The Curse of Lie Detection

It was a beautiful day in Brighton where joy happily triumphed and misery failed miserably. In one particular house, a girl by the name of Molly McGee was on her phone while heading to her room.

"Sounds like you two had a great time, Libby." Molly said.

"We sure did." Libby replied. "Mom and I should be home by tonight. I'll come over and get my turtles tomorrow. Thanks for taking care of them for me, Molly."

"Anything for my best friend." Molly opened the door to her bedroom and climbed in. "Hey, Scratch. Why do you have that look on your face?"

Scratch the ghost had a look that combined upset with nervous while floating near the turtle tank on Molly's table.

"We got a problem with one of the turtles." he said.

"What? Let me see." Molly went to the tank and put down her phone to see for herself. "Larry and Michelle seem okay. And Reginald is still sleeping. What's the problem?"

"Molly, he's not sleeping."

"What!?" Molly checked Reginald and felt no life in him. "Oh no! I must've overfed him!"

"Molly? What's going on?" Libby asked from the phone.

Molly put Reginald down, slowly brought her phone to her ear, and said "False alarm. Scratch was just trying to scare me. As if he could do that. Hahahahaha."

"Okay, I gotta go. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Libby." Molly hung up.

The look on her face matched the moment she first heard of the flow of failed phantoms. Scratch was no longer surprised by the dead turtle, but was instead surprised by something else.

"Why did you lie to Libby?" Scratch asked.

"I can't tell her this!" Molly yelled while gesturing to Reginald's body. "Hey, Libby. The good news is two of your turtles are A-okay. The bad news
is I killed the third one."

"She's gonna find out about Reginald sooner or later." Scratch said. "You're better off telling her sooner."

"Can't you just put his ghost back?" Molly asked.

"If I could, I would've already done it. He clearly died last night. His ghost could be anywhere by now. You only got one option."

"No, Scratch! Libby put me in charge of her turtles! If she finds out what I did, she won't be my friend anymore! You know how much she loves
turtles!"

"I'm sure if you tell her it was an accident, she'll forgive you."

"Libby's not finding out and that's final! I'll just keep her away long enough to find her a new Reginald."

Scratch gave up and sighed.

That night, everyone was asleep except for Scratch who felt like getting a midnight snack. He raided the fridge and made himself a five-foot tall sandwich. While eating it, he went into the living room and noticed a bunch of movies that someone forgot to put back. He decided to put them away since he was there and while doing so, he came across one particular classic movie. Pinocchio. Scratch then had an idea that caused a mischievous smile to grow on his face.

"It's not original, but it'll have to do."

He returned to the attic and floated above the still sleeping Molly. Then he turned big, green, and horrifying as the room became displaced.

"I CURSE YOU, MOLLY MCGEE! UNTIL YOU TELL LIBBY THE TRUTH OF REGINALD THE TURTLE, YOUR NOSE SHALL GROW WITH EVERY LIE YOU TELL AND NOT SHRINK BACK!"

Scratch and the room went back to normal and he returned to his bed in the dollhouse.

The next morning, Molly and Scratch went downstairs together for breakfast. They along with Molly's brother Darryl, their father Pete, and the mother Sharon all had pancakes. Just as they had all finished, Molly felt something in her lower region. Then out of nowhere, she farted.

"Woah, who cut the cheese?" Pete held his nose while fanning the stink away.

Molly was too embarrassed to admit it was her, so instead she said "It must've been Darryl."

"I did no...wha?" Darryl tried to argue, but he was stopped upon seeing Molly's nose grow. "Uh, Molly. You might wanna look at your face."

Pete and Sharon notice it too and the latter gave Molly the toaster as a mirror. Molly was confused until she saw her reflection which revealed her new nose. It must've been two inches long.

"Ah!" What happened!?" she said, dropping the toaster.

Scratch silently watched with amusement.

"You kinda look like Pinocchio." Darryl said with a laugh. "Wait a minute. Was it really you who farted?"

"Of course not." Molly lied with a big cheesy smile.

Her nose grew again. Now it was five inches long.

"Ah! I gotta go." Molly took off back to her room, knowing that her brother would try to take advantage of her situation.

She shut her door and covered it with her toy chest. She sat on her bed, trying to figure out why this was happening when Scratch came up through the floor with a smug face.

"So, anything you wanna talk about?" he said.

"Nice try, Scratch, but I don't have to tell you anything." Molly said. "I already have enough problems with Libby and Reginald and how to..."

Her eyes widened as she suddenly put two and two together. Then those same eyes instantly pointed at Scratch with a glare.

"You cursed me with this, didn't you?"

"What, me? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm not telling Libby and you can't make me!"

"Oh, alright." Scratch surprisingly gave up too easily. Then with a devilish grin, he asked "Hey, Molly. Have you ever wet the bed?"

"No-*GASP!*" Molly covered her mouth as she realized her blunder.

Too late. Now her nose was nine inches long.

"Heh-hahahahahahaha!" Scratch couldn't help laughing at Molly's expense even with the angry look she gave him.

Suddenly, Molly's phone rang. She checked the screen and was frightened for it was Libby who was calling. She threw the phone out the window only for Scratch to levitate it back into the room and answer it.

"Hello, Libby. This is Scratch speaking." the ghost said. "What's that? You want to talk to Molly? Well she's right here."

He returned the phone to Molly who now had no choice.

"Heyyyyyyyy, Libby."

"Hi, Molly. Sorry to call you before coming over, but I wanted to make sure you still have everything I lent you."

"Don't worry. Nothing's been lost."

Once again, Molly's nose grew. Now it was fourteen inches long or one foot two.

"Well I still want to double-check just in case."

"Okay, shoot."

"Turtle food?"

"Check."

"Tank lamp?"

"Check."

"Lamp bulb?"

"Check."

"Tank cover?"

"Check."

"First aid kit for turtles?"

"Check."

"Okay. That's everything."

"Yup, everything is check."

Technically, Reginald being alive counts as part of everything which is why Molly's nose extended again, causing her to facepalm. Now her nose was twenty inches long or one foot eight.

"Well I'm on my way." Libby said. "Bye."

"Bye." Molly hung up, now in bigger trouble.

As she paced the floor back and forth, she noticed that the toy chest covering the door was moved back to where it was.

"Scratch! Did you move my toy chest?"

"Maybe."

"Well cut it out! I know you're just doing this for your own entertainment!"

"I'll admit that's a bonus, but you're wrong." Scratch said with a mouth full of popcorn. "I've seen your friendship with Libby and I'm very sure that she'll forgive you."

"No she won't! Best friends don't kill each other's pets! Now take this curse off!"

"Sorry, Molls, but this is for your own good."

"I hate you."

For a moment. Scratch was hurt by Molly's out of character words. Then Molly's nose grew again. It was now twenty-seven inches long or two foot three.

"Love you too." Scratch teased.

As Molly went back to pacing, the door right next to her feet opened.

"Oh, Molllllllyyyyyyy." Darryl said with a sing-song voice and selfish intentions.

"Ah!" Molly panicked and when her head turned toward Darryl, her nose whacked him in the face and made him fall down the ladder.

"OW! AH! EEH!" *THUD!* "OHHHHHH!"

"Ooooh. Sorry, Darryl."

Molly climbed down the ladder, but had to look up the whole way to avoid bumping her nose.

"What happened!?" Sharon ran up the stairs and checked on Darryl with Pete close behind. "Darryl, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Darryl said with a hand on his head.

"It was an accident." Molly explained. "Darryl startled me and my nose hit him."

Pete, Sharon, and Darryl were all surprised by the current length of Molly's nose.

"Molly, if there's something going on, you know you can tell us, right?" Sharon asked with concern.

"Of course I do, Mom." Molly said. "Luckily, nothing is bothering me."

The foolish girl's nose lengthened once more. Now it was thirty-five inches long or two foot eleven.

"Stupid." Molly whispered to herself.

"If you're not ready for whatever it is, that's okay." Pete assured.

"Thanks, Dad. This is already bad enough as it is." Molly said.

"Okay, seriously, when did I become the optimistic one?" Scratch commented.

Then the doorbell rang. Scratch went through the wall to see who it was. He came back in and said "Guess whoooo."

Molly gasped, carefully went around her family, and raced down the stairs. She turned to her side so she could reach the door and locked it.

"Nobody let her in!" Molly begged.

"Molly, is that you?" Libby asked.

"Uh, this is Mrs. McGee and Molly's not home right now!" Molly answered with a lousy fake voice.

Her nose became even longer. Now it was forty-four inches long or three foot eight. Scratch laughed again.

"Hmm, Molly's hiding something again." Libby thought.

She ran around the house to try the back door. Molly realized what she was doing and desperately raced her there.

"Okay, now I wanna see what this is all about." Darryl said.

In the kitchen, Molly locked the red door just in time to hear Libby try to get in.

"I know it's you, Molly! Let me in!" Libby said.

"Uh, I'm not Molly!" Molly tried to sound like Pete this time.

Her nose stretched yet again. Now it was fifty-four inches long or four foot six.

"How are you still making this worse for yourself?" Scratch asked in between laughs.

"You try saying things under pressure." Molly said.

She then noticed Darryl walk past her and head for the other kitchen door made of glass. He was obviously going to open it for Libby.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Molly ran to Darryl and used her nose on him like a woodpecker on a tree.

"Ah! Hey! Cut it out! Alright, I'll back off!"

Pete and Sharon were watching with just as much curiosity and would've intervened, but they had a feeling it would be better if they didn't. Molly felt relieved that Darryl backed off until she saw Libby looking at her through the glass door with wide eyes.

"Molly?"

"It's not what it looks like!" Molly shouted.

Unfortunately, her nose said otherwise. Now it was sixty-five inches long or five foot five. Molly got scared and ran back to the living room. She lost her balance a couple times along the way due to her very long nose. Before she could run up the stairs as well, Scratch stopped her to have a word or two.

"As much fun as I'm having watching all of this, I think it's time you confess."

"No! This is worse than the other times I kept something from Libby!

"I know it sucks, but you need to."

"I don't wanna!" Molly cried immaturely.

Surprisingly, her nose grew again. Now it was seventy-seven inches long or six foot five.

"Woah. I didn't see that coming." Scratch said. "You really do want to tell her?"

"Yes, Scratch, I do, but I can't." Molly quietly admitted. "How would you feel if someone told you they took a life you cherished?"

Scratch thought about it and looked scared. All he could say was "I'm starting to think I went a little too far with this curse."

"Does this mean you'll lift it?" Molly asked with big hopeful eyes.

"Even if I wanted to, I can't, Molly." Scratch said. "There's only one way out."

He pulled a paper out of himself and showed it to Molly. She did not like the exact words of the curse that was written.

"Scraaaaatch!" Molly whined.

"Alright, Molly. What's going on?" Libby said from behind a shocked Molly who quickly put the paper back into Scratch.

"Darryl! I told you not to let her in!"

"Couldn't resist." Darryl said.

"Why are you keeping things from me again?" Libby asked.

"Uh, don't be upset." Molly said. "There's nothing to worry about."

And for the twelfth time, Molly's nose grew. Now it was ninety inches long or seven foot six.

"Molly, your parents explained as much as they know, everybody knows the story, and it's obvious that Scratch cursed you for some reason. Just tell me the truth."

Molly slowly walked backwards up the stairs unsure of what to say or do. Libby tried to follow, but Molly panicked and her nose accidentally tripped her friend. Then Molly went into her room also backwards. It was a little tricky, but she got her nose in too and closed the door. However, before she could barricade it again, Libby opened the door and came in. Molly clumsily used her nose to keep Libby away from her and the turtle tank. Libby kept trying to get closer until she noticed how scared Molly was.

"Molly? Are you alright? You know you can trust me."

And that did it. Libby was so good a friend to Molly that now she felt unworthy. So she stopped fighting and just bawled.

"WAH-AH-AH-AH-AH! I'M SO SORRY, LIBBY!"

"What happened?" Libby finally approached Molly.

"I didn't mean to, but I-I-I... I KILLED REGINALD!"

"You what!?"

"He looked so tired and hungry, so I gave him some extra food!" Molly continued to sob as she spoke. "THEN HE FED HIMSELF TO DEATH! I was supposed to watch all of your turtles and I let you down! I'm sorry, Libby! I'm so sorry!"

Then something Molly didn't expect happened. Libby hugged her. Molly hugged back and they cried together. As the last of their tears ran down their faces, Molly saw her nose slowly shrink back to normal.

"It's okay, Molly. I'm gonna miss Reginald, but best friends don't hate each other over an accident."

Scratch and the McGees heard the whole thing from the bottom of the ladder. When it sounded like the crying was done, Scratch went up to see how Molly and Libby were doing.

"Are you two good?" he asked.

"We are now." Molly answered.

The girls got up and looked at the turtles. Then Libby noticed something about the late Reginald. For some reason, she suddenly facepalmed herself.

"I knew I forgot something."

"What did you forget?" Molly asked.

"I meant to tell you. I really did." Libby rubbed her arm. "You didn't kill Reginald. He was just old. His time was already near."

"What!?"

"Sorry. Pretty stupid of me, huh?"

Scratch was about to say something, but Molly stopped him. After the crazy morning she had to go through, she chose to say "I'm just glad I didn't let you down after all."

After giving Reginald a funeral, the girls and Scratch sat on Molly's bed, talking about the turtle's life, what Libby and her mom did while they were away, how Molly took care of the other two turtles, and the curse.

"There's just one thing I don't get." Libby said.

"What's that?" Molly asked.

"Scratch, why didn't you just make Molly unable to lie?"

Scratch froze with wide eyes upon realization of an easier curse. Then he said "Because those jerks were right. I am a dunderhead."

Author's Note: I probably could've executed this a little better, but I was having too much fun writing it. Anyway, this is the first of several curse stories that you'll end up reading. I'm mostly doing this in case any good curse ideas never happen in the show. I already have nine others in mind for now. Normally I don't take requests, but if you have any curse suggestions, I'll at least think about them. It could be brilliant, or I might think it stinks, but I can guarantee that I'll read all of the comments. Next time, Molly will get a fun curse.

P.S. For those of you who prefer centimeters, here's what would've been written instead.

1st Lie: 5.08 cm
2nd Lie: 12.7 cm
3rd Lie: 22.86 cm
4th Lie: 35.56 cm
5th Lie: 50.8 cm
6th Lie: 68.58 cm
7th Lie: 88.9 cm
8th Lie: 111.76 cm
9th Lie: 137.16 cm
10th Lie: 165.1 cm
11th Lie: 195.58 cm
12th Lie: 228.6 cm