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find her,” I heard Spork tell the others. “I have to tag her back! No
human is going to make me Beast from the East!”
    I heard their footsteps pound in the other direction.
    Only trel minutes! I didn’t exactly know what trel meant. But I knew the game
was nearly over. If Spork didn’t tag me back, my brothers and I would be free!
    But I couldn’t take another second in this bug-infested cave.
    I moved to the entrance on trembling legs. I itched so badly, I could barely
control my muscles!
    I peered out of the cave. “Are they all gone?” I whispered to the
squirrel-dog.
    “For now,” he answered.
    “Let’s get out of here!” I called back to Pat. I sprang out of the cave. He
jumped out after me.
    We frantically brushed bugs off our skin and clothes. I scratched my head and
rubbed my back up against a tree.
    Pat stomped his feet. “They’re even in my boots!” he wailed. He untied his laces and pulled off his boot. He shook it
upside down. A hundred black bugs poured onto the ground and scurried away.
    “I’m never going to stop itching!” I wailed. “I’m going to itch for the rest
of my life!”
    “You’d better hide,” the squirrel-dog warned. “They could be back. And you’re
only allowed to use the Hiding Cave once a game.”
    Pat and I thanked the strange creature. Then we plunged back into the woods.
    I hadn’t been in this part of the forest before. Pat and I pushed our way
past a row of high bushes. I stopped.
    A giant willow tree stood up ahead. Its branches spread low, sweeping against
the ground.
    The Gulla Willow?
    It had to be.
    I glanced around, searching for a hiding place. A long, low rock stretched
beyond the tree.
    Only a few minutes left.
    “Quick,” I whispered, grabbing Pat. I pulled him behind the rock.
    “That must be the Gulla Willow,” I told him. “When the sun sets behind it,
we’ll be safe.”
    Pat nodded but didn’t reply. He was breathing hard. He scratched his cheeks.
Still itchy. We were both still itchy.
    “Stay down,” I warned him. “And don’t touch the rock.”
    We crouched together in silence.
    And waited.
    My heart slammed against my chest. My skin tingled. I huddled beside my
brother—and listened.
    Silence.
    The whisper of the wind through the trees. No other sound.
    “Are we safe now?” Pat asked in a trembling whisper.
    “Not yet,” I answered. I raised my eyes to the charcoal gray sky. A last ray
of purple light spread over the top of the willow.
    Hurry! I urged the sun. Go down! What are you waiting for?
    The sky darkened. The purple light faded behind the Gulla Willow.
    Only gray sky now. Night sky.
    The sun was down.
    “We’re safe!” I cried, jumping to my feet. I turned and hugged Pat. “We’re
safe! We made it.”
    I stepped out from behind the rock.
    A heavy hand slapped me hard. On the shoulder.
    “You’re It!” Spork bellowed. “You’re the Beast from the East!”

 
 
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    “Huh?”
    I gasped in shock. I could still feel the beast’s stinging slap on my
shoulder.
    “No fair!” Pat cried. “No fair!” He stared as the beasts circled us. Pat had
never seen them close-up before.
    “It’s dark! The sun is down!” I protested. “You can’t tag me now!”
    “Game Over! Game Over!” Fleg shouted. He stepped out of the woods and hurried
toward the circle of beasts.
    I pointed angrily at the Gulla Willow. “The sun set behind the tree. You
can’t tag me!”
    “The game hadn’t been called yet,” Spork said calmly. “You know the rule.
Fleg has to shout out ‘Game Over’ before the game can end.”
    The beasts all murmured agreement.
    I clenched my fists. “But… but…” I stammered. I lowered my head in
defeat. I knew they wouldn’t listen to me.
    Pat gulped. “What will they do now, Ginger?” he whispered softly. “Will they
hurt us?”
    “I already told you,” I whispered back. “They’re going to eat us.”
    Pat let out a cry. He started to say something. But there wasn’t