Felix Fumble was falling.

Dotty Doodle was falling.

The Golden Feather was falling.

Professor Noodle was falling.

Captain Sneeze was flying.

And the giant creature…

Was preparing to sneeze.

Nobody was having a good day.

Felix looked down.

The giant creature’s enormous nose was getting closer.

Very close.

Extremely close.

Felix smiled.

Dotty stared at him.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I have a plan.”

“You said that before.”

“This time it’s different.”

“How?”

Felix thought.

“I have no idea.”

Dotty screamed.

“THAT’S NOT A PLAN!”

Felix grabbed her hand.

“Trust me.”

“WHY?”

“Because I’m a detective.”

“That’s not a reason!”

They continued falling.

The giant creature’s nostrils were enormous.

Felix looked inside one.

Then the other.

He pointed.

“Left!”

Dotty screamed.

“What?”

“Go left!”

“We’re falling!”

“Exactly!”

They changed direction.

Or at least…

Felix thought they did.

They flew directly toward the creature’s nose.

Dotty screamed:

“WE’RE GOING TO DIE!”

Felix shouted:

“PROBABLY!”

“THAT DOESN’T MAKE ME FEEL BETTER!”

The two of them disappeared into the creature’s left nostril.

WHOOSH!

Everything became dark.

---

Felix landed on something soft.

Very soft.

He opened his eyes.

Dotty was lying beside him.

The Golden Feather was floating nearby.

Felix sat up.

“Are you alive?”

Dotty opened one eye.

“Unfortunately.”

Felix looked around.

The inside of the giant creature’s nose was enormous.

There were tunnels everywhere.

Some were glowing yellow.

Others were glowing green.

One was glowing purple.

Felix pointed.

“What’s that?”

Dotty stared.

“I don’t know.”

Felix walked toward it.

Dotty grabbed his coat.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because every time you say ‘What’s that?’ something terrible happens.”

Felix considered this.

“Fair.”

They turned around.

Then…

A giant sneeze echoed through the creature.

ACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The entire tunnel shook.

Felix grabbed the wall.

Dotty grabbed Felix.

The Golden Feather flew past them.

Felix shouted:

“THE FEATHER!”

He jumped after it.

Dotty screamed:

“FELIX!”

Too late.

Felix disappeared into a tunnel.

---

Meanwhile…

Outside the creature…

Captain Sneeze was flying around in circles.

“WHERE ARE THEY?”

Professor Noodle shouted:

“WHO?”

“FELIX AND DOTTY!”

“WHO?”

“THE DETECTIVE AND THE GIRL!”

“Oh.”

Professor Noodle looked around.

“I don’t know.”

Captain Sneeze stared.

“You were standing next to them!”

“Yes.”

“And then?”

“I forgot.”

Captain Sneeze covered his face.

“Why is everyone in this town useless?”

Professor Noodle looked offended.

“That’s rude.”

Captain Sneeze pointed toward the clock.

“Five minutes!”

The countdown was now:

00:04:32

00:04:31

00:04:30

Captain Sneeze panicked.

“We need to stop the machine!”

Professor Noodle nodded.

“How?”

Captain Sneeze stared.

“You’re the professor!”

Professor Noodle looked confused.

“Am I?”

“Yes!”

“Are you sure?”

“YES!”

Professor Noodle thought.

“Then I have a question.”

“What?”

“Why am I called Professor Noodle?”

Captain Sneeze screamed.

“NOT NOW!”

---

Inside the giant creature…

Felix was running.

The tunnel twisted.

Left.

Right.

Up.

Down.

Sometimes sideways.

Felix had absolutely no idea where he was going.

But he was following the Golden Feather.

“Come back!”

The feather floated faster.

Felix ran faster.

The tunnel suddenly ended.

Felix jumped.

And fell.

“AAAAAAAH!”

He landed in a huge room.

Dotty landed beside him.

Felix stared.

“How did you get here?”

“I followed you.”

“But I didn’t know where I was going.”

“Exactly.”

Dotty looked around.

The room was enormous.

There were hundreds of strange objects.

A giant clock.

A broken telescope.

A golden spoon.

A rubber duck.

A tiny house.

And…

A chair.

Felix stared.

“What’s this place?”

Dotty picked up a book.

“It’s a library.”

Felix blinked.

“Inside the creature?”

“Apparently.”

Felix looked around.

“Why would a giant creature have a library?”

Dotty opened the book.

“Maybe it likes reading.”

Felix nodded.

“That’s reasonable.”

Dotty stared at him.

“You’re okay with that?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I also like reading.”

“You’ve never read a book.”

“I’ve looked at one.”

“That’s not the same.”

“It had pictures.”

Dotty sighed.

---

The Golden Feather floated toward a large desk.

Felix followed.

On the desk was a giant book.

The cover read:

THE HISTORY OF GIGGLETON

Felix opened it.

The first page showed an old drawing of the town.

But something was strange.

There was no clock tower.

Felix turned the page.

Another drawing.

Still no clock tower.

Another.

Nothing.

Felix frowned.

“Where is the clock tower?”

Dotty looked.

“Maybe it wasn’t built yet.”

Felix turned another page.

There it was.

The clock tower.

But underneath was a date.

100 YEARS AGO.

Felix stared.

“That’s strange.”

Dotty looked at him.

“What?”

“The clock tower was built exactly one hundred years ago.”

“Okay.”

“But the sneezing started exactly one hundred years later.”

Dotty froze.

Felix turned the page.

A picture appeared.

A giant creature.

The same creature that was currently floating above Giggleton.

Dotty stared.

“That’s it.”

Felix nodded.

“The creature.”

They read the page.

The writing was old.

Very old.

Felix read aloud.

“One hundred years ago, the people of Giggleton built the clock tower.”

“At the same moment, a mysterious creature appeared above the town.”

Dotty looked shocked.

“What?”

Felix continued.

“The creature was known as…”

He stopped.

“What?”

Felix stared at the page.

The name was written in giant letters.

THE GREAT GIGGLETON SNEEZER.

Dotty burst out laughing.

Felix stared.

“What’s funny?”

“That’s the name?”

“Apparently.”

“The Great Giggleton Sneezer?”

“Yes.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Felix nodded.

“Very.”

Suddenly…

A deep voice echoed through the room.

“IT IS NOT RIDICULOUS.”

Felix froze.

Dotty froze.

The entire library became silent.

Felix slowly turned.

The giant creature was looking at them.

But they were inside it.

Felix stared.

“How can you see us?”

The creature answered:

“Because this is my library.”

Felix pointed.

“That’s not how libraries work.”

The creature frowned.

“Of course it is.”

“Do you have a library card?”

The creature became silent.

Felix smiled.

“Aha!”

Dotty whispered:

“Felix.”

“What?”

“Stop arguing with the giant.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s giant.”

“Good point.”

---

The creature spoke again.

“Humans.”

Felix raised his hand.

“Yes?”

“Why are you inside my nose?”

Felix thought.

“Tourism?”

The creature blinked.

“Tourism?”

“Yes.”

“Inside my nose?”

“It’s a popular attraction.”

Dotty whispered:

“No, it isn’t.”

Felix ignored her.

“We’re very impressed.”

The creature looked suspicious.

“You are lying.”

Felix nodded.

“Yes.”

Dotty stared.

“Felix!”

“What?”

“Why did you admit that?”

“Because lying to a giant nose seemed dangerous.”

The creature roared.

The library shook.

Books fell everywhere.

Felix screamed.

“WE’RE SORRY!”

The creature stopped.

Felix slowly opened one eye.

The creature looked sad.

“Nobody understands me.”

Felix blinked.

“What?”

The giant creature sighed.

“I have been above this town for one hundred years.”

“Yes.”

“Every day, people fear me.”

“Yes.”

“They call me a monster.”

“Yes.”

“They blame me for everything.”

Felix nodded.

“Yes.”

The creature looked at him.

“You’re agreeing too quickly.”

Felix smiled.

“Sorry.”

The creature continued.

“But I never wanted to hurt anyone.”

Dotty stepped forward.

“Then why are you making everyone sneeze?”

The creature looked embarrassed.

“I have allergies.”

Silence.

Felix stared.

“Allergies?”

“Yes.”

“To what?”

The creature pointed toward the Golden Feather.

“That.”

Everyone looked at the feather.

Felix slowly picked it up.

“You are allergic to this?”

The creature nodded.

“Very.”

“Then why don’t you throw it away?”

“I tried.”

“Where?”

“Everywhere.”

Felix stared.

“That’s not an answer.”

The creature sighed.

“Every time I throw it away…”

It pointed toward the clock tower.

“…the clock brings it back.”

Felix froze.

“The clock?”

The creature nodded.

“The clock tower controls the feather.”

Dotty looked at the old book.

“Then the clock tower is causing the sneezing.”

“Yes.”

Felix suddenly understood.

“Wait.”

Everyone looked at him.

Felix’s eyes widened.

“The clock tower isn’t spreading Sneezium.”

Dotty stepped closer.

“What?”

Felix pointed at the Golden Feather.

“The feather is.”

Then he pointed at the clock.

“The clock is controlling the feather.”

Then he pointed at the giant creature.

“And the creature is allergic to it.”

Dotty nodded.

“That makes sense.”

Felix smiled.

“I solved it.”

Dotty stared.

“No.”

“What?”

“You explained it.”

“That’s solving.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Felix!”

“What?”

“THE TOWN IS STILL GOING TO EXPLODE!”

Felix’s smile disappeared.

“Oh.”

The countdown appeared on the giant library wall.

00:02:15

Felix screamed.

“WE HAVE TWO MINUTES!”

The creature looked terrified.

“Two minutes until what?”

“The biggest sneeze in history!”

The creature’s eyes widened.

“Oh no.”

Felix looked at him.

“What?”

“I can feel it.”

“Feel what?”

The creature touched its nose.

“The sneeze.”

Felix’s face went pale.

“How big?”

The creature thought.

“Very big.”

“How very?”

“Last time I sneezed…”

The creature paused.

“…I accidentally moved a mountain.”

Felix stared.

Dotty stared.

The creature continued.

“This time…”

It looked at the town.

“…I might move the entire planet.”

Felix screamed.

“THE PLANET?”

Dotty grabbed him.

“Focus!”

“THE PLANET!”

“FOCUS!”

Felix looked at the Golden Feather.

“How do we stop it?”

The creature shook its head.

“Remove the feather.”

Felix held it.

“How?”

“Destroy it.”

Felix stared.

“Can we?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

The creature pointed toward a giant golden furnace.

“Throw it inside.”

Felix grabbed the feather.

“Easy.”

Dotty grabbed him.

“Wait.”

“What?”

She pointed.

The furnace was on the other side of the room.

Between them…

Was a giant nose tunnel.

And inside the tunnel…

A massive current of air was blowing.

Felix stared.

“That’s…”

Dotty nodded.

“Yes.”

“A giant sneeze?”

“Yes.”

“Moving toward us?”

“Yes.”

Felix looked at the countdown.

00:01:30

He looked at the furnace.

Then at the feather.

Then at the tunnel.

“Okay.”

Dotty stared.

“What?”

“I’ll do it.”

“No.”

“I have to.”

“Felix…”

“Someone has to.”

“You’re going to get blown away.”

“Probably.”

“You’re going to get trapped.”

“Maybe.”

“You might die.”

Felix looked at her.

“Definitely possible.”

Dotty grabbed his arm.

“Then I’m coming with you.”

Felix smiled.

“Why?”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

Felix looked confused.

“That’s not a reason.”

“It is.”

“Fair enough.”

They ran.

---

The wind became stronger.

Felix held the Golden Feather.

Dotty held Felix.

The giant sneeze was coming.

00:01:00

They reached the tunnel.

Felix looked ahead.

“Ready?”

“No.”

“Me neither.”

They jumped.

The wind hit them.

WHOOSH!

Felix flew backward.

Dotty grabbed a pipe.

The Golden Feather flew from Felix’s hand.

“NO!”

Felix jumped.

He grabbed it.

But the wind became stronger.

The feather pulled away.

Felix held on.

Dotty shouted:

“LET GO!”

“NO!”

“FELIX!”

“I HAVE IT!”

The countdown continued.

00:00:30

The creature inhaled.

The entire tunnel shook.

Felix looked toward the furnace.

It was only twenty meters away.

But the wind was impossible.

Felix screamed:

“I CAN’T DO IT!”

Dotty shouted:

“YES, YOU CAN!”

“HOW?”

“YOU’RE A DETECTIVE!”

“THAT DOESN’T HELP!”

“THEN THINK!”

Felix looked at the feather.

Then at the wind.

Then at the furnace.

Suddenly…

He smiled.

Dotty stared.

“What?”

“I know what to do.”

“What?”

Felix pulled out his detective hat.

Dotty stared.

“Your hat?”

Felix nodded.

He threw it into the wind.

The hat flew directly toward the furnace.

Felix smiled.

Dotty screamed:

“HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP?”

Felix shouted:

“THE WIND IS GOING TOWARD THE FURNACE!”

“So?”

“So…”

Felix grabbed Dotty.

“…we let the wind carry us!”

Dotty stared.

“That’s your plan?”

“Yes!”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Thank you!”

“THAT WASN’T A COMPLIMENT!”

They jumped.

The wind grabbed them.

WHOOSH!

They flew through the tunnel.

Straight toward the furnace.

Felix held the Golden Feather.

The furnace was getting closer.

Ten meters.

Five meters.

Two meters.

Felix threw the feather.

It flew into the furnace.

BOOOOOOM!

The entire creature screamed.

The yellow cloud disappeared.

The giant nose exploded with light.

Felix and Dotty flew backward.

The clock tower stopped.

The countdown froze.

00:00:01

Then…

Silence.

Felix opened his eyes.

He was lying on the floor.

Dotty was beside him.

Captain Sneeze was floating above them.

Professor Noodle was sitting on a chair.

Nobody moved.

Felix slowly stood.

“Did we do it?”

Nobody answered.

Felix looked outside.

The yellow cloud was gone.

The giant creature was gone.

The town was normal.

The clock tower was silent.

Felix smiled.

“We saved Giggleton!”

Everyone cheered.

Then…

ACHOO!

Felix sneezed.

Dotty sneezed.

Captain Sneeze sneezed.

Professor Noodle sneezed.

The entire town sneezed.

ACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Felix froze.

He looked at Dotty.

Dotty looked at him.

Felix whispered:

“Why are we still sneezing?”

A tiny yellow feather floated down from the sky.

It landed on Felix’s nose.

Felix stared.

“Oh no.”

The feather began glowing.

The clock tower started moving again.

TICK.

TOCK.

TICK.

TOCK.

Felix screamed:

“WE DIDN’T DESTROY IT!”

Dotty stared.

“Then what did we do?”

Felix slowly looked upward.

The giant creature appeared again.

But this time…

It was much smaller.

It was the size of a house.

It sneezed.

ACHOO!

Felix flew backward.

The creature looked embarrassed.

“Sorry.”

Felix stood.

“Wait.”

The creature stared.

“What?”

Felix pointed at the yellow feather.

“Why is it still here?”

The creature looked nervous.

“Because…”

It paused.

“…that wasn’t the Golden Feather.”

Felix froze.

“What?”

The creature pointed toward the sky.

The real Golden Feather was floating above the town.

Felix stared.

Then he looked at the fake feather.

Then at the creature.

Then at Dotty.

“Then what did we destroy?”

The creature smiled.

“My lunch.”

Everyone froze.

Felix screamed:

“YOUR WHAT?”

The creature laughed.

“It was a very large sandwich.”

Dotty stared.

“You destroyed a sandwich?”

The creature nodded.

“Yes.”

Felix put his hands on his head.

“WE ALMOST DESTROYED THE PLANET FOR A SANDWICH?”

The creature smiled.

“Yes.”

Felix looked at Dotty.

“Do you know what this means?”

Dotty sighed.

“What?”

Felix pointed toward the real Golden Feather.

“The mystery isn’t over.”

Suddenly…

The clock tower began shaking.

A secret door opened.

Behind it was a staircase leading underground.

On the wall were three words:

THE REAL SNEEZE BEGINS.

Felix stared.

Dotty stared.

Captain Sneeze stared.

Professor Noodle stared.

Then everyone looked at Felix.

Felix swallowed.

“Why are you all looking at me?”

Dotty pointed toward the stairs.

“Because you’re the detective.”

Felix looked down.

Then up.

Then toward the staircase.

He sighed.

“Fine.”

He grabbed his detective hat.

“Let’s go.”

They stepped into the darkness.

Behind them…

The clock struck midnight.

And somewhere deep beneath Giggleton…

Something enormous…

Sneezed.

ACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

TO BE CONTINUED…