Skeleton Beats the Clock

Chapter 12

The low bid began at $200.00.

The Storage Warlords chomped at the ready as the auctioneer continued like a buzzsaw with bids.

Eighteen-year-olds, Pennysol Mittle, Taigoo Constantinides and Reiga Desental were Queen storage warlords.

"It's like cracking open a mystery. You never know what you're going to get until you do," Pennysol said to Taigoo and Reiga, making a two-finger gesture, raising them high and curving them for the witch-auctioneer to see, at a bid of $1,500 for storage locker C-232.

"Each storage locker contains new loot, new magical worlds or dimensions. Worlds I get to pilfer with my trusty friend here," Reiga says patting her side pocket that held her magical Swiss pen knife. She nodded with her chin upward at the bid of $2,000.

"Going once going twice...!" the witch auctioneer announced.

"...Anything you can sell, collect, keep or barter behind those magically cloaked doors," Taigoo whispered, raising one finger and then snapping her fingers together in the air in eye and earshot of the auctioneer.

"They don't call me Raider for nothing," Reiga winked at Taigoo and Pennysol, with a shoulder shrug.

"Sold."

"Rats. Foiled this time," Reiga smiled at Taigoo with a left punch in the air as if nudging the air around her. "If I had to lose, I'm glad it's to you, my tribal sorority sister.

"Thanks, you know why I needed this. I do this only for Davil.

"Yes, we know," Pennysol added. "Is your kid brother still stuck with the Stellars?"

"Yeah, it was shortly after I left the city and joined the Marmalade-Giqware Mi'Puel."

"Let us know if there's anything we can do," Reiga said kneeling down pressing her temple against Taigoo's, who is the size of a thumbnail image.

"Sure," Taigoo said with a sigh.

Reiga stood upright. "Let me know if you find anything in that storage locker that might interest me. If you, don't want it, of course."

"Like a cursed object or cursed world, something like, Reiga...?"

"Love that," she said with a coquettish smile.

"No problem," Taigoo said with a slight chuckle. "I got you."

"Hello, ladies! Looking for your next home, Taigoo?!" Lockette shouted looking up towards Pennysol and Reiga and glancing down at Taigoo.

"I have good friends that live in storage lockers, but I'm not one of them, you dumbass," Taigoo snapped back.

"You're adorable. You'd be perfect as one of my little sister's dolls. No pun intended. Well, maybe..." Lockette smirked holding her index and thumb slightly apart, crinkling her eyes up at the corners.

"Lockette," Reiga said looking at the group of girls accompanying her. "Always late to the party. Just like on the rink. It's already been sold," she said referring to the storage locker Taigoo just won the bid on.

"Oh, no problem. We'll get the next one," Lockette said heading towards the next storage locker where another bid had begun. "...And Reiga, Pennysol," she laughed with a glower, "Taigoo be ready to bring you're A-game because we, Mop Girls are going to wipe the floor with you this time."

"You're on. But it's us, Sweep Girls that are goin' to clean house," Pennysol scoffed. "Send your dust butts where you belong."

The Mop Girls dusted their shoulders off in synchronicity, cackling as they did so.

"Hey, girls. Shake it off. We'll settle things at the rink with them as always. I'm going to go and check out this storage locker I just paid over $2,000," Taigoo said pointing over shoulder with her thumb. I'll meet you two later with the rest of the Sweep Girls team at our usual place, Cracked Banana.

Reiga and Pennysol gave a wink and salute.