For Shits and Giggles (complete first draft)

Chapter 20

"What are you doing here," growled Splendid as he landed on Giggles' front yard. The morning sun was painfully bright, the air thick and heavy. He shielded his brow as he gazed up to Giggles' bedroom window, up on the second story.

Fliqpy was perched up on the roof of her porch, looking in through the open curtains. "She's not in there," he said, "I told her to be home."

"Tell me why I shouldn't knock you off your ass right now," Splendid marched closer, standing directly in front of the porch. He floated up, hovering at face level with Fliqpy.

Fliqpy turned to him, scraping his nails down the shingles below him, "Do you know where she is?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"I don't have time for this shit," Fliqpy hissed through grit teeth. He wanted to lunge, to attack Splendid and rip right through his sweaty throat. But Fliqpy remembered the last beating he'd gotten from Splendid– the one inside Giggles' bedroom, when he had killed her. Fliqpy cringed. "We have to break the curse, and I need her to do it," he said instead.

Splendid paused for a moment, said to himself, "...is that what she meant last night?"

Fliqpy crawled towards him, "You spoke to her last night? So you know where she went?"

Splendid looked at him. He hesitated.

"I don't," he said finally. "She wanted to speak to me this morning, told me to come here."

"So she's missing then," Fliqpy frowned. "Ran away?"

Splendid shook his head, "No... she wouldn't just run away. She wants to break this curse more than anyone."

Fliqpy was shaking with rage.

"What about Petunia," asked Splendid, getting nervous now, floating closer to Giggles' window so he could take his own peak around. "Or Flaky? Maybe they went for breakfast?"

"No," said Fliqpy. "Not after yesterday..."

"Okay, what the hell," Splendid said, annoyed now, landing in front of Fliqpy on one knee. "What happened yesterday? How is Giggles going to break the curse?"

Fliqpy was going to answer, but he was interrupted mid-breath by a faint snickering. He and Splendid turned their heads in unison, the snickering got louder. The sinister laughing was soon joined by the ruffling of leaves, and then a heavy thud. They crawled towards the edge of the roof cautiously, peaking around the corner to see Lifty and Shifty falling through Giggles' back window and into her backyard.

Splendid flew down just as Shifty landed on Giggles' rose bush, several thorns sticking themselves into his skin. He winced.

"You shits better start talking," Splendid growled, his eyes turning a bright red, ready to shoot at any moment. "Where is Giggles?"

The boys were startled, and they glanced between each other before laughing again.

"We don't know," one twin said, holding back a grin.

"We don't know," repeated the other.

Fliqpy climbed down the side of the house, met them in the backyard. He could feel his fists shaking.

"I said start talking," Splendid grabbed the closer twin– Shifty– by his collar, lifting him half a foot in the air. "I swear to God I'll make it painful."

"It's true," Shifty coughed, his collar digging uncomfortably into his throat. He dropped the duffel bag in his hand and grabbed Splendid's wrists, "We don't know. Let me go," he said.