Whatever you do, don't look behind you.

It was a usual day in Endsville. Meet Billy, a boy with red hair, a large round nose, red hair and wearing a white and blue shirt and a baseball cap. Billy was...shall we say...SORELY lacking in the brains department. He was playing with his army toys. "This is it, men! Steady! Here it comes!" He brought in his monster toy and began smashing the army toys with it. "Roar! Ahh! Eek! No! No! Ahh! Ahh! Stop attacking us, Mr. Monster! We only wanted to be your friend. Oh, I'm sorry. Let's make up." He pretended the monster and the general were smooching. "Yay!"

A stream of light shined on the general and melted his head. That's the result of Mandy and her magnifying glass. Mandy had pale skin, golden hair and wore a pink dress with a blue flower on it and a black band in her hair. Mandy was a hundred times smarter than Billy and she seldom ever smiled. "That's when the monster melted the foolish soldier's brain with its heat ray vision."

Billy picked up the remains of the general and a tear dropped from his eye. "Aww! He had a wife and two kids."

"He's better off now." Mandy completely melted the soldier until there was nothing but a puddle of melted plastic.

Billy threw the goo away and asked Mandy like nothing happened, "How are you today, Mandy?"

"You will take me to see Mr. Snuggles," she demanded.

"Mr. Snuggles? Oh, it's his tenth birthday today," Billy exclaimed before whispering, "That's like gagillion in hamster years."

Billy brought Mandy to his room and showed her the hamster in his cage. Mr. Snuggles was a really old gray hamster who looked...well... "It looks like he's about ready to kick the bucket." You said it best, Mandy.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Snuggles!" Billy said as he opened the hamster's cage. "Hey, wanna see him do a trick?"

"No."

"Mr. Snuggles, kiss-kiss!" When the hamster heard that, he let out a screech, foamed at the mouth and bit Billy right on the nose. "Good boy!"

"That was more of a bite than a kiss," said Mandy.

Suddenly, a swirling green vortex appeared right in the middle of Billy's floor. "What's that?" he asked.

Mandy stuck her finger in it and tasted it. " It seems to be a swirling vortex of pure evil coming out of your floor."

Suddenly, a black orb burst out of the vortex. The kids backed up as a pair of legs popped out of it. Then a second pair, a third pair and a fourth pair. A human torso grew out of it and began to take a female shape. The figure snapped her fingers and a scepter with an emerald-encrusted gold spider on top of it appeared in her hand. She stepped out of the shadows and revealed herself.

The human half had pale skin, freckles on the both side of her cheeks, and black hair. She wore heavy makeup consisting of green eyeshadow with black winged liner and indigo lipstick with her upper lip being slightly darker. Her clothing consisted of an indigo shirt with no sleeves and long purple gloves, along with an indigo collar with a red jewel and a red crown shaped like a spider's mandibles. Her spider half consisted of a huge green abdomen with eight spider legs, freckles, spinnerets, and a yellowish stinger.

Billy took one look at her and screamed like a banshee. "SPIDER!" He grabbed a chair and tried to squish her with it only to be stopped by the spider woman's webs. "Way to ruin the mood, kid," she said.

"Who are you?" demanded Mandy, showing no sign of fear at all.

"Is that a trick question, little mortal?" the spider woman said with a chuckle. "I am Velma Green, the Spider Queen and the Grim Reaper!"

"No, you're not."

Velma paused. "Huh?"

"The Grim Reaper is a tall skeleton with a black robe and carries a scythe."

"Well, how many Grim Reapers have YOU seen before," Velma pointed out. "What am I supposed to look like?"

"Good point. And please forgive Billy. He's an idiot and afraid of spiders."

Velma looked at the shivering Billy still stuck in her web. "I see."

"So why are you here, Velma?"

Velma sighed in exasperation. "As much as I hate to say it, I'm here for Mr. Snuggles."

"NO! PLEASE, DON'T EAT HIM," screamed Billy as he struggled to break free. "HE HASN'T EVEN EATEN HIS CAKE YET!"

Velma stuck her tongue out. "Ew. I don't eat my clients. Besides," she said as she glanced at the old hamster. "He's too stale." Billy sobbed loudly.

"Tea?" Mandy asked.

"Uh...sure?" said an unsure Velma as she was led to a tea table. "You have real tea?"

"It's not mine, it's Billy's," said Mandy as she poured herself and Velma a cup. "Look, Velma, you are truly a horrific and powerful figure and I respect that. However, I cannot allow you to take Mr. Snuggles."

Velma chuckled. "Little mortal..."

"My name is Mandy."

"Fine. Mandy, do you know who you're talking to? I am death herself. You can't tell death what to do."

"I am. And I can't let you take Mr. Snuggles."

"Why not?" Velma asked as she drank her tea.

"Because then I'd have to deal with a sad version of THAT," Mandy said as she pointed to Billy. "And trust me, a dunce who is sad is even worse than a dunce who is happy."

"Be that as it may, it's a slow day at work, and I could really use a new client," Velma said as she tapped her staff on the ground, causing a scythe blade to pop out. "And as much as I detest the idea. The hamster's time has come! He has to die!" She raised her scepter only for Mandy to grab her arm.

"NO!"

Velma glared at her. "How dare you..." she hissed.

"I'll make you a deal. We will play a play a game with you. If you win, you can have Mr. Snuggles. And if we win, we keep Mr. Snuggles."

Velma smirked. "How about we raise the stakes? If I win, I will take your soul as well as Mr. Snuggles'."

"Deal."

"DON'T DO IT, MANDY!" shouted Billy.

"Just a warning, girl," Velma said as she raised her scepter. "Death never loses."

"Neither do I," Mandy said calmly.

Velma slashed the air with her scepter's blade and a portal opened up sucking everyone in.

The group found themselves in a plane that seemed quite alien. Mountainous regions as far as the eye can see, purple skies, black clouds and the smell of rotting gardenias.

"Welcome to Limbo," said Velma to the kids. She slammed the scythe onto the ground and a stone table formed. She reached into her pocket and took out ten dice. "Here we will play my favorite game of chance: Liar's Dice. Just for the record," she said as she placed five of the dice into a stone cup and shook it. "...I never lost this game."

Mandy sat at the table and placed her dice in the cup and shook it. "First time for everything."

Both girls slammed their cups onto the table. "I bid three twos," Velma said taking a quick peek under her cup.

"I won't lie, Velma," said Mandy as she took a glance under her own cup. "The idea of death does not scare me. But is there any chance I can have a long-lasting life? I bid four twos, by the way."

Velma laughed. "You want to know what happened to the last person who asked for immortality? He's got to wear a pumpkin for a head and has to drink everything with a funnel down his throat." She glanced under her cup. "Five twos. Why do you ask for immortality when it's not part of the game?"

"I have plans for the world," said Mandy. "And I wouldn't mind having a supernatural element to it. And what could be more beneficial than Death herself?"

"What plans?"

"World domination, universal conquering."

Velma chuckled. "You really are a greedy little girl, aren't you? I'm afraid that's not going to happen." She took a quick glance under her cup again. "Five sixes."

Mandy glanced under her cup. "Six sixes."

The Spider Queen chuckled. "LIAR!"

Both girls raised their cups. Velma smiled. Mandy showed no fear. "You called my bluff, Velma. Well done." The Spider Queen reached for her... "Another game."

Velma stopped. "You lost, Mandy. Prepare yourself for the afterlife."

"I said. Another. Game."

Velma considered it, then sat back down. "The stakes?"

"Mine and Mr. Snuggles' souls along with Billy's."

"I beg your pardon, I heard that!" Billy shouted from his cocoon.

Velma ignored him and asked, "And if you win?"

"You get to be mine for all eternity."

Velma, already feeling confident with her win, said "Agreed."

Both girls took their dice, shook their cups and slapped them down. "I bid four fours," said Velma.

"Five fives," said Mandy after a quick peek under her cup.

"Daring." Velma peeked under her cup. "Seven fives."

Mandy glanced under her cup. "Billy? How does that trick with Mr. Snuggles go again?"

"Uh...kiss-kiss?"

The hamster let out a hiss and lunged at Velma. She screamed as he crawled around and bit and scratched her. She flailed around, trying to get the hamster out from her shirt until she threw Mr. Snuggles to the ground. She glared at Mandy. "If you even think of trying to cheat me..." She pointed the scepter at Mandy and the scythe blade popped out, just inches from her face.

Mandy showed no fear. "Sorry, he usually goes after Billy. It won't happen again. Where were we?"

Velma sat back down. "I wagered seven fives, if I recall."

"Oh, yeah. Eight fives."

"LIAR!"

Both girls raised their cups. Velma's eyes widened. "Wha...?!"

"Looks like I win. Which means you get to be my servant forever."

The table began to shake. Spiders suddenly burst out of the ground and held Mandy down. "You..." Velma's hand holding the scepter shook. "...horrible..." A column of flames appeared behind her as she felt her anger rise. "...CHEATING GIRL!"

"You didn't say I couldn't cheat," said Mandy.

"She's right," said a deep Jamaican voice. Velma turned around to see a skeleton in a black suit.

"Grim? What are you doing here?"

"Well, I am your lawyer and business partner, am I?" He scratched the back of his skull. "And...unfortunately, since you didn't exactly specify that there wouldn't be any cheating..."

Velma couldn't believe it. "But that means..." Her fist holding the scepter shook with anger. Then she exhaled, trying to calm herself down. "Grim, could you find some sort of loophole to get me out of this contract?"

"A deal is a deal," said Mandy. "We keep Mr. Snuggles. And you're my servant and my friend forever. That was what we agreed upon, right."

Velma growled and grabbed Mandy by the collar of her shirt. "Listen here, you! I am Velma Green, the Spider Queen! I am the Grim Reaper! Master of the forces of life and death! And I didn't go through a heckish life in middle school just to be the slave of a spoilt brat!"

"You are now," said Mandy with finality.

Velma sighed in defeat. "Very well. But under one condition. Death does not wait for everyone. People HAVE to die which means I HAVE to do my job. So when someone kicks the bucket, I HAVE to be there. So don't ask me to do one of your silly needs while I'm sending someone off to the afterlife."

"Very well," said Mandy.

Velma grumbled miserably as she blew the fresh coat of polish on Mandy's toenails when they arrived at the girl's house. "I gotta say," said Mandy as she inspected her nails. "This spider venom really makes my nails shine."

Velma's response was "I loathe you."

"By the way, do you have a human disguise?"

"Hmm?"

"If I'm gonna keep you around, I need to ensure you won't make Billy scream every time he sees you. It'll get annoying after a while."

Velma snapped her fingers and her body transformed. Gone was her spider lower half and in its place were a pair of human legs. "Happy?"

Mandy smiled. "Velma, I think I'm going to like this newfound friendship."