#lost socks

Sam ground her teeth. “Yeah, I’m not-”

“Seriously, Sam,” Danny said, scooting forwards and staring into the dryer’s depths. “I think it seriously ate one of my lucky socks.”

“I never thought I’d live to see the day you succumb to your dad’s more crackpot theories,” Sam said. “It’s a dryer, Danny, and your sock is probably in your mess of a room. I’ve only got an hour before I have to get home; let’s get some of this book project finished.”

“Come here.” Danny grabbed her hand and yanked her down beside him, practically in his lap. “Look.” He pointed into the dryer.

Sam, despite her dark thoughts, took a few seconds to study the dryer. It looked perfectly normal. “I see nothing strange.”

“Don’t you see the glint of green? The hint of electricity in the corners?”

Sam turned to stare at him. “It’s a dryer.”

“I don’t know what to think,” Danny whispered, brushing her to the side and scooting forwards. “Do you think it’s a portal to some world where lost socks go? Part of the ghost zone?” His eyes lit up and he grinned at her. “Maybe there’s a dryer ghost! A lost sock ghost!”

“You, boy, need more sleep. You sound just like your dad.” Sam pushed to her feet and wiggled her copy of book. “Come on. Book report time.”

Danny scowled at her. “I don’t sound like my dad,” he pouted.

“A haunted dryer that steals socks? Are you listening to yourself?” Her hands went to her hips. “Are you avoiding doing this project for a reason? Did you forget to get the book?”

“I got the book. I even read it. Most of it. The middle was boring.” Danny waved his hand dismissively. “And yes, if you say it like that, I do sound a bit kooky.” His attention focused back on the dryer. “But…”

“But?”

Danny crouched in front of the dryer. “But I can see…” He reached his hand inside the dryer, feeling around the inside of the barrel.

“Your sock isn’t in there. It’s empty.”

“I don’t think-” Danny’s eyes widened, surprised. Then he vanished.

Sam stood still for a long moment. “Not funny,” she told the invisible boy, not willing to risk her dignity waving her arms around in an attempt to touch him. “There’s now way you vanished off to the land of socks that have been lost in the dryer. We have a report to do.”

Silence.

“I’m serious, Danny. If I have to do this report by myself and you’re not in mortal peril, your life will be over.”

More silence.

Sam scowled, only half convinced Danny wasn’t still sitting in front of her, invisible and intangible. She glanced down at the book with a sigh. At least the book had a simple plot. Without Danny’s ‘help’, she could have the report done quite a bit faster. “I’m never partnering up with you again, just so you know,” she told the hallway - just in case he was there. She stalked back down the stairs, ready to head home. There was no point hanging around here. 

“Going home so soon?” Maddie asked from the couch.

“Danny got sucked through an interdimensional portal to the land of lost socks,” Sam said. “I’ve got homework to do.”

Jack bounded off the couch, dropping his needlepoint. “Was it the dryer? I knew that thing was haunted! MADS! I’ll get the containment device! We’ll tear that contraption apart screw by screw if we have to!” He ran from the room, headed for the basement.

Maddie flicked to a new channel, having not moved from her spot on the couch. “Yes, Jack,” she said. “Danny’s getting more creative in avoiding homework, huh?”

Sam smiled and shrugged a shoulder. “Well, it was his lucky sock that disappeared.”