Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks belong to Disney. In Dreams belongs to New
Line Cinema, and May it Be belongs to Enya (I think). I use everything
without permission, so please don't sue me. You should be flattered that I
like it, because imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Renda and
Ray belong to me. I do not own Pepsi, or Bard. If I forgot anything, they
don't belong to me either. They belong to who created them. There that
should do it!
A/N: Undomiel means even star. Mornie utulie means darkness has come. Mornie alantie means darkness has fallen. Some of the events in this fic happened to me, and some did not. The feelings discussed are my own and are real. No people or animals were hurt in the making of this story.
Prisoner of Fate
By Silver Elf Child
"All right team, ready to go?" Wildwing asked.
"Ready!"
"Then lets get going."
The ducks had a game against the San Francisco Manta Rays the next day, so they decided to drive to San Francisco. Wildwing had promised Nosedive that if they had time they might do some sight seeing. As luck would have it they had plenty of time.
"So where do you want to go baby bro.?"
"Um. I don't know. how about."
"The Natural History Museum" Tanya interrupted.
"No, The Museum of Arts" Duke insisted.
"How about the San Francisco Zoo" offered Wildwing.
"Maybe we could go to the Egyptian Museum" offered Mallory.
"Or we could let Nosedive choose" stated Grin.
"Thank you Grinster. I want to go to Alcatraz."
"Alcatraz!?"
"You want to go to prison, kid?"
"No Duke, I want to go see Alcatraz, the most infamous prison of all time. They say no one has ever been able to escape there, and it housed some of the worst criminals," Nosedive said cheerfully.
"Pfff" scoffed Duke, "don't believe everything you hear kid. That's just a bunch of nonsense like a fairy tale."
"No it's true Duke, see." Nosedive held up a brochure. "Please Wing can we go."
Wildwing smiled at Nosedive "Sure Dive, whatever you want to do."
"All right tee, tee, tee tie!" Nosedive exclaimed as the jumped in the air and clicked his heals together.
An hour or so later the ducks found themselves on a ferry going out to Alcatraz Island. There were several other sightseers with them, but none took a notice to their presence. Everyone, including the ducks, was admiring the bays beauty and sea life. A sea otter came up to the ferry to great the occupants before it dived under the waves to catch a meal. Sea lions darted here and there beneath the ferry and danced in the tide in front of its massive bough. The waves rocked the ferry to and fro, but this was substantially calm compared to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. Soon they landed at the island's dock and all the passengers went to shore. Several of the sightseers and Nosedive had gotten seasick and had to rest their stomachs before taking the tour of the prison. The other's that had gotten sick were two teenage girls and a teenage boy. Their companions stayed with them until the next tour started. After an hour wait another tour guide came down and escorted the ducks and teenagers to the prison. They were lead through the exercise yard, guard stations, mess hall, wardens office, and finally to the prison itself. The inside of the prison was cold and dreary. Everyone felt a cold shiver run up their spine when they went to see the 'bird man of Alcatraz's' prison cell.
"Whoa cool."
"There's nothing cool about this place Nosedive."
"As if Duke, you're just paranoid."
Duke walked away from the teen and into another prison cell muttering something about tight spaces and weird feelings. Mallory had to suppress a laugh. She was enjoying Duke squirm. She figured that Duke had an overwhelming fear of being put into prison. To test her theory she closed the door behind Duke and waited to see his reaction. Duke spun around at the sound of the door closing.
"Very funny Mal."
"What's wrong L'Orange, can't take the heat?"
"I spent one night in jail as a kid and I swore I'd never go back."
"Then why did you become a thief?" asked Grin.
"Because I was smarter then the cops." Duke smiled as he opened the prison cell and stepped into the corridor.
The tour guide led the group to another part of the prison and gave more commentary along the way. She talked about the islands military history, Al Capone's sentence and prison term at the prison, different attempts of escape and how some convicts did escape.
"Told you kid" Duke whispered to Nosedive.
"Shut up Duke."
"Stop it you two." Wildwing hissed.
Before leaving the prison the group was allowed to hang around on the first floor of the prison until the ferry approached. Duke followed a stocky girl into a cell and sat down. He was more interested in escaping Nosedive's and Mallory's mocking then anything else. He watched the girl touch everything in the cell. Everything except the toilet.
"Cool Huh?" Nosedive asked her.
"Yeah it is. Can you believe that some guy use to live here before he was executed."
Duke shook his head in disgust and got up to leave, but fell back to the bed. Nosedive started to laugh at Duke until he was thrown across the cell and landed into the girls' arms.
"What's going on?!" Duke exclaimed as the whole prison started to shake.
"Earthquake!"
The floor rolled and a terrible roar filled their ears. Those who were standing either dove for safety under benches and tables, or were thrown to the ground by the Earth's violent shaking. The ducks all thought that the prison was going to fall down on their heads. When the shaking subsided everyone came out from hiding.
"Is everyone all right?" Wildwing asked.
"Yeah."
"I'm okay."
"Oww now that was smarts" Nosedive said coolly.
"Dive your hurt!"
"Huh? What?"
"Your head, it's bleeding."
The girl in the cell checked Nosedive's head "oh it's just a scratch."
"Yeah Wing, it's just a scratch."
"I don't care if it's just a scratch. Come here I want to see for myself."
Nosedive rolled his eyes, but did not argue. He went to the closed cell door and attempted to open it.
"Uh bro., I think we got a problem."
"What do you mean problem?"
"Uh. the door is locked."
"Easy enough" Duke said confidently as he walked up to the cell door to unlock it. "Damn! It's rusted shut."
"So."
"It's going to take a little while kid so keep your pants on."
"Yes please do," laughed the girl.
Duke cast her a dirty look before turning his full attention to the locked door. Tanya decided to get into the mix and used her omni tool on the hinges to try to pry the door off that way, but it did not work. After struggling with it for more than an hour to no avail, Duke gave up.
"Well I guess we'd have better prepare for the worst. I think we're going to be here for a while," said the girl.
"Oh shut up," Duke retorted.
"Okay," she said with a smile.
"We're going to go look for some supplies," said the teenage boy to the girl in the cell.
She warned him before they left, "just be careful there WILL be aftershocks."
They did just that. They were very careful. They were careful not to miss anything. They came back with their arms loaded with blankets and food. Each person was given a woolen blanket and a small meal. Most of the food was snack or junk food, but anything was welcome to an empty stomach. Nosedive popped open the top of a Pepsi and took a sip. The girl in the cell glared at him.
"What?"
"Don't drink that."
"Why not?"
"Because I said not to."
"Why, because you don't' have one to? Too bad I'm drinking it. Go get your own can."
"First off I hate soda, so I'm not jealous that you have one. Secondly it'll only make you dehydrated and thirstier. We don't know how long we're going to be stuck in here, so we had better conserve our supplies."
Nosedive gave her a blank stare before taking another sip.
"Nosedive" Wildwing said.
"Yeah."
Wildwing reached into the cell and held out his hand to his brother.
"What?"
"Give me the soda."
"What! Why?"
"She's right, we need to conserve. Besides you don't need that stuff anyway."
Nosedive handed the drink over reluctantly. "Oh Faboo!"
The girl smiled at him before busying herself with preparations for the night. There were several after shocks that aroused the ducks during the night, but the humans slept contently. When they awoke the next morning everyone, save the human teenagers, had cramps from the unfavorable sleeping conditions.
"Good morning" the girl inside the cell said cheerfully.
"Are you always this happy?" Duke asked.
"Yup, I'm happy 24-7. Disgusting isn't it?" she laughed.
Duke set to work at the cage door as the others went in search for the tour guide and the keys to the cell. Duke was too busy to notice that the girl had remove a CD player from her back pack and was setting it up behind him. She placed a CD in its tray and turned on the music. The volume was at full blast and scared the living day lights out of Duke. "AHHHH!"
"Oops sorry."
"Yeah sure you are. Turn that thing off I'm trying to concentrate."
"And I'm trying to meditate, so be gone."
"Isn't meditation suppose to be silent?" Nosedive asked.
"No, meditation can take many forms. I do my best meditation when I'm either rollerblading, or listening to music."
"Really?"
"Yes. It's a great activity that all should learn. It's very relaxing."
"Do you mind if I join you?"
"No, go right ahead. The more the merrier I always say. You going to join us Duke?"
Duke ignored the girl as Nosedive took a seat next to her and the two meditated. Soon they were up and dancing around to the music's beat. Since most of the music did not have words Duke was able to shut them out, but once or twice there was a song with words, which the girl happily sang.
"Hey let's do it again," Nosedive said as the CD came to a close.
"I never thought that you'd ask," she laughed and turned the music back on.
"Nosedive" Wildwing called to his brother.
"Yeah Wing?" Nosedive asked as he stepped up to the bars.
"Maybe it's best if you turn off the music. Duke is getting upset."
"That's his problem. We're having fun."
Wildwing gave Nosedive the 'don't go there, you know better' look.
"Can't we listen to it one more time." Nosedive whined.
"Fine but only one more time."
The CD ended yet a second time and the girl turned it back on.
"Turn it OFF!" Duke exploded.
"He said we could listen to it one more time." She smiled pointing at Wildwing.
"He meant that time."
"No, since it was already on it didn't count. I get one more spin of the entire CD."
"AHHHHHH! Wing get me out of here before I kill her!"
"Please turn it off," Wildwing asked politely.
"I'll turn it down, but I will not turn it off," she said from where she was standing on her head.
"Duke let her listen to it. Just let her and Dive be happy. At least Dive isn't doing weird stuff, and is dressed. If he gets bored he may take off his clothes."
Duke mutters some complaint under his breath, "fine, whatever."
"Thank you Duke."
The attempts to free the captive sightseers continued through the day, but nothing was working. Mal had gone off in search of a crow bar, but came back when an aftershock hit. Tanya's drill on her omni tool was now dull from trying to dismantle the lock, and Duke's pick was reduced to the size of a fingernail sliver.
"Well I guess we had better prepare ourselves for another cold night," the girl said enthusiastically.
"Why don't you just keep your idea's to yourself," Duke said hotly.
"Okay, hey Ray any sign of the ferry?" she addressed the teenage human boy.
"No"
"Is the radio working outside?"
"Barely all I heard was that the Manta Ray's game is canceled due to the earthquake and will be rescheduled for a later date."
"That's right" Nosedive exclaimed, "we have a game!"
"Correction Nosedive we had a game, it's been canceled." Tanya said as she leaned against the bars.
"Oh, well how are we going to get out?"
"We're working on that baby bro. We should all get some rest then try again in the morning."
The girl laid down on one bed. Nosedive and Duke took the other one across from her. Duke lay next to the wall and faced it while Nosedive took the edge of the bed and faced the middle of the room. It was eleven o'clock and both of the trapped ducks were still wide-awake. A soft snoring came from the other's sleeping outside the cell. Nosedive sat up and looked around the cell. How anyone could have lived here was beyond him. He was starting to feel closed in and was overcome by a feeling of suffocation. Nosedive looked at Duke and was about to say something, but there was something in his stare that told him not to speak. Duke was staring at the girl. The moonlight filtered down from the window and illuminated the girl as she slept. It was like she has a spotlight on her.
"She looks so innocent when she's asleep," Duke whispered. "But she's an absolute terror when awake."
"Not really Duke. She's a lot of fun. She just likes to annoy you."
"Thanks Dive."
"Your welcome Duke."
Nosedive got up and went to the cell door. Wildwing was leaning against the wall nearest his bed. Nosedive lowered himself into the corner and leaned against the bars to be closer to his brother. Wildwing stirred from his sleep to find Nosedive next to him. He reached through the bars and wrapped an arm around Nosedive and fell back to sleep. The next morning the girl awoke bright and early. She saw the two brothers cuddled together but separated by the bars.
"So close and yet so far away," she whispered to herself.
Duke was sound asleep on the bed and from what she could tell she was the only one awake. On normal occasions she would have pulled a prank or scared everyone awake with a blood curdling scream, but today she didn't feel like it. Instead she picked up her favorite book and read silently till the others awoke. She was one third of the way through 'The Fellowship of the Ring' when Duke woke up. He groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Good morning."
"What do you want?" he complained.
"A hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausages, and hashbrowns with a small glass of apple juice."
"You know I'm getting really sick of your snide comments."
"What was snide about what I said? You asked me what I wanted and I told you. I could have asked you if you wanted fries with that but I didn't. Besides, since when is it a crime to want to eat?"
"Oh" was all he could say. He felt stupid for taking such a harsh tone with her early in the morning especially since she had only answered his question truthfully.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked.
"Uh, I guess so." After a long pause he added, "Why are you so cheerful?"
She put down her book and shrugged "I don't know. Guess it's the only way to face my fears."
"Fears? What do you have to be afraid of?"
"Many things. Tight confining places with no means of escape for one. I'm claustrophobic. I was once trapped in a closet at work for over an hour. I totally lost it. I never thought that I would flip, but the least likely may or may not occur in the most obscure ways."
"How'd you get out?"
"Of what? The closet? I played a little game. It's called calm down and think."
"If you're so claustrophobic then how come you haven't lost it yet?"
"I'm a good actress, but seriously though, I'm not alone. I'm trapped with two other people and my closest friends, who would never leave me in times of trouble. And I have God."
Nosedive awoke, sat up and yawned. "Good morning."
Duke ignored the groggy teen and continued to talk to the girl. "Hmmm, I think your lying about the closet."
"I am."
"Whatcha guys talking about?" Nosedive asked.
"When she was trapped in a closet."
"You were trapped in a closet? Why didn't you just open the door?"
"It was locked. And I did try that. I also tried to take out the pins from the hinges. It was working till I got to the last one. It was rusted shut and I couldn't get it out."
"What's it feel like to be trapped in a closet?" Nosedive asked.
"Well." she began, but her smile quickly faded, "I'd rather not talk about that."
"Why not?"
"It only brings up bad memories and old fears. I don't want to talk about it." She said before she lay down on the bed and turned her back to them.
"Way to go kid. She was just starting to open up."
"How was I suppose to know. I just woke up."
The girl rolled over and looked at the pair of ducks. "Have you ever had the feeling that you are completely helpless. Like no matter what you try and do mean nothing. That you're fighting a battle that will never be won?"
"No" they both respond.
"Being trapped in that closet brought some of my worst fears to the surface. It was like I was someplace I didn't want to be and no matter how much I screamed for help no one was going to hear me. No matter how hard I tried I would never escape. I lost all hope. I was fighting all my ghosts at once and I did not have anyway to fight them. Can you ever imagine feeling that everything in your life is beyond your control, that your life is insignificant and meaningless? That's how I felt in that closet. That I didn't matter and that I would never be able to control even my own destiny."
The two ducks were silent for a while. They were letting what she said sink in. For being so young she had a lot of fears, and many of the answers to solve them. Duke wondered how someone like her was forced to grow up so fast. But then he remembered something.
"Hey"
"What?"
"If you were able to get out of that closet how come you haven't been able to come up with a plan to free us yet?"
"I have come up with one, but you told me to keep my mouth shut, so I did."
"Okay then, how do you propose we get out of here?"
"Uh, I forgot my wondrous plan. I guess that I'll have to meditate on the matter to come up with another plan." She smiled.
"Always a comedian."
She smiled, nodded and picked up her book and continued reading from where she left off. Soon the others awoke, a meager breakfast was eaten, and the attempts to open the prison cell recommenced. Duke couldn't think of anything practical, so he paced back and forth. The girl looked up from her book, which she was now rereading, and watched Duke.
"Do you mind?" she asked.
"What?"
"Can't you find something better to do then make a hole in the ground?"
"Shut up."
"Whatever!"
Duke continued to pace the cell. Nosedive was playing cards with Tanya through the bars and the girl read her book. Wildwing and Mallory thought of new ways to free the others, and the humans worried about the dwindling supplies. From what they calculated they had enough food and water to last them till the next evening. After another half-hour of Duke's pacing the girl looked over the rim of her book and glared at him. She closed the book and threw it onto the bed.
"Will you stop that!"
"Listen sweet heart you insisted on playing that music the other day so you get to deal with my pacing today."
"Well too bad you're going to be stopping. You're making me sea sick!"
"Then barf for all I care. I'm pacing!"
The girl sat down and pouted, but soon an evil smile crept across her face. "Hey Duke, missing something?"
"No."
"Are you sure?" she said holding up a wallet.
Duke was caught by surprise, how'd she get his wallet? "Give me that!" he demanded as he reached for the wallet.
"Oh no, not until you stop pacing." She laughed as she dodged his assault.
"Give it back!"
"Mine now."
Duke lunged for the wallet.
"Nosedive catch!" the girl called as she tossed him the wallet.
"Wow Duke your loaded" Nosedive mocked as he looked into the wallet.
"Give it here Dive" Duke said extending is hand out to Nosedive.
"No way daddy-o man. How'd you get so rich? One, two, three, four, seven, eight hundred dollars."
"Nosedive!" Duke said in a more threatening manner.
"What?" Nosedive asked as he closed the wallet.
Nosedive and Duke danced around one another battling for the wallet. Duke finally knocked Nosedive to the floor and pinned him. "Fork it over kid."
"I don't have it" he laughed.
"Aw how cute. You have such a cute little butt when it's not in a diaper."
"What!?" Duke exclaimed and looked at the girl, who was standing on the bed looking at the pictures in his wallet.
"Is this you or your kid?" she asked holding out the wallet. "It must be you because it's a naked baby picture."
"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners? Give me back my wallet."
The commotion in the cell had brought everyone outside to the cell door. The cell's occupants were oblivious of their presence, but that didn't stop the observers from laughing. Duke had a naked baby picture in his wallet, what a riot!
"If you want it come and get it!" she said as she shoved the wallet down her pants.
"AH!"
"I wouldn't go there" laughed the human boy.
"Give it to me before I hurt you!" Duke shouted.
"IF you lay one hand on my sister you'll pay," shouted the boy from outside the cage.
"Duke calm down." Wildwing called.
"Come and get it baby bottom." The girl taunted.
"I'm going to have to burn that." Duke stated
"Ooh burn, burn, burn." The girl chanted as she danced on the bed.
"Oh please" Duke mumbled as he sat down next to Nosedive.
The girl continued to dance on the bed and singing the chorus to 'Burn'. Next she jumped up and down singing other odd ball tunes. She laughed every time she made a mistake. Then she went on to sing show tunes and then cartoon show theme songs.
"Who gave her a candy bar?" Mallory asked.
"No one," laughed another girl. "That's all raw energy. It's called the power of laughter."
After she calmed down a bit she sat down on the bed and laughed between panting breaths. She turned to Mallory and asked "Hey Mal, what's your favorite battle cry?"
"Ducks Rock!"
"Oh, mine is charge" she smiled as she opened the wallet and pulled out a credit card.
"That's another good one" Mallory said.
"I know, and the beauty of credit cards are that they are made of old dinosaurs." She said as she walked up to the door. She slipped the credit card between the crack and popped the lock. "Ah the wonders of plastic. Save the dinosaurs, recycle plastic."
"Free birds!" Nosedive exclaimed as he rushed out of the cage.
Duke looked up in disgust. Why hadn't he thought of that? He exited the cell relieved to be free. He walked up to the girl and placed his hand out to her.
"Sorry Duke, but this is not your wallet, it's mine. Did you think that I stole your wallet? My sister could, I could not."
To his relief his wallet was still in his back pocket. How he even fell for that was beyond him? To come to think of it, the wallet she had didn't even look like his. His was a brown leather wallet; hers was a plastic yellow one. Now that their friends were freed all they had to do now was get back to San Francisco. To their dismay there were no ferries coming to the island, and there were no boats at the island dock. They had to build a boat to get them back to the main land. They spent the rest of the day at this task, for tomorrow they were going to set sail at dawn. The sun broke against the horizon and the trapped sightseers boarded the sea craft they had built. It wasn't quite a boat, and it wasn't quite a raft, nor was it a canoe. It was an obscure device indeed. The bottom was flat and the edges were raised. There were benches to sit on and oars to paddle with. It was made out of wood, metal, and plastic. A very strange creation indeed! Wildwing and Ray took the bough of the craft. Duke and Tanya sat at the stern. The rest were clumped together in the middle with the limited food supply and blankets. The going was slow and more treacherous then when they had come to the island four days earlier. This in part was due to the crafts power source, but mainly due to the rough seas. By midday the swells were high and tossed the small vessel around like a rubber ducky in a child's splish splash bubble bath. They would have capsized twice, if it were not for the girl and Ray's quick thinking. The ducks were realizing for the first time that there was more to this girl then what she would like you to believe. Another swell came up and the girl ordered everyone to lean towards the starboard side of the vessel. Tanya leaned too far, and knocked Duke into the ocean.
"Everyone okay?" Wildwing coughed up seawater.
"NO!" Tanya screamed hysterically, "Duke fell over board!"
Without hesitation the girl jumped into the raging sea.
"Wait!" everyone yelled after her. Everyone looked feverishly for his or her companions amongst the surf. The water was getting worse and white caps were forming.
"We have to get to shore!" Ray yelled over the crash of the waves and howling winds.
"We can't leave them."
"I know, but where are they?"
Just then a hand shot up out of the water and grabbed the edge of the vessel. Next thing they knew Duke was thrown aboard and the girl was clinging to the edge.
"Can someone give me a hand" she coughed.
The closest 'sailors' gladly lent her a hand and hauled her aboard. She sat next to Duke and pulled a blanket around her soaked clothes. Both were now shivering.
"Oh Duke I'm so sorry." Tanya cried as she hugged him.
"It's okay sweet heart" Duke chattered, "I'm cool."
"Don't you mean wet" laughed the girl beside him.
"Yeah wet" he laughed.
"Are you two all right?" Wildwing asked.
"I'm fine, just got some water up my nose. I'll live. Man that felt good. Now I know what Ir felt like in 'Bard'."
Everyone gives her a questioning look.
"Never mind it's a book I read. Ir is a character that does strange things. It's a good book you should read it."
Duke shakes his head and laughs before answering Wildwing's question. "I'm fine thanks to her," he said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Ah it was nothing. Achoo."
"Your not catching a cold are you sweet heart?"
"No I always sneeze at least once a day."
"I see the shore!" Ray called over his shoulder.
"Are you sure?" Mallory asked.
"I'm sure."
"Hear that sweet heart we're almost there," Duke said softly. "Did you hear me kiddo?"
The girl did not answer, but instead cuddled closer to him. He smiled and brushed a few wet strands away from her face. He wasn't quite sure, but he believed that her brow felt hot.
"Hey Wing, I think we got a problem."
"Not another one!"
"I think that she's getting sick."
"Well hold on we're almost to shore."
A few minuets later they landed the craft on a rocky beach. Wildwing jumped out of the vessel and helped everyone to shore. Duke held the girl in his arms till everyone was out of the boat before he handed her to Wing. Wildwing carried her like a father would his child carefully till he found a dry place to sit her down.
"Uh are we there yet?" she whispered as if waken from a dream.
"Yes we're all safe. Are you all right?"
"Yeah I'll be fine." She would have said more, but was overcome by a coughing fit.
"You're not all right. We have to get you to a hospital." He said as he picked her up.
"The migrator is over there" Nosedive pointed out.
The team whisked her away from the beach to the hospital. On the drive there the girl sang.
When the cold of winter comes
Starless nights will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
Will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I still hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again.
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I hear a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And back again.
After finishing the song she snuggles closer to Wildwing and falls to sleep. Wildwing clings to her for dear life hoping that all she has is just a cold and nothing more. When they arrive at the hospital Wildwing hopped out of the migrator and ran her inside. He tried to rush her past the emergency rooms nurses' station, but was stopped.
"Where do you think your going?"
"She's sick and needs a doctor right now."
"Well your just going to have to wait. There are other people ahead of you,"
"You don't understand. She fell into the Bay and is sick. She's having trouble breathing."
"This way."
The nurse led Wildwing through the emergency room to an empty gurney, where he laid the girl and waited for a doctor. The nurse grabbed the first doctor to walk by and informed him of the situation. He came running and placed the earpieces of his stethoscope in his ears. He listened to the girls chest for sounds of a heart beat and did a quick exam before removing the stethoscope and wrapping it around his neck. Wildwing stood patiently waiting for the diagnosis.
"I'm sorry sir, there's nothing we can do."
"What do you mean nothing?"
"She's already gone. I'm sorry."
Wildwing's heart stopped. She was.dead. But they had been through so much. She had freed them from the prison, told them to ration the supplies, organized and helped build their 'boat', and saved Duke's life. She had come so far; she couldn't be dead. Wildwing looked at her lifeless form.
"But how? She was just singing a few minutes ago."
"I'm sorry sir she's gone. Are you her father?"
"No. I'm . a friend."
"What's her name?"
"Uh. I .don't know, we just met her four days ago."
"Does she have any identification?'
"Her brother is out in the waiting room."
The doctor escorted Wildwing out to the waiting room, where worried friend greeted them.
"Wing is she all right?" Nosedive asked.
Wing hung his head. How could he tell his brother the news? How could he tell HER brother the news?
"I'm sorry, she didn't make it," the doctor said solemnly.
Nosedive's jaw dropped. Duke turned around and faced a wall. Grin went to sit down and meditate on the matter. Mal and Tanya comforted the girls' brother and friends. Wildwing walked up to Duke and placed a hand on his shoulder. To his surprise the ex-thief was crying. Duke wiped a tear from his eye.
"You okay Duke?"
"Yeah fine Wing" Duke said in a hoarse whisper. After a long pause he continued, "how could someone so full of life die? She was so cheerful and happy and spirited and and"
"I know Duke, I know."
"No you don't know. I was so mean to her, and I can't even say I'm sorry."
"But you have," smiled one of her friends. "You may not have been able to tell her that when she was alive, but she knows it now. She has found peace in Heaven."
"Heaven" Duke scoffed, "does a place like that really exist?"
"Yes, and she has found peace at last."
"How can you all be smiling at a time like this?" Nosedive asked as tears streamed down his face.
Wildwing walked up to his younger brother and pulled him into a hug.
"Shed want us to be,' said Ray. "She told us she didn't want us to cry over her. She once said 'I did all the crying for you the day I was diagnosed with cancer. The next day I vowed that there would be no more crying, and only happiness.' She hated to cry so instead she laughed."
"Cancer?" Mallory exclaimed, "she looked so healthy."
"And she was. She was diagnosed six years ago today with brain cancer. She refused surgery, chemo, and radiation. She said that if it was her time to go the so be it, and if it was not then her task on earth that God had sent her to do was not yet done. The doctors gave her a year to live with the treatment, and only three months without it. She lived six more years. I was given six more glorious years with my little sister. Her faith in God was so strong, she taught me that God loved me more then anything, and she taught me never to give into my fears. She may be gone, but her spirit lives on in all she touched."
The ducks had to smile he was right.
"She also use to quote a lot from cartoon shows and Lord of the Rings. Her favorite thing to say was one of Sam's lines. 'I have to do something and I will see it done, if you understand sir' I think that's how it goes."
"Actually it is, 'I have something to do before the end. I must see it through, sir, if you understand.'" Duke said.
"Have you read the book?" asked one of her friends.
"Once or twice."
"Here" she handed him the book the girl had been reading. "It was her favorite book. She always wanted to see the elves. She loved Sam and Pippin. They were her favorites. Her room is filled with things on the Lord of the Rings. She has the whole set and then some."
"I can't take this."
"Sure you can. She'd want someone that loved the book as much as she to have it. Think of it as a remembrance of her and about the things you had in common."
Duke took the book, albeit reluctantly. Duke thought that he heard her laugh somewhere, but it must have been his imagination. The girls' friends turned to leave, but were stopped when Wildwing asked, "What was her name?"
"Renda, Her name is Renda."
Three days later Wildwing stood at center ice in the San Francisco Manta Rays home turf. Before a sold out crowd he was going to give a speech of thanks. He had never done this before in his life and he was nervous. What was he going to say? Could he make it through? Gosh look at all those people. 17,859 people all crowded into the stadium to see a hockey game and hear his speech. He felt like he was going to die. Then the house lights dimmed and the spotlight landed on him.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," he began. "I would like to thank you for coming to tonight's game and for being patient for the delay. All proceeds from tonight's game will be going to fund cancer research. Normally a member of the home team gives this speech, but I wanted to share a special story with you. A very special person once told me in private what I'm about to say to you. It means a lot to my teammates and myself and hopefully will to you as well. She once said. 'The universe may conform in many myriad ways. We live in just one aspect, in one reality of what can be or will be. Our choices are our own and determine our future. We are minor specs in the universes' entirety. We are minute sand granules in an hourglass. A drop of water in the worlds ocean. We are insignificant. But even so each and every one of us is important. Like a snowflake that falls in the dead of winter each and every one of us is special and different. A tiny spec of dust, when caught up in our nose causes a chain reaction of events to cause us to sneeze. And a sneeze spreads to others what can be said undesirable. As that small dust particle can start an explosive reaction, maybe just one insignificant being maybe able to make a difference. If just one person can touch another's life. If just one person can think about another, smile, and forget about hate, this world may be a better place. If one person can look past our differences and find the beauty within and find a common trait then we may all live happier lives. We need to shape our lives the best we can and then may we can be that one person to have great things come from us. I now ask for a moment of silence in her name and may God bless her family and friends who mourn her recent loss."
Wildwing fell silent and took a knee. The other ducks, which had been standing behind him, all took a knee. The Manta Ray players all left the bench and took a knee at center ice with the ducks. The stadium fell silent and remained so for five minutes. Wildwing raised his head, wiped a tear from his eye, and continued," thank you and we will be playing this game in remembrance of Renda, the best San Francisco Manta Ray's fan there was."
The crowd let a great cheer and the game began. It was an exciting night. There were hard hits and many scoring chances, but neither team tried to hurt the other. They were content on playing a good clean hockey game. There were no fights, no penalties, and it ended in a tie. Normally the game would have gone into overtime, but tonight it did not. Each team played their best and they wanted to leave the score the way it was. Both teams won and neither one lost.
Before the ducks left San Francisco they went to where their 'boat' landed and each places a yellow rose in the ocean. Each said a silent prayer before heading back to the migrator. Duke was the last to leave the beach. Before he left he whispered, "I'm sorry and thank you. Thank you for the gift you have given me. For the gift you have give us all. Rest in piece Undomiel." Duke boarded the migrator and everyone was silent on the trip home. Just as they were crossing the Golden Gate Bridge they thought they heard Renda singing.
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How are you are from home
Mornie utulie
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie
A promise lives within you now.
May it be shadows call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Mornie utulie
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now.
This fic is dedicated to my sister-in-law Renda, who just recently passed away. She did not have cancer, she had MS and a pulmonary disease I can't remember the name of. (A pulmonary disease has something to do with the lungs and your ability to breathe.) She was my mentor, my hero, my inspiration, and a beautiful face. She never won the Nobel Prize, never won a gold medal, nor was some famous person. She touched every life that met her. She was a fourth grade teacher, a quadriplegic, and a living treasure. She taught me that our only obstacle is ourselves. We are only handicapped if we choose to be. She may not have told me this verbally, but she did with her actions. She never let anything stand in her way. I may never get to be a professional athlete or be the world's best author, but as long as I try and never give up I have succeeded. Never give up your dreams. Never surrender to your fears. Live your life to the fullest and be that one person to change the world, not by violence, but with love. Live, Laugh, Love and God Bless.
Silver Elf Child
In loving memory of Renda Adams.
Beloved wife, sister, daughter, teacher, and mentor.
A jewel among women
May you rest in peace and your message live on in our hearts.
A/N: Undomiel means even star. Mornie utulie means darkness has come. Mornie alantie means darkness has fallen. Some of the events in this fic happened to me, and some did not. The feelings discussed are my own and are real. No people or animals were hurt in the making of this story.
Prisoner of Fate
By Silver Elf Child
"All right team, ready to go?" Wildwing asked.
"Ready!"
"Then lets get going."
The ducks had a game against the San Francisco Manta Rays the next day, so they decided to drive to San Francisco. Wildwing had promised Nosedive that if they had time they might do some sight seeing. As luck would have it they had plenty of time.
"So where do you want to go baby bro.?"
"Um. I don't know. how about."
"The Natural History Museum" Tanya interrupted.
"No, The Museum of Arts" Duke insisted.
"How about the San Francisco Zoo" offered Wildwing.
"Maybe we could go to the Egyptian Museum" offered Mallory.
"Or we could let Nosedive choose" stated Grin.
"Thank you Grinster. I want to go to Alcatraz."
"Alcatraz!?"
"You want to go to prison, kid?"
"No Duke, I want to go see Alcatraz, the most infamous prison of all time. They say no one has ever been able to escape there, and it housed some of the worst criminals," Nosedive said cheerfully.
"Pfff" scoffed Duke, "don't believe everything you hear kid. That's just a bunch of nonsense like a fairy tale."
"No it's true Duke, see." Nosedive held up a brochure. "Please Wing can we go."
Wildwing smiled at Nosedive "Sure Dive, whatever you want to do."
"All right tee, tee, tee tie!" Nosedive exclaimed as the jumped in the air and clicked his heals together.
An hour or so later the ducks found themselves on a ferry going out to Alcatraz Island. There were several other sightseers with them, but none took a notice to their presence. Everyone, including the ducks, was admiring the bays beauty and sea life. A sea otter came up to the ferry to great the occupants before it dived under the waves to catch a meal. Sea lions darted here and there beneath the ferry and danced in the tide in front of its massive bough. The waves rocked the ferry to and fro, but this was substantially calm compared to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. Soon they landed at the island's dock and all the passengers went to shore. Several of the sightseers and Nosedive had gotten seasick and had to rest their stomachs before taking the tour of the prison. The other's that had gotten sick were two teenage girls and a teenage boy. Their companions stayed with them until the next tour started. After an hour wait another tour guide came down and escorted the ducks and teenagers to the prison. They were lead through the exercise yard, guard stations, mess hall, wardens office, and finally to the prison itself. The inside of the prison was cold and dreary. Everyone felt a cold shiver run up their spine when they went to see the 'bird man of Alcatraz's' prison cell.
"Whoa cool."
"There's nothing cool about this place Nosedive."
"As if Duke, you're just paranoid."
Duke walked away from the teen and into another prison cell muttering something about tight spaces and weird feelings. Mallory had to suppress a laugh. She was enjoying Duke squirm. She figured that Duke had an overwhelming fear of being put into prison. To test her theory she closed the door behind Duke and waited to see his reaction. Duke spun around at the sound of the door closing.
"Very funny Mal."
"What's wrong L'Orange, can't take the heat?"
"I spent one night in jail as a kid and I swore I'd never go back."
"Then why did you become a thief?" asked Grin.
"Because I was smarter then the cops." Duke smiled as he opened the prison cell and stepped into the corridor.
The tour guide led the group to another part of the prison and gave more commentary along the way. She talked about the islands military history, Al Capone's sentence and prison term at the prison, different attempts of escape and how some convicts did escape.
"Told you kid" Duke whispered to Nosedive.
"Shut up Duke."
"Stop it you two." Wildwing hissed.
Before leaving the prison the group was allowed to hang around on the first floor of the prison until the ferry approached. Duke followed a stocky girl into a cell and sat down. He was more interested in escaping Nosedive's and Mallory's mocking then anything else. He watched the girl touch everything in the cell. Everything except the toilet.
"Cool Huh?" Nosedive asked her.
"Yeah it is. Can you believe that some guy use to live here before he was executed."
Duke shook his head in disgust and got up to leave, but fell back to the bed. Nosedive started to laugh at Duke until he was thrown across the cell and landed into the girls' arms.
"What's going on?!" Duke exclaimed as the whole prison started to shake.
"Earthquake!"
The floor rolled and a terrible roar filled their ears. Those who were standing either dove for safety under benches and tables, or were thrown to the ground by the Earth's violent shaking. The ducks all thought that the prison was going to fall down on their heads. When the shaking subsided everyone came out from hiding.
"Is everyone all right?" Wildwing asked.
"Yeah."
"I'm okay."
"Oww now that was smarts" Nosedive said coolly.
"Dive your hurt!"
"Huh? What?"
"Your head, it's bleeding."
The girl in the cell checked Nosedive's head "oh it's just a scratch."
"Yeah Wing, it's just a scratch."
"I don't care if it's just a scratch. Come here I want to see for myself."
Nosedive rolled his eyes, but did not argue. He went to the closed cell door and attempted to open it.
"Uh bro., I think we got a problem."
"What do you mean problem?"
"Uh. the door is locked."
"Easy enough" Duke said confidently as he walked up to the cell door to unlock it. "Damn! It's rusted shut."
"So."
"It's going to take a little while kid so keep your pants on."
"Yes please do," laughed the girl.
Duke cast her a dirty look before turning his full attention to the locked door. Tanya decided to get into the mix and used her omni tool on the hinges to try to pry the door off that way, but it did not work. After struggling with it for more than an hour to no avail, Duke gave up.
"Well I guess we'd have better prepare for the worst. I think we're going to be here for a while," said the girl.
"Oh shut up," Duke retorted.
"Okay," she said with a smile.
"We're going to go look for some supplies," said the teenage boy to the girl in the cell.
She warned him before they left, "just be careful there WILL be aftershocks."
They did just that. They were very careful. They were careful not to miss anything. They came back with their arms loaded with blankets and food. Each person was given a woolen blanket and a small meal. Most of the food was snack or junk food, but anything was welcome to an empty stomach. Nosedive popped open the top of a Pepsi and took a sip. The girl in the cell glared at him.
"What?"
"Don't drink that."
"Why not?"
"Because I said not to."
"Why, because you don't' have one to? Too bad I'm drinking it. Go get your own can."
"First off I hate soda, so I'm not jealous that you have one. Secondly it'll only make you dehydrated and thirstier. We don't know how long we're going to be stuck in here, so we had better conserve our supplies."
Nosedive gave her a blank stare before taking another sip.
"Nosedive" Wildwing said.
"Yeah."
Wildwing reached into the cell and held out his hand to his brother.
"What?"
"Give me the soda."
"What! Why?"
"She's right, we need to conserve. Besides you don't need that stuff anyway."
Nosedive handed the drink over reluctantly. "Oh Faboo!"
The girl smiled at him before busying herself with preparations for the night. There were several after shocks that aroused the ducks during the night, but the humans slept contently. When they awoke the next morning everyone, save the human teenagers, had cramps from the unfavorable sleeping conditions.
"Good morning" the girl inside the cell said cheerfully.
"Are you always this happy?" Duke asked.
"Yup, I'm happy 24-7. Disgusting isn't it?" she laughed.
Duke set to work at the cage door as the others went in search for the tour guide and the keys to the cell. Duke was too busy to notice that the girl had remove a CD player from her back pack and was setting it up behind him. She placed a CD in its tray and turned on the music. The volume was at full blast and scared the living day lights out of Duke. "AHHHH!"
"Oops sorry."
"Yeah sure you are. Turn that thing off I'm trying to concentrate."
"And I'm trying to meditate, so be gone."
"Isn't meditation suppose to be silent?" Nosedive asked.
"No, meditation can take many forms. I do my best meditation when I'm either rollerblading, or listening to music."
"Really?"
"Yes. It's a great activity that all should learn. It's very relaxing."
"Do you mind if I join you?"
"No, go right ahead. The more the merrier I always say. You going to join us Duke?"
Duke ignored the girl as Nosedive took a seat next to her and the two meditated. Soon they were up and dancing around to the music's beat. Since most of the music did not have words Duke was able to shut them out, but once or twice there was a song with words, which the girl happily sang.
"Hey let's do it again," Nosedive said as the CD came to a close.
"I never thought that you'd ask," she laughed and turned the music back on.
"Nosedive" Wildwing called to his brother.
"Yeah Wing?" Nosedive asked as he stepped up to the bars.
"Maybe it's best if you turn off the music. Duke is getting upset."
"That's his problem. We're having fun."
Wildwing gave Nosedive the 'don't go there, you know better' look.
"Can't we listen to it one more time." Nosedive whined.
"Fine but only one more time."
The CD ended yet a second time and the girl turned it back on.
"Turn it OFF!" Duke exploded.
"He said we could listen to it one more time." She smiled pointing at Wildwing.
"He meant that time."
"No, since it was already on it didn't count. I get one more spin of the entire CD."
"AHHHHHH! Wing get me out of here before I kill her!"
"Please turn it off," Wildwing asked politely.
"I'll turn it down, but I will not turn it off," she said from where she was standing on her head.
"Duke let her listen to it. Just let her and Dive be happy. At least Dive isn't doing weird stuff, and is dressed. If he gets bored he may take off his clothes."
Duke mutters some complaint under his breath, "fine, whatever."
"Thank you Duke."
The attempts to free the captive sightseers continued through the day, but nothing was working. Mal had gone off in search of a crow bar, but came back when an aftershock hit. Tanya's drill on her omni tool was now dull from trying to dismantle the lock, and Duke's pick was reduced to the size of a fingernail sliver.
"Well I guess we had better prepare ourselves for another cold night," the girl said enthusiastically.
"Why don't you just keep your idea's to yourself," Duke said hotly.
"Okay, hey Ray any sign of the ferry?" she addressed the teenage human boy.
"No"
"Is the radio working outside?"
"Barely all I heard was that the Manta Ray's game is canceled due to the earthquake and will be rescheduled for a later date."
"That's right" Nosedive exclaimed, "we have a game!"
"Correction Nosedive we had a game, it's been canceled." Tanya said as she leaned against the bars.
"Oh, well how are we going to get out?"
"We're working on that baby bro. We should all get some rest then try again in the morning."
The girl laid down on one bed. Nosedive and Duke took the other one across from her. Duke lay next to the wall and faced it while Nosedive took the edge of the bed and faced the middle of the room. It was eleven o'clock and both of the trapped ducks were still wide-awake. A soft snoring came from the other's sleeping outside the cell. Nosedive sat up and looked around the cell. How anyone could have lived here was beyond him. He was starting to feel closed in and was overcome by a feeling of suffocation. Nosedive looked at Duke and was about to say something, but there was something in his stare that told him not to speak. Duke was staring at the girl. The moonlight filtered down from the window and illuminated the girl as she slept. It was like she has a spotlight on her.
"She looks so innocent when she's asleep," Duke whispered. "But she's an absolute terror when awake."
"Not really Duke. She's a lot of fun. She just likes to annoy you."
"Thanks Dive."
"Your welcome Duke."
Nosedive got up and went to the cell door. Wildwing was leaning against the wall nearest his bed. Nosedive lowered himself into the corner and leaned against the bars to be closer to his brother. Wildwing stirred from his sleep to find Nosedive next to him. He reached through the bars and wrapped an arm around Nosedive and fell back to sleep. The next morning the girl awoke bright and early. She saw the two brothers cuddled together but separated by the bars.
"So close and yet so far away," she whispered to herself.
Duke was sound asleep on the bed and from what she could tell she was the only one awake. On normal occasions she would have pulled a prank or scared everyone awake with a blood curdling scream, but today she didn't feel like it. Instead she picked up her favorite book and read silently till the others awoke. She was one third of the way through 'The Fellowship of the Ring' when Duke woke up. He groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
"Good morning."
"What do you want?" he complained.
"A hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausages, and hashbrowns with a small glass of apple juice."
"You know I'm getting really sick of your snide comments."
"What was snide about what I said? You asked me what I wanted and I told you. I could have asked you if you wanted fries with that but I didn't. Besides, since when is it a crime to want to eat?"
"Oh" was all he could say. He felt stupid for taking such a harsh tone with her early in the morning especially since she had only answered his question truthfully.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked.
"Uh, I guess so." After a long pause he added, "Why are you so cheerful?"
She put down her book and shrugged "I don't know. Guess it's the only way to face my fears."
"Fears? What do you have to be afraid of?"
"Many things. Tight confining places with no means of escape for one. I'm claustrophobic. I was once trapped in a closet at work for over an hour. I totally lost it. I never thought that I would flip, but the least likely may or may not occur in the most obscure ways."
"How'd you get out?"
"Of what? The closet? I played a little game. It's called calm down and think."
"If you're so claustrophobic then how come you haven't lost it yet?"
"I'm a good actress, but seriously though, I'm not alone. I'm trapped with two other people and my closest friends, who would never leave me in times of trouble. And I have God."
Nosedive awoke, sat up and yawned. "Good morning."
Duke ignored the groggy teen and continued to talk to the girl. "Hmmm, I think your lying about the closet."
"I am."
"Whatcha guys talking about?" Nosedive asked.
"When she was trapped in a closet."
"You were trapped in a closet? Why didn't you just open the door?"
"It was locked. And I did try that. I also tried to take out the pins from the hinges. It was working till I got to the last one. It was rusted shut and I couldn't get it out."
"What's it feel like to be trapped in a closet?" Nosedive asked.
"Well." she began, but her smile quickly faded, "I'd rather not talk about that."
"Why not?"
"It only brings up bad memories and old fears. I don't want to talk about it." She said before she lay down on the bed and turned her back to them.
"Way to go kid. She was just starting to open up."
"How was I suppose to know. I just woke up."
The girl rolled over and looked at the pair of ducks. "Have you ever had the feeling that you are completely helpless. Like no matter what you try and do mean nothing. That you're fighting a battle that will never be won?"
"No" they both respond.
"Being trapped in that closet brought some of my worst fears to the surface. It was like I was someplace I didn't want to be and no matter how much I screamed for help no one was going to hear me. No matter how hard I tried I would never escape. I lost all hope. I was fighting all my ghosts at once and I did not have anyway to fight them. Can you ever imagine feeling that everything in your life is beyond your control, that your life is insignificant and meaningless? That's how I felt in that closet. That I didn't matter and that I would never be able to control even my own destiny."
The two ducks were silent for a while. They were letting what she said sink in. For being so young she had a lot of fears, and many of the answers to solve them. Duke wondered how someone like her was forced to grow up so fast. But then he remembered something.
"Hey"
"What?"
"If you were able to get out of that closet how come you haven't been able to come up with a plan to free us yet?"
"I have come up with one, but you told me to keep my mouth shut, so I did."
"Okay then, how do you propose we get out of here?"
"Uh, I forgot my wondrous plan. I guess that I'll have to meditate on the matter to come up with another plan." She smiled.
"Always a comedian."
She smiled, nodded and picked up her book and continued reading from where she left off. Soon the others awoke, a meager breakfast was eaten, and the attempts to open the prison cell recommenced. Duke couldn't think of anything practical, so he paced back and forth. The girl looked up from her book, which she was now rereading, and watched Duke.
"Do you mind?" she asked.
"What?"
"Can't you find something better to do then make a hole in the ground?"
"Shut up."
"Whatever!"
Duke continued to pace the cell. Nosedive was playing cards with Tanya through the bars and the girl read her book. Wildwing and Mallory thought of new ways to free the others, and the humans worried about the dwindling supplies. From what they calculated they had enough food and water to last them till the next evening. After another half-hour of Duke's pacing the girl looked over the rim of her book and glared at him. She closed the book and threw it onto the bed.
"Will you stop that!"
"Listen sweet heart you insisted on playing that music the other day so you get to deal with my pacing today."
"Well too bad you're going to be stopping. You're making me sea sick!"
"Then barf for all I care. I'm pacing!"
The girl sat down and pouted, but soon an evil smile crept across her face. "Hey Duke, missing something?"
"No."
"Are you sure?" she said holding up a wallet.
Duke was caught by surprise, how'd she get his wallet? "Give me that!" he demanded as he reached for the wallet.
"Oh no, not until you stop pacing." She laughed as she dodged his assault.
"Give it back!"
"Mine now."
Duke lunged for the wallet.
"Nosedive catch!" the girl called as she tossed him the wallet.
"Wow Duke your loaded" Nosedive mocked as he looked into the wallet.
"Give it here Dive" Duke said extending is hand out to Nosedive.
"No way daddy-o man. How'd you get so rich? One, two, three, four, seven, eight hundred dollars."
"Nosedive!" Duke said in a more threatening manner.
"What?" Nosedive asked as he closed the wallet.
Nosedive and Duke danced around one another battling for the wallet. Duke finally knocked Nosedive to the floor and pinned him. "Fork it over kid."
"I don't have it" he laughed.
"Aw how cute. You have such a cute little butt when it's not in a diaper."
"What!?" Duke exclaimed and looked at the girl, who was standing on the bed looking at the pictures in his wallet.
"Is this you or your kid?" she asked holding out the wallet. "It must be you because it's a naked baby picture."
"Didn't your mother ever teach you manners? Give me back my wallet."
The commotion in the cell had brought everyone outside to the cell door. The cell's occupants were oblivious of their presence, but that didn't stop the observers from laughing. Duke had a naked baby picture in his wallet, what a riot!
"If you want it come and get it!" she said as she shoved the wallet down her pants.
"AH!"
"I wouldn't go there" laughed the human boy.
"Give it to me before I hurt you!" Duke shouted.
"IF you lay one hand on my sister you'll pay," shouted the boy from outside the cage.
"Duke calm down." Wildwing called.
"Come and get it baby bottom." The girl taunted.
"I'm going to have to burn that." Duke stated
"Ooh burn, burn, burn." The girl chanted as she danced on the bed.
"Oh please" Duke mumbled as he sat down next to Nosedive.
The girl continued to dance on the bed and singing the chorus to 'Burn'. Next she jumped up and down singing other odd ball tunes. She laughed every time she made a mistake. Then she went on to sing show tunes and then cartoon show theme songs.
"Who gave her a candy bar?" Mallory asked.
"No one," laughed another girl. "That's all raw energy. It's called the power of laughter."
After she calmed down a bit she sat down on the bed and laughed between panting breaths. She turned to Mallory and asked "Hey Mal, what's your favorite battle cry?"
"Ducks Rock!"
"Oh, mine is charge" she smiled as she opened the wallet and pulled out a credit card.
"That's another good one" Mallory said.
"I know, and the beauty of credit cards are that they are made of old dinosaurs." She said as she walked up to the door. She slipped the credit card between the crack and popped the lock. "Ah the wonders of plastic. Save the dinosaurs, recycle plastic."
"Free birds!" Nosedive exclaimed as he rushed out of the cage.
Duke looked up in disgust. Why hadn't he thought of that? He exited the cell relieved to be free. He walked up to the girl and placed his hand out to her.
"Sorry Duke, but this is not your wallet, it's mine. Did you think that I stole your wallet? My sister could, I could not."
To his relief his wallet was still in his back pocket. How he even fell for that was beyond him? To come to think of it, the wallet she had didn't even look like his. His was a brown leather wallet; hers was a plastic yellow one. Now that their friends were freed all they had to do now was get back to San Francisco. To their dismay there were no ferries coming to the island, and there were no boats at the island dock. They had to build a boat to get them back to the main land. They spent the rest of the day at this task, for tomorrow they were going to set sail at dawn. The sun broke against the horizon and the trapped sightseers boarded the sea craft they had built. It wasn't quite a boat, and it wasn't quite a raft, nor was it a canoe. It was an obscure device indeed. The bottom was flat and the edges were raised. There were benches to sit on and oars to paddle with. It was made out of wood, metal, and plastic. A very strange creation indeed! Wildwing and Ray took the bough of the craft. Duke and Tanya sat at the stern. The rest were clumped together in the middle with the limited food supply and blankets. The going was slow and more treacherous then when they had come to the island four days earlier. This in part was due to the crafts power source, but mainly due to the rough seas. By midday the swells were high and tossed the small vessel around like a rubber ducky in a child's splish splash bubble bath. They would have capsized twice, if it were not for the girl and Ray's quick thinking. The ducks were realizing for the first time that there was more to this girl then what she would like you to believe. Another swell came up and the girl ordered everyone to lean towards the starboard side of the vessel. Tanya leaned too far, and knocked Duke into the ocean.
"Everyone okay?" Wildwing coughed up seawater.
"NO!" Tanya screamed hysterically, "Duke fell over board!"
Without hesitation the girl jumped into the raging sea.
"Wait!" everyone yelled after her. Everyone looked feverishly for his or her companions amongst the surf. The water was getting worse and white caps were forming.
"We have to get to shore!" Ray yelled over the crash of the waves and howling winds.
"We can't leave them."
"I know, but where are they?"
Just then a hand shot up out of the water and grabbed the edge of the vessel. Next thing they knew Duke was thrown aboard and the girl was clinging to the edge.
"Can someone give me a hand" she coughed.
The closest 'sailors' gladly lent her a hand and hauled her aboard. She sat next to Duke and pulled a blanket around her soaked clothes. Both were now shivering.
"Oh Duke I'm so sorry." Tanya cried as she hugged him.
"It's okay sweet heart" Duke chattered, "I'm cool."
"Don't you mean wet" laughed the girl beside him.
"Yeah wet" he laughed.
"Are you two all right?" Wildwing asked.
"I'm fine, just got some water up my nose. I'll live. Man that felt good. Now I know what Ir felt like in 'Bard'."
Everyone gives her a questioning look.
"Never mind it's a book I read. Ir is a character that does strange things. It's a good book you should read it."
Duke shakes his head and laughs before answering Wildwing's question. "I'm fine thanks to her," he said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Ah it was nothing. Achoo."
"Your not catching a cold are you sweet heart?"
"No I always sneeze at least once a day."
"I see the shore!" Ray called over his shoulder.
"Are you sure?" Mallory asked.
"I'm sure."
"Hear that sweet heart we're almost there," Duke said softly. "Did you hear me kiddo?"
The girl did not answer, but instead cuddled closer to him. He smiled and brushed a few wet strands away from her face. He wasn't quite sure, but he believed that her brow felt hot.
"Hey Wing, I think we got a problem."
"Not another one!"
"I think that she's getting sick."
"Well hold on we're almost to shore."
A few minuets later they landed the craft on a rocky beach. Wildwing jumped out of the vessel and helped everyone to shore. Duke held the girl in his arms till everyone was out of the boat before he handed her to Wing. Wildwing carried her like a father would his child carefully till he found a dry place to sit her down.
"Uh are we there yet?" she whispered as if waken from a dream.
"Yes we're all safe. Are you all right?"
"Yeah I'll be fine." She would have said more, but was overcome by a coughing fit.
"You're not all right. We have to get you to a hospital." He said as he picked her up.
"The migrator is over there" Nosedive pointed out.
The team whisked her away from the beach to the hospital. On the drive there the girl sang.
When the cold of winter comes
Starless nights will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
Will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I still hear your name
And in dreams
We will meet again.
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I hear a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And back again.
After finishing the song she snuggles closer to Wildwing and falls to sleep. Wildwing clings to her for dear life hoping that all she has is just a cold and nothing more. When they arrive at the hospital Wildwing hopped out of the migrator and ran her inside. He tried to rush her past the emergency rooms nurses' station, but was stopped.
"Where do you think your going?"
"She's sick and needs a doctor right now."
"Well your just going to have to wait. There are other people ahead of you,"
"You don't understand. She fell into the Bay and is sick. She's having trouble breathing."
"This way."
The nurse led Wildwing through the emergency room to an empty gurney, where he laid the girl and waited for a doctor. The nurse grabbed the first doctor to walk by and informed him of the situation. He came running and placed the earpieces of his stethoscope in his ears. He listened to the girls chest for sounds of a heart beat and did a quick exam before removing the stethoscope and wrapping it around his neck. Wildwing stood patiently waiting for the diagnosis.
"I'm sorry sir, there's nothing we can do."
"What do you mean nothing?"
"She's already gone. I'm sorry."
Wildwing's heart stopped. She was.dead. But they had been through so much. She had freed them from the prison, told them to ration the supplies, organized and helped build their 'boat', and saved Duke's life. She had come so far; she couldn't be dead. Wildwing looked at her lifeless form.
"But how? She was just singing a few minutes ago."
"I'm sorry sir she's gone. Are you her father?"
"No. I'm . a friend."
"What's her name?"
"Uh. I .don't know, we just met her four days ago."
"Does she have any identification?'
"Her brother is out in the waiting room."
The doctor escorted Wildwing out to the waiting room, where worried friend greeted them.
"Wing is she all right?" Nosedive asked.
Wing hung his head. How could he tell his brother the news? How could he tell HER brother the news?
"I'm sorry, she didn't make it," the doctor said solemnly.
Nosedive's jaw dropped. Duke turned around and faced a wall. Grin went to sit down and meditate on the matter. Mal and Tanya comforted the girls' brother and friends. Wildwing walked up to Duke and placed a hand on his shoulder. To his surprise the ex-thief was crying. Duke wiped a tear from his eye.
"You okay Duke?"
"Yeah fine Wing" Duke said in a hoarse whisper. After a long pause he continued, "how could someone so full of life die? She was so cheerful and happy and spirited and and"
"I know Duke, I know."
"No you don't know. I was so mean to her, and I can't even say I'm sorry."
"But you have," smiled one of her friends. "You may not have been able to tell her that when she was alive, but she knows it now. She has found peace in Heaven."
"Heaven" Duke scoffed, "does a place like that really exist?"
"Yes, and she has found peace at last."
"How can you all be smiling at a time like this?" Nosedive asked as tears streamed down his face.
Wildwing walked up to his younger brother and pulled him into a hug.
"Shed want us to be,' said Ray. "She told us she didn't want us to cry over her. She once said 'I did all the crying for you the day I was diagnosed with cancer. The next day I vowed that there would be no more crying, and only happiness.' She hated to cry so instead she laughed."
"Cancer?" Mallory exclaimed, "she looked so healthy."
"And she was. She was diagnosed six years ago today with brain cancer. She refused surgery, chemo, and radiation. She said that if it was her time to go the so be it, and if it was not then her task on earth that God had sent her to do was not yet done. The doctors gave her a year to live with the treatment, and only three months without it. She lived six more years. I was given six more glorious years with my little sister. Her faith in God was so strong, she taught me that God loved me more then anything, and she taught me never to give into my fears. She may be gone, but her spirit lives on in all she touched."
The ducks had to smile he was right.
"She also use to quote a lot from cartoon shows and Lord of the Rings. Her favorite thing to say was one of Sam's lines. 'I have to do something and I will see it done, if you understand sir' I think that's how it goes."
"Actually it is, 'I have something to do before the end. I must see it through, sir, if you understand.'" Duke said.
"Have you read the book?" asked one of her friends.
"Once or twice."
"Here" she handed him the book the girl had been reading. "It was her favorite book. She always wanted to see the elves. She loved Sam and Pippin. They were her favorites. Her room is filled with things on the Lord of the Rings. She has the whole set and then some."
"I can't take this."
"Sure you can. She'd want someone that loved the book as much as she to have it. Think of it as a remembrance of her and about the things you had in common."
Duke took the book, albeit reluctantly. Duke thought that he heard her laugh somewhere, but it must have been his imagination. The girls' friends turned to leave, but were stopped when Wildwing asked, "What was her name?"
"Renda, Her name is Renda."
Three days later Wildwing stood at center ice in the San Francisco Manta Rays home turf. Before a sold out crowd he was going to give a speech of thanks. He had never done this before in his life and he was nervous. What was he going to say? Could he make it through? Gosh look at all those people. 17,859 people all crowded into the stadium to see a hockey game and hear his speech. He felt like he was going to die. Then the house lights dimmed and the spotlight landed on him.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen," he began. "I would like to thank you for coming to tonight's game and for being patient for the delay. All proceeds from tonight's game will be going to fund cancer research. Normally a member of the home team gives this speech, but I wanted to share a special story with you. A very special person once told me in private what I'm about to say to you. It means a lot to my teammates and myself and hopefully will to you as well. She once said. 'The universe may conform in many myriad ways. We live in just one aspect, in one reality of what can be or will be. Our choices are our own and determine our future. We are minor specs in the universes' entirety. We are minute sand granules in an hourglass. A drop of water in the worlds ocean. We are insignificant. But even so each and every one of us is important. Like a snowflake that falls in the dead of winter each and every one of us is special and different. A tiny spec of dust, when caught up in our nose causes a chain reaction of events to cause us to sneeze. And a sneeze spreads to others what can be said undesirable. As that small dust particle can start an explosive reaction, maybe just one insignificant being maybe able to make a difference. If just one person can touch another's life. If just one person can think about another, smile, and forget about hate, this world may be a better place. If one person can look past our differences and find the beauty within and find a common trait then we may all live happier lives. We need to shape our lives the best we can and then may we can be that one person to have great things come from us. I now ask for a moment of silence in her name and may God bless her family and friends who mourn her recent loss."
Wildwing fell silent and took a knee. The other ducks, which had been standing behind him, all took a knee. The Manta Ray players all left the bench and took a knee at center ice with the ducks. The stadium fell silent and remained so for five minutes. Wildwing raised his head, wiped a tear from his eye, and continued," thank you and we will be playing this game in remembrance of Renda, the best San Francisco Manta Ray's fan there was."
The crowd let a great cheer and the game began. It was an exciting night. There were hard hits and many scoring chances, but neither team tried to hurt the other. They were content on playing a good clean hockey game. There were no fights, no penalties, and it ended in a tie. Normally the game would have gone into overtime, but tonight it did not. Each team played their best and they wanted to leave the score the way it was. Both teams won and neither one lost.
Before the ducks left San Francisco they went to where their 'boat' landed and each places a yellow rose in the ocean. Each said a silent prayer before heading back to the migrator. Duke was the last to leave the beach. Before he left he whispered, "I'm sorry and thank you. Thank you for the gift you have given me. For the gift you have give us all. Rest in piece Undomiel." Duke boarded the migrator and everyone was silent on the trip home. Just as they were crossing the Golden Gate Bridge they thought they heard Renda singing.
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How are you are from home
Mornie utulie
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie
A promise lives within you now.
May it be shadows call
Will fly away
May it be your journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Mornie utulie
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantie
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now.
This fic is dedicated to my sister-in-law Renda, who just recently passed away. She did not have cancer, she had MS and a pulmonary disease I can't remember the name of. (A pulmonary disease has something to do with the lungs and your ability to breathe.) She was my mentor, my hero, my inspiration, and a beautiful face. She never won the Nobel Prize, never won a gold medal, nor was some famous person. She touched every life that met her. She was a fourth grade teacher, a quadriplegic, and a living treasure. She taught me that our only obstacle is ourselves. We are only handicapped if we choose to be. She may not have told me this verbally, but she did with her actions. She never let anything stand in her way. I may never get to be a professional athlete or be the world's best author, but as long as I try and never give up I have succeeded. Never give up your dreams. Never surrender to your fears. Live your life to the fullest and be that one person to change the world, not by violence, but with love. Live, Laugh, Love and God Bless.
Silver Elf Child
In loving memory of Renda Adams.
Beloved wife, sister, daughter, teacher, and mentor.
A jewel among women
May you rest in peace and your message live on in our hearts.