The shelves were tall, they lined the library and filled your mind with wonder. It wasn’t the books that lured me back however. 1,2,3, click. The shelves swung open as I tugged on the third book from the right. Grandpa was still sleeping, so I took each step slowly, creeping down the staircase. My back hugged the right wall so as to not disturb the bottles on the left shelves.

As I creeped down the staircase I could feel the pressure building in my ears. 

WOOF

“SHH, Bailey.” My teeth were clenched as the command escaped my mouth. Jumping over the last squeaky step, my feet touched the cold concrete floor and I reached towards the adjacent wall, fiddling for a light. 

“Abby! You’re back! Oh I missed you, it’s been three moon risings since I last saw you. I’ve made much progress on your…” he paused and leaned in to whisper, “.. mission.”

“Nights, nights Miller. It’s been three nights. Moon rising sounds like you're still living under that rock. You knew I was going to the lake, I marked it on your calendar.”

“Sorry Abby.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Looking around the basement I saw the beakers of an oozing green liquid. “So this is it huh?” 

“Yes Abby. You just need to decide on how you want to deliver your…” pausing again, he leaned in closer this time, “.. mission.”

“Miller, we both know what the ‘mission’ is, you can stop whispering.”

“Yes Abby”

I used my pointer finger to trace the glass tubes connecting the beakers. There was a flask at the end of the table that was filled with a deep purple liquid. “So if the beakers are what I need, what’s in the flask at the end of the table?”

“Grape juice Abby. We ran out of cups. Would you like a flask?”

“Uhm, I’ll pass.”

I made my way over to the corner that I decorated. Photos of my parents and friends lined the walls. Reminders of better days. Bailey, the old, family dog was curled up on her bed underneath the desk. “Hey baby, I missed you, has Miller been treating you well?”

“Yes Abby. Very well.” Miller called from across the basement. 

I giggled and turned my attention to my bed. 

“Do you mind if I lay down for a little while? It was a long weekend.”

“Of course not Abby, I’ll finish up. It will be ready by moon rising.”

8 pm. 

“Abby.”

I shot up in bed and looked around the room, standing just a foot tall, Miller was standing near the bottom of the bed, his brown tufts of hair were peaking over the blankets.

“It’s ready Abby.”

I rolled out of bed and fished for the slippers that were somewhere by the night table. My feet were freezing. 

Walking over to the lab tables in my white bunny rabbit slippers felt surreal. This is really happening. Mom, Dad, I’ll finally be happy again. I picked up the small test tube resting on a stand in the center of the table.

“Are you ready Abby.”

“Yes, thank you Miller, this wouldn’t have been possible without you. As promised.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a bag of microwave popcorn. Miller's eyes lit up and he reached for the bag. “You’ve done good.”

“Thank you Abby.”

It was time. 

Mission: Kill Grandpa.