by Cameron Jace
“Behave yourself, Wolfy!” Wendy snarled at him, showing her fangs. Wolfy snarled back with furry hair and fangs. Thank God the bar was still empty or they would have exposed their identities. It had never been a good idea to have Wendy and Wolfy in the same place.
“Easy with the fangs, mammals!” Peter said, pouring himself a Strawberry drink.
“She started it,” Wolfy said as his face returned to normal.
Wendy laughed, cutting the roses from a bouquet in her hand and throwing them on the tables.
“I am not sure if she’s enjoying tearing up roses or if she is trying to decorate the tables,” Wolfy whispered to Pete.
“It’s both,” Pete said, burping on purpose. “Don’t you know what today is?”
“What? Is it a special day?”
“Of course, you fury-fury creature,” Wendy answered.
“It’s Valentine’s Day,” Pete said as he pulled Wendy closer and started dancing with her between the tables. “Please, no fangs, darling. Pull them back. You know how I feel about that.”
“Oh, sorry,” she said. “Just got exited, Pete.”
Wolfy shook his head, irritated. “So what is Valentine’s Day? Is it something like Rat Catcher’s day?”
Wendy laughed at him. “How could you read all those books, and still not know what Valentine’s day is?”
“It’s lovers day,” Pete said, still dancing. “Lovers celebrate and give each other flowers all over the world.”
“All over the world?” Wolfy wondered. “How come we never heard about it in Sorrow?”
“For some reason, it’s prohibited,” Wendy said “That’s why Sorrow sucks,” she laughed again.
“So should I be bringing Ladle flowers today?” Wolfy wondered.
“A hammer and a nail would be more appropriate,” Wendy mocked him, although she didn’t know Ladle was Death. It was Wendy’s dark nature that let her sense things without even knowing why. She had always thought of Ladle as weird, and she had enjoyed setting her toes on fire when she was asleep once, like she loved to do with Hunchy who was serving as the place’s body guard at the moment.
“A kiss would be alright, Wolfy” Peter said, pulling Wendy closer to him. “For you and Ladle, a kiss on Valentine’s Day would be just about right,” Peter pulled Wendy closer to him and kissed her passionately. Wolfy had to pretend he wasn’t eagerly watching. He didn’t know why seeing two people kiss made him hungry again, so pulled out a raw piece of meat and ate it behind their backs.
“No fangs, darling,” Pete said, pushing Wendy away. “How many times do I have to tell you, no fangs when kissing?”
“Sorry, Pete,” she said with a trickle of blood on her lips. “Got carried away again,” she winked slyly at Wolfy.
Peter wiped the trickle of blood from his lower lips. He was used to her biting it.
“Ladle and I never kissed,” Wolfy said softly, swallowing his food while Peter burped on his behalf. Peter always did that. Whenever someone ate or drank without burping, he did it for them. This time he also yanked the chair upside down for the fun of it.
“What?” Wendy’s eyes widened. “What do you guys do when you spend time together?”
“A lot of things,” Wolfy said, scratching his sideburns.
“Like what? Reading her Anguish Language?” Wendy snorted.
“That’s one thing we do,” Wolfy nodded. “It’s nice. I like to read for her.”
“Shame on you, Wolfy,” Peter said. “Your wolf brothers wouldn’t be proud of you right now. I bet they eat their lovers, not just kiss them.”
“I really want to kiss her,” Wolfy explained. “She just doesn’t let me. You see, we met in an awkward situation, and I have to do a lot to gain her trust.”
“What awkward situation? Was she bathing naked in the lake? That’s how Jack met Marmalade.” Wendy laughed, dancing around again.
“It wouldn’t be as awkward as when I met Wendy,” Peter mumbled. Wendy shot him a dark look, but then kept dancing again on a table.
“You never told me about that?” Wolfy asked.
“And I won’t. It was a deliciously awkward moment,” Pete said, approaching the bar and helping himself to another drink. “So who is coming tonight?”
“I don’t know,” Wolfy said. “The regular guests, I suppose,” Wolfy cleaned more glasses.
“I bet Jack and Marmalade aren’t coming,” Wendy said. “Jack’s always so introverted, loving his quiet time in the beanstalks.”
“He isn’t introverted,” Pete said. “He’s an amazing boy. He just doesn’t think too many people are good company.”
“But he should take Marmalade out more,” Wendy said. “She doesn’t know anyone but him.”
“I don’t think he is coming,” Wolfy agreed. “We had Rumpelstein here, two days ago.”
“Whoa!” Peter raised his glass. “That’s weird. Why’d he come to such a place? No offense, Wolfy, but your place stinks. That’s why we love it,” Peter hailed.
“What do you mean by that?” Wolfy wondered. “I have had many honorable visitors from the castle.”
“All I have seen are goblins, more goblins, and then more goblins,” Wendy said.
“They are bad, but they are a good customer,” Wolfy said.
“That’s why you’re lucky Jack doesn’t come often. Goblins and Jack are simply fire and ice.”
“Or werewolf and vampires,” Wendy stuck out her tongue at Wolfy.
“I am not a werewolf,” Wolfy said. Peter shot him an eye. “Alright. I am, but I am trying not to be one. I am doing it for Ladle.”
“Good luck with that,” Peter smirked. “That’s like me saying I decided I will grow up tomorrow and be a man. Do you have that yoyo thing you showed me the last time, by the way? I’d love to play with it again.”
“Stop it, Pete,” Wolfy said. “Can’t you ever grow up?” he stuck out his tongue at him.
Peter laughed hard at this, clapping his hands together.
“Why are you laughing?” Wolfy raised an eyebrow.
“I just remembered when Jack said that someone should write a book about us,” Peter said. “Imagine if someone writes a book about us loons. That would be a fun book to read. We’re the most horrible kids in the world.”
“He said someone should write a book about him, not us,” Wolfy said.
“How do you think Jack gets written about and we’re not mentioned?” Wendy commented. “Unless it’s just a book of lies.”
Suddenly, the door sprang open. It was Jack. He came in holding Marmalade’s hand, and shaping his finger like a gun with the other.
“Hands up, you filthy, stinky werewolves, vampires, and neverlanders!” Jack shouted, joking. “Or I will enchant you all into nasty, croaking frogs, and no matter how many princess kiss you, you will never be saved.”
Peter laughed, seeing Jack. Wendy didn’t. They didn’t get along well. Jack thought of her as Peter’s biggest mistake.
“Even your grandma will not be able to save you,” Jack added cheeringly.
“What granma?” Wolfy cheered. “I eat granmas for breakfast!”
Marmalade laughed. “Jack told me otherwise, Wolfy. He told me grandma was going to eat you, and she tied you up like a helpless sheep!” she giggled. Marmalade knew a lot about Wolfy’s secret pass that he hadn’t told anyone, even Ladle. When she was a Moongirl, she had seen him transform into a werewolf many times, but she preferred not to tell anyone.
“That’s not true,” Wolfy hesitated, averting his eyes from the others.
“Is true…” Peter shot him another look. “We all know Ladle saved your ass. Hansel and Gretel told us.”
“Speaking of them,” Jack acted as if puffing smoke out of his imaginary gun, then he adjusted his hat. “They are outside, and wanted to get in. Only that bodyguard of yours, Hunchy didn’t allow it.”
“Of course, not,” Wolfy said. “They’re not sixteen yet. You’re not allowed to enter this bar if you’re under s
ixteen”
“I am not sixteen, yet,” Wendy said.
“You’re an exception because you come with Peter, “Wolfy said. “Peter is, and always will be, sixteen.”
Marmalade lowered her head for a moment. She wondered if anyone would ask how old she was. Since her transformation, she assumed she was around sixteen because of her looks. When she was the moon, she always thought she was around this age too. She never really thought about it before, because she was immortal then.
“I’ll be sixteen next summer,” Jack said. “And actually, no one is sure Wolfy is sixteen,” Jack laughed. “So we’re all illegal. We are breaking the Queen’s law here. You know what that means?”
Everyone looked hesitantly for a moment. Jack’s moral compass was usually off the rocker. He was a thief but always wanted justice. It was something most of them didn’t understand, so they were wondering if he’d suddenly decide to report them to the Queen for being underage.
“What do you think this means?” Wolfy scratched his sideburns again.
“It means,” Jack slowed his talk, and looked them in the eyes. “Give me another drink!” he cheered, and everyone sighed.
“Fantabulous!” Wolfy cheered.
“So we’re letting Hansel and Gretel in?” Marmalade asked.
“No, we can’t do that, sweetie,” Wendy said.
“Why? Didn’t we agree we’re all underage already?”
“That’s the point,” Peter said. “We need our scapegoats. As long as Hansel and Gretel are kept outside, people will think that the ones inside are over sixteen. I guess you’re new to the gang, Marmalade,” Peter laughed. “Shame on you, Jack. You should teach her about our lunatic rules and our unethical moral compass.”
“She’s new, guys,” Wendy said. “Give her a break.”
“That’s the sound of reason,” Jack muttered at Wendy. “I never saw you wearing a nice dress and looking so girlie like today,” Jack commented. “What’s the occasion? Killed your mom and dad and now celebrating?”
Wendy drew out her fangs and prepared to attack Jack without even thinking. Peter could do nothing. It was Wolfy who turned into a werewolf instantly, and jumped over the bar to protect Jack.
Wendy and Wolfy snarled at each other with their red and yellow eyes for a while.
“No one messes with Jack when in my bar,” Wolfy said in his creepy werewolf sound, drool falling off his mouth. “Understood?”
Wendy turned back slowly into her girlie form, and painted a seductive smile on her face. “I was just joking, Wolfy. I like you though when you’re so… Wolfy.”
“Awoooo!” Jack and Peter clicked glasses.
“Wendy is a vampire?” Marmalade wondered, taking a step back.
“It’s alright,” Peter said. “She is not one of them, the intruders. She is on our side.”
“How can she be on your side? She’s a vampire. They are trying to consume the kingdom, having come from all over Europe to get the Queen’s daughter.”
“We don’t know if that is even true,” Wolfy turned back into human form. “And although Wendy and I don’t always see tings eye to eye, I think she is alright. At least as long as Pete says so. Right, Pete?”
Peter nodded, a little hesitant though. He had never told anyone how he had met Wendy and why she was a vampire. Jack always wondered why he loved her in the first place.
The door broke open and Ladle came in. She had a boy with her.
Everyone gazed back at Wolfy, wondering if Ladle had dumped him for a new boy. He looked cute.
“Hey. Hey. Hey!” Ladle cheered. “This is,” she pointed at the boy. “What’s your name again?” She didn’t want to pull out the paper from the fortune cookie to remember his name. No one knew she was Death but Wolfy.
Before the boy was about to say his name, Peter approached him with a drink. It was Strawberry Stardust, one of the loveliest drinks in Wolfy’s bar. Nobody knew what was in it exactly but it tasted like sugary strawberries, a bit sour though. “No names, tonight,” Pete told him. “Drink and have fun.”
The boy who knew he was going to die in a couple of hours, felt happy all of a sudden. The company seemed unavoidable, and he decided if this was his last day on earth, he’d make it absurdly hilarious. Looking at the teens in the bar, they seemed just like the right crowd to accomplish that. He had never had cool friends in his life. Having them for a day was the perfect ending.
“But we have to give him a name,” Wendy said. “We’ll call him Nobody.”
“Nobody it is,” Peter clicked glasses with Nobody, who didn’t seem offended by his new nickname.
“I’d say we call him Nobody Knows,” Jack raised an eyebrow. “So let’s make a toast for our new friend Nobody Knows.”
“Whoa!” Wendy interrupted. “We need to know what he is first.”
“What do you mean?” The boy asked, a little weary of Wendy.
“Are you a vampire?” Wendy asked.
“No,” the boy shook his shoulders.
“Are you a thief?” Jack wondered.
“Of course, not. That’s awful” he said as Peter omitted a laugh, looking at Jack. It was funny how people considered a thief more horrible than a vampire.
“Are you a were—“ Wolfy said, gulping his drink. “wolf?”
“That’s absurd,” the boy said.
“Then you must know how to fly,” Peter wondered.
“No!” the boy said. “Why all these questions?”
“Because you have to be cool enough to hang with us,” Wendy said, drawing her fangs slowly at him. The boy’s eyes widened and he took a step back.
“Don’t say I didn’t make all your dreams come true before you died,” Ladle whispered in his ears.
“I know what he is,” Wolfy drew a serious face, resting his hands on the bar. “You know what this boy is?” he eyed them.
“What?” Wendy wondered what lame thing Wolfy will come up with.
“His name is not, ‘Nobody Knows’,” Wolfy said. “His name is, ‘Nobody Knows What He Is!” Wolfy laughed hysterically. Peter and Wendy started to dance again.
The boy looked like he was taken by the absurdity of his new friends, and that he realized all of a sudden that if had spent all of his being silly but happy, he wouldn’t have regretted the day he came to die.
“I am Nobody Knows What!” he found himself cheering as well, and started drinking.
“Pssst,” Wolfy said to Ladle. “Care for a dance, delicious girl?”
Ladle laughed and went to dance with Wolfy, which left Nobody Knows What dancing all alone, but he was still happy nonetheless.
Later, other customers arrived. Jack made sure he avoided a fight with the goblins, because he didn’t want to spoil the evening for Marmalade since she didn’t get out a lot.
Peter managed to keep Wendy under control so she wouldn’t cause too much chaos, although she went out and came back with balls of snow that she threw at everyone for fun.
Ladle was keeping an eye on Nobody, making sure he had a blast before she chopped off his head. Wolfy went back to serving food and drinks and made good money for the night. He intended to buy flowers with it for Ladle tomorrow, but then decided to let Marmalade do it because he might get so hungry and eat the flowers on the way.
Jack was happy how Marmalade enjoyed the night. Seeing her like that made him rethink if he should forget about the Moongirl, but he just couldn’t.
At some point, Nobody told them about something he had heard from his father before he died. It was about how everything in Sorrow would change on the king and queen’s daughter’s sixteenth birthday.
It made them all look at each other. Some of them knew about the events that were about to come, and some of them didn’t.
Ladle, excused herself, right before midnight, and said that she had to escort Nobody home. A little far away into the snowy forest she told him that she had to kill him.
“Do you really have to?” Nobody cried again. “I was s
tarting to enjoy my life.”
“I’d prefer if you get on your knees and look away,” Ladle said. Sometimes, she had to be firm with those she killed. What else could she do? She made the boy’s last night a blast. It wasn’t her fault that it was his time to die.
“I understand,” the boy coped, kneeling on one knee with his back to Ladle who didn’t hesitate and chopped of his head right away.
It was a swift move, and Nobody’s head rolled with its blood over the snowy ground, although his body stood still, kneeling on one leg like a statue.
Something strange happened to Ladle that day. She found a single tear, rolling down her cheek. It was gliding down slowly and painfully. She didn’t understand why she felt that way. Even if she was new to the job she was destined to fulfill, something felt wrong tonight. Or was it her fault that she didn’t kill him right away? Trying to befriend her victims didn’t seem a good idea now. It got her emotionally attached to them, and it meant she couldn’t do her job right.
Ladle waited until the single tear rolled down and fell over the stiffened body of Nobody, then started walking away before her mother got mad at her for being late and asking if she had spent time with Wolfy.
Walking away, Ladle suddenly stopped in her tracks. She thought she heard the body move a little behind her.
When she turned around, she freaked out because she had been right. The headless Nobody walked toward his head, picked it up and put it back on. He didn’t look like the nice boy she’d just killed. His eyes looked demonic as if he were possessed by another soul. This wasn’t the nobody boy talking to her anymore.
“Who are you?” She shrieked. “How is it you’re not dead?
“It doesn’t matter who I am,” the corpse sneered at Ladle. “I have a message for your mother.”
“For my mother?”
“Tell her Piper is saying hello,” the corpse said.
“I don’t understand,” Ladle looked stunned.
“Tell her that once Snow White is born, Piper, the Black Death will be back.”
Ladle took a step back, afraid she’d trip in the snow. She didn’t understand anything that was going on.
“Tell your mother that the prophecy regarding Death’s tears on the Piper’s corpse on Valentine’s Day is now fulfilled. The war between Black and Red has just started.”