Stuck

Azalea's P.O.V.

The next two days passed without incident except for when I tripped Greg down the stairs for trying to kiss me. After school, we met in the back of Maybeck's aunt's store, Crazy Glaze. We met in the back room where Jelly treated us to cookies and milk. After we finished our snack, we got down to business.

"So why did you call us here, Maybeck?" Charlene asked.

"Well, I was doing an art project for school when it hit me: layers."

"Layers?" Amanda wondered.

"Yeah, in painting you have to layer paint to get new colors like when you layer red on top of yellow to get orange. Our special friend never makes things easy for us. He puts things in layers. So I was thinking the shapes the curves and lines of them at least are symbols." Maybeck produced the paper box and placed it in front of everyone.

Then we started to figure out the symbols. "If you put those parenthesizes together, you get an O," I pointed out.

"So now we have an O, P, and N. It has to stand for open," Philby said, examining the box closely. Maybeck ran to grab a razor blade and when he returned cut the tape off of the cube. He then rolled out the cube so that it formed a cross shape with a V on the last cube of the longer strip.

"It's a cross," Willa decided.

"No, it's a sword, that's what the points for," Maybeck argued.

"A cross would mean France in Epcot; the Hunchback of Notre Dame is a Disney movie," Jess stated.

"It's obviously a sword which would mean Maelstrom in Norway," Philby retorted.

"Let's split up into two groups: girls to France, boys to Norway," I settled the argument.

"Tonight, cross over at 9," Maybeck responded. We all nodded and filed out.

I woke up in Epcot that night, next to test track. I jogged over to where Philby (clothed this time) and Willa were already waiting. Everyone arrived within the next ten minutes. When Finn arrived, he didn't have the fob. "Where's the Return?" I asked.

"You guys don't have it?" Finn replied, panic arising on his face.

"Let's not freak out, it's probably in the lost and found when a gardener found it or something," Philby stated trying to calm the situation.

"Finn and I will go get the fob. He can walk through walls and I have my powers. We'll catch up with you guys later," Amanda nodded.

"Then I'll go with the guys so that we have even groups," I stepped forward, not liking the bad feeling in my stomach as I watched Finn and Amanda run away. Was I jealous? No, that's absolutely crazy. I shook my head as I followed Philby and Maybeck into the night. We stopped in Mexico, monitoring the Norway pavilion.

"What are we waiting for?" Maybeck whispered.

"The Segways," Philby reported. The test track dummies rode Segways to monitor the plaza. They were obvious OT's. The boys behind me started to bicker. I rolled my eyes until I say the Segways come into view. I pulled the boys out of sight and clamped a hand over their mouths to stop them from talking.

When the Segways passed I removed my hands. "I think Maleficent is building an army," I gulped, watching the dummies ride into the distance.

"They wouldn't be patrolling if there wasn't something to protect," Philby retorted.

"The sword," I gasped.

"Let's go," Maybeck stated, helping me out of the brush before running to the Norway pavilion. Creepy was an understatement. I had the whole heebie geebie shiver and everything. "This reminds me of a Small World."

"Don't remind me," I spoke, remembering the bite marks on my legs and arms after that incident. We walked into Maelstrom. A boat pulled up. "Why don't I want to get in that boat?"

"Maybe because of the ax-wielding Norwegian we saw before."

"He had an ax?" Maybeck sighed.

"I didn't want to tell anyone else," Philby shrugged.

"You're so comforting," I replied sarcastically.

"I try. Just hop in the boat while I restart the ride," he responded. I muttered a few choice words under my breath before hopping in next to Maybeck. Philby joined us quickly, sitting on the other side of me. "This is where the ax man is supposed to be," Philby reported.

"Well, I lived a nice life I guess," I sighed, preparing myself for what was to come next. The ride continued and we saw the sword. "There it is," I pointed. Maybeck stood up and jumped out of the boat.

"No, he'll trip the alarms," Philby panicked. Except Maybeck jumped high enough that he didn't trip the alarms. He ran to the sword but it was latched to the log.

"Hurry up Maybeck!" I reminded as Philby and I continued with the ride. He pulled it free and vaulted over logs before landing back in his seat.

"Ta da!" he mocked. I rolled my eyes at him as the ride continued.

"That was too easy," I shuddered as a horn blew. "And this isn't a part of the ride." As we continued, a man that looked REAL stood up and walked over to us.

"Be gone, or else I cast a spell on ye!" Then the boat flipped around so that we were going backwards. I screamed as a polar bear came into view. I ducked as it took a swing at us. It missed me but hit Maybeck. I screamed and pulled him away from the bear. Philby, although I have no idea why, stood up and stabbed at the beast, who in turn threw him off the boat.

"Philby, get away from there!" I shouted as I saw a bunch of gnomes surround him. I grabbed him feet and tried to drag him away from the gnomes. I was finally able to drag him into the boat as the boat entered another scene. The temperature dropped as I feared the green witch would be around the corner. Luckily she wasn't, and the rest of the group was waiting for us.

"You guys get all the fun," Willa joked.

"Please, next time you take my place on the ride of death," I retorted, helping Maybeck out of the boat.