If I thought that my parents getting a divorce was the worst thing to happen to me, just imagine my shock when I learned that my grandmother was not my grandmother. She used to be, but time has changed since I had last seen her.

“Oh?” My mom laughs as I break the news to her. “Well, then who is it?” I freeze at that. It’s a good question, one I don’t have the answer to. But I was certain to find out.

She sighs and pulls me in for a hug. “I know it’s been hard, but it’s going to be okay.” There it is. The pity. I knew she’d pull that card out on me. I do not need pity. I need to find out what happened to my actual grandmother.

“Besides,” She chirped, and even I could see the sadness behind her eyes. “It’s a temporary change. I’m getting settled at my new job, and once I find us a place to live, we’ll be out there again. Facing the world. Got it?”

I nodded despite the fact that my grandmother could possibly be dead, possessed, or worse. I don’t exactly know what could be worse than dead or possessed, but I’m sure there’s something out there that is.

Maybe she’s dead and possessed.

“Levi? Levi are you listening, hun?”

“Of course.”

“Are you excited to start at your new school on Monday?” It was a way of lightening the conversation.

“Yeah, I’m so excited. It’s going to be great. I’m excited to make new friends.” Lies. The idea of starting at a new school on Monday made my stomach ache. But it seemed to satisfy her. She pulled me in for another bone crushing hug.

“It is going to be amazing. Now, I need to run a few errands. Do you think you can behave yourself for a few hours? Oh,” She paused and pointed an accusatory finger at me. “Do not accuse your grandmother of not being real. I swear, Levi. Do not start anything.” I smiled at her reassuringly.

“There’s nothing to worry about, mom. I promise. I’ll drop it.” Little did she know, that as I crossed my heart, I did not actually hope to die.

Her lips pulled into a thin line, trying to sniff out whether or not I was lying, before giving me another sad smile. Leaning over, she kissed the top of my head with a dramatic smooch.

“Ew, okay. Love you too.” He groaned and swatted away.

“Have fun, maybe explore the neighborhood. Don’t wander off too far, though.”

“And only get into cars if the stranger offers candy, yes, I know.” She gave me one last stern look as she left. I return it with a grin and two thumbs up. She rolls her eyes at that before leaving completely.

As soon as she was out of the door and the sound of it’s click processed, I was already heading for the kitchen. The sweet smell of cookies was thick in the air as I got closer and turned into the room, she was leaning over the oven, pulling a fresh baked set of cookies out.

It smelled amazing.

I watched, my stomach growling as she placed the pan of cookies on top of the oven and shut the oven door. She discarded her oven mitts and started to undo the apron that was tied around her.

Her eyes crinkled when she saw me, smiling wildly.

“Cookie?”

I narrowed my eyes.

Strike number one, not grandma.

My grandmother would have made sure I had eaten dinner first.

And I hadn’t.

I inch myself closer to the cookies that were still hot from the oven. We stare at each other, waiting, testing the waters. “We’re just going to wait until they cool down. Have you eaten anything today?

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

My shoulders slump forward. It was mildly disappointing to be wrong, but it only told me that she was good at this. Whoever she was.

Not grandma: 1

Levi: 0

I shake my head. We had just gotten into the city and had eaten breakfast on the way. The drive was longer than I had expected and it felt like an eternity in such a small car. “Well, take a seat. No boy of mine is going to go hungry.”

As we ate, grandma told me stories of her life. She moved here roughly 30 years ago, after my mom went to college and met my dad. She settled down, became in touch with nature, whatever that means. The people here are supposedly nice.

“There’s a young boy about your age who lives next door. You should say hello sometime, maybe meet a new friend.”

“I don’t know.” There were bigger issues on my plate than making friends.

Exhibit A: The potential goblin sitting next to me eating some left over lasagna. Although. It would be nice to have a friend. Someone who could help scope out the area. Have a pair of second eyes on the mission.

“Actually,” I shovel another forkful of the lasagna into my mouth and shove the plate away. “That’s a wonderful idea,” I pause, narrowing my eyes, “grandma.” She gives a twisted, evil, smile, and I know what has to be done.

Whatever this thing was needed to die.

***

What’s the best way to build a team?

A cookie stand.

I don’t have a cookie stand, but I do have 5 of the cookies not grandma made on a decorative plastic plate and a positive attitude.

Free cookies made friends.

“Hi!” I put on the same face the sample man at the grocery store made when he offered mom and I a sample. He was good. A skilled professional. I needed to be more like him. I square my shoulders and take a deep breath. I’ve got this.

“My names Levi. I just moved in with my grandmother down the street.” I pointed to the house my grandmother lives in. The girl, roughly my age, maybe younger, stared me down with a nasty look. She looked as if she had taken a bite out of something she had suspected to be sweet, only to realize it was sour.

A true disappointment, but I don’t see what I’ve done wrong. I frown, looking at the cookies and back at her.

“You live there?” She pointed at the house, my grandmother’s house, the one I just pointed at.

I nod and shove the small box of cookies forward, offering her one.

“Yep! Just moved in!” I had already said that, and I don’t like that she couldn’t seem to listen. Not a good candidate to help me save my grandmother.

Strike one.

Her face scrunched together even further and she glanced between me and the house. She snatched a cookie from my plate and took a bite.

“These are yucky.” She said, dropping the cookie back down and giggled. “Have fun living with the ghosts.” She ran past, taking off towards another group of kids at the end of the street. They laughed and I caught the girl pointing back at me, saying something I couldn’t hear. I sit down on the curb, setting the cookies next to me and pulled my knees up.

Don’t know what her problem is.

Definitely not a good candidate. There’s a strict ‘no jerks allowed, policy,’ for this team and I will not waiver.

Strike number infinity, jerk.

“Hey, you alright?” I look up from the pavement to see boy standing over me. I stood up quickly and grabbed the tray. He was a few inches taller than I was.

“You see anything weird around here?” I ask and the boy’s eyes widen slightly behind his glasses and his hair, but it’s noticeable.

“Um, just Francesca.” He says, pointing to the group of kids now playing a game of their own. “Sorry about her, by the way. She’s not the nicest. She once put a frog in my bed. Not the biggest fan of frogs, if i’m honest.”

“She your sister?” He nods in response, and looks down at the cookies in my hands frowning. I gesture the tray forward, offering him one. When he shakes his head as a rejection, I frown.

Who didn’t love a chocolate chip cookie?

“I’m Mateo.”

“Levi.” I greet. I shift the cookies into my left hand and reach out my right to shake. Dad taught me that shaking hands was important in business deals.

“It’s nice to meet you, Levi. Did you just move in?” His hands are shoved into his jean pockets, and I notice that he doesn’t shake my hand. Maybe his father isn’t a business man. I don’t let myself take it to heart and I adjust my posture, allowing myself to stand straighter.

“Yep! Right down there.” I gesture back towards my grandmother’s house.

“That’s cool! Do you live with your grandmother?” I refrain from telling him that I do, but not exactly. Instead, I nod.

“She’s really nice.” I nod again.

“Don’t worry about the other kids, they think her house is haunted.” My suspicions were being confirmed. Weird things happened around here.

“Is it?” I ask him. He laughs.

“Eh, depends on the time of day.” Not exactly sure what that means but I think I found my new friend.

“I like you. You’re perfect for the job.” His brows lower and his mouth deepens into another frown.

“Mateo, welcome to the Save Grandma from the Evil Demons Association.” I’ll work on the name.