W.H.O. Files: Potions in the Pizza

by Mikey Brooks

  “Emmy, are you all right? I’ve never seen you so uninterested in a discussion before.”

  Emmy stood up and patted down the rumpled spots on her tutu. “I’m okay. I’m just nervous about tonight.”

  “Emmy, you will do wonderful. Your performance will be magnifique.”

  “But what if it isn’t? What if I mess up and your friends think I look silly?”

  “Then the world will go on.” Miss LeBeau took Emmy’s hand and led her to the front of the classroom. “Are you sure you’re up for this? If you think you’re not ready—”

  “I’m ready—just nervous.”

  Miss LeBeau smiled and brushed a stray strand of Emmy’s hair back behind her ear. Emmy felt goose bumps trickle down her back. “You remind me so much of myself when I was your age.”

  “Really?” Emmy took it as a compliment.

  “Yes, I used to get so nervous before performances. Once, I even got sick.” Miss LeBeau made a face that brought a giggle to Emmy. “I used to dance with my eyes closed. It helped me not to focus on what was going on around me. If you need to borrow that trick, you are welcome. But not when you are doing your pirouettes.”

  “Yes, Madam LeBeau,” Emmy said with a nod. “Thank you so much for everything. I can’t remember anyone ever being so nice to me.”

  “Surely that is not true. You come from a good family, do you not?”

  Emmy nodded. She knew her parents cared for her, but she wondered if they loved their work more. It was something they weren’t willing to give up, unlike Jax’s parents. Emmy and Ethan had always come in second place. It was their parents’ work that had put her and Ethan in danger. And then, there were the secrets. Emmy wasn’t sure she could forgive her parents for keeping their kids in the dark on such a huge part of their family.

  “Chérie, are you all right?”

  Emmy felt something wet drop to her chest. Am I crying? She wiped her face, suddenly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m crying.”

  “It’s all right, chérie, we all cry at one moment or another.”

  “I’m just so tired of all these secrets,” Emmy whispered. She watched Miss LeBeau’s smile fade.

  “I am too, Emmy.”

  “You have secrets too?”

  Miss LeBeau sat on the corner of her desk. She looked so beautiful in her qipao. Does Miss LeBeau have secrets too, things she’s keeping from me? Emmy didn’t know if she could handle another secret.

  Miss LeBeau smiled warmly, moving in closer. “Emmy, you will find that most people in this world have secrets they must keep for the safety of others. You have a secret you have been asked to keep by your family, and I have my own. I want to tell you my secret, but I want to make sure that you are ready to hear it.”

  Can I handle another secret? This is Miss LeBeau, how bad could her secret be? What am I thinking about? Miss LeBeau wants to entrust a secret with me! I should be jumping at it, not backing away. Emmy straightened and smiled. “I think I can handle it. After all, it couldn’t be any worse than the one I’m already keeping.”

  “I hoped you’d say that.” Miss LeBeau stood up and put her hands on Emmy’s shoulders. “If you don’t mind, I wish to wait until tonight. I think it will mean more to you then.”

  “Emmy?” It was Ethan’s voice. Emmy turned toward the door where Ethan and Jax stood waiting in their black ninja costumes. “Are you staying after or coming home?”

  “I’m coming.” Emmy wiped at her face again to make sure there were no traces of tears. She didn’t need Ethan and Jax to make fun of her for crying.

  “Emmy,” Miss LeBeau said, stopping her at the door. Emmy turned around. Miss LeBeau smiled. “Promise me you won’t do any more dancing until tonight.”

  “What? Why?”

  “Emmy, it’s Halloween. You should be having fun. I heard a few of the kids talk about trick-or-treating before the party. I think you three should go get as much candy as you can fit in your pillowcases.”

  “That sounds like a totally awesome idea!” Jax agreed.

  Ethan laughed. “Always thinking with your stomach.”

  “I promise,” Emmy said with a smile. Miss LeBeau gave her a wink and Emmy followed her brother out into the hallway.

  A few kids, dressed as monsters, ran past. Emmy looked around the hallway for the first time that day. Orange and black streamers decorated the walls and ceiling. Confetti lined the walkway. A mummy and a vampire gave high fives and ran out the front doors with large jack-o-lantern paper bags. It’s Halloween. Emmy had forgotten what this holiday meant to a kid. It’s belief in magic. No wonder it’s so powerful.

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Trick or Treat

  Ethan shook his trick-or-treat bag and the wonderful sound of crunching and crackling candy wrappers told him the bag was nearly full. Tyler and Nick, who were dressed as Spiderman and Superman, ran past him and Jax to get first dibs at the next house. Ethan laughed as Emmy and her band of Cleopatras reached the door first.

  “Trick or treat,” they all sang in unison.

  A man dressed as a pirate captain opened the door. He held out a curved plastic sword in one hand and a treasure chest full of Snickers in the other.

  “Care to walk the plank for some booty?”

  “I will,” Emmy said. “I’ll do anything for chocolate.”

  Hannah, Madison, and Abigail all giggled. Emmy beamed as the pirate captain led her to the edge of his wraparound porch where he had a plank hovering over a kiddy pool filled with shredded newspaper. “In ye go, lass. Arg!”

  With a laugh, Emmy jumped into the kiddy pool, and Hannah and the other girls followed. The pirate captain laughed and rewarded the girls with two candy bars each. Ethan couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Emmy have so much fun. Then he did remember. It was the night before his parents left. They’d been playing dominos as a family—a real family. Suddenly, Ethan missed his parents.

  “Kids,” called Mama J from the sidewalk. Ethan turned to see Mama J in her poodle skirt and pigtails looking at her watch. “The school party starts soon. I’ll let you finish out the block and then it’s time to go.”

  “Okay, Mom,” Jax called. Tyler and Nick ran to the next house, Nick’s red cape trailing behind him. Ethan followed along with Jax and the girls. They got their candy and were on to the next house in a flash.

  “Hold up, guys,” Emmy said as they charged up the wooden steps.

  “What’s up?” Ethan asked.

  “We only have two more houses,” Nick said, ringing the doorbell.

  “Trick or treat,” they chorused. They got their candy and Emmy put up her hands. Everyone stopped on the steps. Emmy looked over her shoulder toward Mama J, who leaned against her minivan talking on her cell phone.

  “I want to talk about something,” Emmy started.

  Ethan finally clued in. “That’s right. We want to do something fun at the party.”

  “Fun?” Hannah asked.

  “Yeah. Fun.” Emmy smiled and Ethan thought if she ever got evil powers, Emmy would be something to reckon with. “I want us to pull a Halloween prank at the party.”

  “Will we get in trouble?”

  “Hannah, it’s Halloween. Trick or treat, remember? No one ever remembers the trick part.” Emmy looked back toward Mama J again. “Come on, I’ll explain as we go to the next house.”

  Ethan was thrilled when everyone agreed to help out with the prank. Hannah was the only one who seemed a little reluctant, but with a push from Emmy she agreed. They collected the last of their candy from the house on the street and headed for Mama J’s minivan.

  “We’ll see you at the party,” Ethan called. Nick and Tyler waved and ran down the street. They were probably going to hit up a few more houses. The Cleopatras all waved goodbye, and Ethan, Emmy, and Jax piled into the minivan.

  “I talked to Papa Washington,” Mama J said. “Things are a mess at headquarters. They still don’t have any wo
rd on the missing agents or your parents, but he was able to contact several branches of the W.H.O. to send reinforcements. He also got Lacy dropped her off at her grandmother’s, so he’s on his way back with a couple more agents to help out at the school. With any luck, they’ll make it to the party before it’s over.”

  “That’s great, Mom,” Jax said. He turned to Ethan and Emmy and shrugged. Ethan knew what he was thinking. If Papa Washington and the other W.H.O. agents got there before they could break the witches then all of their planning would be for nothing. They’d never be able to prove themselves to their parents.

  “No worries,” Emmy whispered. “I’ve got a plan for that. If they show up I’ll distract them or something.”

  Ethan felt reassured by Emmy’s statement. Like Jax, he turned to his bag of candy. He couldn’t wait to spill it out and count how much he got. He knew some houses had given full-size candy bars and he’d have to stash those away, especially if he had to sleep over at the Washingtons any longer. Jax was already pounding down a chocolate bar.

  Ethan shook his head. “And here you were worried you’d lose out on candy.”

  Mama J pulled into the school parking lot and Ethan felt his stomach tighten. Soon he would be vanquishing witches. He would become a real witch hunter, and his parents wouldn’t have to keep any more secrets from him or Emmy.

  They got out and Ethan watched as adults and kids dressed as Halloween ghouls went into the school. He spotted Mrs. Burton dressed as the Statue of Liberty. She gave them a little wave with her foam torch before scolding two kids trying to smuggle in a trick-or-treat bag full of toilet paper. Ethan made a mental note to watch out for Mrs. Burton.

  When they entered the gym, Ethan was floored by its transformation. The decorations made it look like they had stepped into a haunted castle. Several booths manned by teachers dressed as monsters lined one side of the gym. A large chandelier made of candy hung above the center of the floor. Ghosts on wires ran from one end of the gym to the other, howling as they passed. A band was up on the stage, all dressed like rock star Frankensteins. They played a familiar tune he’d heard on several Halloweens.

  Emmy found the Cleopatras, and they ran off toward the band. Several other costume-clad kids followed them as the girls began dancing to the music. Mrs. Burton was dancing some sort of swing with Principal Fenwick, who was dressed as a mad scientist. Ethan let out a half laugh as Principal Fenwick tried to dip Mrs. Burton and her wig fell off. She quickly picked it up and placed it back on her head, although her crown was backward.

  The music changed and more monsters began to dance to the rhythm. The lights dimmed, all except a spotlight shooting down from the candy chandelier. Below it were the four lunch ladies, dancing like they belonged on the set of a Broadway musical. They were dressed like witches, with pointy black hats, sparkling dark dresses, and red and white striped stockings. They still wore their ruby red high heels, and Ethan could hear them clicking against the wood floor like a bunch of clacking staplers.

  “I take it those are your lunch ladies?” Mama J asked.

  “You got it,” Ethan said.

  “Where’s the other one?”

  “What do you mean? They’re all there.” Ethan counted them. Sure enough he saw Griselda, Belladonna, Hazel, and Luna.

  Mama J turn to Ethan, her eyes narrowed.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Ethan, a witch coven is made up of odd numbers. There are only four witches. Where is the fifth?”

  “The fifth?” asked Jax.

  “How could I be so stupid?” Ethan remembered reading about the covens in the W.H.O. handbook. They were definitely missing a witch. Who could it be? He’d only ever seen the four lunch ladies. What if they were in the middle of breaking the witches and the fifth one showed up and turned them all to dishwashers? “We’ve got a problem.”

  “No kidding we’ve got a problem,” Mama J said.

  “What do you mean?” Jax asked.

  Mama J nodded to the dancing lunch ladies. “I recognize two of those witches. Griselda and Belladonna Halifax—two sisters you don’t want to mess with. I thought they were in prison. . . . You two stay here. I have to call Jefferson right away. Then I’ll try to find that fifth witch.”

  Mama J charged out of the gym, and Ethan was left staring at the four dancing witches. Although they looked beautiful as they spun around, the light glittering off them, Ethan knew they were dangerous. He had seen it in Mama J’s face. An undercover witch was something Ethan, Emmy, and Jax hadn’t planned on. They had to find the fifth member of the coven.

  Ethan looked frantically around the gym. There wasn’t anyone who could be a witch. He spotted the haggard Mrs. Warnock dressed as a dictionary. She was the likeliest suspect for a witch, but only because of her wrinkles and her enormous chin wart. The first grade teacher, Miss Bushman, was pretty enough to be a witch, but she’d been around since Ethan started at Roosevelt Elementary.

  He saw Emmy dance past and quickly grabbed her arm. “We have to talk.”

  “What’s wrong? Everything is working out great. As long as we can keep the witches dancing, we have them where we need them.”

  “Slight problem,” Jax said. Ethan watched the concern flash in her eyes.

  “Witch covens are made up of odd numbers,” Ethan said. Emmy’s deer in the headlights glare said enough. “Emmy, four is not an odd number. We’re missing a witch.”

  “You mean there’s a fifth lunch lady?” Emmy asked.

  “Shh!” Ethan pulled her over to the wall.

  Two parents brushed past them, one dressed as King Tut, the other wearing a T-shirt that read “This is my Halloween Costume.”

  “Someone else at school is the witch. Think, Emmy, who else showed up around the same time as the lunch ladies?”

  Emmy’s eyes froze. Ethan followed her line of sight and saw the glamorous Miss LeBeau step into the room. She was dressed in her Chinese costume, but it was no longer pink. She wore black like the other lunch ladies. Ethan guessed she was the fifth member of the witch coven. He turned back to Emmy, who was shaking her head. “It’s not her.”

  “What do you mean?” Ethan shouted. Jax shushed him but Ethan went on. “Why? Because she taught you to dance? Because she gave you your costume? Which, by the way, blends in pretty well with what the lunch ladies are wearing. Emmy, wake up. This isn’t some stage show, this is real!”

  “It’s not her!” Emmy looked like she was about to cry. “Miss LeBeau is not a witch!”

  Emmy pushed past Ethan and Jax, and ran out of the gym. Ethan watched as Miss LeBeau’s eyes followed Emmy out, then refocused on him and Jax. He felt his insides turn cold as he caught a glimmer in her eye. Was it a flash like I saw in Hazel’s eyes? Miss LeBeau started to walk over, and Ethan grabbed hold of Jax’s arm.

  “Ethan, isn’t it?” Miss LeBeau said in her slightly accented voice. Ethan nodded. “Is Emmy all right? She looked a little upset.”

  “She’ll be back,” Jax said. “She broke a nail.”

  “A nail?” Miss LeBeau repeated.

  Ethan found himself nodding but no words came out.

  “Well, that’s too bad. I hope she’s okay.”

  “I-I’m sure you do,” Ethan stammered out.

  Miss LeBeau raised an eyebrow and stared at Ethan as if wondering what he was implying. “Ethan, I care a great deal for your sister. I don’t want any harm to come to her. Let me know when she gets back, would you? I need to speak with her right away.”

  “Sure,” Ethan lied. Miss LeBeau gave him a half smile and went to talk with Mrs. Burton, who was fanning herself next to the punch bowl.

  Ethan turned to Jax and whispered, “I think we discovered the fifth member of the coven.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six: Offers of Betrayal

  Emmy ran into the girls’ bathroom and hid herself in the back stall. She didn’t want to be caught crying. She couldn’t help the tears. They just seemed to
leak from her eyes. Secrets—she was so tired of them. Flashbacks to her last conversation with Miss LeBeau confirmed that her teacher had been keeping something from her. Emmy had assumed Miss LeBeau was moving or something, not that she was a witch.

  A couple girls came into the bathroom giggling about something. Emmy grabbed some toilet paper and wiped at her face. She tried to calm her breathing so she wouldn’t be discovered. Emmy tried to look through the crack in the stall’s door but all she saw was pink, sparkling fabric.

  “This is so much fun,” one of the girls giggled.

  “I know what you mean. Hey, can I borrow some more lip gloss?” The girls went on for a few minutes about how they “loved” the strawberry-kiwi scented lip gloss. Emmy imagined they were plastering makeup to their faces and would soon look more like clowns than princesses. Another dreadfully long minute of them giggling passed, and Emmy was about to scream. She couldn’t take it anymore. She’d come into the bathroom for peace and quiet. Not to hear little girls talk about how “adorable” they looked.

  Emmy threw open the stall door and stepped out. The two girls, no doubt second graders, stopped and stared at Emmy. Their strawberry-kiwi glossed lips opened and they oohed.

  “You look so pretty,” one of the sparkly pink princesses said. The other nodded in agreement. “Are you like, a witch or something?”

  “A what?” Emmy glared at the two girls. Why did they think she was some kind of witch? Because she was in black and not pink? Emmy let out an exaggerated sigh, wanting to say, No, you stupid girls. “I’m Odile.” The girls looked at her with blank faces. Emmy rolled her eyes. “The black swan from Swan Lake.”

  “You look more like a ballerina than a swan,” one of the princesses said. The other giggled. Emmy growled and pushed past them.

  The smell of apple cider and pumpkin pie filled the hallway, making her stomach churn. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten. Half wishing they had vending machines in the school, she went down the hall and into her classroom. It was dim with just the light from the hallway coming in, but it was quiet. Emmy walked over to her desk and sat down.