The Ever After

Chapter Sixteen: Dark Spirits Afoot

ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO THE BEACH," MAY said. She and Pumpkin had been walking in silence for two days, only talking when it was time to stop and eat, and even then, only exchanging a few words.

May scanned the sky as they walked, then looked down the beach behind her to make sure there was no one in sight. "I like the woods a lot better."

Pumpkin nodded agreeably.

"Once I get home, I'm never going to the beach again."

Pumpkin nodded again.

May sighed. She'd never wanted so much to talk to some- one. In school she'd always kept her mouth closed as much as possible. But Pumpkin was losing his scariness. In fact, he was starting to seem less scary than some of her classmates.

"So how do you like being Arista's house servant?"

Pumpkin shrugged. "It's okay."

"You don't like it?"

Pumpkin shrugged. May didn't understand how sometimes he could be so chatty and then make it so impossible to pull out two words.

They walked in silence some more, May searching her brain for another subject. "Well, what would you do if you could do anything?"

Pumpkin looked at her, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Well, just imagine you could do anything you wanted to do. What would it be?"

Pumpkin stuck a finger in his mouth, thinking. "Have you ever heard of William Shakespeare?"

May nodded eagerly. "Sure."

"Well, he runs a song and dance revue, out in the Nothing Platte-it's very famous."

"Really?"

"I want to work there. As a singer."

"Wow, really?" May knew she must have looked shocked, because Pumpkin turned crimson.

"I . . . I'm sorry, I just had no idea you could sing. And you seem kind of . . . timid."

"I don't feel timid when I sing."

May smiled. She knew what he meant. She wasn't timid when she was running through the forest being an Amazon.

"Can I hear some?"

"What? Oh, nooo . . ."

"Oh, please? Let me hear you sing."

Pumpkin was shaking his head, but in that way that people do when they really want you to talk them into something.

"Please!" May was practically hopping up and down. "Just not too loud, okay?" she added, peering over her shoulder again.

Pumpkin stopped in his tracks. "Okay." He cleared his throat. "Okay," he said again, getting up his nerve. "I like to imagine that there's a whole bunch of specters who've been in horrible accidents in the audience. And they're missing arms and legs and things and really needing to be cheered up, right?"

May nodded. "Okay."

"I get up on stage, make a few jokes, and then . . ." He thrust a hand out into the air and opened his mouth.

"Iiiii ain't got nobodddddy. . . ."

May stood watching in shock. Pumpkin had the clearest, most fantastic voice she had ever heard.

Pumpkin was wiggling his hips and looking like a different ghost-poised and confident.

"Won't some sweet mama come and take a chance with me, 'cause I ain't so bad."