I glared at Stine as I processed what he just admitted. I snorted. I could not hold back my laughter. I threw my head back and burst out laughing. My stomach started hurting as tears trickled down my cheeks. I slapped my knee. I have never laughed so hard before or since this. I thought that I would never stop.

"Nikki," King said. Unlike Stine, King did not sound so sinister. He always spoke my name in a concerned and comforting way. "Please stop laughing. Stine is serious. He will explain. Trust me. This is no laughing matter."

Stine stretched his arm out to the side and dropped his suitcase next to a putrid wall. He stormed up to us. His glasses slid down. He growled and ripped them off. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Goodness. I am close to throwing these stupid glasses to the flippin' moon!" He pushed them back on. "Nikki. I cannot believe that you are still laughing. Nothing about my sister being forced to be some carnivorous beast is funny." He grasped my face and pulled my head forward.

I stopped laughing and frowned. "Let go! Let me go!" I tried twisting my head free, but his grips were strong. I grabbed both hands and tried prying them off. I moved my hands to his arms and dug my nails in his sleeves. I felt the coldness in his skin race up my arms and down my body. I shivered, but I ignored the cold. "Let me go, or I will give you the headache of your life! I will punch you into next year!"

"I would like to see you try!"

His disgusting spit landed on my face. I closed my eyes and quickly wiped my face using my sleeve. "Keep your spit and your foul mouth to yourself!" I pulled back my leg - and kicked him where the sun never shines.

King's eyebrows shot up. "Whoa!"

Stine's scream echoed through his house. He screamed like a little girl and staggered back. Then he dropped to his knees and clutched his pants. He hissed in pain.

I shook my head to get rid of his touches and spit out a hair strand inside my mouth. I tucked it behind my ear and grinned. "You are not the first idiot whom I kicked in the...unmentionables. The first was my abusive dad. I had to hurt him before he could beat my mom again." Thinking about Dad made me want to sob - and punch a hole through the wall. "Now if you do not want me to take another swing at you, then tell me and King where Frankie is."

King grabbed my shoulders. "Nikki. Stine is telling you the truth."

I turned my head to him with a confused look. "Huh?"

He let out a long whoosh of air. "What Stine said about Frankie is far from a lie. I wish that it was a lie."

I jerked free from his grasps and spun around. I was in shock. "You...you believe Stine? You actually think that Frankie is a monster? The hideous monster that nearly ate you? It is impossible!"

His eyelids lowered. "Anything is possible in Forlot. Its purple skies say so. If skies can be purple or red, then a human can definitely turn into a monster."

I kept staring at him for a couple more seconds. Then I shook my head again and crossed my arms. "No. She is not a monster. I know so. She is the kindest - and most energetic being - whom I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She cannot be a monster. If she is, then I...am gay. But I am straight. I like boys. So Frankie is not the monster inside that room." I pointed at the open room. "Those are not her eyes. She is not a monster. Period."

King walked up to Stine. He grabbed his arm with both hands and helped him to his feet. "Stine. Are you going to tell her? Or should I?"

I turned back around on my heels. "Tell me what? That Frankie is a monster? It is not true." I jabbed my finger in my chest. "I know in my heart that she is not. This is just another one of Stine's lies. The most absurd one so far. He is lying to keep me and Frankie apart. He really hates - hates - that we have become such great friends. He will do whatever it takes to destroy Frankie's life. If he must be rid of me, he will in a heartbeat. He refuses to let Frankie be free and happy. Now this is the truth."

King nodded and hissed to Stine. "You cannot keep it a secret anymore. Nikki is your next-door neighbor now. She must learn the truth. I will tell her right now if you do not want to do the honors. I do not want her to kick me where the sun does not shine too."

"I will not kick you, King. I kick just jerks. Stine here is the second-biggest jerk that I have ever met. Mom and I have had our fair share of rude neighbors. But...Stine takes rudeness to another level. I feel sorry for Frankie because she has him for a brother."

Fury filled Stine's eyes. It looked like that he was going to tackle me. Instead, he gripped my sweater with both hands and brought his face close to mine. I grasped his wrists and ordered him to let me go once more. He was asking for it this time.

Did I see a tear roll off his cheek?

Stine breathed heavily. "There is a reason...a very good reason...why you and Frankie cannot be friends. She is to not have any friends and must always stay inside. As much as I hate you...I do not want her to hurt you. I do not want her to...eat anyone."