The Mapmaker and the Ghost by Sarvenaz Tash

tackle—SNIFF—Lint with one of those video-game moves he had practiced—SNIFF—all summer. Then he’d run upstairs screaming an ear-shattering battle cry, take down the rest of the kids in one truly spectacular round housekick, and run back home and into his bed right before his mother—SNIFF—would be coming in with a hot bowl of soup.
    As he was visualizing this awesome feat, he heard more footsteps on the stairs.
    â€œWe got another one,” he heard Brains say.
    Lint looked up. “What’s
she
doing here?”
    â€œGuard her, Lint. This is no joke. Spitbubble’s in a foul mood.”
    And then Birch saw her—she was being led into the room by Brains. Birch’s face broke into a wide grin.
    Goldenrod loosened herself from Brains’s grasp and hurried over to him. Birch immediately threw himself at her, holding on to her in a tight hug.
    Goldenrod patted him on the head. Birch was so happy and relieved to see her that it was a few moments before he began to realize that if Goldenrod were in here—who on earth was out there to rescue him?

14
THE LAB
    â€œSo you know that girl, right, Brains? You know her family?” Spitbubble said as Brains came back up the stairs. He was leaning against the cavern wall, arms folded in front of his thin chest.
    â€œYeah…,” Brains trailed off.
    â€œGood. Think of a way of scaring her and that little brat into never breathing a word of this to anyone. I expect you to make good on your nickname.” Spitbubble straightened himself out. “And make sure everything is set for tomorrow,” he said casually as he strolled out of the cavern.
    Easy for him to say
, Brains thought to himself about a half hour later as he kicked a pebble moodily and walked into the bright sunshine. He was always the one that was coming up with the plans.
Then again, who else would do it?
he thought as he looked to the clearing by the side of thecavern and saw No-Bone, Toe Jam, and Snotshot arguing while they were trying to make up teams for a game of tug-of-war. Toe Jam had created a nice mud pit with the help of the hose that Brains had hooked up a few weeks ago and they were using an old, frayed rope that one of them had picked up from somewhere. It was getting hard to keep track of who was contributing what to their inventory.
    Toe Jam spotted him as he walked toward them.
    â€œYou’re on my team, Brains.”
    Brains shook his head. “I can’t. I have work to do for Spitbubble.”
    â€œIn your super secret lab, I bet,” Snotshot snorted.
    â€œIt’s not super secret. It’s just super secret to you because you don’t understand what I’m doing,” Brains said coolly.
    â€œBrains, no one understands what you’re doing. Albert Einstein would probably have a hard time,” Snotshot said.
    Brains smirked smugly.
    â€œAlthough,” Snotshot continued, “perhaps Thomas Edison might have a clue.”
    Brains glared at her. She knew how he felt about that backstabber Edison.
    â€œWithout me—” he started.
    â€œYes, yes, we know,” No-Bone said, as he grabbed hold of one end of the rope. “There would never be a plan, and we’d all be doomed to go back to our homes.”
    â€œAnd don’t you forget it,” Brains said.
    â€œHow could we? You won’t let us,” No-Bone said.
    â€œBrains, are you going to play or not?” Toe Jam asked.
    â€œNot,” Brains said.
    â€œOkay, fine. Then I’ll be on Snotshot’s team,” Toe Jam said, a little too eagerly.
    â€œDude, no way,” No-Bone said. “This is how we always team up. How else are we going to keep ultimate score?”
    â€œBut this isn’t fair!” Toe Jam said. “Lint’s not here to be on my team. Unless he can come out—” Toe Jam looked hopefully at Brains.
    â€œAbsolutely not,” Brains said. “Lint’s on guard, and