QK Round 2: Zombie Barbers vs. Troglin Snot

Entry Nickname: Zombie Barbers
Title: BRAINWASHED!
Word count: 51,000
Genre: MG Comedy

Query:

Twelve-year-old Duke Wellington would rather get into a mud war or a dig a hole to China than worry about washing his hair or clipping his nails, so when the mysterious Madam Roza opens a new salon in town, he could care less. His time is better spent plotting ways to undo his arch –nemesis, eleven-year old genius Maddie 'Mad Scientist' Burns. When their rivalry escalates into an epic school-wide mudball assault, the fallout lands them both in parent-mandated community service.

While serving tea to the town bigwigs, Duke and Maddie notice something fishy about Madam Roza. A bunch of high-school girls, including Duke’s sister, are tripping over themselves for the chance to clean her shop. The town council has handed over an abandoned mansion that Madam Roza plans to turn into a massive day spa. And – oh, yeah – she's using magic potions to brainwash her clients into being her mindless zombie servants. With all the grownups convinced that magic doesn't exist and that zombies aren't real, it's up to Duke and Maddie to work together, load up on dirty mop water (it's a witch's only weakness, you know) and save the town before everybody gets BRAINWASHED!

First 250 words:

"Is she looking?" I scooped up a fistful of mud and patted it into a ball. Next to me, Ryan mixed sand into our mud patch so our ammunition wouldn't fall apart as soon as it left our hands. At the edge of the school yard, on the other side of the PE track, tufts of bright yellow and brown hair moved through the overgrown grass as the girls peeked out from their base. There were five or six Harpies this time. They outnumbered us. We needed to press the attack soon, or they would have way more mud balls than we did.


"She just moved off for the swing set." Paul stood guard on my other side, scanning the yard for Mrs. Hammish, the recess monitor. He had been smart enough to wear his bright orange raincoat today. I should have thought of that. It made him look like a traffic cone, but it would keep him safe from the mud carnage about to go down. My own clothes were going to get demolished.

"Her back's turned," Paul hissed, grabbing my shoulder and shaking. "We're good. Go, go go go!"

"It's morphin' time!" Ryan's favorite Power Rangers battle cry rattled my brain. He exploded out of the ditch and hurled the first shot across the track. The dirt clod soared like an eagle and smashed into enemy territory, sending a rain of brown goo smattering across the girls' heads. A flurry of high-pitched shrieks rose to the sky.

That was why we called them Harpies.

Versus

Entry Nickname: Troglin Snot
Title: Asher Locke and the Knights of Arcadia
Word count: 54,000
Genre: MG Fantasy

Query:

Thirteen-year-old Asher Locke would do anything to be able to see his dad one more time. And when a sword-wielding wall of pecs named Gareth saves him from a bloodthirsty Grimhound, the moppy-haired seventh grader discovers that he may just get that chance.

Asher learns that his dad isn’t really dead. He’s being held prisoner by a madman named Lord Balor. And to make things worse, this slimy dad-nabber isn’t even in Asher’s world. He’s stowed away in a place called Eden Worn, the world hidden behind the middle school’s boiler room. Lord Balor is keeping Asher’s dad hostage unless he can get something Asher has – the key to unleashing the magic trapped inside the mountains of Eden Worn. Too bad Asher has no idea what in the heck that even is.

Along with Gareth, two loony enchanters, his best friend and the girl of his dreams, Asher launches a rescue mission as epic as it is insane. If he fails, he can kiss seeing his dad – and his own world – goodbye.

First 250 words:

The straight razor made a satisfying snikt as Asher freed the blade from the handle. He loved that sound.

Well, he used to anyway.

Just holding his dad’s old blade was a kick in the gut. He loved how his dad used to set him on the sink and let him pretend-shave with a spoon. Part of him wanted to forget, though. The memories were nice, but they still hurt. Because that’s all he’d ever have.

But he wasn’t going to cry. It’d been three whole years and he’d been tough for that long. No need to start boo-hooing now.

Besides, today was the Big 13. Officially a teenager. And if what Em told him was true, a thick wad of facial hair was right around the corner.

Asher glanced up at the mirror. About ten pounds of white foam covered his face. Okay, so maybe he went a little overboard on the shaving cream.

Too late to redo it. Time to become a man.

He pressed the blade against his face and a white-hot pinch of pain instantly seared his chin. Asher sucked in a quick breath, dropping the razor as a bead of blood welled up under his lower lip.

“Seriously?” Round one with the razor and he nearly sliced off half his face. This was pointless. He washed off the shaving cream and decided he’d just spend the first day as a teenager looking hairless and unmanly. And reeking of his mom’s Pink Mango-Splosion shaving cream.

Awesome.