chapter 26

Which, We Must Admit, Is Not Very Exciting at First

Nothing happened.

No alarms, no flashing lights, no net made out of industrial strength toilet paper dropping on top of him.

Jackson lowered himself into the chair, breathing a sigh of relief. He was accepted.

But as he breathed that sigh of relief he heard another sound. A deep rumbling—like thunder. It made the hairs on Jackson’s neck stand up. He stood up and turned around.

There, twenty feet away, half-hidden in the pink rose bushes, was Muffy.

The dog’s lips were pulled back into a snarl, showing off his white pointy teeth. A long string of drool swung in the breeze from his lower lip. His ears lay flat against his head. His neck fur was bristling like a thick mane of prickling quills. Muffy lunged.