CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT 
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT 
KING MAC SAT ON HIS THRONE and watched, along with every teary eye in the cave, as Benjamin disappeared into the tunnel. The inhabitants of the kingdom were quiet, showing respect for the boy leaving them. The blue glow of the tunnel slowly faded.
Oh great! How am I gonna get out of here? Benjamin felt his bare, collarless wrist. He heard the pitter patter of tiny feet behind him. The bob-tailed field mouse ran past and climbed the wall, causing the sticks to pop up so he could exit.
“Oh…thanks, Squeak.”
The mouse squeaked back at him and he smiled sadly. He put his hand down and Squeak gave his finger a big hug. “Good-bye,” Benjamin said softly. The mouse squeaked and squeaked as Benjamin climbed out of the fox den and walked away.
Squeak scurried up the wall and onto the sticks of the fox den. “…Thank you, King Benjamin.” He cried as he watched the boy walk up his driveway for the last time.
JONAH FELT ALL MOVEMENT suddenly stop. He heard a thumping heartbeat very close by. Oh, my gosh, Jonah! You’re actually inside its belly! He started to hyperventilate. His one black foot was pressed on the speak button of the walkie-talkie.
THE MOON SHONE DOWN on Benjamin. He looked at the thousands of silver ripples reflected off the pond. He looked at the hill and remembered the first conversation he’d had with a rat-terrier named Paco. He walked closer to the house and pictured Pugsly staring out the dark front window. Then he thought about how he was going to go into Persly’s Woods by himself, find the pool with the cicadas, and blow up the giant snake.
But why did Malcolm take the Trojan Pig? It didn’t matter. He’d build another one. The worst day of his life was now over. The kingdom was back to normal, just as when Pugsly ruled it. Everything would be okay. He remembered the fireworks and quietly took the sack from the back seat of the car, then tiptoed along the front of the house to sneak in.
From the top of his desk in his empty bedroom came a scratchy, high-pitched noise. Screech. “Malcolm?!” Screech. “Malcolm, help!” Screech. (the sound of heavy breathing) Screech. “Anybody?!” Screech. “Oh…please help…” Screech. “…What am I gonna do?” Screech. “…What am I gonna do?”
On Benjamin’s desk the walkie-talkie’s red light faded out. The batteries went dead just as he crawled through the window. He went right to bed. Benjamin Biggs had a lone task ahead of him and he needed to get some sleep.
THE END