Stupid giggled as she ran through the flowers, the sun warming her head where her hair used to be.

  Stupid clapped happily as she ran faster. She had tried to grow her hair back, but she could never stop sneezing long enough.

  It was so fun to sneeze. She loved the flashes, bangs and portals that happened when she did.

  She also loved this field. Ever since she had seen it for the first time when she followed Beeg that one day, she would sneak down when she thought no one would notice.

  She didn’t know why, but it made her feel happy in a special way. Like it was trying to remind her of a time when she was happy.

  Which was silly. Because she was really happy now!

  “Beeg!” she cried, turning around.

  …but Beeg wasn’t there.

  “Oh,” she sighed.

  She was happy.

  Really.

  But she wished she could come here with Beeg.

  Or It.

  Or Boss. Well… maybe not Boss.

  Stupid paused. “No,” she clenched her fists, “Boss deserves to be happy, too!”

  She wanted to bring Boss here.

  But what if she asked them to come, and no one came?

  Then the field wouldn’t make her feel as happy anymore.

  So she smiled and ran by herself.

  ____

  “It… did I just kill Stupid?” I asked anxiously.

  The phrase “kill someone with kindness” had to be metaphorical.

  Except I worked in a cursed goblin store.

  “What have I done,” I mumbled.

  It stared at me, as if offended by the question.

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, that’s good,” I said with a relieved exhale.

  Wait.

  What?

  Henrietta and Sibil didn’t waste a second.

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  “Sibil I — “

  “Henrietta this is — “

  “The Cleaning Warlock has stuck again!”

  “None of us are safe!”

  “Henrietta, he LIKED Stupid!”

  “We must flee! We must make all haste!”

  The lights in the store dimmed to near darkness, the shelves creaking furiously.

  I just fell to the ground, kneeling in front of the only friend I had ever had.

  You can’t be serious right now.

  I stared numbly at her tiny hands, clutching her dress like a lifeline.

  A lifeline that had failed.

  “Beeg,” It said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

  I stared up through my tears.

  He stared down, deadpan.

  “I’m joking.”

  ____

  Stupid had enjoyed her time in the field, but it was time to wake up.

  Maybe one day, she could visit the field in person?

  She would like that.

  She would especially like it if Beeg would come with her.

  If she had to be brave and ask someone, she wanted to ask Beeg the most.

  Stupid smiled. Then she stopped and looked up at the sun, yawned and opened her eyes.

  To see Beeg, who had tears in his eyes —

  No, wait! Stupid doesn’t wantz Beeg to cry!

  Glaring at It in outrage —

  Beeg looks funny when he eez mad!

  While the cloaks from Aisle two flung themselves against the front door with their suitcase —

  Hehe, Old Man Mageek Store isn’t letting them out!

  And Old Man Mageek Store was crying —

  Crying? Why eez you sad, Store?

  The store immediately stopped creaking when she thought at him, the lights flickering brighter.

  That made her happy.

  “Beeg?” she whispered.

  Instant silence fell over the Store.

  Beeg immediately turned his gaze to her. Stupid loved how warm and nice Beeg’s eyes looked.

  She held up the dress in her hands. The dress that was her favorite color in the world.

  She didn’t know it was her favorite color until just now, but now she was sure of it.

  “Beeg… It Eez for Mee?”

  ____

  Beeg looked at her for a moment. He looked long enough Stupid wondered if maybe it wasn’t for her.

  But no, Beeg wouldn’t do that. Boss might, but Beeg wouldn’t!

  Beeg swallowed.

  “Uhm, Stupid… that isn’t from me,” he began.

  Stupid giggled.

  “It eez! See!” She exclaimed, holding up the little piece of paper that was attached to the dress.

  The paper she saw before she even looked at the dress.

  From Beeg.

  Stupid beamed.

  “Fanks Beeg! No one has ever remembered Stupid’s birthday before!”

  It, Beeg and the Cloaks all looked at Stupid.

  Then, something weird happened.

  Stupid felt a lump in her throat, so she tried to cough it out.

  But it didn’t move.

  Then, her chest started feeling warm, which scared her.

  But she didn’t know how to fix that.

  “Beeg, Stupid is getting sick,” she whispered. “But… Stupid is just so happy. Now, she has a pretty dress, so she can look nice. Just like Beeg. And It!”

  ____

  Birthday? I thought numbly. That means… That means I missed her last birthday…

  I watched as Stupid forgot everyone around her and knelt down on the floor.

  She pulled out her special name-tag.

  The one he had seen her wear exactly twice.

  “Assistant to the Assistant Manager.”

  She carefully pinned it to her dress, yelping slightly and sticking her finger in her mouth when she poked it.

  “Stupid loves it, Beeg,” she giggled, still looking at the dress.

  Oh man, I owe Mrs. Glurtz sooooo much right now.

  “It,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth. A flick of his ear let me know he was listening.

  “We need a birthday cake. Like, now.”

  He nodded, backing away slowly.

  “Beeg!” Stupid gasped, looking up urgently.

  “Stupid’s dress is wrinkled. Canz you fix eet with Cleaning Magic?!” she bounced up in excitement.

  Henrietta and Sibil screamed, flailing helplessly against the door that no longer had a handle.