AN: Edit: Slight adjustment to the sequence of events to better match the original story.

Night of the Paw

Originally written by John Esposito

With cameras in hand, Lisa made her way downstairs and out onto the porch. The sun was setting, but Lisa was determined. She would prove that there was nothing to this dusty old apparatus. She walked up to the fortune telling device, looking up into the eyes of The Creep. She just shook her head again before she started to set the security devices. "I simply need to ensure the fortune telling machine is under constant surveillance," She said quietly to herself. "And when I can prove that the machine isn't moving, hasn't been stalking others and hasn't really been showing visions of the future, perhaps we can finally put this foolishness behind us."

She pulled out her phone and turned on her camera app to make sure the surveillance devices were pointing in the right directions. She had one facing the box from across the porch, one attached to the overhang support beam in front of it, one behind it, and one attached to the box itself. Once she was sure the cameras were on and active, she nodded with a satisfied smile and started to walk back inside. "That's not going to work, you know." A voice from behind her said. She blinked, but didn't turn around.

"Very funny, Luan…" She said dryly before she went inside.

The next day, after hearing that Lori had been visited by the ghoulish fortune teller, it made Lana, Lynn Jr and their father more nervous. Any one of them, as well as Lisa, could be next. They needed to redouble their efforts if they were going to keep themselves safe. At school and at work, they stuck to their friends, schoolmates, and coworkers like glue, ensuring they were never alone for even a moment. When they got home, they spent as much time with the family as possible. In the meantime, the family genius was watching the object of their terror like a hawk. She was determined to prove that this was in their imaginations. Little did she know that she wasn't the only one watching. From further down the street, a pair of burly goons were gazing at the Creep's fortune telling box with interest. "Look at that, Hank…" The spiky haired delinquent commented, pointing at the device on the porch.

"Creepy, Hawk," His dark haired associate agreed with a nod. "No doubt that little wimp's freaky sister's work."

"What I wouldn't give to get that little brat back for last Halloween…" Hawk growled, his fists clenched.

"Say...this could be our chance," Hank commented with a big smirk. "Why don't we take their freaky decoration from their porch?" His muscular friend looked at him with a curious look for a moment, and then he grinned as well.

"...you might be on to something there. It must be important if they got it all chained up like that."

"Yeah. And if we were to take it, maybe smash it up right in their front lawn...that would teach them." The Hazeltuckey hooligans shook hands on their plan and walked away with sinister smirks on their faces.

Around 11:30 pm, an alarm sounded off in Lisa's room. Specifically, from her phone. The young mastermind blinked and grabbed her glasses before picking up her phone. The camera app was informing her that there was activity on the cameras. "...Probably just a sciuridae…" She muttered, but she checked the application anyway. In the cameras watching the front of the machine and attached to it revealed the goon duo, Hank and Hawk, standing in front of the Creep's home, carrying crowbars. "Hmmmm. Not sure if they have theft or vandalism in mind, but nevertheless, this is a job for the-"

Before she could finish that thought, Hawk swung his tool of destruction at one of the chains wrapped around the fortune telling machine. However, it never made contact. The Creep suddenly reached out and grabbed the prybar in his gnarled grip. The Hazeltuckey bullies were shocked, and so was Lisa, especially when he easily yanked the metal bar from the muscle bound teen's hands. The twin meatheads scream in horror as the undead seer swung at them with the crowbar, forcing them to flee for their lives. The toddler genius' mouth hung open as she watched the ghoul laugh at them and drop the tool inside his box before he returned to his original pose.

"...just...just some advanced security protocol," She reasoned to herself, pulling off her glasses as she rubbed her eyes. "Yes, that's it. A VERY well programmed bit of code, but still just programming." She put her glasses back on and her little heart nearly stopped. Where the Creep's box once sat was now filled with nothing but air, with the screws and metal bindings holding it to the porch just hanging there around nothing. The camera Lisa had put on the box? Now on the floor of the porch, pointing up at the overhang. Lisa just stared at the scene for a moment, utterly speechless. It was all too much for the usually logical Loud to take and she fainted right on her bed.

Meanwhile, over in the twins' room, Lana suddenly sat up in her bed, a look of discomfort on her face. What brought this on? An intense need to use the bathroom. She leapt out of her bed and tip toed as fast as she could to the door. She knew if she woke up Lola, she'd have a lot worse problems on her hand. Once she was out in the hall, she made a mad dash to the bathroom door...only to find the way blocked. She skidded to a stop and looked up at the soothsaying machine in front of the only bathroom in the house. "Care to have your fortune told?" The leather faced man in the hood asked.

"Actually, I just need to go to the bathroom…" Lana told him, shaking a bit (though not from fear).

"I see all, know all, and-" He started to say.

"Look! I really gotta go!" She snapped at him as she shoved his home aside. "I'll ask you a question after! Promise!" She added hastily before she rushed in and shut the door behind her. The Creep was kind of taken aback by this, but there was little he could do but wait. So, there he waited for several minutes. He had an annoyed expression on his face as he rested the side of his head on one hand, the other drumming his fingers against the table his crystal ball was on as he waited impatiently. Soon enough, he heard the sound of a flush, some water running, and Lana emerging from the washroom with a smile.

"Much better. Sorry about that, but when you gotta go, you-" She stopped as her eyes met with his own irritated expression, and she realized who she was talking to. "-uh oh."

"Well, now that you are refreshed, I believe you promised to ask me a question…" He said, a smirk appearing on his face. The little handywoman gulped, considering making a run for her room.

"...well, Mom always says it's important to keep your promises…"

"And right she is. So, what is it you would like to know about your future?" The undead being inquired, rubbing his hands together. Lana thought about this for a moment.

"...There is one thing I've been wondering," The six year old tool savvy girl admitted. "Will me and Hops really be best friends forever?"

"Ah. Your amphibious partner in grime. Yes, I can see you hold a special connection with all members of the animal kingdom; wild or domestic," The Creep said, getting right back into his mojo.

"You bet, and Hops is my bestest friend of them all."

"You and your froggy cohort have been through much together, good times and bad. And your concern is whether or not your friendship will be a lasting one. Well, to that, I have good news and bad news," He informed her as he leaned forward, which really worried the young girl. "The good news is that you two will be friends to the bitter end." He then reached out and held her face in both hands as his eyes glowed red. "The bad news is the bitter end may come sooner than you think…"

Thunder clapped and lightning flashed as Lana drove through the torrential rain in Lola's princess car, her eyes filled with tears. Cramped into the car with her, all scared out of their minds, was every pet she and her family owned; El Diablo, Izzy, Bitey, Charles, Cliff, Geo and Walt. They were all clinging to one another as the animal loving Loud drove erratically on the road. She was crying so hard, she could barely see where she was going. As a result, she never saw that she was headed right for a cliff. The moment the princess car went careening over the edge, everything seemed to go in slow motion. Charles covered his eyes with his paws. Walt grabbed Bitey and flew off. Izzy ducked into Geo's hamster ball. Cliff clung to El Diablo in fear as the snake wrapped around his foreleg in terror. As for Lana, recent events in her life flashed before her eyes.

It was just the other day, on the front lawn of the infamous Loud House. It was bright and sunny as Lana Loud was playing with her best friend, Hops the frog. They chased each other around the lawn, played hide and seek, and even played leapfrog with one another. Following that game, the two of them started rolling around on the grass, laughing it up. Then, a dragonfly zipped over their heads, which caught the attention of the amphibian. He croaked and hopped after the speedy little insect. Lana sat up on the grass, smiling as she watched her friend chase down his snack. The pursuit led the frog to the street in front of their house, right at the same time as a car came driving along. "Huh? Hops! Look out!" Lana screamed. There was a screeching of tires as the mud lover covered her eyes, praying her friend would be ok. Unfortunately, she could hear the startled croak of her best friend and a dull thump.

...Lana's flashback was interrupted as the princess car crashed hard into the ground, sending the young handyperson flying through the air and rolling across the ground. She was knocked out the moment she had hit the ground, ending up laying on her side in a muddy puddle. She was covered in scuffs, scrapes, and a few cuts. Most of the pets were in a daze, and somewhat sore, but otherwise ok. Walt, Bitey, Geo and Izzy were the only ones to emerge unscathed.

They all gathered around the fourth youngest of the Loud children, looking at her with concern as a man in a dark coat, dark pants and black shoes walking over to the unconscious child. He looked down at her with a saddened look before shaking his head and muttering, "Not at all what I expected…" before he picked up Lana and started to carry her off.

Lana awoke suddenly, sitting bolt upright on a metal operating table. She was covered in a cold sweat, and was breathing heavily out of terror. She glanced around at her surroundings and her fear only intensified. It looked like an unfinished doctor's office: a large sink connected to a wall, which looked like it was mostly just drywall, a cabinet/counter for medical tools and medicines, several privacy screens, and the table she was currently sitting on. She looked down at herself and noticed that her left arm was all bandaged up, and she had a lot of bandaids all over her.

She was trying to figure out how she got here when she noticed a shadow walking along behind the plastic screens. Lana reached into her overall pocket and pulled out a screwdriver, hiding it behind her back. From behind the privacy barriers emerged an older man that kind of reminded the little animal lover of Geppetto. He had short, bushy white hair, a kindly face, a rounded nose with glasses sitting on it, and a weak smile on his face. He was wearing what looked like a doctor's coat, which sent the young girl into fight or flight mode. She leapt to her feet, holding the screwdriver like a knife. "Back off!"

"Whoa, whoa there, little miss…" He said, holding his hands in front of himself with a chuckle. "Put that down before you hurt yourself more than you already have."

"I said stay away! I got all my boosters already and hated it! I don't need another shot!" She yelled threatenly, looking ready to attack.

"Shots? Oh ho ho, my dear child...I am not a doctor."

"...you're not? Then why…?" She pointed at his coat in confusion.

"I used to wear this on the job. I've long since retired, but I've taken it out of mothballs to help treat your injuries," He gestures to the plasters and the wrapping on her arms, and her face. "For which you are welcome."

"...thanks, and sorry," Lana apologized as she put the tool away. "Doctors scare me…" She looked up at the seemingly nice man and noticed something on his shoulder. A familiar looking rat. "Bitey!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, close, but no cigar, missy," The older man joked with a snicker. "It's Whitey, actually. Well, my name is actually Avery Whitlock, but people call me Whitey."

"Lana Loud," She responded, introducing herself. "But I meant the rat on your shoulder. He's my pet...well, one of them. His name is Bitey."

"Is that so? Well, he's a cute little fella, isn't he?" Whitey said as he gently scratched the little rat under the chin. To Lana's surprise, the usually appropriately named Bitey was letting him pet him.

"Wow. You must be really good with animals."

"Oh yes. Even owned a pet rat of my own, once upon a time," He explained to her as he let the rodent climb onto his hand so he could hand Bitey to her. She gave the rat a hug as she climbed off the examination table. "How are you feeling, Lana?"

"A little sore, but I've felt worse…" She answered, trying to sound tough. This was true enough, especially considering her hobbies.

"Good. Good. Why don't we head upstairs?" Whitey suggested. "There are more animals up there that I think are waiting for you. They will no doubt be happy to see you up and about again, and we can have a nice cup of cocoa too. Besides, there's something I'd like to give you."

"Really? What's that?" Lana asked as Bitey crawled up to rest on her hat.

"Ah ah ah. That would spoil the surprise," He said with a smirk that kind of unnerved Lana...yet it was a smirk that didn't match the look in his eyes. There was a certain sadness to his eyes, one she couldn't really place. She didn't have time to really think about this, as the elderly man was already starting to leave. Not wishing to fall behind, she rushed to catch up with him.

From what she could tell, it looked like they were in a basement somewhere, which didn't help her unease. Fortunately, they weren't down there for long, as they soon climbed a set of stairs up into what looked like a room made for holding funerals. It looked more welcoming than the room in the basement, but didn't put the little grease monkey any more at ease. And she wasn't the only one. Her pets and the family pets looked equally nervous. Upon the young girl and the many animals catching sight of one another, they immediately rushed to one another and embraced, grateful they were alright. Whitey smiled at the touching sight before he beckoned Lana to follow him.

She and her pets followed him into the next room, which seemed to be a living room of some kind. So Mr Whitlock lived here too? This set off a few alarm bells in her head, but the man seemed so nice so far. As she entered the room, she noticed a bulletin board, which had a slew of posters of missing pets on it: a St Bernard named Cujo, a grumpy looking black and tan cat named Church, an Irish setter named Kojack, a derpy looking greyhound named Santa's Little Helper ('What an odd name' Lana thought to herself), a gray and black cat named General, a little black rat named Ben, and an almost hairless, vicious looking cat named Rip. As she looked at the pictures on the posters, she couldn't help but think she had seen them before.

"The cocoa is ready, little miss. Perhaps that will help you feel better," He motions over to a pair of couches with a coffee table in between that Lana thought kind of fit in at Aunt Ruth's house. Sitting on it was a sterling silver tea set, with a little bowl of marshmallows instead of a sugar bowl. The young girl just nodded before she took a seat on one of the couches, with her animal friends congregating around her. The white haired man poured her a cup of hot chocolate and handed it to her. Charles frowned and stepped up onto her lap for a sniff of the drink. After a few seconds, he climbed back down and nodded at her. "My my. Quite a protective pup there."

"Yeah. Charles is a good boy," Lana replied, smiling lightly at the white and black dog. She took a sip of the chocolately drink. It was absolutely delicious, and it did help warm her up and feel a little bit better. "Mmmm. This is good."

"Thank you. I made it myself," Avery said with a sad smile. "I usually just use the mix, but today...well, it's something of a cause for celebration."

'Not for me it's not…' The tomboy twin thought bitterly, though she looked up at him with a curious expression instead. "Celebration?"

"Yes, Lana...Today is all about love. Love, and fate. Do you believe in fate, Lana? That an unseen force, be it god or karma or whatever, controls our lives?" He asked her as he leaned forward with the same warm smile backed by very sad eyes.

"Fate? Well, I never really thought about it," She answered, getting a little nervous. "Lynn used to believe in it a lot, though…"

"Ah. I see. Well, I guess you are rather young to really put much thought into it," Whitey said as he nodded his head and took a drink of cocoa. "Well, what would you say if I told you...that your visit here was not by choice, but rather...a grand design...perpetrated by me?' He asked her in a quiet tone. The six year old handywoman just stared at him for a moment before setting her cup down.

"I...think I should be going," She said in a very worried tone.

"...today is my wife's birthday," The elderly man said, as if he didn't hear her, pointing up at the large portrait of a silver haired woman in a scarlet dress hanging above the mantle.

"It is?" Lana asked, pausing in the act of hopping off the couch, looking up at the picture. "Then...why aren't you celebrating it with her?" Avery slowly looked down at the floor, not saying a word. The blonde tomboy got the hint almost immediately. "Oh...I'm sorry…"

"Oh, no no. You didn't know, Lana," He said, waving off her apology. "But yes...my darling Marjorie's birthday is today. Forty seven years, I was faithful to that woman. I can tell you something that most men can't...and that is that I loved her. Every day. Even on the days when I couldn't stand the click clack of her dentures…" He paused to chuckle a little, which got a little giggle out of the morose little girl sitting opposite him. "...I adored that woman."

"I know what you mean. I had someone I really loved too…" The animal lover admitted, rubbing her arm. "Not like how you loved your wife, though. He was more my best friend...his name was Hops."

"Hops?"

"Yeah. He was a frog. We've done practically everything together…" She explained as she pulled a little toy view master from her back pocket. "Here. Have a look see."

"Heh heh heh. I remember these," Whitey said with a soft laugh as he took the little plastic picture viewer in his hands. He held it to his eyes to see an image of a younger Lana playing with a little frog in the pond. Avery pulled the handle on the toy, revealing a picture of Lana and Hops eating bowls of crickets together. "...you eat crickets, young lady?"

"What? It's pure protein and very tasty," Lana replied, somewhat indignantly. The elderly man just shrugged and continued to check out the rest of the pictures: Lana and Hops asleep in her bed. Messing with her twin. Rescuing frogs who were about to be dissected with Lincoln's help. Performing with her when she was pretending to be Lola at a beauty pageant. Playing a swamp monster to save the Fishmans. And finally, an image of Lana and Hops playing leap frog together.

"Well, it certainly seems like you and your friend were inseparable," The white haired old man said as he set the view master down beside him.

"We were…" Lana said, her eyes misting up again. "But...then he...he-" She couldn't bring herself to say it and, instead, just started sobbing to herself.

"Something bad happened to Hops, didn't it?" The little handywoman nodded, sniffling as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Something that led to his unfortunate demise?"

"Y-Yeah...how did you know that?"

"I saw it on the news after I treated your injuries," Whitey explained, gesturing to an old television set up beside the fireplace, which had a roaring fire going in it. "Your family is beside themselves with worry about you, Lana, running off like that."

"I'm...I'm sorry...it's just..." She started to say, tears welling up in her eyes. Whitey looked at her with sympathy as her loyal pets gathered around her and each tried to comfort her. It took her a moment to convince herself to continue. "The other day...Hops and I...we were playing out front. He went chasing after a dragonfly and...he got hit by a car…"

"Oh dear...I'm sorry to hear that…what happened next?" Lana was silent for a beat, as if hesitant to tell him.

"Well…"

Flashback

"...and thus we lay to rest Hops the Frog," Lucy said solemnly, wearing her best black dress as she stood beside a small hole in the backyard and an old shoe box. Standing in front of the makeshift coffin and grave were Lana, Lincoln, Lola, Leni and Lynn, with the collection of Lana and the family's pets standing solemnly nearby. With the suddenness of this funeral, none of them really had time to something more appropriate, so they had to improvise: Lincoln had donned a black tie, Lola was wearing a veil, and Leni a large black hat, and Lynn a black jersey. The animal loving twin looked inconsolable, tears streaming from her eyes as her older brother and second oldest sister attempted to comfort her.

"To some, he was a pet, to others, a loyal friend, and to a few…" She paused as she looked at her notes, then leered at Lola. However, she didn't continue on that train of thought. "He brought smiles to many of our faces, surprise to our lives, and a distinct lack of insects in the house. He was a good frog and a good friend." With that, she closed her book and stepped to the side to offer the others the floor. Lincoln stepped forward, turning to face Hop's well wishers.

"I can't say I knew Hops as well as Lana did...but in the time I did know him, I can say he was one amazing little frog," The middle Loud said. "Smarter than the average amphibian, and more talented too. He had Lana's back just as well as we did. He was truly one of the family."

"T-Thank you, Lincoln…" Lana managed to say through her tears. Lola was the next to step forward.

"For as long as I've known Hops, I've always thought he was an icky, slimy, bug eating creature," She started. When her siblings (minus Lana) all glared at her and opened their mouths to admonish her, she raised a hand to them. "Let me finish," She demanded. They all closed their mouths, but their expressions told her to mind her Ps and Qs. "As I was saying...but so is Lana herself. And, as much as I didn't like him, I could see that he made Lana happy...and in the end, that's what really matters, isn't it? That he made Lana happy?" She turned toward the shoebox the deceased frog laid in. "Rest in peace, Hops."

Lincoln, Leni, Lynn, and Lucy all still frowned at Lola as she stepped toward her twin, only to get caught in a near bone crushing hug from her crying sister. Leni stepped forth next, a stack of flashcards in her hands..

"What can I say about Hops?" She started. "...not a lot, really. I hardly knew him, but…" She paused, looking down at the cards. "...I, um...I'm sorry, I can't do this…" She finally said, lowering her head.

"It's ok, Leni...we understand," The animal loving twin said with a quivering lip. "We're all really upset."

"Yeah...but I meant that literally. I wrote this totes beautiful speech, but I was crying when I wrote it and it smeared the ink all over…" She explained sadly, turning the cards to her assembled siblings to show the mess upon it.

"It's the thought that counts, Leni," The white haired boy said as he patted her on the back and escorted her away from beside the grave. Finally, it was Lana's turn. She took a few steps forward, then looked down at the old box where her best friend was to be laid to rest in. She whimpered a little just before the dams broke and the poor girl just started bawling loudly, covering her eyes as her tears sprayed like water from a sprinkler. Right when her brother and sisters attempted to approach her and comfort her, she ran for the gate. As she bolted, she grabbed Charles, Cliff, Izzy, El Diablo and Bitey, leaving Walt and Geo to chase after her, wondering just as much as her family where she was going.

She burst through the gate and made a mad dash for Lola's little electric car. She stuffed the pets into the back seat before leaping into the driver's seat, the family gerbil and canary just barely getting in before the sorrowful little girl floored it, kicking up dirt and sod before she sped away from the house.

"LANA!" Lola screamed furiously, running up to the sidewalk while shaking her fist. "Come back with my princess car!"

End Flashback

"I see...Well, back to what I was saying…" Avery said, in an effort to hopefully take Lana's mind off Hops for even a moment. "...I adored that woman...which makes what I did all the more unthinkable…"

"Huh? What do you mean…?" The six year old handywoman inquired. In response, Whitey stood from his seat and walked over to the desk near the bulletin board Lana was looking at earlier. Sitting upon it was a register with several names inscribed upon it: L. Kennedy, S. Bowman, H. West, L. Deetz, P. Simms, F. Dellamorte, and G.R. He glanced through the names in faded ink for a moment before he opened the desk and withdrew an ornate wooden box from it. Lana watched as he returned to the sofa with box in hand. The moment he got near, Cliff's fur stood on end as he hissed at him, Charles whimpered, and the rest of the pets dove behind Lana's chair to get away from it. "W-What's that?"

"The gift I alluded to earlier…" He explained as he opened the box and turned it to face it. Inside was a tiny, shriveled up and dried paw of some kind, with three long fingers currently clenched into a fist.

"...Cooool. What is it?"

"It's a monkey's paw. You see, this paw was smuggled out of Mumbai by a former client, now deceased. Old folklore tells of an Indian fakir who cast a spell on it, giving it the power to grant its host three wishes." Whitey explained quietly as he looked at the paw.

"Well, if he was a faker, then he probably can't be trusted." The owner of the funeral home just chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Not faker, little miss. Fakir. A wise man," He elaborated. "He wanted to prove fate ruled people's lives. That those who interfered did so at their own peril." He pointed at the clenched paw. "You see that clenched fist? It means the three wishes had already been granted." The older of the twins looked at the paw in the box, then slowly up at Whitey with a skeptical look.

"Uh...I'm sorry, Whitey, but...I'm having a hard time believing that thing can really grant wishes. I mean, I've heard the stories, of course, but…" She started to say.

"I know what you mean, Lana," Whitey said as he closed the box and set it on the coffee table between them. "I didn't believe in the power of the paw either. Marjorie, however...She couldn't resist. She made a couple of frivolous wishes. The first was a lost recipe. The other...I can't recall. The point is: the wishes came to pass. It was her last wish that convinced me of the paw's power. The third and final wish, born of desperation and fear…" As he said that, he pulled the picture wheel from Lana's View Master, and put a new one in, handing it back to her. She was surprised, but looked into it all the same. The first image was an outside view of the funeral home: the very building they were in.

"Our business was dying. The one harsh winters, the season that was our life's blood, had grown tame. In the past, one could always count on the pipes freezing up at the senior center, along with a few of the seniors, if we were lucky," He said with a sigh. The young girl just looked at him aghast when he said that. "I don't blame you for that look...But you have to understand. Funerals were our business. Our life. But after three generations of service, the Whitlock Funeral Home was on the brink of bankruptcy. We tried branching out: holding pet funerals as well. It helped, but not enough…"

"...And that was when Marjorie turned to the paw. With her final wish, she asked for money..." He gestured to Lana to press the handle on the toy. When she did show, she saw a silhouette of an old woman on a ladder, putting an angel topper atop a christmas tree. "And within a week, I was wealthy…" She changed to the next picture, which was similar to the last one, except that the shadow of the woman was on the floor, looking like she had fallen. "...because of an insurance payout on my Marjorie…"

"Oh no...I'm sorry, Whitey...and on Christmas too…" Lana said sadly, looking ready to cry once more. The elderly man sighed as he looked down at the floor.

"The paw took hold of our fate, and squeezed. Squeezed until fate gave her what she bargained for. All the money we ever needed and more…" Mr Whitlock wiped the tears from his eyes, needing a moment before he could continue his story. "What happened next truly demonstrated the unmitigated power of the paw. Each day had become an eternity. The hours, the seconds, my cruelest adversaries…" The next image was of Whitey from a few years ago, seated in an easy chair slumped over with his face in his hands. "I prayed for guidance, but the answers never came...until what I took to be divine intervention...or rather, inspiration. Christ had risen, had he not?" He looked over at Lana, who was getting more and more nervous by the second.

"Uh...I guess?" She answered in a noncommittal way.

"Take my word for it. He did. And here I was, requesting a miracle. I wished my Marjorie back from the dead!"

"...wait. How much time had passed since-"

"Ah, I see you're a little ahead of me there. I just wish I had thought of that at the time...but the only thought I had at the time was being reunited with my darling wife. Night after night, I held vigil, but my bride had not returned. It made me wonder...was I being punished for being part of this godless affair? However, several weeks later, it hit me…" Lana pulled the lever, changing the picture to an image of Whitey standing in front of a coffin. His expression suggested he had a horrifying epiphany. "She had risen again...still in her coffin." The young grease monkey gasped, in spite of the fact she had already figured that out.

The next picture of the wheel was taken outside of a large, metal cemetery gate and fence. Above the gate was a metal sign saying "Homewood Cemetery". 'Am I in Homewood?' Lana wondered. 'Did I really go out THAT far?' She pondered this for a moment before she realized Whitey was still telling his story. She flicked the switch to change the image to one of Mr Whitlock digging up a grave, the tombstone saying Marjorie Whitlock.

"...I had to keep my wits about me as I dug up her coffin. One false move, and she'd be trapped forever…" Mr Whitlock continued. "Fortunately, I was able to reach the coffin, and open it...there she was...my dearest Marjorie. Partially rotted, but among the living...I thought I could fix the tragic error I had committed with the power of the paw. However, Marjorie attacked me at the sight of the paw...she took a chunk out of my leg in the melee…" He turned his leg a bit and lifted his pant leg to show Lana the scar from where his zombified wife had bitten him.

"...Cool," Lana muttered, fascinated by how gross it was. If he had heard her, he didn't let it show. He simply recovered the bite wound and carried on.

"I had no choice but to fight back...knock her back into her coffin and seal it once more. Then, I used my second wish...to let her return to her eternal rest." The hat wearing twin clicked the handle on the viewing toy one last time, showing Whitey holding the monkey's paw over an open grave. That appeared to be the last image on the wheel. "I tried to convince myself it was my imagination. What happened at the grave, a wicked nightmare. But the weeks have not been kind. I dream of her every night. I see the look of terror on her face. Terror I helped facilitate. The horror of being trapped for all eternity…" Whitey looked on the verge of breaking down into tears as he stood up and walked to the nearest window, looking out at the rainy weather, which was starting to die down.

"...I'm sorry to hear that, Whitey…"

"Not half as sorry as I am for what I have to say next, Lana…" Mr Whitlock said solemnly, making the six year old very anxious. "If you recall, I still had one wish left. Do you know what I wished for?" She slowly shook her head. "The guilt of what I did to my Marjorie..the horror of that night...it's been too much for me to bear. However, my faith abhors the idea of suicide. I needed someone to do it for me...I wished for a killer," He explained before turning to face the horror struck child. "...and the paw sent me you, Lana Loud."

"M-Me!?" She stammered, pointing to herself.

"I am sorry, Lana. If it were up to me, I would not have chosen a child for such a terrible task...but the paw chose you."

"But...I don't want to be a killer…" She whimpered. 'Even...even if I am one...'

"I know, child, and I do hate to ask...but the paw sent you. You're the one who will end my pain."

"Wait...it doesn't have to be that way," Lana said after she realized something. "I mean, the paw is just a paw. What does it know?..Er, no offense to the paw, of course."

"But-" Whitey started to say, but Lana cut him off.

"I know...what happened, it hurts a lot. Trust me, I get it. But you don't need to die to make it better. I know a guy who knows a few good doctors -the kind that help with problems, not the ones with shots and stuff- I'm sure they could help you with your pain." Mr Whitlock looked at her for a moment, a look of silent consideration on his face. He didn't like the idea of seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist, but could he really go through with asking one so young to commit murder? Just so he could stop feeling miserable?

"Well...perhaps you have a point, Lana," He finally said. "Perhaps it would help...to finally talk to someone else about this." He turned his attention to the dried up limb in the box on the table. "I'll need the paw, though...otherwise I doubt they'll take me very seriously…"

"Here. I'll get it," Lana offered, hopping out of her seat on the couch and picking up the box. She started to bring it over to him, but she accidently stepped on Geo's hamster ball. This caused her to fall forward, the box flying from her hand and the paw flying out of it. The magical paw landed right in the fireplace, on top of a burning log.

"No!" Whitey shouted as he dove toward the fireplace, reaching in desperately to grab the paw. His sleeve quickly caught fire, flames spreading up his arm at an alarming rate.

"Oh no!" Lana cried as soon all of Mr Whitlock's torso was ablaze. "Is there an extinguisher in the kitchen!? I'll go get it!" She didn't wait for an answer, instead running toward the nearest door. Before she could leave, she ended up stepping on a loose floorboard, which shot straight up. This sent a doorstop shaped like a pig soaring through the air as if it had been shot from a catapult. Lana and all of her animal friends watched as the doorstop ricocheted off the desk, the chandelier, nearly hit Walt, and bounced off Geo's orb like home, before striking Whitey right in the temple. The moment he was hit, the fire on his died out and he started to fall with a shocked expression.

"That'll...do...pig…" He groaned out before he hit the ground, and went very still.

"Whitey!?" Lana asked as she rushed over to him, checking him over. To her horror, he wasn't breathing. "Whitey!? Mr Whitlock!?" She asked again, sounding desperate as she shook him. "Please...wake up, Whitey…" She pleaded as her eyes filled with tears. No matter how much she jostled him, though, he wouldn't stir. He wouldn't answer. He wouldn't breathe. "N-N-No…" The tool savvy twin fell to her knees. "Whitey...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to. It was an accident," She said as she bawled her eyes out. After a minute or two of crying, she opened her eyes and noticed the monkey's paw laying right in front of her.

She sniffled a bit as she picked up the paw. Before her eyes, the once clenched fist slowly opened, raising its three fingers up. Her jaw hung open as she saw this. Then, a thought came to her. She stood up and ran toward the front door, motioning her pets and the family pets to follow her. The rain had finally stopped by the time they got outside, so that was something. However, there was still one major problem: their only method of transport was completely wrecked. This made the distraught little girl panic, her hands on her head as she thought frantically how to resolve this. Just then, a police car drove up to the front gate, having spotted them from the road. A brown haired police woman and a red headed policeman emerged from the vehicle, looking curiously at the little girl surrounded by animals.

"Hey, kid!" The policewoman called out. "What are you doing in there!?"

"Wait...isn't that the missing Loud kid?" Her partner inquired, squinting his eyes a bit to try and get a better look at her. The brunette pulled out her phone, tapped on the screen a few times, and her eyes widened in shock.

"You're right! What're you going all the way out here!?"

"It's...it's a long story…" Lana whimpered, looking frightened of the two officers as they approached.

"Well, you can tell us about it while we take you home," She said, a little more gently when she noticed the look on Lana's face. "Come on. Let's get you in the squad car."

"But...Mr Whitey...he's...he's…" The dirt loving sister tried to say, tears rapidly filling her eyes again.

"Mr Whitlock?" The policeman looked up at the old funeral home behind her with a raised eyebrow.

"You check it out, Officer Mulchaey. I'll get the kid home."

"Sure thing, Officer Gray," He responded, striding toward the open door of the Whitlock Funeral Home.

"Er...by the way...are all these your animals?" She asked, gesturing toward the dog, cat, bird, snake, gerbil, lizard and rat all crowded around her. When the little grease monkey nodded, the gal in blue frowned lightly, tapping her chin. "This could be a problem…"

"It's ok, officer...they won't cause any trouble."

"...if you say so...but keep the dog on a short leash, and the rat and snake close to you at ALL times," She instructed before she took the lot of them to her car, opening the door and ushering them inside. Once they were out on the open road and headed back toward Royal Woods… "So, now that we're on our way, let's hear this long story of yours."

"Well, it all started just the other day…Hops and I were playing in the front yard...he went chasing a snack across the street and...a car hit him."

"Goodness...I'm sorry, Miss Loud..."

"It...it gets worse," The little grease monkey said, her mouth quivering as she hugged her animal friends close. "You see...he...he survived getting run over..."

After the car had driven off, a distraught Lana rushed out onto the road to check on Hops. Her heart leapt right into her throat when she saw her little green buddy on the road, partially flattened. He looked in very, VERY bad shape. Her eyes were rapidly filling with tears when...she heard a very faint croak coming from him. "H-Hops? You're alive!?" She went to pick the critically injured frog up, but stopped when he croaked again. "What?"

"Croooak…"

"No...no, I can't do that, Hops...I can't…" Lana said, borderline hysterical at what her friend was asking her to do.

"Rib...bit…"

"...you're in a lot of pain?" Hops slowly nodded in reply. Lana started to sweat as she looked at the poor frog. She was so torn as to what to do. She didn't want to do as he asked...but she couldn't quickly get him help either. His last moments would just be prolonged agony if she tried to take him to a vet. Her mouth trembled as she carefully picked him up. "I'm...I'm sorry, Hops…" She managed to choke out. "G-Goodbye…" Hops gave her a weak ribbit in response, along with a weak smile. She closed her eyes and started to sob uncontrollably as she snapped the dying frog's neck.

The female officer was silent through the story, though gave the animal loving Loud some very odd looks through the rearview when she described herself actually conversing with Hops. When she was sure Lana had finished, she finally spoke.

"Miss Loud, I know it hurts a lot. I really do…but what you did was the right thing to do."

"HOW COULD THAT BE THE RIGHT THING!? I KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!" She suddenly screeched in fury, nearly making Officer Gray lose control of the car. "You're just making it sound like murder is just dandy!"

"It was not murder, Miss Loud," The lady cop at the wheel tried to explain to/console her. "What happened was bad, yes, but it is most definitely not murder."

"Why!? Because he was an ANIMAL!?" Lana spat hostilely, putting a lot of venom in her emphasis on the word animal. Officer Gray bit her lip a bit at that because, technically, that was true, but she couldn't say that to her right now.

"That's not what I meant," She soon said, keeping a soft, gentle tone. "Here. Let me explain it like this. You said Hops was in a lot of pain, right?" The hat wearing twin nodded. "Could you have gotten him to a vet in a timely manner?"

"...No."

"Was there anyone on the premises who could have helped him in a timely manner?" Lana thought about Lisa for a moment, then an image of her little sister going mad scientist on the body of her deceased buddy crossed her mind.

"No!" She exclaimed in fright, startling the one bringing her home. "...uh, sorry. No."

"Did you do everything you could?"

"I guess…"

"Then you really had no other choice." Lana just huffed and crossed her arms before staring out the window.

"You wouldn't be saying that if it were your best friend you killed…" The officer just sighed and shook her head.

'She's young and upset...when she gets older, she'll understand,' She thought to herself. The rest of the trip back to the Loud House was made in silence. When the police car had arrived, Lynn Jr was out mowing the lawn and Rita was getting the mail. They both stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to the cop car.

"Lana!" Mrs Loud exclaimed before she ran over to the vehicle, just as Lana and Officer Gray emerged from the vehicle. Her yell brought the rest of her family outside, who stepped outside just in time to see Rita embrace the mud loving twin right on the curb. "Lana, are you alright!? We were all so worried! What were you thinking, running off like that!?"

"...sorry, Mom," Lana replied in a melancholy tone, not really hugging her back. She looked up to see the rest of her family approaching them, including a wrathful Lola.

"Lana! Where is my princess car!?" She demanded to know, fire in her eyes.

"Really, Lola?" Lori asked with a disapproving look at the hot headed little pageant participant. "Your twin has been gone for hours, and THAT is what you're worried about right now!?"

"She took it without even so much as asking, so I think I have a right to be upset!" Lola snapped back. The animal loving twin gulped in fear, remembering that Lola's car was a smashed wreck back at Mr Whitlock's place. She thought it would take a miracle to save her, when…

"Isn't that it over there?" Leni asked, pointing toward the driveway. The fuming princess wanna be's eyes shifted to look where Leni was pointed and she gasped. Right there was her beloved car; in pristine condition.

"My car!" She exclaimed as she ran over to investigate it. "And...it's in even better condition than when Lana stole it!" She reported in utter delight before she turned to her gobsmacked twin sister. "You're forgiven...this time." Lana didn't even have a response.

'But...that thing was all smashed up,' She thought to herself. She reached into her pocket and took hold of the monkey's paw. To her astonishment, there was only one finger raised. Then it hit her. That's how the police found her. She must have mentally wished for it. And Lola's car too. The paw worked. It really worked. 'Then that means…' She slowly pulled the paw from her pocket, looking at it.

"Hey...where'd you get that, kid?" Officer Gray asked, frowning at the dried limb. Without saying a single word, Lana bolted again, this time toward the backyard.

"Not again…" Lynn groaned before she gave chase. However, Lana had a head start on her and got through the gate first. She slammed it shut behind her, not only hitting Lynn in the nose, but causing the latch to snap shut too. "Ow! Why you little…" She growled as she tried to push the gate open. However, not only was the latch shut, but it was jam too. Not even Lynn's strength could force it open.

"What's going on, dude?" Luna asked.

"Lana just ran into the backyard and locked us out!" The sports loving Loud informed her and the rest of the family after her latest attempt to force the door failed. "That's it. I'm going over!"

"Luna, give her a hand with that. Everyone else, let's go through the house to the back door," Rita instructed seriously. Something was wrong with Lana and she was determined to get some answers.

While that was going on, Lana had run as fast as her little legs could carry her to where Hops had been buried. Sliding to a stop on her knees, she swiftly exhumed the shoebox and opened it up. Inside was the body of her beloved frog, broken neck and all. Seeing him again brought her guilt and sorrow back full force, but she had a solution for this. Holding the paw tightly, she muttered with closed eyes, "Rise...rise. Please rise…" As soon as she said that, the final finger on the monkey paw lowered. She slowly opened her eyes, just in time to see Hops open his own eyes. "H-Hops?" She asked cautiously, to which the frog gave a feeble grunt in response. "Hops! You're ok!" She exclaimed, hugging the amphibian tightly, not noticing his head and neck wobbling as she did so.

In response, Hops just croaked furiously; a reaction Lana was not ready for. She held her once best friend out at arm's length. "Huh? What was that?" He gave another series of angry croaks. "How could I do this? But, Hops, I-"

"Croak bit ribbit ribbit!" Hops snapped, glaring at Lana.

"Hops, I brought you back so-"

"Ribbit croak croak!" He pointed one of his fore limbs right at his neck. Realization struck Lana like a fist. She had brought Hops back to life alright...but he had still been run over, and still had a broken neck. None of his injuries had been treated.

"Oh no! Hops, I'm sorry! I didn't realize-" Her undead insectivore cut her off, chastising her in a way only the two of them seemed to understand. "S-Selfish!? Me!?" More irate grunts and growls followed that inquiry. "I didn't know that bringing you back would have just brought back your pain...I'm really sorry...but I can fix this. I promise!" She looked down at the monkey paw, and heart sank. She had forgotten that WAS her last wish. "Oh no...Hops, I'm sorry-"

"Ribbit Ribbit Croak CROAK!" Hops bellowed just as Lynn got to the top of the gate. What she bore witness to made her freeze in the act of climbing over and caused her face to blanch. While Lana was talking to Hops, all around her, the rotting remains of all the animals that had ever been buried in the backyard had dug themselves from the earth: a cat, a bat, a few lizards, a handful of hamsters, dozens upon dozen of rats. All had risen and all were shambling toward Lana.

"Hops, please...give me a chance! I can make it-OW!" She felt a sharp, stabbing pain on her arm. The culprit was an undead rat, sinking its teeth into her upper arm. She dropped Hops to smack it away, only to realize she was surrounded by zombie animals. She opened her mouth to scream, but Hops had sprung up from the ground and clung to her face like a face hugger. Her screams for help were muffled by her undead ex friend as the rerisen pets all started biting and scratching as her. She fell onto her back as the monkey paw fell from her grip and rolled across the ground. The camera focused on the paw for a few seconds as a trickle of blood oozed toward it, and Lana's cries for help and of anguish filled the air.

"-And that is what the future holds for you," The Creep said as he let go of Lana's face. The animal loving Loud stood there with a thousand yard stare for a moment before tears started to fill her eyes. "It looks like it wasn't just Hops that croaked-" He jested, right before Lana started wailing loudly and crying her eyes out. The zombie in the box blinked, then looked between Lori and Leni's room, and Luna and Luan's room for a moment before he disappeared, leaving behind a single comic book.

Mere seconds later, her older sisters and her brother all looked out their doors, only to see Lana crying hysterically. "Lana! What's wrong?" Lori asked, rushing out and kneeling beside her.

"Lori! I saw...Hops!" Lana blubbered as she buried her face into her older sister's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably while she was being hugged. The rest of her siblings moved in closer to try and comfort her as well. "He...he got run over! He died! I tried to bring him back, but he attacked me!" Most of her sisters just looked at one another, looking utterly lost. All except for Lucy, who took notice of the comic on the floor.

"Lana...sssshhh, it's ok, Lana," The oldest of the sisters said softly, gently patting her on the back. "It was just a dream. Hops is fine. He's in your room, right?"

"No. It wasn't a dream," The oldest of the two twins whimpered. "It was a vision."

"It looks like Mr Creep was just here," The goth girl interjected as she picked up the paperback book. The cover showed a terrified Lana clutching a shriveled monkey paw in her hands. Right behind her was Mr Whitlock wielding a shovel against his zombie bride, while a frog-like shadow covered most of the tool savvy little girl. The title said 'Night of the Paw'. "A monkey's paw story. Classic," Lucy commented with a small smile. Lori, Leni, Luna, Luan, Lynn, and Lincoln all looked at one another in concern just as they heard the tolling on the clock downstairs. It had just hit midnight.

"Dang...we were so close…" Lynn complained, her shoulders slumping.

"That sneaky bugger…" The musical sister grumbled before she knelt beside the distraught Lana. "Lans, there's no need to worry...that ghoulish creep is fulla bologna. I mean, none of the things he told us are coming true, right?"

"Sniff...not yet…" The fourth youngest of the Loud siblings responded sadly.

"You know what...that's it!" Lynn said in sisterly fury. "Enough tip toeing around the issue! It's time to take the direct approach!"

"Direct approach? Lynn, what are you-" Lincoln started to ask, but the sporty sister had already stormed her way to the stairs.

"I'm going down there and I'm taking that damn thing apart, piece by piece!" She announced.

"Lynn, stop!" Lori cried out, but it was too late. She was already rushing down to the front door. Luan, Leni, and Lucy all ran after the hot headed teen, with the little goth handing Lincoln the comic first. He looked on in concern as they all headed downstairs before he flipped through the book and stopped on the final image of the creep. He had a big, mocking grin on his face as he held up four fingers.