The monsters and I turned our attentions to the doorway. My eyes widened.

There were my lovers, Slappy and Snappy, and my grandpa. They stepped into the room, and Snappy shut the door behind them and growled. Their eyebrows were narrowed. They were not pleased at the sight.

My grandpa took another step forward and squinted at the Menace.

"Karloff," he said softly. His voice echoed throughout the room, so I heard him clearly.

The Menace clenched his hands into tight fists, as if he were preparing to fight. "How did you find us?" he questioned. "How did you know that we would be here?"

"Simple." My grandpa pointed at Byron. "Ask your Horror friend."

He turned his head to look at the Horror.

Byron had a nervous look on his face. He wiped his forehead with the back of his huge hand.

"What did you do?" the Menace demanded.

The Horror's body shook. He was afraid now.

"Well...I got the kid," he began.

"And...?"

"I-I took her from the inn. She was in her crib, and I took her."

Huh? Crib?

The Menace snarled. "The parents were not in there, were they?"

"No. Nobody was in the room. But after I had her and hurried out of the Stagger Inn, I had a weird feeling that somebody was following me."

"I was the one who was following you," my grandpa jumped in. "I saw you with the baby. My son and his wife adopted her, and seeing that they did..." He positioned himself in a fighting stance. "My creations and I are here to take back my new granddaughter and the birthday girl."

Birthday girl? Who is the birthday girl?

Of course! If I was not tied up, I would have facepalmed.

He meant me. Today was my birthday. I was so focused on being kidnapped and worrying about what would happen to me that my celebration had completely slipped from my mind.

"You are too late," the Menace said. He pushed Byron and snapped his fingers.

A ray of light flashed down on a small corner of the room.

And I saw Tamara.

She was sitting on the carpet, and her little body was shivering. She might have been cold, but she really was scared.

A chain wrapped around her right ankle, chaining her to the wall. And like me, tape covered her mouth, so no one could hear her.

Sweat poured out from my palms when I noticed what was dangling above Tamara.

A large rock. A boulder. Dangling by a rope.

And the rope was breaking.

"Tamara!" the puppets exclaimed in unison.

Before anyone could make a move, the rope snapped in half, sending the boulder falling.

Right on Tamara.