at Sage.

  There would be no more assemblies, no more hanging out with GJ and Mitali, no more tips from Dr. Vogel about how to strengthen his flare magic. No more expensive Hex gloves to borrow. No more fun in the dormitory, no more delicious lunches and post-presentation cookies, no after-school band and eight-piano music classes. No more double-talent affinity group, no more beautiful gardens.

  At the podium, Dr. Horace’s eyes bulged. His neck turned red.

  Now his face was turning red! He was saying something, but his words were hard to make out.

  “Is this part of the lecture?” Pepper whispered to Elliott.

  “I have no idea,” he whispered back.

  Dr. Horace dropped his notes. His gaze was focused on the back of the auditorium. He looked horrified.

  Elliott turned and looked over his shoulder. Oh, zamboozle! There were lots and lots of skunks—skunks!—storming the hall.

  “Pepper!” he whispered. “Small animal alert! Pause your magic now!”

  Pepper screwed her eyes shut and pressed her fingers to her temples. “Are those skunks?”

  “Yep,” said Elliott, standing for a better view. There were two dozen skunks at least, and more coming in behind. And they were … dancing?

  No, not dancing. But they were chittering and chattering and spinning in circles. Some of them were jumping into the air like circus performers.

  They ran onto the pews and then down the lengths of them, hopping from one kid’s lap to the next. The students screamed.

  Skunks and kids and teachers ran everywhere, like wind-up dolls going ten times their normal speed.

  “This is mayhem!” Elliott cried.

  “Fuzzies!” yelled an upper-grade Fuzzy teacher with a handlebar mustache. “I call you all to action! Calm the skunks!”

  “We’re trying!” yelled a girl Elliott recognized. It was Dalia, Nory’s sister. “But we can’t! They’re skunk-drunk!”

  “They’ve eaten cranberries?” the teacher said.

  “It seems that way, sir!” cried Dalia.

  “Oh, no,” moaned Pepper, her eyes still closed to pause her magic. “Skunks go wild for cranberries! This is bad, Elliott!”

  On the stage, Dr. Horace was doing a funny little jig as half a dozen skunks ran toward him. “I don’t like you!” he said. “I don’t like you at all, skunks!”

  The skunks didn’t seem to like the headmaster, either. Those on the stage turned their bodies in unison, all of them pointing their bottoms at him.

  In unison, they lifted their tails.

  Elliott flung out his hands and wiggled his fingers, channeling all his ice magic on the clouds of gas puffing out from the skunks’ rear ends.

  Twelve skunk stinks were frozen mid-stink!

  Twelve frozen skunk stinks clunked onto the stage like hockey pucks.

  One spun like a quarter before finally coming to a rest.

  “Whoa!” said one kid.

  Other kids joined in, marveling at what Elliott had done.

  “How did he do that?”

  “I never saw ice magic before.”

  “Is he upside down?”

  “He saved Dr. Horace.”

  “What happened?” asked Pepper. She opened her eyes.

  Elliott frowned. Pepper couldn’t pinch off her fiercing magic for long, and as she looked at the frozen skunk stinks—she un-pinched it.

  Her fierce magic flooded the room. Elliott could tell, because the skunks went even more wild.

  “Reeeek!” trilled the skunks. “Reek, reek!”

  And now, in a mass, they stormed the stage. All of them!

  They scurried up the velvet curtains to a long, high beam above the stage. They clustered there, shrieking and trilling and waving their fluffy tails.

  And spraying.

  Elliott did his best to freeze the stink juice raining down, but he couldn’t get it all. Some stink splashed onto the floor, on the students, and on the velvet seats of the hall. Kids held their noses and stumbled toward the exit.

  “Flyers!” cried an upper-level Flyer teacher. “Fly up and capture the skunks at once!”

  “No way!” said one Flyer.

  “Not a chance,” said another.

  “Too gross!” cried a third, and that seemed to be the general consensus. Every Flyer Elliott saw continued to push toward the exit.

  “You have to help them get down!” Pepper begged, shaking Elliott’s arm. “They’re scared of heights! Please?”

  Then she ran outside with the rest of them, no doubt getting herself and her fierce magic as far away from the skunks as possible.

  Elliott made his way toward the stage, weaving in and out of the frantic stream of students. The skunks chittered and trilled. Elliott bit his lip, then flung out both hands and called on his ice magic once again.

  Whoosh!

  Slurp!

  It took a lot of effort but a slide appeared, connecting the high-up beam to the stage below. An ice slide.

  The students who were still there oohed and aahed.

  “Phew,” said Elliott. He hadn’t made anything like that before. The fire breathing practice really was making his magic strong. It was a breakthrough.

  �
��Go on!” he called to the skunks. “You’re okay now! Slide, skunks, slide!”

  The skunks stayed where they were.

  They wouldn’t go down.

  Did they hate ice?

  Were they really scared of heights?

  Did they think they’d get hurt at the bottom?

  What was Elliott supposed to do now?

  Nory stood at the main door of the hall, staring at the chaos.

  It all was her fault. She had laid the trail of cranberries. She had taken the secret key to the skunk garden.

  Yes, Nory had tried to stop Lacey from letting the skunks out, but if Nory hadn’t led Lacey to the skunk garden and basically spat the key straight at her, then the skunks would still be safe and sound.

  Ooh, ooh, she had an idea for how she could help! She could flux into some flying animal, then fly up to the skunks and convince them to go down the slide!

  Yes! That would work! Wouldn’t it?

  Dritten! She would do dritten!

  She took a deep breath and focused on fluxing. Pop pop! She felt fur and paws forming.

  Now for a bit of dragon. Shwoop shwoop! She had wings! They felt lighter than usual, but they were there, she could feel them!

  Okay, then. She launched her body and flapped her wings. Only … she didn’t fly.

  Ugh! Was she tiny again?

  No. She could see that her kitten body was its usual size.

  Maybe she needed a running start?

  Dritten-Nory ran down the center aisle, pumping, pumping, pumping those wings, but she couldn’t get off the ground.

  Zamboozle, her wings weren’t strong enough!

  She glanced over her shoulder.

  Ohhh. Her kitten body was its usual size, but her wings were tiny. Much smaller than usual.

  It seemed that Lacey was right about her magic fading at Sage. Tiny skunk. Tiny bluebird. Now, tiny dragon wings!

  The whole Sage environment, with its rules upon rules, its mean table monitors, its uniforms, its super-boring assemblies, its scolding teachers and narrow ideas about magic was just TOO MUCH!

  Nory felt hopeless. She popped back into her human self and found herself on her butt, in the middle of the aisle. “I hate this place,” she wailed. “Everything’s all messed up, and I can’t get my magic to work, and there’s no way to fix any of it!”