lock, shock, and barrel ( complete )

8. Thorn On A Rosebush

"MOM! VANESSA!" Veronica screamed into the flames.

"Wait!" said Shock. "I don't think it's real."

"It looks real," said Emily, tears streaming down her face.

"So did the other things," said Lock. "But those were just visions. Like our basement was trying to tell us something."

"That was a sentence I never thought you would say," said Barrel.

"But why is Halloween Town burning?" asked Shock.

"I don't know," said Lock.

"I think it's a vision," said Barrel.

The others slowly looked at him.

"What?"

"How come it's only the town?" asked Emily.

"What do you mean?" asked Shock.

"Most fire spreads," said Emily. "Dry grass and twigs are the cause of most fires. And look around, it's perfect fire weather."

"The fire's trying to escape," said Barrel. "But there's a force field keeping it from spreading."

"Weird," said Lock.

The image blurred and the five were teleported back to the present. They landed in a mass of thorn bushes. The thorns ripped and cut their skin.

"OW!" said Lock. "The magic stair thing could've picked a better place to land?"

"Apparently not," said Shock. She wiped blood from her lip and cheek, staining her hand. She helped the others up. They weren't badly hurt. Emily had some scratches on her legs and Veronica had a twig in her messy hair. Barrel's shirt was torn on one sleeve and Lock had a trickle of blood running down his forehead and into his eye. They looked around. The house beyond the hill was a few feet away from them. Shock began to walk through the thorns to the house. They scraped at her legs and caused them to bleed.

"There has to be a easier way to get out of here," said Shock.

"The only way is up," said Barrel. "And we clearly can't go that way."

"I'll clear a path," said Lock. "Then the rest of you follow me." He walked over to Shock and began to push braches away, the thorns cut deep into his hands sending blood all over. When he finally finished, his hands were a bloody mess.

"You can walk through now," he said.

Shock, Barrel, Emily, and Veronica walked through the path, unscathed. Shock and Barrel walked up and hugged Lock.

"How are your hands?" asked Emily.

Lock looked down. He tried to move them, but flinched. "Fine."

"I know first aid," said Veronica. "When we get back, I'll help you."

Lock smiled. "Thanks kid."

Veronica smiled back. "It's what I'm here for."

The groups trudged back to the house, bruised and bloody. When they got to the elevator, Barrel walked forward.

"Since Lock can't move his hands, I guess I'm the man of the group," said Barrel with authority.

"Just open the elevator," said Shock.

"Fine," said Barrel. He opened the door. The five crowded in.

"This was better in a box," said Emily.

"Agreed," said Veronica.

"Riding in it ten years later is way different then when we were six," said Shock.