Bubblegum Witch

The Antidote

After ten minutes of walking, the boys reach the end of the trail. When they notice where they were led to, their eyes widen.

"Paul... do you remember seeing a castle in Hamburg?" Asked Derek. "No, especially not one so... pink." Said Paul. "Whoever lives here, it must be their favorite color." Derek said. "It's Amanda's second favorite, I'll tell you that. She always wears those shoes that match her dress, except for when the weather gets cold, then she wears that blue dress and black boots." Paul said. "She's got good taste, that's for sure." Said Derek. "Definitely. Now we better get inside, the girls have to be in there if the drag marks led us here." Said Paul.

The two approach the door, then Derek knocks on the door, only for it to open on its own. "Automatic doors. How convenient." Said Derek. "I couldn't agree more, come on." Paul said.

As the boys enter, they're unaware that Sugar Pink is standing behind the door and was the one who opened it. "Those must be the husbands of the queen and princess. I can't let them be revived." She said.

Meanwhile

The boys call their wives' names, but they try not to attract unwanted attention at the same time. Suddenly the sound of coughing occurs.

"Shhhh! Did you hear that?" Derek asked. "I did. Wait, I recognize that cough!" Paul said. "It's coming from that direction! Follow the noise!" Said Derek. The coughing gets louder and louder, which hints they're going in the right direction. When they pass one door, the noise is the loudest of all. "This is it right here!" Said Paul.

With it being an iron gate, the boys are able to look through it and get their wives' attention. "Girls!" Derek said. Amanda looks up and smiles at the sight of the boys. "Odette, look! They're here!" She said. "I knew they could do it!" Said Odette. "Are you alright?" Paul asked. The girls try standing up, but they hit the ground the instant they're on their feet.

"No... we're dying." Odette said "What?!" The boys said in unison. "A woman named Sugar Pink offered us a piece of her bubblegum, but when we blew a bubble, it sprayed acid after it popped. We breathed it in, and now we have four hours to live." Said Amanda. "This can't be!" Cried Paul. "It's true. Without an antidote, it's hopeless." Said Odette. "We're not letting that happen! Come on, Paul, let's find that antidote!" Said Derek.

Paul nods then faces the girls again. "Please try to hold on. Please." He said. "We'll do the best we can." Amanda said. She reaches through the gate to squeeze Paul's hand and he squeezes back. Odette does the same thing as Derek holds hers in his, gently squeezing it. Then the boys leave to find the antidote for the acid gum.

Remembering to remain quiet and stealthy, they move across the wall with their backs against it until they find a cabinet in one room. "A-ha!" Derek said. Once he and Paul enter, they stop after seeing a sign that says "Top Secret" on the cabinet. "Great, now what?" Paul asked.

"There's no lock, we can open it." Said Derek. But once they do, they only find a sheet of paper inside. "Wait a minute." Said Paul. His and Derek's worries disappear when they see the bold lettering up top. "This is it, Paul! This is the antidote!" Derek said with a smile. "But where are we gonna find all these ingredients?" Paul asked.

Derek looks back in the cabinet and finds another sheet of paper. "I found a map, maybe it'll tell us." He said. The boys study the map for a few minutes, until their expressions become uneasy ones.

"I don't like this, Derek. I don't like it one bit." Said Paul. "I don't either, but if we don't get moving, the girls will succumb to the acid and die. Keep the list of ingredients handy, I'll read the map." Said Derek.