Wow, that’s huge, Mina thought. How am I supposed to carry that around? She watched in amazement when the book, as if hearing her thoughts, slowly began to shrink into a smaller, thinner book. Mina felt like cheering. She had done it. She had found the Grimoire, and it was even shape-shifting to suit her needs. It would help her.

“Thank you,” she whispered to the book. Then, after some thought. “That’s still rather conspicuous,” she said out loud. Another bright light appeared and the small book morphed into a school math book.

Mina laughed out loud. “Better, but not quite. I’m terrible at math.” Mina encouraged the book to keep trying and it finally changed again, this time into a slim red spiral notebook.

“Perfect. No one will expect a notebook.”

She picked up the notebook up and was surprised by how light it felt. She was even more surprised to learn that it was blank. The pictures where gone, the writing, everything had completely disappeared.

“So how are you supposed to help me?” She held up the book to the light as if expecting an answer. Feeling slightly let down, she touched the cover lightly and whispered. “I hope you know what you’re doing, because I sure don’t.” The book seemed to warm up in answer.

Mina took the notebook and tucked it under her arm while stepping back onto the stag platform, hoping and praying it would take her back up, into the world above. She breathed a sigh of relief when the stone rose into the air, taking Mina with it. It thudded softly as it clicked back into place. Mina was now back on the first floor. But as soon as her feet left the seal, the color seemed to fade from the room. It was as if she had unplugged the store from its battery source and it was now draining. Walking a little faster toward the front of the store, she tripped on a rug and saw that the store itself was shrinking! The shelves had gotten closer together and the rugs were moving beneath her feet.

Mina began to run and had to dodge as slowly books, figurines and various pottery on the shelves started to topple over. At first it was only a few items, then she heard thunks and glass shattering all around her. The walls began to twist and a few papers flew past her, knocking into Mina. She had to hurry and get out.

Running now, she saw the entrance, but by now the door she’d first entered was two feet smaller. Mina threw her shoulder into the red door and it gave out with little resistance. She flung herself out of the room with both feet, landing in a heap on the sidewalk, scraping her elbows and knees on the hard cement. She never knew the Grimm curse would be so physically exhausting.

Groaning and brushing grit from her damaged elbows, she turned over to look at the store and saw…a blank brick wall. The building had disappeared! Sitting up, Mina looked to the left and saw the pottery store and Rosie's Flowers, but there was no longer an unmarked store in between them, just a plain brick wall. Quickly getting to her feet, Mina tried to not draw any more attention her way; she was already getting a few uncomfortable stares. Where was Nan?

Something felt wrong. The sun wasn’t where it was supposed to be, it was almost evening. Mina looked at her watch and saw that it had stopped at 1:11 PM. Glancing to the clock in the square it was closer to 7 PM. Mina had been in the store for six hours? That wasn’t possible, was it? Why hadn’t Nan ever come back in? Where was she?

Instead of waiting, Mina decided to head home, cutting through the back alleys between roads, something she had done hundreds of times before, so she could call her friend. She never noticed when a dark shadow separated from the wall and followed her.

Chapter 11

When the man neared, Mina felt the dread run across her spine, giving her an instant in which to react. She jumped back, but the attacker made a grab for her hoodie. She heard the tear of cloth as a piece ripped off in his hands.

“Little girl, you should know better than to traverse dark alleys alone. Tch tch tch.” The familiar voice made Mina shudder in terror. How had he found her? It was the same man with the wolf tattoo who assaulted her behind the library. The man chuckled and sniffed the ripped piece of her jacket and began to rub it along his face as if learning her scent. His hands looked longer than humanly possible and his nails were dark and dirty.

“Leave me alone, or I’ll scream,” Mina threatened.

“Oooo. I like it when they scream,” The wolf man countered, taking another step forward. Using his long fingernails he tore the piece of cloth easily, like a knife through butter.

Mina bolted. Holding onto the notebook, she ran like crazy down the alley, desperately hoping to make it to the road before he caught her. But speed was on her attacker’s side as she was jerked backward by the hood of her jacket, smacking her tailbone against the pavement.

Mina jerked away as the man made a grab for the notebook. She bit his hand and he roared, the notebook fell and was flung open. Mina tried to scream, but he lunged for her throat and began to squeeze.

“Please, somebody help me!” Mina choked out. The wolf man was about to backhand her when a blurry form leapt toward him and knocked him off of her.

Coughing and scrambling away on her hands and knees, Mina grabbed the notebook and tried to make a run for it. One part of her told her to forget it, flight over fight, save her own skin. But another part needed to look, needed to see who it was that was helping her. Craning her neck, Mina saw and gasped. It was a young man who couldn’t have been older than seventeen. How could she abandon him? Mina froze, but she didn’t know how to help. The boy was definitely overpowered and outweighed, but he looked determined.

Wolf man lunged, the boy feinted to the right and sidestepped; turning, he spun his body into the older, stronger man and was able to land a side kick to his solar plexus. Grunting, he lowered his head and pretended to lower his guard. The dark-haired boy ran and was going to kick him in the face but the man lunged forward, snapping his jaws very similar to a real wolf and knocked the boy out of the air as if he were swatting a fly.

The boy landed on the ground and tried to roll but the wolf man was everywhere and soon the he was trapped within reach of the man’s huge forearms.

The man laughed evilly and grabbed the boy around his chest, lifting him into the air hoping to crush him.

“Use the book!” the boy yelled.

“What?” Mina asked.

“Turn the page.” He was struggling and losing the fight. “Think of something you’re scared of.”

Grabbing the notebook that had landed open, she flipped the page as a childhood fear flashed through her mind. She gasped as a bright light flooded the alley and the notebook grew warm to the touch. A loud buzzing noise grew in volume. Mina dropped the notebook as golden bees of light flew out of the book and straight for the man with the wolf tattoo. It looked to be painful, because he hollered and fell backward, crawling away from the bees. A few more whimpers followed, then he gave up and ran out of the alley, the light diminishing after him.

Mina looked in surprise at the boy, who was bent over catching his breath. “Grey Tail will be back, there’s no question about that. You need to be more careful.” The boy looked Mina over. “What was fate thinking, choosing you? And BEES? Really? That was the best you could come up with?

Mina turned to look at the boy. “What are you talking about?” she nearly cried, her voice raised in anxiety. “Who are you? Who’s Grey Tail, and how do you know about the book?”