Castle Bleck Craziness

Plague of the Stupid Stink Bug

One Void Day, Count Bleck sat outside on the black lawn, counting blades of grass to busy himself. It was the nice part of spring, and Nastasia insisted that everyone get outside AGAIN. It was their early reward for doing some spring cleaning, though no one wanted the reward or the cleaning.

Mimi made grass angels while Dimentio stood around trying not to look sweaty in his heavy hat. Mr. L practiced some backflips while O'Chunks read under the big black tree. Nastasia sat by the Count and observed.

"Hey Count, doesn't this seem peaceful?" she asked.

"Erm...Count Bleck supposes so," he replied.

Nastasia sighed. No one seemed to truly enjoy the beauty of nature around there. "Well, would spring cleaning be better?" she asked.

Count Bleck coughed and cleared his throat at the same time. "ERRM...Count Bleck is not sure about that," he responded.

Nastasia smiled and stood up. "ALRIGHT EVERYONE, FALL IN!! WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO!!"

"FINALLY!!" Dimentio yelled before she even finished, and rocketed back inside so fast he almost blew out Nastasia's bun.

"...Dude." Mr. L said as he followed.

Mimi had to rip O'Chunks' book out of his hand and shove him inside. Nastasia came after them, followed by Count Bleck.

"Alright, everyone, start with your room, 'k? Make sure you get out ABSOLUTELY everything you don't need," Nastasia announced. "And Mimi, close the door!! You're letting all the hot air in."

Everyone dispersed, and Mimi went to close the door, but as she was walking she suddenly remembered that she had left her diary on a coffee table in the hall. She turned around and abruptly dashed away, leaving the door swinging wide open.

That night, everyone was exhausted. Spring cleaning turned out to be army training in disguise under Nastasia's command. They had pizza for dinner and then crashed in their bedrooms, having earned their stripes.

But the calm, peaceful, dark, evil, gloomy, spring Void night was interrupted by a scream. It came from Mimi's room.

The door busted open and everyone but Count Bleck and O'Chunks came rushing in. (Apparently being big meant sleeping harder.)

"WHAT IS IT??" cried Nastasia, who was brandishing a pillow.

"WHAT HAPPENED??" yelled Mr. L, who was brandishing a wrench.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?" screeched Dimentio, who was brandishing a bloody dagger.

Mimi paused in her screaming and looked at them. "That's a little extra, Dimentio," she said. Then she yelled, "THERE'S A BUG ON MY LAMP!!"

Everyone's eyes turned to her little lamp with a pink lampshade. The silhouette of a beetle-looking bug was crawling along the side.

Nastasia edged over and turned off the lamp so that the bug could be seen. It was a typical scary-looking bug, brown with legs and wings.

"What is it?" Mimi asked with trepidation.

"That is a Halyomorpha halys, otherwise known as the brown marmorated stink bug," supplied Dimentio.

"Who appointed you as the walking dictionary?" Mr. L grouched. But he secretly was slightly impressed.

"It doesn't matter, just please get rid of it," pleaded Mimi.

"Ha, you fear bugs? How childish," Dimentio said smugly.

"Dimentio, that isn't necessary. Many grown adults hate bugs," Nastasia chastised.