• Chapter One

    You and Me
    .......................


    The moon reminded me of her eyes. Her right eye, a perfect shade of steel blue with tiny dots of cerulean. I have always been jealous of her eyes, she always seems so perfect, all her features... perfect. We're best friends, my cousin Sarah and I. Ever since we were little I've felt like her shadow, because I was shy and she so outgoing. But when we're alone... some of the best times in my life happened when we were alone. Everything comes so easy to her. Looking good, being funny... getting boys. Sarah had a serious relationship back in high school, but it ended badly. Badly being a crazy man chopped off his head, to be frank. I've never had a relationship like Sarah and Kevin had. Maybe, hopefully, someday, I will have somebody who will love me.


    "COME OUT MARLEY! Jeez.... I won't laugh! Just unlock the door." Sarah yells at the bathroom door coaxing me out. We were getting ready for Sarah's big Halloween party, and we were going as vampires.... skanky vampires.

    "Nnnnnooooooo... I look like a friggin slut!" I was wearing a red corset top with a long black velvet skirt, elbow length black lace gloves, and a choker with a cross. (which should burn me since, hello, I'm supposed to be a vampire.) I had my hair curled in soft ringlets, a few strands tied back with a red ribbon. But... the makeup. With that makeup I looked like a real whore.

    "Common Marley! Have you even seen what I look like?" She was wearing a purple corset with puffy sleeves, a short leather skirt, fishnet stockings, and knee high black leather boots. Yeah, she was worse than me.

    "Oh, yeah, true." I unlocked the door and came out. I looked down at the floor, too scared to meet Sarah's gaze. When she didn't say anything I looked up. She looked like she was in shock! Her eyes wide and mouth open, she was just looking me up and down, not saying anything.

    "Oh God... What's wrong? I look terrible, eh?

    She broke her silence. "Oh no no no no no. MARLEY! You look A-Mazing!!" I raised my right eyebrow and eyed her coyly.

    "Really?"

    "Well yeah, hun. You look like a vampire princess!"

    "And what of you? A vampire groupie? Look at those purple streaks!" I say as I play with her new black and purple streaks she had done that afternoon.

    "Shush, let's go watch TV. I'm exhausted from doing both mine and your makeup!" We sit on her green couch and flip to channel 34... to watch our beloved What Not To Wear.

    "Eh Mah Gawd!" We both say at the same time as the sexy Clinton Kelly comes on screen.

    "Dude, I want him. He is minnnee. We should so go on the show and replace Stacy and then turn Clinton straight... or at least bi." I just shake my head at my dreamer cousin. Always the one with the crazy unbelievable schemes to get her dream man.

    All of a sudden a commercial comes on with a scary, almost dead looking man riding a horse saying: "Tired of you're same old life? Want that dream, but cant have it? Well I can help folks. Just say it once, say it twice, Third times the charm. And your dreams will be a reality." This word flashes on the bottom of the screen: Beetlejuice. Then the commercial ends.

    "What the hell was that about?" I look at Sarah with an amused smile on my face.

    "I don't know... But lets say it, ok?"

    "Rrrrr..." I laugh. "OK..."

    "Ok, at the same time now..."

    We say at the same time: "Beetlejuice"

    "Beetlejuice"

    "...Beetlejuice!"






    Chapter 2

    Strange Magic
    ........................



    I dream of him. Every night I dream of this man. I can never see his face, he is always in the shadows. But I can sense he is beautiful... and that he loves me. I dread to wake up, it is such a lovely dream.

    I am awake, but my eyelids are shut. Of course I am sleeping on face, like I always do... But the smell, it smells... like flowers. Where am I? I bolt up onto my knees but then cover my eyes with my hand, it's too bright. Oh my God, what has happened to me?

    I take my hand away and look out onto a field of multi-coloured flowers. What the hell! Where am I? I look to my left and there is Sarah, lying on her side with her purse covering her eyes.

    "SARAH! Sarah wake up! WAKE UP!" I push her over and she bolts upright. Her face goes through many emotions in mere seconds. Shock, happy, anger, pain, scared. She looks at me.

    "Marley, where are we?"

    "I have no effing idea" We both look around at our surroundings. A field, a size appropriate to play football, is what we were sitting on. It was a grass field but every inch was covered in the most beautiful flowers you would ever see. Surrounding the field was a big forest. The trees weren't just any kind of trees, every single one was a fruit tree, full of its fresh produce. Cherries, apples, oranges, lemons, every fruit you could think of!

    "Sarah, this is way creepy! How did we get here?" I ask my in awe cousin.

    "I don't know, the last thing I remember... we were saying Beetle-"

    "NO NO! Don't say it Sarah! Something else could happen!" I tackle Sarah and cover her mouth. She pushes me away and stands up.

    "No Marley, it could get us back home!" She helps me up to reason with me.

    "Oh.. right! Right, ok then.... lets say it three times..."

    They both start: "BeetleJuice..."

    "Beetlejuice"

    "...Beetlejuice!"

    Nothing happens. We look at each other in defeat.

    "OK, now what?" I ask Sarah, who looks like she's thinking up a plan.

    "OH s**t! Marley our phones!!!" We get out our phones from our purses, I dial my mom's number, but all it is is static.

    "It's just static." I tell Sarah who looks like she's just about to kill her phone.

    "Ok then, well there's a path over there in the woods... lets just follow it and see where it leads." We set off for the path, squishing the pretty flowers as we walk in our big black shoes. In all the get up we're wearing... It was quite a sight to see two vampires walking through a pretty field of flowers. I peer up at the sky, and in my amazement... the sun is green!






    Chapter Three

    Pass The Dutchie
    ………………………….

    When I was little I had this little table where I would play tea party. I didn’t like tea too much, so my mom would give me orange juice. It was my first experience at being a lady, I would put a little napkin over my lap, and stick out my pinky finger while sipping my *tea*. Every day I would have a different date. One day it was Mr. Rabbit, the next Winnie the Pooh. My all time favourite was my big brown stuffed bear. Funny… I didn’t even have a name for him.

    “Sarah, look! Look at the sun.” My cousin turned her head upward to look at the pine green ball of fire.

    “Wait… what? That can’t be possible… Marley, I seriously don’t think we’re in Canada anymore.” We stop walking and look at eachother, eyes wide.

    “Sarah… This is just way creepy. Like, I’m really scared. How can the sun be GREEN! And how can we look at it? I can stare at it and it’s not hurting my eyes… but it’s still, like, giving off light.”

    Sarah looks down, deep in thought. I stare at her waiting for a response. “I don’t know how to explain any of this. Let’s just… not panic and find someone to help us. Common, let’s keep walking.” We walk through the beautiful fruit forest picking cherries all the way. After walking for about ten minutes, we start to hear music.

    “Hey Marley, do you know that song?”
    I raise my eyebrow and listen to the lyrics. “OH! It’s Pass The Dutchie by Musical Youth.”

    “Oh right, right. I like that song.”

    We get to the end of the path, and to our surprise a little man wearing a tall purple top hat is sitting at a table drinking tea. Next to him is a jukebox… playing the song we heard down the trail. The table is all set for a dainty tea party, but the little man, something looked wrong with him. I got a very bad vibe.

    Sarah looks at me and we walk forward to say hello. Before we can say anything else the little man jumps up and interrupts us.

    “You’re terribly late you know, you naughties!” He stands in front of us and waves his finger, his other hand on his hip. “Come, come! Sit down, it is tea time!”

    “Well, um ok.” I look at Sarah, and then we sit down across from eachother while he pours us a cup of… it looked like green tea.

    Sarah takes a sip, and then asks the man: “Um sir, me and my cousin, we woke up in a field over there and we have no idea where we are. We are very lost. What is this place? Because I’ve never been here before… And it may sound strange, but we were in my house, and then all of a sudden we woke up in a field of flowers! You must understand we are very freaked out! And oh my God, why is the sun green?” Sarah rambles along while I stare at the little man, who doesn’t look the least bit interested in what she has to say.

    “Well, my sweet, sweet, dears. This is a place, like no place on earth. A land full of wonder, mystery… danger, and magic! Some say to survive it, you need to be as mad as a hatter! Which luckily, I am. Name’s Mad Hatter! Nice to meetcha!” he shakes both our hands and continues. “This place… *hiccup*… has many names. Such as Wonderland, Wonder Zone, Middle Earth, Lost Planet, Labyrinth…” He stops to take a bite of his cookie, while me and Sarah glance at eachother, slight terror in our eyes. “Why is the sun green!? Why that is quite funny, my little cutie. The sun is green because the sun is a big ball of fire. Everyone knows that! Jeesh…”

    “But sir… Fire is red, not green.” I tell the obviously confused man.

    “No, it is not my dear.” The Mad Hatter takes a match out of his pocket and lights it. Surprisingly the fire is green! The colour of a pine tree on christmas night.

    “Oh… My… Holy… Sexy… Beast…” Sarah takes the match out of Hatter’s hand and stares at it, then blows it out.

    “Do you know how we got here then?” I ask the Mad Hatter.

    “Well… there are many ways to get to the Wonder Zone… Through a twister, a rabbit whole, or our king Jareth sometimes summons people from the other worlds… There’s also a looking glass somewhere out there….”

    “Well, the thing is, before we came here, something came up on our TV, and it said to say this word… Beetlejuice, to say it 3 times. And, well, we did. Then we ended up here.”

    “Jeez… Ive never heard that word before… Beetlejuice you say? That is a mystery… Well I can’t help you girls. Now drink your tea! It’s getting cold!”

    We followed Mad Hatter’s orders and finished our tea, it was so good we had a few cups more… but then things started to get fuzzy… Wow… what is this feeling, I feel… like DANCING!

    “Turn up the music Sarah! Let’s dance!!!” The song We Like To Party comes on, and before you know it, me and Sarah are up on the table. Throwing our heads back and shaking our bodies like we just don’t care. We’re yelling and screaming… but then I get this sharp pain in the middle of my stomach.

    “I don’t feel so good…” And then I fall off the table.

    I don’t completely pass out… I hear Sarah yelling, and then her falling down next to me. I just lay there… it could have been hours. Where is the Mad Hatter? What has happened to me? Were we drugged? Oh no… Many things go through my mind in that hour… My whole life flashes before my closed eyes, people say it goes by fast. But really… to go through your whole life, it’s going to take a while.

    I hear voices, muffled voices, then some yelling. I can only make out a few words… “What do you think you were doing!” “You monster!” It was a strong voice, for sure a male. And then I felt something go under my thighs and arms. I was lifted up and pressed against a strong male chest. The smell… It smelt like cinnamon. Cinnamon… the best scent in the world. My lids are too heavy to open… But then the strong man whispers something in my ear.

    “You’re safe now.”





    Chapter Four

    Paint It Black
    ……………………..
    When I was little my mother and I went to the local grocery store. I wanted to go play with the toys, but my mom wouldn’t let me, telling me we needed to pick out the nasty vegetables. I got mad, and when she wasn’t looking I ran off for the toy section. I played there for a while, but when I wanted to go back to my mommy, I didn’t know where to go. I wandered around the store, too scared to cry, I was basically in shock. After a while a store clerk came up to me saying my mom was looking for me. She reunited me with my mommy at the front of the store. That was the only time I have been lost.

    The birds were chirping, the sun was warming my back, my cotton pillow soft on my cheek. I was safe in my bed, and I knew everything was fine. A sharp pain on the back of my head ruined the moment, and basically my life. Everything came rushing back with that pain, and I jumped up out of the bed. My eyes went around the room wildly, searching for danger. The walls and floor were wooden, there was an old brown couch next to the door and a clothes dresser next to the window that was infront of the double bed, where my cousin Sarah slept soundly.

    How did I get here? Did that nasty little man Hatter bring us here? Then I remembered the man that whispered in my ear. He said I was safe now. Was I? Was I truly safe? But were was this man that smelled of cinnamon. Did he bring us here?

    My head was throbbing. I must have really hit it hard when I fell from the table, but wait… what happened? It was all very shady, what I remembered. I remember drinking tea, and then me and Sarah on the table… Falling to the ground… and the Cinnamon Man.

    That little b*****d drugged us! Ahhh I knew he was bad news! There was a mirror next to the bed, I went to it and saw my makeup was running all down my face. </i>My purse! I looked around and noticed both mine and Sarah’s purses were at the end of the bed. I grabbed my purse and got out kleenex and makeup remover, which luckily I always carry. I cleaned off all the crap from my face, making me look somewhat human again. I threw the dirty kleenexs away and looked down at my clothes. I look so inappropriate right now. Gosh, if me and Sarah are going to get away from this place. We’ll have to wear something that we can at least run in. I took off my gloves and necklace, put them in my purse and took out my brush. My hair had lost most of its curl, it now just had its regular wave and slight bedhead. I brushed it out taking out the ribbon. My hair was amazingly soft, and the wave was perfect. I was actually having a good hair day, in spite of everything.

    I opened the dresser to see if there was anything I could wear instead of my vampire costume. There was a plain white tank top that I fit, and jean capris. I picked out a black t-shirt and jean shorts for Sarah. The rest of the clothing was either not our size, or for men. I looked around the room for shoes, but there was none to be found. Sarah will have to wear her big black boots… or we could go barefoot…

    “Marley…” I turn around and Sarah was sitting up in the bed. “Where are we?”

    I sat down next to her. “I don’t know where we are… the last thing I remember was getting drugged by the Hatter man, and then somebody carrying me."

    “Yes, I remember being lifted by someone, but where are we now?” She gets out of the bed and walks around the room.

    “Sarah, use my makeup remover and put on these clothes.” She does it silently with no questions.

    What could be behind that door, I don’t think it’s the front door. Someone is behind that door, I just know it! Maybe we could sneak out the window… No, it’s too small.

    “Have you opened that door yet?” Sarah asks me.

    “No.” I shake my head. Maybe the Cinnamon Man is here, maybe he’s… a good guy? Sarah has cleaned her face and put on the clothes.

    “I look ridiculous in these boots.”

    “We’ll find something else to wear later on. Come on, we should find out what’s behind this door.” I walk forward, butterflies in my stomach, and turn the knob.







    Chapter Five

    When You're Strange
    .................................

    One time while I was walking down the street there was a woman being pushed in a wheelchair, by her husband. When I got closer to them I noticed on that woman’s lap was a baby. The baby had only one eye. I thought this was gross, and to even look at it my stomach would start to gurgle. When I was passing them the baby’s bottle fell off of the woman’s lap, I bent to pick it up for them, and while I was handing the bottle to the woman, I was staring at the baby. I didn’t look away like I suspected, I couldn’t stop looking at that baby’s face. Not because of its eye, but because of how it was looking at it’s mother. In that baby’s eye, was pure love. And by seeing that, I realized there was nothing wrong with that baby.

    I opened the door and walked out into a kitchen. Sarah right behind me closed the door. The scent of strawberries filled my nostrils and my head went fuzzy for a second. I turned to the right and saw a small living room, with an old red couch, and two brown chairs infront of a fireplace.

    On these chairs were two men. One, very muscular, wearing jeans, a wifebeater, and a cowboy hat. He was very tall, over 6 feet. The other had curly black hair, a long beige trench coat, and was muscular but not as much as the other man. Even though I didn’t see him the first time, I knew he was the Cinnamon Man.

    But there was something strange about my Cinnamon Man. It looked like he had a long metal zipper, (like on a coat) starting at the centre of his forehead all the way to the back of his head in a straight line. It was very strange, and that made me even more scared of him.

    The men stared at us, and Sarah and I stared at them. Finally the man with the hat stood up and took off his hat.

    He had short blonde hair. He said: “Hello ladies,” He bowes and continues. “My name is Wyatt Cain, call me Cain, my partner here's name is Glitch Maclachlan.”

    “Hello.” My Cinnamon Man, Glitch, says to us. His eyes have remained on me this entire time, never more than glancing at Sarah. It really has made me feel uncomfortable.

    I don’t say anything so Sarah takes it upon herself to introduce us.“Um, hi, my names Sarah Krilow, this is my cousin, Marley Krilow.

    “Hi.” I say, trying to smile at both of them, but looking down when my eyes rest upon Glitch.

    Glitch stands up. "Would you ladies like a seat?' he smiles at Sarah, and then grins at me, making me blush a deep crimson. Why am I acting this way? Don't blush! They may be dangerous. But there's something about them.... maybe they're harmless?

    We start to walk forward but Sarah stops me. "Wait! Who are you guys? How did we get here?" Sarah plants her feet solidly on the ground and glares at the two men. I just stare aghast at her outburst.

    "This morning we found you two on the ground, you were completely drugged up. We carried you back to this cottage." Glitch explains.

    "We didn't leave without giving that little man a big scare though." Cain chuckles to himself.

    "Do you girls live around here? I would think that most people living here would know to stay away from that man!" Glitch criticizes.

    "We don't live around here." I start to explain, staring at the floor. "We live on Earth, but something... I think it was magic, brought us here."

    "What do you mean, magic? What kind of magic?" Cain asks.

    "We said this word, Beetlejuice, three times we said it. Then we woke up on a field of flowers in this land."

    "Beetlejuice? I have never heard of such word. I wonder what it means..." Glitch drifts off into his thoughts. I stare at him, wondering what he is thinking. He brings his eyes up to meet mine, and I turn to look at Sarah.

    "We have no idea what this place is. All we want is to go home!" Sarah pleads, looking at Cain.

    "This is very strange Sarah and Marley..." Glitch starts, my face gets hot when he says my name. "Because we have had a similar experiance. See... We are from a place called The Outer Zone, or the O.Z., we went to sleep one night... and then woke up in the same flower field you just described."

    I raise my eyebrow, staring at this strange man, and then look at Sarah. "So, you don't know this place either?" I ask.

    "No, you girls probably no more than we do!" Cain bursts out laughing. "You should have seen us! When we woke up in that damn field, Glitch about had a heart attack! Oh my lord, was that ever funny..." Cain slaps the embarrassed man on the back.

    "Oh, I'm gunna get you for that Cain!"

    "OH? And watcha gunna do?"

    "..... AHAH! Remember that time when there was that pig, and you had your moms wedding dre-!" Cain grabs Glitch from behind and covers his mouth.

    "Glitch! Not in front of the ladies!" Cain let's go of his mouth and they both start to laugh. I just stare at them, lightly chuckling. I glance at Sarah and see her staring at Cain... Oh my, I know that stare...







    Chapter Six


    Kiss
    ........

    Jimmy McMaster was my second grade crush. All the the little girls had huge crushes on him, including me. Every day each girl would fight over who would be his reading partner. One day he actually chose me! We read Clifford The Big Red Dog has a Birthday Party. Possibly the dumbest book ever written... but it was worth it.



    Sarah and I were in the bedroom again, getting ready for bed. We found out that this cottage wasn't Glitch or Cain's. It was in fact abandoned, or so they say...

    "Oh my, Marley, is that man HOT, or what?"

    "Which one?" I ask Sarah, while getting under the sheets.

    "Well... they are both really good looking. But CAIN! What do you think of him? Hottie or what!?" She jumps on the bed, kneeling beside me.

    "He DOES have a really nice body. I gotta give him that."

    "And his eyes! Oh my Gawd! Couldn't you just DIE?" I look at Sarah, scrunching my mouth, waiting for her to shut up and go to sleep. My head was still throbbing from this morning.
    "Mmmm... I think I should go for him, don't you?"

    "Well, Sarah... we should focus on getting out of here. Not getting a boyfriend."

    Sarah sits there a puts. "But... what about both? C'mon Marley! He is ssooo good looking! I can't just leave him alone! Anyway... I saw you looking at Glitch..." Sarah squints her eyes, poking me in the side.

    "No you did not! I wasn't looking at him like you think i was looking at him! I was just... watching him talk." I glare at her, daring her to say anything further on the subject.

    "NO WAY SISTA! You llluuuvvvv him! You want to kiss him! I saw it in your eyes!"

    "Oh my God Sarah! Just shut up!"

    "You do like him... the way your denying it. You really do like him!"

    "Well... ok, but don't tell anyone!"

    "I won't! I won't, but Marley... Glitch likes you. Don't tell me you didn't see him smiling and flirting with you all day!"

    "Well ya... I did notice, it was kind of hard not to! Wow, yes, he does have a nice smile! Did you see his smile?"

    "Hahaha yes! Just imagine, Me and Cain, You and Glitch..."

    "Shush Sarah! Lets just go to sleep."

    "Ok, goodnight!"

    "'Night."


    The next day the chirping of birds woke us up. "I wonder what there is to eat around this place." Sarah says.

    We get ready for the day and march out the door. Cain's digging in the fridge and Glitch is sitting on the couch, reading a book. Cain pops his head out and says "Well good morning ladies! Pleasant dreams I hope?"

    "Yes! Why thank you Cain." Sarah smiles flirtatiously at him.

    "How did you sleep, Marley?" I whirl around to find Glitch standing behind me, our faces just mere inches apart.

    I take a step back. "Um, thank you. And yourself?"

    "I slept quite nicely, It helped having females in the house."

    "Oh? How does that help?"

    "Females... are such gentle creatures, it's like they have an aura of serenity around them."

    "HA! Really? You should meet some of the girls I know..." I snicker, getting more comfortable in his presence. He slides a bit closer to me, and is about to say something, but Sarah interrupts.

    "Hey, Me and Cain are going to the forest to get some fruit for breakfast ok?"

    "Umm, ok, i guess... You won't be long?" I ask her hesitantly.

    "Oh no, not long at all!" She winks at me. "See you later Glitch."

    Cain waves goodbye and the pair walk out the front door. I turn to look at Glitch, who is intently looking at the tiled flooring. "So, um... what is there to do around here?" I ask.

    He lifts his head and smiles. "Well, there's some books near the fireplace..."

    "Ok, I guess I'll look through them." I walk past him to the pile of books. I pick up a book that I recognize and sit down in one of the chairs. He sits on the couch, and continues the book he was reading.

    We talk every so once and awhile. I find out that he has a zipper on his head because on evil witch took out his brain. Luckily, he got it back.

    "So, Marley... You have a boyfriend?" He asks with his nose still in the book.

    I look up at him and answer. "Umm... No."

    He smiles slightly with his head still down. "Good." Just then Cain and Sarah walk in the door, both looking quite flushed. They had been gone for almost an hour! We eat breakfast, and the boys go out to explore. I sit Sarah on the couch and we begin to talk.

    "Sarah... what happened?

    "Oh my god Marley! We kissed!" She claps her hands excitedly.

    "What! But you just met him!"

    "I know, I know... But while we were picking fruit, you know, we were flirting, and goofing around. We stared pushing eachother... And then he grabs me and kisses me! Well.... not exactly grab, he just put his arms around my waist and just did a slightly tender kiss."

    "Wow." I say flabbergasted.

    "Oh Marley, it was so romantic... Yes I do agree with you that it is too early to kiss. But out in the forest. it's so strange out there... It's like our instincts and emotions take over, it was weird..."

    "Sarah, I think for now, when we go out into the woods, or anywhere else. We really need to be careful.








    Chapter Seven

    Let’s Dance
    .............

    At the age of seven my favourite movie was this funny romantic musical. I would jump around on my bed, dancing to the fun 70's music. I didn't know how to control the DVD player, so I would get my mom to rewind my favourite scene about 20 times every time I watched it, which was 4 times a week. I really annoyed my mom.

    I couldn't sleep that night, I tossed and turned, contemplating on how to get home. I remembered the Mad Hatter saying something about a King bringing people over from other worlds ... Maybe he could help us get back home? Then I finally fell asleep.

    The next morning I asked Glitch and Cain about this so called King.

    "Yes, I have heard of him.“ Glitch acclaims.

    "Maybe we could ask around, find out where this King lives.“ Cain adds.

    "Ok, so me and you go and the girls stay? I don't think it's safe for them to come with us ... We don't know what exactly is out there.” Glitch tells Cain.

    "Yes, that is a good idea. Fine with you guys?“ He asks us, his eyes on Sarah.

    "That's a good idea, yes, you guys go and find everything you possibly can!“ I say excitedly.

    Sarah acts all huffy, pouting slightly towards Cain. But she agrees and we see them out the front door.
    "Now what are we supposed to do?" The grumpy Sarah whines.

    "I saw a stereo somewhere around here with an Ipod connector, we could blast our music really loud!"

    "OH! That's a good idea! C'mon, let's find it and bring it outside." We find the music player and set it up on the front steps. "Hey, this looks like a good enough area to do our ... dance!" Sarah says excitedly.

    "You mean ... that dance?" I ask her, knowing exactly what song and dance she is talking about. I jump up and clear a few sticks out of the way. I stand with my hands on my hips, waiting for Sarah to turn on the music and join me on the make shift dance floor. She stands next to me, and the music starts blasting.

    This car is automatic
    It's systematic
    It's hydromatic
    Why it's grease lightning (Grease lightning)

    We start to shake our hips to the right snapping our fingers along to the beat

    We’ll get some overhead lifters and some four barrel quads oh yeah
    (Keep talking whoa keep talking)
    A fuel injection cutoff and chrome plated rods oh yeah (I'll get the money I'll kill to get the money)
    With a four speed on the floor they'll be waiting at the door You know that ain't no s**t we’ll be getting lots of tit
    In Grease Lightning
    Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go

    We bend our knees and bring our right arm, pointing to the left, moving slowly to the right.

    Go grease lightning you're burning up the quarter mile (Grease lightning go grease lightning)
    Go grease lightning you're coasting through the heat lap trial You are supreme the chicks'll cream for grease lightning
    Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go

    Bring right arm up, bend it and bring it down in the * Jack Pot* movement, doing again with left arm.

    Purple french taillights and thirty inch fins oh yeah
    A Palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins oh yeah
    With new pistons, plugs, and shocks I can get off my rocks You know that I ain't bragging she's a real p***y wagon Grease lightning

    Right arm out, pointing to the left and bringing slowly to the right, repeat with left arm.

    Go grease lightning you're burning up the quarter mile (Grease lightning go grease lightning)
    Go grease lighting you're coasting through the heat lap trial You are supreme the chicks'll cream for grease lightning Go grease lightning you're burning up the quarter mile (Grease lightning go grease lightning)

    Go grease lighting you're coasting through the hit lap trial You are supreme the chicks'll cream for grease lightning Lightning, lightning, lightning
    Lightning, lightning, lightning
    Lightning

    End with a pose!

    “0h my God that was amazing! Did you see when I did that kick? I almost fell over!" We laugh about our amazing dance ability, and then we hear cheering and clapping coming from behind the trees.

    “Hey! Who's there!?" I yell at the forest, not totally sure who, or what, I was shouting at.

    Then Glitch and Cain walk out from behind the trees, grinning and laughing. “Hahaha, nice moves ladies!" Cain guffaws.

    I was completely mortified. I thought nobody was watching! They walk over to us, stumbling a bit while still snickering.

    “Shut. Up. Cain! Like you could dance any better!" Sarah pokes him.

    “Oh ya? Little girl you don't know what your talking about! I've got skills that would blow your mind!"
    "Oh really!?! Prove it! Dance off, right here! Right now! You and me, c'mon let's go."

    " ... Seriously?" Cain asks, contemplating what was about to occur.

    "YES! You think you're so cool, let's see how you fair against the Queen of Dance! Marley, switch it to Spin Me 'Round ." I look at Glitch, dreading the next four minutes of this unwanted affair. He looks back at me, terror in his eyes.

    He whispers to me: "Cain isn't a good dancer, you better shield your eyes. It could get painful." I chuckle a little, thinking he is just joking. ''I'm serious. He can't dance. Not one bit." His eyes tell me he isn't kidding.

    Sarah and Cain stand opposite each other, both grinning from ear to ear.

    "Ok ... GO!" I turn on the music.

    Yeah I, I got to know your name
    Well and I, could trace your private number baby All i know is that to me
    You look like you're lots of fun Open up your lovin' arms
    I want some

    Well I ... I set my sights on you (and no one else will do)
    And I, I've got to have my way now, baby (and no one else will do)
    And I, I've got to have my way now, baby All I know is that to me
    You look like you're havin' fun Open up your lovin' arms Watch out, here I come

    *You spin me right round, baby right round like a record, baby Right round round round
    You spin me right round, baby Right round like a record, baby
    Right round round round

    I, I got be your friend now, baby And I would like to move in
    Just a little bit closer

    (little bit closer)

    **AIII know is that to me
    You look like you're lots of fun Open up your lovin' arms Watch out, here I come

    [*Repeat]

    I want your love I want your love [**Repeat]

    [*Repeat and fade with ad lib]


    That was by far the worst thing I have ever seen. Sarah of course was brilliant, moving along good to the music. But Cain ... Oh my. He tried just too hard! He was jumping around so much he tripped and busted open his knee! On top of that, he shook his head so hard he had to stop, complaining of a head ache. He had no rhythm at all and just made up random moves that didn't look good at all.

    "Oh my gosh, here Cain I'll help you inside." Sarah brings him inside, leaving me and Glitch alone.

    "So, was that bad or what?" Glitch asks me, smiling.

    “Oh my ... " I don't say anything, just shake my head in disbelievment. Then I remembered why Cain and Glitch had gone out. "Did you find out anything about the King?" I ask him full-heartedly.

    “Yes, but we should tell both you and Sarah at the same time."

    “Ok then, lets go inside." I turn to go up the steps, but he grabs onto my wrist. “What is it?" I ask.

    “I was thinking maybe you could teach me some of those dance moves. You're very good, you know." He tells me with a slight smile on his face.

    “Well... I don't know, we should really get inside." I was very nervous about what he was proposing.

    “No ... Come on Marley, I think it really is time I learned." He grabs my waist and pulls me closer, but I take his hands away and step back.

    “Glitch ... " I began.

    “Please Marley? Just a quick dance? You could show me how to waltz. I've always wanted to learn."

    “l'm not very good at waltzing."

    “Then you do know how to waltz! It's ok, I'm a good student. I have very good rhythm." He flashes me his brilliant smile.

    “You're that sure of yourself?"

    “Oh, I'm very sure of myself. "C'mon, I'll pick a song and let's waltz!"

    Why not? It could be fun. And it is good practice … He turns on a slow song. Strides toward me and takes my right hand in his, and places his hand on my waist. We move around in circles, he is very good. After a while he pulls me closer, my eyes always on the ground. I feel his breath on my neck, it gives me goose bumps. Why am I allowing this to happen? I should be figuring out a way to get home ... Not dancing with a silly boy. But it feels like I need to ... maybe the power that Sarah felt in the woods is taking over me. That means I really need to get out of this place. We are too close to the forest. I look up at him and smile, then lean my head on his shoulder.









    Chapter Eight


    I Burn For You
    ........................


    My first kiss happened when I was 13 years old. My crush walked me home from school one day and when we got to my house he quickly pecked me on the lips. I ran inside and quickly scribbled it all in my diary. The next day at school I walked up to him and tried to strike up a conversation. He basically ignored me and went over to ask another girl if he could walk her home. I ran home and cried.


    King Jareth lives exactly in the middle of the so called Wonder Zone. To get there you have to cross the haunted graveyard and pass through the stone labyrinth. He is the most powerful wizard of this land, but there are many debates about whether he is good... or evil.


    One week has passed, it has come and gone sooner than I could have imagined, I have spent too much of my time dawdling away. We have decided to trek out to meet the King. It shall take us approximately a month, of what the local townspeople have told. We leave tomorrow night, before we leave we must collect enough food to sustain us one full turn of the moon. Fruit from the forest we must pick, because not one of the four of us has money that works in this land. Luckily Cain and Glitch hunted down clothes for me and Sarah. I thought we were really going to need shampoo and soap, but to my surprise... after a week we still don't stink and our hair is as soft and shiny as the day we last washed it. Another one of this place's big mysteries.

    I was getting ready to go collect fruit with Sarah, when she totally bailed on me. "Marley, I think I'm going to stay here with Cain, ok?" Over the past week her and Cain have been getting closer, and closer. It has come to the terms that she has been getting out of bed in the middle of the night to take a *walk* with him. But they know better enough not to show their passion in front me.

    "Sarah, I'm not going by myself."

    "That's why Glitch is going with you! C'mon I already told him, he's ready to go." She smiles mischeiviously at me.

    "Oh my God, Sarah. I am going to kill you one of these days, you do know that?"

    "Hahaha, ya, I do."

    I go to the living room where Glitch is waiting. He smiles at me and we both walk out the front door. After dancing with him a week ago I haven't really said much to him, or even went around him. I'm too shy and I don't want to mess around with any boys right now. I think he senses that, he gives me space. I appreciate that.

    We walk through the forest a while, and then stop to pick apples. Every so often I catch Glitch staring at me. And then sometimes he catches me staring at him... which is very embarassing. Focus Marley! He comes closer to me, I stand straight, picking apples. He starts picking relatively close to where I am.

    I notice his hand isn't reaching up to grab the fruit anymore. I feel a rush of heat go through me, like all my worries have left. I turn towards him, and he is staring at me, expressionless.

    Before you know it I am in his arms. We don't kiss, but he lifts his hand up to caress my cheek. Another wave of heat goes through me, tingling my body from my head down to my toes. I jump closer into Glitch's arms, like someone from behind has just pushed me.

    He leans down and kisses me. Just a quick peck, but then my body gets hot again, I can feel the wave go through him too. It scares me for a second, making me remember what the forest can do. I am lost in it's spell. Instead of heat, my body gets ice cold, and then I leave my head behind, as my body rushes forward.

    Our kisses are passionate, everything freezes as me and this man are caught in the forest's curse, or to some... their wish come true. I try to stop myself, but I have lost complete control over my body.

    The cold rush comes out of our bodies, and we let go of each other. We just stand their, looking at one another.

    "I... I... I think I've got enough apples." And then I turn for home and start walking fast.

    "Wait! Wait, Marley" He runs to catch up to me while I stop. "What was that? I felt something... I didn't mean to kiss... Not that I don't want to kiss you! But, it was kind of intense, like I wanted to stop, but I couldn't."

    I stare at him, not wanting to look at the man I had just lost control with. "There's something... wrong, with this forest Glitch. Everytime I go near it, I feel this pressure. Sarah has felt it to... When Cain and she went into the forest a week ago they had a similar experiance."

    "But Cain and Sarah... they are kind of *together* now. Will that happen to us, after being in the forest will that rush keep happening?" His eyes hard, staring me down for information.

    "I don't know Glitch, I really don't know."




    (to be continued)