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Untitled Document
My name is Indigo Musician the blue Gelert, editor for the
Golden Jubjub Voice newspaper and always informed about the latest news running
through the school. However, now I was temporarily abandoning my post as an editor
to join the exciting world of the dance committee.
"No, no, no. We put the food cart on this side
of the dance floor. We need it to be far away from the gross food contest."
"But Indi," argued The_Daywalker the red Nimmo.
"Shouldn't we put the food close to the contests? That way, people won't have
to walk as far to get to where they need to go."
"There will be an identify-the-gross-food contest,
Daywalker." I replied. "Do you really want to clean up the results of snacks
and gross food right next to each other?"
Daywalker sighed, "Have it your way."
Then, Daywalker's brother DanteDevilHunter the
red Nimmo approached me. Dante loves to take charge, just like me. We tend to
butt heads, especially when it came to this dance.
"Indigo! Why did you say that we were serving
fruit punch? I already sent in an order for Neocola!"
"Neocola rots out your teeth, Dante! Fruit punch
is more healthy."
"Fruit punch is sticky. It'll get all over people's
clothes, it'll cover the dance floor, and it'll make the whole gym a sticky
mess!"
"Cola would do the same thing! Besides, I already
ordered fruit punch!"
Daywalker could sense an argument coming. "Why
don't we serve both? This dance needs a little variety."
Dante pointed to his list again. "And what about
the decorations? This is a Halloween Hoopla, not a Fall Festival. You wrote
down that we should have red and gold streamers, fake tissue paper leaves, the
sounds of migrating birds…"
"A little seasonal cheer doesn't hurt anyone,
Dante. Besides, you wrote down plastic skeletons, black cats, and witches. You'll
scare the little kids!"
"There won't be any little kids, Indigo. This
dance is for fifth, sixth and seventh graders."
"Can't you compromise on that too?" Daywalker
asked.
"I can't promise I'll like it," I muttered.
* * *
The days passed, and finally, it was the Friday of the festival. The dance
committee was panicking; making sure every last detail was perfect.
"Could someone with wings hang these streamers
over the snack table?" I shouted. Dante grabbed the streamers out of my paws.
"Red and gold? I thought you ordered orange and black?"
"I ordered orange and black, O Perfectionist
Dante," said my friend RubyRainbow333 the rainbow Uni. "This festival will be
the best!"
Dante just seemed aggravated and weary, probably
from the effort it took to argue with me. "Just hang them over the games."
Normally, Ruby won't stand for anyone snapping
at her. But she sensed Dante's bad mood and took off.
I tried to lighten the atmosphere. "Cheer up,
Dante. We worked hard. In fact, when the decorations are up, Let's all go to
the Pizzaroo! My treat."
"You mean it?" Dante seemed surprised that I
would do that for him.
"Yes. Every member of the dance committee gets
a slice of pizza. Come on!"
* * *
An hour later we came back, laughing and relieved of our stress. We entered
the school and made our way to the gym, Ruby, Dante, Daywalker and I in the
lead. I opened the gym doors.
What we saw next was something I'll never forget.
Streamers had been torn from the walls, and
lay scattered and ripped on the floor. Punch and cola containers had been overturned,
covering the gym floor in a sticky red and brown mess. Balloons had been popped
and the rubbery remnants lay in a forlorn-looking mess. Gross food, like infested
peaches and fish pops were smeared on the walls. Tables had been overturned,
and the DJ station had been kicked repetitively.
What horrified me the most was a message on
the east wall in peach juice and red ink. "THE SPIRITS OF THE HOOPLA HAVE BEEN
AWAKENED. BEWARE THEIR WRATH!"
My shock lasted for about a second before I
jumped into take-charge mode. "Daywalker, stand at the door. If any people come,
tell them to wait outside. Tell them what happened. Ruby, Dante, and the rest
of you people, help me clean up this mess."
"Leave the writing on the wall," Ruby said,
jumping into "detective mode". "I need to examine it. Also, leave the DJ station
be. I need to know what sort of creature damaged it."
"Okay, Ruby. You're excused from cleanup," Dante
said. He was taking over as leader. "Everyone else, we need this gym spotless."
"This will take all night!" moaned a Quiggle.
Dante's eyes filled with sorrow and regret.
"That's exactly why I am canceling the Halloween Hoopla."
Everyone gasped.
"You don't have the authority to do that!"
"No dance?"
"This is horrible!"
"There is no dance, people! Now help clean up.
It's too late to do anything now," I barked.
The Quiggle, named Andrew Croaker glared at
me, his eyes full of rage. "It's all your fault, pup! You suggested we go out
for pizza and leave our precious gym unattended!"
"No one made you come, Andy," Ruby growled.
The two bickered some more, then started cleaning
the gym up. We worked late into the night, mopping floors and trying to solve
this mystery.
Finally, the gym was clean. I went home and
collapsed into my bed. But my dreams that night were haunted by those blood-red
words on the wall.
"THE SPIRITS OF THE HOOPLA HAVE BEEN AWAKENED.
BEWARE THEIR WRATH!"
To be continued...
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