The Black Heart Crypt

Azalea stared at the muzzle of the pistol the masked maniac had pointed at her nose.

“Where have all these people come from?” he asked.

“Well, these days, when there’s, like, a disaster, word spreads fast. Text messages, tweets …”

Jack the Lantern shook his head. His eyeballs were looking crazier and crazier.

And the nut job had three weapons: two old-fashioned pirate pistols, one very modern revolver.

“This is not how I had planned it to be! I am outnumbered. Out-armed. I must act boldly! Where is Zachary Jennings? Why is he not on this carriage?”

“I think he took a sick day,” said Azalea.

Suddenly, glass shattered.

A giant black bird busted through the rear window of the bus and swooped up the center aisle. It landed on a seat back and started croaking and cawing like crazy. Glass chips tinkled out of its feathers.

Pumpkin Head tilted his head sideways and started nodding—like he understood everything the crow creaked out.

“But did he find the black heart stone?” he snapped.

“Haw!”

“Curses!” Pumpkin Head balled up his fist and shook it at the bus’s ceiling. “Why must this Jennings family torment me through the ages?”

Furious, he clutched Azalea’s arm and dragged her up the aisle to the back door of the bus.

When the police raised their pistols and rifles in response, the masked man jammed one of his pistols into Azalea’s ear.

“Satan! Come hither!” he shouted out the broken window as he kicked the door open.

As the black steed approached the door, the crazed bandit called to the crowd, “Shoot me, and she dies.”

Now, keeping his back to the school bus and never lowering his pistol, Jack lifted Azalea into his arms and leapt into the horse’s saddle, holding the girl in front of him.

“Come, lass. You and I are going across the street to visit with your friend.”