I edited the last chapter to add a section. You might want to go back and read it, because without it, the first section of this chapter doesn't make much sense.

"It was very nice of you to help that little girl like that," said Amy. "Well done, honey."

"I wish I had stayed and watched," remarked Selena. "I got bored and headed into the hotel when Janessa spent ages by their side, talking to them."

"It was probably good that you did," said Janessa. "Her dad wouldn't like more people ogling at her."

"Too bad your dad isn't here," said Amy. Along with Uncle Jed and Aunt Trina, he was at home. "He would've been so proud."

Janessa flapped her hands happily. She felt proud of herself for working up the courage to talk to someone and helping a little girl out.

"So she was autistic as well?" said Amy.

"How did you know?" asked Janessa, shooting an embarrassed glance at her sister. She never liked talking about it in front of her. "I don't think I told you."

"It just sounded like she was," said Amy. "Besides... no offense, honey, but I think you'd only willingly go up to and talk to someone else who is."

"None taken," Janessa sighed. "You're probably right. That was why I went up to them, because I suspected she was like me after seeing her wearing headphones and crying."

"It's a shame those headphones Sara got you don't fit anymore," said Amy. "They were a great help."

"I wouldn't want to wear them," said Janessa. "I'd be too embarrassed going out in public with them." It was true. It might make people stare at her, and she hated that.

"They'd just assume you were listening to music," said Amy.

"Without any wires?" asked Janessa. "No, it'd be too embarrassing."

"Don't be embarrassed," Amy assured. "You know, Aunt Sara is autistic, too."

"Yeah, I know," said Janessa. "That's another thing we have in common."

"I feel bad about getting annoyed at her for being so obsessed with her paintings, but she really could be annoying about them," said Amy. "She could spend hours over them, just like you can, making sure they were perfect. And she'd throw a fit if we messed with them even a little."

Selena giggled. "Like when Uncle Jed painted a smiley face on one?"

"That wasn't funny," said Amy. "She was really upset about it."

Janessa shuddered at the thought, having heard the story from Uncle Jed before. "I'd hate for that to happen," she said. "I'm glad no one's messed with my paintings."

"I was tempted to a few times," admitted Selena.

"So was I, with Sara," said Amy. "But I never did."

"You wanted to destroy my paintings, Amy?" they heard Sara say accusingly. She came into the main room, a towel around her hair from the shower, glaring at her sister.

"I never did," Amy assured. "Unlike Jed."

Sara groaned, both from the reminder and the shower she had just taken. "That shower was awful. There was someone singing to me the whole time. It gave me a fright, but I couldn't leave before getting clean. The pressure was way too low, though."

"You always spend ages in the shower," Amy teased. "You have to make sure you shower just right, like you have to do everything else just right. You barely left any water left for me or Jed."

Sara scowled at her. "Well, at least one person in the family cares about doing things right."

"Aunt Sara, we were just talking about you," Selena spoke up. "Janessa met a girl who she calmed down."

"Ooh, you might like to hear this, Sara," said Amy, smiling at her sister. Janessa related the events to her.

"Well, it was very nice of you to calm her down, Janessa." Sara smiled.

"We were just talking about how you never liked your paintings being messed with," informed Amy.

Sara groaned. "I still remember the time Jed did. I wanted to murder him on the spot."

"I don't think it was funny, if that helps console you," said Amy. "You were really upset about it."

"I know you thought I was silly, taking my paintings so seriously," said Sara.

"No," Amy interrupted. "Well, I used to. But not anymore. I know how much they mean to you now."

"I still can't believe that I got some submitted in an art gallery," said Sara, smiling. "Thousands of people are viewing my paintings there."

"And you sell some of them," said Amy. "I always knew you'd be a famous painter."

"Maybe Janessa will as well," suggested Sara.

"Oh, no," said Janessa. "I'm not nearly as good as you, Aunt Sara."

"Not nearly as obsessed, you mean," Amy quipped.

"Obsessed is the incorrect term," Sara chided.

"I always thought you were annoying about your paintings," admitted Amy.

"I guess I was, a little," Sara admitted. "I could spend hours over them, without being interrupted. I was annoying about my perfect report cards, too. I was just proud of myself when I shoved them in you and Jed's faces — literally — but I see now I was being obnoxious and making you feel insecure. It was hard for me to pick up on your emotions."

"It's fine," Amy assured. "You had a right to be proud. I was jealous, because I wasn't as talented or as good in school."

"The girl was autistic," Janessa added. "Just like you and me."

"Oh, really?" Sara's deep green eyes widened.

"We didn't know you were until your twelve," Amy recalled.

"Yes, it took a while for me to be diagnosed," Sara sighed. "I suspected it myself, for a long time. But I was too nervous to tell Mom and Dad what I thought. I thought they'd get mad, or make fun of me."

"They'd never do that," Amy assured.

"Well, mostly, I thought they'd think I wasn't perfect anymore," Sara admitted.

"I'd never think that," Amy joked. "You were Miss Perfect."

"Trust me, I'm far from perfect," Sara laughed.

"I thought you were too perfect to be autistic." Amy winced. "Oh, sorry. That sounded really bad, didn't it?" Janessa cringed as well. Great wording, Mom.

"A little," Sara admitted. "But it's part of the reason I didn't want to believe it myself. I was too talented and perfect to be... like that."

"Well, I'm definitely not," Janessa muttered. Aunt Sara was at least admired and put on a pedestal by her parents. Even now, her grandparents wouldn't stop talking about how amazing Sara was. No one went on about how amazing Janessa was.

"Don't think that, honey," Sara assured. "You're just as talented as I was. I was a lot more verbal than you, though."

"Yeah, definitely," Amy teased. "You could never shut up about your paintings and perfect grades."

"I guess it was because I thought I had to 'make up' for my disability," Sara admitted. "I though if I was so talented and smart, Mom and Dad wouldn't mind the other thing. I know how silly that sounds now."

"I don't think anything would make them stop being proud of you," Amy joked. "They never shut up about you almost as much as you never shut up about your paintings. No wonder I was so jealous." Janessa looked down. Her mom didn't seem too proud of her, despite her talent.

"I started working harder than ever after being diagnosed," said Sara. "Because I decided I had to 'make up' for it."

"Yeah, I noticed," said Amy. "Before that, you were a lot more fun. Then you became a lot more boring, and obsessed with your paintings and grades. I guess that was the reason."

"I was silly to think so," said Sara. "My autism was the reason I was talented at those things. But I didn't focus on them just to impress Mom and Dad, you know. I also really loved painting. I could spend hours and hours over a canvas, making sure it was perfect, and I'd go ballistic if the colors were the wrong shade or something. I guess it's something similar for Janessa."

"I guess," said Janessa. She didn't care so much about making it perfect, but more about expressing herself through art, since she often found it hard to do so verbally.

"You're both amazing painters," said Amy. "You're almost as good as Sara at that age, Nessie. Your paintings are gorgeous, and so creative. I feel like I can tell a lot about how you're feeling just from looking at one."

"Thanks, Mom," said Janessa. That was one of the few times her mom actually complimented her on them.

"I can't believe we saw a real life mermaid," said Selena, changing the subject. "She was beautiful. Swimming gracefully through the water, her golden hair shimmering against the murky blackness..." Janessa rolled her eyes. Her sister had always had a poetic side.

"I would've wanted to see her," said Sara. "I always liked mermaids. I painted a few. She would've been great to paint."

"Of course, you only care about painting her," Amy muttered. Sara glared playfully at her.

"I don't think she'd stay still enough for you to paint her," remarked Janessa. "She kept ducking in and out of the water. I think she didn't know whether to hide from everyone or not."

"Well, we promised not to tell anyone about her," Selena added. "Mr. Deep, the famous undersea explorer, wouldn't want that. He set the mermaid free instead of keeping her captive in a zoo."

"That was really admirable of him," said Sara. "He did the right thing. Even if it means I wouldn't get to paint her."

"I still don't think we should keep quiet about her," Selena griped. "We should be telling everyone about her. I mean, a real mermaid!"

"You'll probably tell someone," Janessa quipped, scowling at her. "You can never resist gossip."

"I'll keep quiet," Selena insisted. "I promised, after all. And the story sounded so romantic. About him and the mermaid."

"This isn't The Little Mermaid," Janessa pointed out. "Besides, he has a wife, you know. A human one."

"Yes, but it still sounded romantic," Selena insisted. Janessa rolled her eyes.

"His son was a fan of mine, apparently," said Sara. "He asked for my autograph. He told me my paintings were magnificent and stunning, and he admired one for ages at the art museum."

"Well, they are," said Amy. "I bet Nessie will grow up to be a famous painter, too."

"Mom," said Janessa, blushing. It was nice being complimented for a change, even if she didn't like being the center of attention.

"It's very possible," agreed Sara, making her blush even more.

"Yeah, yeah," said Selena, not liking it when her sister was the center of attention. "Hey, I think Janessa's dress has finished drying."

Janessa scowled at her. "I'm still mad at you for ruining it."

"I didn't know that gun would squirt out mud!" Selena argued. "Anyway, it just needed a light wash."

"So did we, after that makeover," said Janessa.

"I freaked out when I saw you two," said Amy. "I thought you had witnessed somebody dying or something."

"It's the worst makeover I've ever gotten," groaned Selena, flicking her skull earrings. "These earrings are cool, though."

Sara went to get Janessa's dress. "It's very pretty," she said, handing the black fabric to her. "And it suits you nicely."

"It does," agreed Janessa. "Too bad Selena had to—"

"Oh, give me a break!" Selena groaned. "You have to admit, it was funny."

"Want to try it on?" asked Sara. "I'd love to see you in it. I think you'd look very pretty."

"Well... sure," said Janessa.

She headed to the bathroom to change and returned, swishing the black skirt around her legs.

"You really do look pretty," said Selena. "It complements your complexion nicely."

"You look beautiful," agreed Sara.

"You do, honey," added Amy.

Janessa laughed. "Well, as nice as it is, I think I'll have to change out of it. I'm going to bed now."

"That's probably for the best," agreed Selena. "I'm exhausted."

"So am I," added Amy. "Well, goodnight."

"So, you and that girl," Sam teased, using the dreaded tone his cousin always used on him when teasing him.

"Shut up," muttered Alyssa, her cheeks flaming.

"You really like her, don't you?" Sam smirked.

Alyssa glanced up briefly, her eyes shining. Sam smiled. She was pretty cute when she had a crush. "She was so cool and brave. Almost as much as me." She smirked. "We were competing to see who was more fearless, going on all of the rides."

Sam groaned. "Of course you'd do that. That isn't the best way to make your crush like you, you know."

"Well, it seemed to work," Alyssa retorted defensively. "At the end, we both revealed our fears. She's scared of the dark."

"That's rather childish, isn't it?" said Sam.

"Not as childish as being scared of the sea when your dad is an undersea explorer," retorted Alyssa.

"I'm not scared of the sea," Sam insisted. "I just don't like it." He smirked. "Just like how you don't like spiders."

Alyssa punched him. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did. It was really mean. I had nightmares for weeks about spiders."

"It was a welcome to the family present," joked Sam. "That was when you joined the family, wasn't it?"

Alyssa scowled. "Great present. Is that how you welcome everyone to the family, with spiders?"

"Yeah. I did the same to Ricky and Robby when they were born," Sam joked. "Anyway, I was only four, like you. Give me a break. And you deserved it." Alyssa punched him. "Okay, maybe that's a little harsh. But you stole my favorite teddy bear."

"That doesn't mean you had to put a spider in my bed!" Alyssa pointed out.

"Okay, that was an overreaction," Sam admitted. "But it was the teddy bear I always carried me, that Aunt Sheena gave me. And you stole him and threw him out the window. I could never find him again. I still miss him."

Alyssa laughed. "You're such a baby."

"And you beat me up afterwards," Sam reminded. "I had that bloody nose for as long as you had nightmares about spiders."

"Man, we were such cruel kids," Alyssa grinned.

"At least you're more tolerable than the twins," said Sam. "Those two are true terrors. They gave me more injuries than those spiders gave you."

"Hey, do you think they'd like this?" Alyssa showed Sam a spray can she had bought in Zombie Plaza. "I thought they would. They love weird smells. Especially Robby."

Before Sam could reply, she released a spray of foul-smelling odor, causing Sam's eyes to water.

"It smells like my dad after he swam with that shark," he said, holding his nose.

"Makes sense. It's scented from the Black Lagoon Water Park," said Alyssa, reading the label. "I was considering whether to buy that or the Werewolf Village scent. There's all kinds of cool scents."

"How can you handle it?" Sam demanded.

Alyssa shrugged. "I've smelled worse babysitting Ricky and Robby."

"They adore you," said Sam. "No wonder. You're as weird as they are." Alyssa punched him.

Sam grew serious. "I still can't believe that those twin sisters are related to Sara Kramer."

Alyssa rolled her eyes. "I can't believe you fanboyed over her like that. I didn't even know who she was."

"She's an amazing painter," said Sam. "Her paintings are beautiful. You should look at them. I saw some of them in a museum, and I couldn't stop staring at them. I almost felt like I could be sucked into the painting."

Alyssa laughed. "You're such a dork."

"She gave me her autograph," said Sam, showing it to Alyssa. "Even her signature looks artistic."

"It just looks illegible to me," said Alyssa, observing the fancy handwriting.

"Miss Kramer is very talented," insisted Sam. "So is her niece, Janessa. I heard they're both genius painters. Maybe I could ask Janessa to paint something for me."

"You went on about Miss Kramer so much, I think you've got a crush on her," Alyssa teased.

Sam's blush confirmed Alyssa's suspicions. "I do not! I just like her paintings. And she's really nice and pretty and talented."

Alyssa smirked, happy for the opportunity to tease him instead. "Well, you're right. She was pretty."

"Don't tell my you have a crush on her as well," Sam groaned.

"So you admit you have a crush on her?" Alyssa teased.

"No!" Sam protested. "I meant as well as Rosemary."

"No. I can think she's pretty, can't I?" Alyssa pointed out. "Not as much as Rosemary, though. Even her name is pretty."

"Eww. I didn't know you could be all mushy like that," said Sam. "It doesn't suit you, that lovestruck look."

"I do not look lovestruck!" Alyssa insisted, blushing again. "You looked more lovestruck when talking to Miss Kramer."

"She didn't seem as enamored by the story about the mermaid," said Sam. "I don't know if we were right to tell them."

"Maybe her sister didn't tell her," Alyssa suggested. "And of course you weren't! Didn't you promise Uncle Billy not to tell anyone?"

"He was fine with us telling them," Sam argued. "Anyway, they've gone through weird stuff as well, they told us. Something about an evil ventriloquist dummy."

"Sounds cool," said Alyssa. "Remember when I had that ventriloquist dummy when I was little? You were terrified of it, even though it was just a piece of wood."

"Because you kept talking with it and trying to scare me!" Sam pointed out. "And this was an actual, sentient dummy, according to them. Both of their parents encountered it, on different occasions. I think his name was Slappy."

"Slappy? Great name for a dummy." Alyssa burst out laughing. "I should've named my dummy that."

"It wasn't funny for them," said Sam seriously. "It nearly ruined their lives. It tried to make them his slave, and hit them. And their parents wouldn't believe them and thought they were crazy and wanted to send them to a shrink."

Alyssa stopped laughing. "That does sound scary."

"Anyway, they promised not to tell anyone about the mermaid, as long as we didn't tell anyone about the dummy," said Sam. "So we don't have to worry."

"Sam's right," Billy's voice came as he entered the room. He had taken a shower to get rid of the smelly fish paste and ocean water covering him, as well as the blood. "I don't think they'll tell anyone. I didn't want to tell anyone about the mermaid, but I couldn't keep it a secret forever."

"If you say so, Uncle Billy," said Alyssa doubtfully.

Sam wrinkled his nose. "You still smell gross, Dad." He didn't at all, but Sam wanted to tease him. "You should take another shower."

"That's a lie," Billy accused, whacking Sam on the head. "You're just trying to mess with me. Sheena would always say things like that. It drove me crazy."

"Sam's right," Alyssa agreed, also wanting to tease him. "You should take two showers to get rid of the shark smell. I can still smell the shark's insides on you."

Billy grinned. "What's the problem with that? It'd be cool to smell like a shark."

"I still think you were dumb for trying the Swim with a Hungry Shark Ride," said Sheena, entering the room.

"I totally creamed that shark," said Billy.

"He did," agreed Sam. "The shark was whimpering in fear afterwards."

"Honey, are you sure those girls won't say anything about the mermaid?" Sari asked as she entered from her and Billy's room. "Or that nobody else will see her?"

"One, yes, and two, I'm not sure," said Billy. "I don't know how she got in that lake. I hope she has the sense to stay hidden."

"I think she will," assured Alyssa. "After you spoke to her, warning her to stay hidden so nobody saw her. I think she understood you."

"That's dumb," said Sheena. "Can the mermaid even understand English?"

"Maybe not, but she could understand my expression and implication," said Billy. "Her eyes widened with fear, and she nodded before diving back under the water. I think she'll stay hidden."

"Let's hope she does," Sam agreed. He yawned. "I'm exhausted."

"So am I," agreed Billy. "Swimming with a hungry shark really takes the energy out of you."

"Well, I'm not," said Alyssa. "I want to stay up all night."

"You always do," quipped Sheena.

"Maybe we can stay up together," suggested Sari.

"Really? Like last time?" Alyssa asked excitedly. She and Aunt Sari were very close.

"Sari, no," said Sheena. "Alyssa, if you have trouble getting to sleep, just tell me. I have lots of experience with getting Ricky and Robby to sleep."

"No, it's fine, Aunt Sheena," said Alyssa. "I'll go."

"Goodnight, everyone," said Sam. When he fell into his bed, which had been recently made by Linda the housecreeper, he dreamed of mermaids swimming through the ocean.

"There's nothing good on TV," Kiran groaned, switching through the channels.

"You always say that," Ray pointed out.

"Yeah, but I mean it this time," Kiran said, wrinkling his nose at the cauldron filled with slime and worms that was currently on TV.

Ray had to agree with him. Every channel seemed more disgusting and horrifying than the next. This cooking channel involving cauldrons and slime instead of pots and food was just one of them, along with the close-ups of spiders Kiran had switched to earlier that had made him scream in fright (which Ray had teased him about, of course). They'd never complain about the TV back home, that was for sure.

"Oh, God! What's that?" Kiran exclaimed, shuddering. Ray shuddered as well. They saw dozens — hundreds of human eyes, some large, some small, in several different colors, staring at them on the screen. The intense gazes seemed to bear into them and follow them, the eyeballs moving from side to side.

"That's just creepy," Ray groaned. He felt like he was actually being watched. "Turn it off, now."

Kiran was too happy to switch to another channel. "Well, this one looks normal," he remarked. "It's just a news channel."

"Boring, but I'd even like that at this point," said Ray, staring intently at the screen as the Horror reported the news.

"And recently, an outbreak of Monster Blood has caused several enlargements," the Horror said in a deep, serious voice. "Unsuspecting people were tricked into swallowing portions of the dangerous green slime slipped deviously into their food. Sascha Nelson and Nicole Miller, two participants in the cooking challenge, were thought responsible, though they fervently deny it. Moving on—"

"This news isn't much better," Kiran groaned as the Horror continued to talk about an evil doll named Abigail coming to life.

"I liked the close ups of spiders channel," said Lucy. "You know, you boys will be eating them in a little while."

Both brothers screwed up their faces in disgust. "Ew! I could never do that," insisted Kiran.

Lucy smiled, her dark eyes flashing in amusement at the looks on her sons' faces. "You might find them appetizing," she suggested. "I thought I wouldn't like them at first either, but I was wrong. They're especially good with a little snake blood on the side."

"Mom, stop," Ray groaned, feeling his stomach heave. "I already felt ready to throw up from the food on the menu."

"That wasn't so bad either," said Lucy. "I liked the Growled Cheese. Very vicious, but it was no match for us!"

"Yeah, it was fun watching you tame that sandwich," said Kiran, before laughing as he realized the absurdity of that statement. "It was whimpering by the time you were through with it."

"Apparently it's a favorite in Werewolf Village," said Lucy, grinning and showing her glistening white teeth. "I bet even the werewolves themselves will be whimpering by the time I'm through with them."

"A bit egotistical, don't you think, Mom?" Ray griped.

"You couldn't even handle the Caramel Heads," said Lucy. "I thought they were very tasty."

"The caramel was, at least," said Ray.

Lucy ignored him. "Hey, this looks cool," she said, pointing to the screen. "A fight between a ventriloquist dummy and a mummy— I'd pay to see that! Apparently the mummy was defeated by tickling?"

Kiran yawned, putting the remote down and turning the television off, to Ray's relief. He was getting sick of listening to the Horror report bad news.

"I'm exhausted," moaned Kiran. "Probably from being a monster for half the day. If that's what it's like, I don't ever want to be a real monster."

"It's not what it's like," assured Lucy. "You're much more in control of yourself when you start. It took me some getting used to even, and I was obsessed with monster stories."

Kiran didn't seem to have heard a word. His eyes were closed, his glasses slipping down his nose as he dozed off. Lucy smiled.

"I'm exhausted as well," she said with a yawn, getting up. "I think I'll head to bed. Come as well, Ray."

Ray nodded, but when his mother left, Kiran suddenly opened his eyes, staring at Ray with a strange expression on his face.

"Were you just pretending to be asleep?" Ray demanded. "That's devious."

"Big word," Kiran teased. "And no, I wasn't. I was about to drift off, but I opened my eyes at the last minute."

"I hate it when that happens," said Ray. "Or when I get distracted when I'm so close to getting to sleep."

"I know right?" Kiran agreed. "It's so annoying."

"But why did you open your eyes?" asked Ray.

Kiran looked down. "I... I still can't stop thinking about what you did for me. Earlier—"

Ray groaned. "Really, don't mention it," he insisted. "Try to forget about it. It was no big deal."

"Well, maybe not," agreed Kiran. "But it wasn't just that. It was also when I put on the mask. I... I was a monster."

"Well, obviously," Ray said, rolling his eyes.

"No. I really was a monster," insisted Kiran. "At least, my face was. It was like the monster had taken over my body. I was terrified. I didn't enjoy it one bit, even when I had my episodes and started randomly attacking people. I didn't want to attack them. I didn't want to be a monster. I was terrified the whole time. I guess that's kind of ironic, considering what I am."

Ray stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

"And now... and now I'm terrified of becoming a monster for real. I don't think I want it." Kiran sighed. "Go on, call me a wimp."

"You're not a wimp," Ray assured. "Well, you are, but not for this. I didn't always want to be a monster, either. Well, people say I look and act like one. But I already have so few friends that being a monster would alienate me even more. Most people think I'm weird and reclusive."

"Oh... I didn't know," said Kiran. "Well, I did, but... oh, now I feel bad for making fun of your lack of friends."

"Don't," Ray suggested. "Unless you want me to feel bad about making fun of your wimpiness."

"A wimpy monster? That sounds like a great comedy," Kiran joked.

"Yeah, you're right," Ray agreed. "A monster who's afraid of his own shadow, who can't even handle rides in a theme park."

Kiran punched him. "I'm serious!" he insisted. "What if I'm not cut out for this?"

"I don't think I always am, either," said Ray. "Even though people say I act like one. I don't know if I want to become an actual monster. I'd never tell Mom, though."

Kiran stared at his brother in disbelief. "Well... don't tell Mom what I said, either," he urged. "It can be our secret."

"Yeah," Ray agreed. "Mom would be crushed if she knew."

"You know, maybe it won't be so bad," suggested Kiran. "It'd be harder if we didn't have anyone else going through this. We can help each other through it."

Ray rolled his eyes. "Like I'd need your help," he said, but for the first time, he was grateful to have a brother. "Now go to sleep, dork."

"Eww." James made a disgusted face at the unusual food that had been ordered. "Who eats this stuff in this place?"

"We got you something off the kids' menu," Rosemary reminded. "The chicken fingers."

James screwed up his face. "They don't look like any chicken fingers I ate."

"We got you ice cream too," reminded Steve with a grin. Ashley was in his lap, munching a cheese sandwich, one of the only foods she ate. Thankfully, Steve had had the forethought to pack food beforehand.

"It doesn't look like any ice cream I ate either," James complained. "It looks like the ice cream Rosemary offered me earlier, but worse."

"I think the eyeballs just complement it," said Rosemary. "It is Eyes Cream, after all." She deliberately pronounced it that way.

James groaned. "They even ruined ice cream."

"Chin up, dude," Steve encouraged. "Be a trooper."

"Easy for you to say," James griped. "You packed a bunch of food beforehand."

"I'll have the ice cream if you don't want it," Steve suggested.

"No!" James protested. Rosemary smirked. James never wanted to share, so that was a great way to trick him. Unfortunately, it still didn't make him eat his food.

"The chicken fingers actually are good," insisted Carly Beth. "They taste just like regular chicken fingers."

"Yeah, Mom's right," said Rosemary. "I had one. Actually, I had many. That's how good they are. There are only a few left for you now."

"It's not fair," James muttered, poking the food around on his plate. "Ashley doesn't get to eat anything she doesn't like."

"That's because she can't," said Steve. "Whenever I try, she cries and throws it."

"So do I, and I still have to eat asparagus," James pointed out.

"True," Steve agreed. "But she literally can't eat it. If she put it into her mouth, it'd taste all funny and wrong. Like if you put a rock into your mouth."

"It tastes funny and wrong in my mouth too," James pointed out.

"True again, but I think it's a little different for Ashley," said Steve.

"James, be quiet," Rosemary scolded. "You know Ashley's autistic."

"Oh, right," said James, looking down at his food.

"She likes black and white cookies, like I did," said Steve. "Especially the ones her grandmom makes."

"We thought they were your symbol of love, like I did," Carly Beth reminded. "The ones your mom made were great. I loved them as well."

"So do I," added James. "At least Ashley has enough sense to like them." Rosemary elbowed him.

"I'm very grateful to the girl who calmed her down," said Steve. "She was so understanding and patient. I've never seen Ashley calm down from a meltdown so quickly. I guess it helped meeting someone else like her."

"You mean...?" Carly Beth said.

"Yes. She was also autistic," said Steve. "She told me."

"Well, it was very nice of her," said Carly Beth. "What was her name?"

"Uh... Jessica? No, Janessa," said Steve. "Weird name."

"Janessa?" Rosemary's eyes widened. "That's the name of one of the girls I saw at Black Lagoon Water Park."

"Woah, really?" said Carly Beth.

"Yeah, along with her sister," said Rosemary. "I didn't think she was autistic. She actually spoke a few times. I didn't know that was possible."

"Rosemary, not all autistic kids are exactly like Ashley," Carly Beth pointed out. "Some talk more, especially since it sounds like this girl was older than Ashley."

"Oh, right," said Rosemary. Ashley was too busy eating her sandwich to hear anything that was being said. When she concentrated on something, she tuned everything else out.

Carly Beth grew serious. "I think we should leave this place," she announced. "I don't feel comfortable being here anymore after hearing about the mask."

"Mom, no," Rosemary whined. "I want to stay. I'm having lots of fun."

"Well, I'm not," James muttered.

"That's because you're a wuss," Rosemary told him.

"Well, we should warn the others before leaving," Steve pointed out. "About the mask, I mean."

"Good idea," Carly Beth agreed. "Where did the boy get it from?"

"I don't know," Steve admitted. "We should ask him." He got to his feet, Ashley clinging to him. "Let's find his room, and ask him where he got the mask."

"Good thinking, Steve," Carly Beth said as she got up. "Kids, stay here."

"I don't think that's necessary, Mom," said Rosemary. "I mean, we already got defeated it, and threw the mask away."

"There might be more like it," Steve pointed out. "Remember the old man mask I put on?"

"I'll come with you," Rosemary suggested.

"No. Stay here and look after James," Carly Beth insisted, the aforementioned boy looking pale and sick, either from the food or what he had heard about the mask.

"Actually, maybe I should," said Steve, sitting down. "I should stay here with Ashley. She wouldn't want to go."

Carly Beth shrugged. "Okay, Rosie, come with me." Rosemary followed her mother out the door of the hotel room.

"Will we get to go home, Uncle Steve?" asked James. He hesitated. "Don't think I'm a wimp, but I really don't like this place."

"Well, I don't really want to stay, after seeing the mask," admitted Steve. James relaxed a little at that. "When I put on my mask..." He shuddered. "I felt about fifty years older. My joints were aching, my legs were shaking, and I was slow."

"Grandma says she feels the same way," said James. "She's even lost some of her energy at making art, though not for projects she makes for Mom. They're really close."

"The funny thing is, when I met the kids I wanted to scare with my mask, they weren't afraid of me," said Steve. "Even though I definitely would've been, if I saw myself. They didn't make fun of me, either, which I kind of expected more. They were actually concerned for me and asked if I was okay. I guess they can be nice. But I don't see why they were such brats to me when they were polite to an old man."

"I guess they just didn't like you," said James.

"Well, I'm glad Ashley's not the same way," said Steve, glancing down at her.

"Do we have to stay, Uncle Steve?" asked James. "I hope Mom lets us go home."

"I think Ashley wants to as well," said Steve. "It'll be disappointing for Rosemary, though."

James scowled. "She always gets her way. It'd do good for all of us to go home."

Carly Beth and Rosemary returned. "We found their room, but it was locked, and they're asleep," Carly Beth reported.

"Which means we'll have to wait tomorrow to ask them," Rosemary added, excitement in her voice. James groaned.

"We'll warn them as soon as possible," said Carly Beth. "Let's get some sleep now."

"And then we'll leave?" asked James hopefully.

Carly Beth ignored his question. "Thanks for coming over to our room, Steve," she told him. "I missed having dinner together."

"Maybe we can do it a few more times," Steve suggested, saying goodbye as he and Ashley left to their room.

"I don't know if I can get to sleep tonight," James groaned.

"You're such a wimp," said Rosemary. "You didn't even see the mask."

"Not just that," said James. "Everything I've seen in the park."

"James, you can't be afraid of everything," Carly Beth insisted. "If we stayed a little longer, maybe you'd—"

"I'm going to bed," James interrupted, getting up.

"He sure changed his tune quick," Rosemary muttered.

"Maybe you're right, Rosie," said Carly Beth, running her hand over Rosemary's hair like she always did. Her mother had liked doing that to her as well. "Maybe we should stay. I've learned to confront my fears. I can't let the mere mention of the mask dissuade me, even though it did years ago."

"We don't have to, Mom," said Rosemary. "I know how frightening the experience was for you. If you want to go home, that's fine with me."

"I think you'd like to stay and talk to Alyssa more," Carly Beth teased. Rosemary blushed.

"I can get her number, and then we can go home," she insisted. "It doesn't matter."

"We'll see," said Carly Beth. "I was just panicking and scared when I suggested going home. I didn't want to face that mask again."

"You? Scared?" Rosemary laughed. "That's a good one."

Okay, technically three autistic characters. Ray and Kiran have a nice brotherly moment (look up Kiran's name meaning, and it'll add to them being brothers). I've copied the food and locations and stuff mentioned from the Horrorland guidebook. It's a book I have describing everything in Horrorland.