"Wait!" Grabbing Joe's upper arm, Katie yanked him away from the drain. "Maybe we can do a deal with you."
"A deal?" The Witch sniffed again and all three children jumped. "What sort of a deal?"
"Perhaps we can work off the cost of a new lavender bush? You know, wash your car-"
"Scrub your broom." Ben broke in as he caught onto Katie's idea.
"My broom?" The witch sounded confused.
His courage restored, Joe confidently stepped in front of Katie and Ben, then faced the Witch with his hand stuck out ready to shake. "Do we have a deal, then?"
Ignoring Joe's hand, the Witch flicked her fingers towards the children, spraying them with chunks of dirt and several limp weeds. "Three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Be here, or else."
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With a screech, the lid fell back showing layers of, age yellowed, tissue paper.
Joe dragged the paper back. "Wow!"
"Oooh!" Tossing the umbrella aside, Katie knelt next to Joe.
Causing another mini dust storm as he skidded over the old music book, Ben peered over their shoulders. "Oh, man, this is so cool." He sneezed again, before nudging Katie to one side and reverently touching the many leaves of old tissue paper. "Hey, look, there's a letter with it."
"Let's open it!"
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Katie was headed towards the next room when a whir filled the air and an old, white-haired man in a motorized wheelchair careered passed them like Santa Claus on a Harley Davidson.
Suddenly the wheels locked, the wheelchair skidded around in a half circle and screeched to a halt in front of the astonished children.
"Ahhh. Nothing like the wind in your hair to blow away the smell of hospital strength disinfectant. "The man patted the wheelchair proudly. "Now that I've adjusted the motor, she does a cool twenty miles per hour." Looking gleefully at the children, he waved them closer. "Wanna' go for a spin with me?"
"Are you the Major?"
"Why, yes." The Major puffed out his chest and gave Katie a beautiful smile. "Major Pain In The Butt, that's me. Occasionally I masquerade as Major Sticky Beak, but only when it's absolutely necessary. You have no idea of the skulduggery that goes on in this place. In order to survive you must keep your wits about you at all times."
Ben couldn't control the loud giggle that sprouted from his mouth. "You're definitely the man we need to help us with our mission."
"I am?" The Major looked doubtful for a split second before he lowered his voice to a whisper of intrigue. "Of course I am. What's the mission?"
