Dear Robo-D,

OMG! You're not going to believe this. I mean, I know it's Freak Week and all—the third day now—but, come on, after that constant air-playing random music and instruments swirling about in the sky, no one had EVER guessed that a mysterious figure stepping into the school's basement would be a villain. And that's his actual name—VILLAIN! Well, okay, it's really "Dylan the Villain," but plain "Villain" is so cool. Like Crush!

Sidetracked again. Dang!...

Well, okay, this Villain guy had shoulders the size of the doorframe—no, even bigger. And his head had been the size of a PEA! Well, okay, not that small. But it was shaped like a horse's head. And it was PURPLE! I wasn't afraid, though. Well, not true. I was, on the inside.

Anyway, on its head was an ornate crown, with tassels that flowed down over its powerful, stringy, mop-like shoulders and body. And its hands. Did I mention those? They were HUGE...and GREEN, with fingers like tentacles—hundreds of them!

How did I see his face, you ask. Freak Week must've gifted me with super-clarity eyesight, Robo-D. I can see everything. In great detail. What I couldn't see, though, was the change coming to Villain. And it happened in an instant. It made me gasp so hard that I felt my eyes had grown as large as saucers. I know that my mouth fell open, and I believe I had turned as white as a ghost.

Marmie said that it had just been a knee-jerk reaction to my having had instant eyes for Villain. I'd like to give Marmie a knee-jerk reaction sometime, Robo-D. She knows my eyes are for Crush alone. Gee, where is he, anyway?

Noo, not VILLAIN. He's in the middle of the room, watching us all. I was talking about Crush. And you know I'm only kidding, Robo-D. Noo, not about my eyes being for Crush, or me wondering where he is, I meant the part about giving Marmie a knee jerk. I would never do that. Besides, how could I, with Banana around? She'd do it waaay before I even had a chance to lift my knee at Marmie...I think.

Geeez, what am I talking about now? How did I get onto THAT? Wow, do I get sidetracked or what? I gotta work on that. Mr. Kevin had once told me that a good way to remain focused is to take a breath before you talk. Ha-ha, Mr. Kevin, I had told him. Everybody takes a breath before words—it's called breathing. The class had roared over that one, Robo-D, but that remark had gotten me two days of detention. You think I would've learned from it. NOT! But, ohhh, that's just my personality with you, Robo-D. I'd never be disrespectful outside your pages. Thanks for being so accepting and allowing me to be open.

Anyway, as I was saying, Villain was there—right before me. Don't ask me how I was the first one to step up to him. I just did. Mom always said I was a leader.

Again. Off track. Not cool. What's the matter with me, Robo-D? What was I talking about again?... Oh, yeah. I was telling you about Villain, and about what Marmie had said. Well, what did she say? She said that I'd fallen in love, right then and there, WITH VILLAIN, and that that was why I started gasping. She doesn't know anything, Robo-D. But, you know Marmie. She's always going against my grain. Anything to be close to me. That's because she knows where ever I am, so is Crush. And she digs him, too. She tried once to convince me that she liked him, before I did. HA! I'd held his hand, one time, all the way on our walk to school. From my house, no less. And I live a block away. If that's not love, what is, right? Marmie never held Crush's hand that long. Hey, speaking of Crush, where is my floral-print shirt guy, with the blue, short-cropped hair?

I look up from Robo-D and eye-pan the area, like someone on a mission. I spot him.

"Crush, over here!"

I close Robo-D and scamper over to Crush, doing a two-step slide along the way.

"Laaace," Crush sings out. "I was just thinking about you." He puts his arm around my shoulders, pulls me close.

I blush. "Really, Crush? Thaaanks."

"Hey, what about me?" Marmie asks, nuzzling under Crush's other arm.

"His two best girls, right there," chirps Harry.

"Two best girls? There's three. What am I, chicken liver?"

"Three's a crowd, Banana," says Marmie. "Scram."

"Alright, that's enough, kids," Mr. Kevin interjects, coming to stand near us. "Let's get a picture of this 'Freak Week' moment." He readies his cellphone to take one.

"Hey, that's right," Marmie says, spying Robo-D in my hand. "Picture's will go great with your diary entries."

I look up at Crush and he cracks through a frozen smile, "You're still writing in that thing, Lace?"

Mr. Kevin whips a look at Villain, and gulps. Then he turns attention back to us. "C-come on, k-kids," he instructs, "s-say c-cheese." He waits for us to do so.

Talking out of the side of my mouth, I say, "I promised myself I'd record everything about Freak Week. You know, for posterity."

Crush mirrors my way of talking, then says in a harsh whisper, "Future generations aren't going to want to read about Villain, the pea-headed sized entity, in your diary, Lace—"

"O-M-G! O-M-G! Sidetracked again!"

I slip out from under Crush's hold. I hear Mr. Kevin sigh. Still, I scurry back to where I'd been earlier, writing in my diary.

I'm back, Robo-D. So, as I was saying, Villain was tall, intimidating, and quite stringy, when he'd first entered the area, then, poof! He sparkled in an array of color, and grew in size. When he stopped, just short of crashing through the ceiling, he'd shouted down at me, DON'T YOU DARE FLUFF THAT DUCK!

Before I could respond—like I even had something TO respond to THAT—he peered around with his purple head, beady, red, menacing eyes, and had said, in a gravelly tone, I want back my holiday.

I could tell that his words had struck fear into everyone's heart, Robo-D, because they all just stood still. But I had said to it, Excuse me, Mr....?—

It's not a mister, he'd barked. There's no "mister" in my name. I'm "Dylan the Villain." His tone had been harsh, Robo-D, but something about what he'd said didn't frighten me. It was as though he were trying to convince me that I should be afraid of him, when he knew that I—or anyone else—would never fear him. Hmm.

I'd heard the others chuckling, but I remained serious, Robo-D. After all, I still wasn't certain what this thing was, and I was directly in line of its wrath. Besides, I'd gotten the feeling that Villain felt left out. I mean, at first sight, he'd been rather strange looking, and I had even wondered where he could fit in with us. Immediately, I thought—though I'm not proud of it—that he could never be part of our click, because of how he looked. Just as I was to apologize for that thought, though, Villain had demanded, My holiday! I want it back!

I don't understand, I'd said, cautiously, glaring over at my friends, who were making googly eyes at me—even Crush. Boys. They can be so childish.

Villain had leered at me, then instructed, If you "fluff that duck," my dear—that is, if you "or" your friends "or" the people of this town enjoy Freak Week too much—you'll all be sorry.

Why? I had inquired.

Do you really think just any town is blessed with pups falling from the sky? Or, music malaise taking control? Freak Week chose your town. I'm here to know why...and to get it back home, where it belongs.

And just where is home? I had challenged, hands on hips.

Villain's face had grown inquisitive, as he leaned forward.

Frightened, I had stepped back. Maybe I was wrong about him, I had thought, Robo-D.

Home? he'd asked, menacingly. Then grew more stern, saying, Home is right here. Where it's always been...for me, that is. But not for all of you. Now figure a way to give me back my holiday—that is, Freak Week—or you will be the first one who pays for not having done so. Understand?...

I'm peeking up at Villain now, Robo-D. You think there could be a message in all of what he's said? Could my thoughts about him feeling like an outsider mean something, too? Well, I can't think about that all now. I see that Villain has fallen asleep. It's time to meet with the others, to figure how to give Villain back his holiday. I'll catch you up later, Robo-D.

https://youtu.be/m9We2XsVZfc