Many years ago, I wrote a middle grade trilogy called Archvillain . It was a loving send-up of comic book super-heroes, featuring Kyle Camden, a kid who receives super-powers one day and decides that he will use them not to help people, but rather to play pranks and to bedevil Mighty Mike, the local super-hero.

I had mapped out many, many books in the series, but when I turned in the third book (which ended on a shocker!), my editor gently informed me that sales hadn’t been great, and so the series would end with the third book…and maybe I’d like to change that cliffhanger-y ending into something more, well, final?

Well, sure. I did so. But man — I loved that original ending!

I recently came across it while reorganizing some files on my computer, so here is the original ending to Archvillain #3: Yesterday Again, complete with the “Next!” blurb I wrote at the time.

After his parents had gone to sleep and after Lefty was satiated with an abundance of yogurt drops and chunks of dried pineapple, Kyle lay awake in bed, unable to drift off. Too much had happened to him. Too much to think about. And with no more super-brain to process all of that information, he was having to do it like normal people did — one bit at a time.

There was still, of course, the lingering question of who William Lundergaard really was. And what he was up to. But Kyle figured he could do a little research and then anonymously leave some information at the sheriff’s office. Between Sheriff Monroe and Mighty Mike, they could figure out what was going on.

Well, Kyle reasoned with a grin, Monroe would figure it out and Mike would go do something about it.

The other thing that bothered him was that Lundergaard had recognized him back in 1987. Had even said that Kyle would need his super-powers at age fourteen. What did that mean?

He’s the bad guy. Bad guys lie all the time.

Yeah. That had to be it.

But he still couldn’t sleep.

So he rolled out of bed, ignoring Lefty, who suddenly stirred and became very active now that Kyle was up and about. Kyle turned on his computer. He had already transferred the contents of his videotape to his hard drive, but he hadn’t watched it yet. Why not do it now?

First, there was static. Then, framed by dry, dying corn stalks, Kyle could make out a chunk of the Bouring Middle School football field.

As Kyle watched, he saw himself walk into frame.

A few moments later, there was a flash of light from off-screen, and Kyle watched himself hold up an arm against it…and then pass out.

I didn’t get Mighty Mike in frame after all. Oh, well. It doesn’t matter any more.

Kyle reached out to turn off the video, but just then Mighty Mike walked into the scene, still glowing from the plasma storm.

Oh, cool!

A slow, wicked grin spread over Mike’s face as he leaned in close…

Kyle watched. Watched Mike slowly approach his own unconscious body. Had Mike done something while Kyle was out cold? Something Kyle didn’t remember?

The camera had good placement; he could see everything as Mighty Mike crouched down near Kyle’s prone form. Kyle held his breath. What had happened? What was he about to see?

Mike leaned in close. Closer. His lips at Kyle’s ear.

His lips moved.

He said something to me that night! He said something! What, though?

The microphone on the camera wasn’t good enough to pick up what was said. It was brief, whatever it was. It took only a few seconds and then — as Mike walked away — the video ended.

Kyle rewound and watched again: Mike approached. Leaned in. Spoke. Walked away.

Again: Approach. Lean. Speak. Leave.

He zoomed in as much as he could.

He watched those seconds over and over again, staring at Mike’s lips for what seemed to be hours.

Eventually, he picked out four syllables.

Three words.

Just three words before Mike walked away.

Three words that made the hair on Kyle’s neck stand on end. Three words that made his skin crawl with absolute terror.

The first two words: “It worked.”

It worked.

And then the last word:

“Master.”

Next in [ARCHVILLAIN logo]:

Kyle finally has proof that Mighty Mike is up to something sinister in Bouring…but he has no idea what! Worse yet, it appears that Kyle himself is somehow connected, but he has no idea how or why. Even worse than that, he has no super-powers, his super-intellect is gone, and all of his gadgets are broken.

What is Mighty Mike up to? And who can possibly stop him now?

(This piece comes from my newsletter, which goes out monthly. For more stuff like this, and to get it first, sign up here!)