The Thornberry family has moved to Long Beach, California. They have been there for 3 years now. Guess what… Marianne is pregnant; she is due in two weeks. Eliza hates it here, Debbie is so lovin' it, and Donnie could careless. Marianne and Nigel work in a zoo; of course, Debbie, Eliza and Donnie go to a school that is K-12th grade. (Lets just say Donnie has been with the family long enough to know how to speak English coherently.)
Today is November 15, 2006. Eliza and Donnie are sitting at the bus stop waiting for the bus to come. A little boy about his age comes up to Donnie and starts poking him with a stick he found in the lot next door. "Will you please stop it?" Donnie says trying not to lose his temper in front of all of these kids. The boy keeps on picking on him as Eliza tries her very best to keep anything from happening. "Donnie please don't start anything now you know how mom goes ballistic when the slightest argument breaks out," she says to him pulling him aside. " I know, I know but how do I ignore this misery?" he says as he glances over to the boy glaring back at him. "What is his problem?" Donnie says to his big sister. "Don't know but I think you better stay over here with me till the bus gets here," Eliza says keeping him away from the boy. After what seems like forever the bus finally comes. Donnie sits in his designated spot and suddenly the little boy comes back and sits by Donnie. "Will you get out of here?" Donnie yells at him creating a fuss on the bus. He kicks Donnie on the leg and runs as fast as he can to the front of the bus blaming everything on Donnie. "Donald get up here now!" The bus driver yells at him but Donnie doesn't have the energy to argue and sat up front where the bus driver could keep a close eye on him.
They finally arrive at the school where he wants nothing more then to just hide under a rock after everything that had happened. "Donnie that was not your fault why didn't you just tell the bus driver what happened? "Eliza said as he let a tear drop. "Because if I tried to defend myself that stupid boy would look even better and I would be in even more trouble, why do you think I got this bus ticket?" he said as he waved what looked like a referral at his sister. "I'm so sorry I should have sat with you and kept you out of trouble now mom is really going to flip," she said. Eliza left Donnie to go to class and as he stood by his locker wondering how he was going to pass this by his parents the little "bully" came up screaming at Donnie. "HEY! DONNIE!" the boy screams in his face. "Lets settle this once and for all! right here right now!" He screamed at Donnie. "FINE!" Donnie yelled back, he had it and couldn't take it anymore. "This loser is going down. NOW!" he said.
The bully got the first hit and all hell broke loose, the kids started coming around chanting "fight" he punched Donnie right in the face and he started getting a bloody nose just then Donnie swerved back punching the kid in the stomach. He doubled over in pain as Donnie pulled an atomic wedgie on him. Donnie kicked him in the stomach again, the bully punched Donnie so hard in the eye then into his lower stomach, then the bully kicked him where it hurts the most and then Donnie got thrown into the lockers and got a fat lip as he doubled over in pain "OUCH" he cried. Donnie bounced back and jumped the boy and started beating him to the ground and gave him a fat lip as well as a bloody lip. The little boy just started crying and screaming. "GET off of me!" the boy screamed. "WHY? So you can beat me some more?" Donnie yelled. Donnie was crying by now and he had the brat pinned down with all his strength punching him as hard as he could. "GET OFF OF ME!" The boy screamed and cried again. "NO!" Donnie screamed.
Just then the principal came running out and it took three of the staff members to break it up. After they got into the principal office both of them just scowled at each other and yelled simultaneously "It's all your fault!" they both yelled "Is not!" he came back, the boy was about to ram Donnie again but the principal stopped them. "You both better stop it now before you get in more trouble you are in enough trouble as it is." The principal said in a tone that would kill many. They sat in the principal's office trying not to return his glaring look. I will be right back don't either of you move a muscle.
"Great now look what you got us into," the boy said slumping down into his chair. "I can't believe your pinning this all on me. You stupid little brat!" Donnie came back. " Why do you have to be so mean?" the boy said. "Me? Mean? Gosh you were the one who started this whole thing and now we will both be in bigger trouble then ever before." Donnie said. "I'm sorry but you just make me so mad I don't know what to do." The boy said.
"So you just come up and take it all out on me because you have something against me?" Donnie said. "You're the sickest person I have ever met." Donnie said again. "Do you even know what is going to happen when he calls my mom?" Donnie said a bit worried. "No what?" "I will be a dead boy," Donnie said cringing at that thought. "That can't be good. My parents just won't care." He said gleefully. "You get away with anything?" Donnie asked clenching his fists. "Well duh! Of course I do I get anything I want. " Donnie felt like socking him in the mouth after he said that. Just then the principal came back in and he sat down in his big chair with his big muscular arms crossed.
"Now boys I just called your parents and they are coming now I will figure out what to do with you two when they get here," the principal said calmly as he watched them both. Marianne and the little boy's dad came walking in only minutes later. "Uh-oh" Donnie whispered to himself. "Mom doesn't look too happy." They took their seats by both of the boys. "Look I'm really sorry I had to take you both out of work for this but as you can see they sure had some fight. This fight is going to cost them 2 weeks of suspension. "What! But I didn't do anything!" Donnie yelled. "Donnie!" Marianne said "don't even start that were going to have a long talk later," she said as she looked apologetic to the principal surprised that her son would even think of something like that. Donnie just sat there to mad at the boy to care what Marianne just said. Donnie just glared at the boy as the adults spoke to each other about the situation. After they left Donnie jumped in the back seat and just cried. "Donald Michael Thornberry what has gotten into you? Getting into a big fight? as well as a bus ticket? You know what that means don't you?" she said furious. "I know mommy," he said as he continued to cry. "I just don't know," she said as she pulled into the driveway of their home. "Go straight to bed Donnie I mean it, right to bed." She said. "But mommy…" he said sad. "Donnie you aren't getting away with this now move!" she said still really upset. "I'm sorry…"Donnie cried as he headed up the stairs to his bedroom.
She just watched him head up there and look back one more time as he continued up the stairs crying. "I can't believe he would do something like that." Marianne thought to herself. "What am I going to do about this?" she thought some more. After Donnie got to his room he jumped onto his bed and just thought about how miserable he was going to be for the next couple of weeks. He couldn't understand why it had to be him and why he couldn't even explain to his mother what had happened. He just lay on his bed and sobbed to himself as he tried to stay out of mom's way.
…
Later Eliza got off the bus and started heading home. She was miserable in everyway possible and started plotting a plan. "What can I do? Their has to be someway to get out of here." She thought to herself. She got out her diary and wrote down some stuff because no one would ever think to look there. So she wrote…
Dear Diary…
I'm writing to you an escape plan back to Africa so I can live there freely and out of this new life. Tomorrow afternoon I will make my plan come into place. I will miss the bus and run as fast as I can to the airport board any flight available and eventually make it to Africa. I will live with the wild animals on the Savannah and live naturally. This will go into effect at exactly 3:30 P.M.
Talk to you later diary. Eliza.
"HAHA" she told herself "and they will never know what hit them." She laughed to herself evilly. She walked up the driveway and into the house. "Hey mom what's up?" she said as she threw her book bag on the floor. "Donnie got two weeks suspension," her mother said as she started upstairs "Wow I didn't know it was going to be that bad," she said with concern in her voice. "Wh…What you knew about this?" Marianne questioned. "Of course, I just didn't think it was going to be that bad." Eliza said. " I can't believe you Eliza you didn't stop him," Marianne said again. "OMG mom I can't believe you would even start to blame me about that! By the time I even realized what was happening it was to late," Eliza said getting mad because now this was her fault. "I'm not saying that," Marianne said. " you are supposed to be watching out for him making sure he doesn't do stuff like this." She said trying to stay calm. "Well sorry mom I'll watch him better next time and you know what maybe I'll even stuff him in my stupid backpack so he won't get bullied!!!!!!." Eliza screamed at her mother.
" Eliza Marie Thornberry to your room now! You are grounded for a week," she said losing her temper. "What but why?" Eliza questioned. "You are grounded because you weren't watching him like you should have been you just watched him get beat up and beat up the other kid." Marianne said. "FINE! See if I care! I hate you! I hate you!" Eliza yelled back as she ran up to her room and slammed her door shut.
…
In Donnie's room he had heard everything so he snuck out to Eliza's door and he just listened to the ruckus she was making. " I can't believe mom would ground me like that! I just can't believe it!" She yelled as she ran around the room making her packing list. "I'm glad I'm leaving tomorrow that will be the best thing I could ever do." Eliza said to herself. Donnie gasped as he heard what she was saying. He wanted to tell someone anyone but his mom was still mad at him and he couldn't risk going down there but he had to try. He ran down the stairs as fast as his little legs would let him go. "Mommy! Mommy!" he shouted as he ran through the house. "Donnie go back to your room your punishment is not over yet," she said as Donnie ran into her. "I know but I have something really important to tell you," He said out of breath. "Not now Donnie go back to your room." She said again "But its about Eliza." He said. " I know all about it." She said. "You do?" Donnie asked. "Yes she should have been watching you so you wouldn't have done that." Marianne said. "But…" Donnie started "Go now" Marianne warned "Or you will be in timeout longer. So move!"
Donnie ran back to his room fast not knowing what he should do. He just laid back down and somehow went to sleep.
…
Meanwhile Eliza was still frantically searching for anything to take with her. "Maybe I should just leave now! Ya that would teach her to ground me!" Eliza kept saying. By now she was just running around throwing things into her backpack so no one would get suspicious later. She didn't know what to do or even think. I was so happy back in Africa but now mom is really making me mad I may just start in New York and take little Donnie with me and we will have a blast…
Later Donnie got up and he thought he heard Eliza crying so he went to her room. "Eliza? Eliza what's wrong?" he asked as he walked in. "Nothing! Now go away!" She yelled at him. "Just go away!" She yelled "Its not you so just go away!" she yelled again. With that Donnie sprinted out of the room and downstairs again. "Mommy can I come down now?" Donnie asked. "Ok" she said as she was preparing dinner. "I'm really sorry for what happened today. Its just he made me so mad." Donnie said. "Donnie that is no excuse for what you did." Marianne said as she was cooking dinner. "But it wasn't my fault. He was asking for it, he was bugging me in every way you can think of and he got the first hit." Donnie said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the bottom cabinets. "Donald Michael you should have ignored him and went to one of the adults they would have helped you." Marianne told him. "But it wasn't my fault." He said. "Donnie do you want to go back up to your room? She warned. "No" he begged. "Then stop arguing and help set the table we will talk later." She said. "Fine" Donnie said as he went to help with the table.
…
As the afternoon progressed into evening Donnie got ready for bed as he got his bath and so on. He started for early bed as his punishment that his mom decided for him in their long talk. Donnie hated it he couldn't understand why this was happening to him and why he deserved this. That stupid kid started the whole thing Donnie never did anything till he pushed him to far. That's when he had it; he couldn't just sit back and be quiet any longer. "When I get back to school," he thought, "that kid is done for. If he ever tries to bug me again…that'll be it for him." Donnie threatened. He hopped into bed and Marianne tucked him in and said goodnight. "Night Donnie I love you." She said. "Love you to" Donnie said in his sweetest most innocent voice. Once she was out the door Donnie kept thinking about what he did yet he still thought it was a good way to show who was boss. He dozed off as he was thinking about revenge on the boy.
…
A few minutes later Nigel pulled into the driveway after a long day at work, as he walked into the house things were unusually quiet. "Hey guys I'm home!" he shouted across the house. Marianne came into were he was, "Hey" she said as she gave him a big kiss. "Hi what's wrong?" he asked in concern. "Well its unusually quiet tonight because Eliza has been locked up in her room all afternoon and won't talk I even tried but she just yelled me off and Donnie he is in big trouble I'll explain that to you in a minute." She explained. "Oh" he said. They sat down at the dinner table and she started. " Well Donnie got in a huge fight at school with another boy and they were both so beat up it was hard to punish him but they nearly killed each other. He has two weeks suspension," she said sorrowfully. "I bet," he said. "I wondered what tweaked him into doing something so terrible?" he asked. "I don't know he tried explaining but it still wasn't a good excuse. She said. "Well what about Eliza?" he asked. "Well I don't know she has been like that since we moved back here and now she has only gotten worse since because she wants to be back on the road, she finished. "Yes I agree but I don't know what to do for her." Nigel said. "She just needs to get over it she will be fine I will try to talk with her again tomorrow," Marianne said.
…
The next morning Eliza got up and got everything else ready for her runaway plan. "Can't wait for everything to go into effect," She said to herself. She started down the stairs to leave. "Want some breakfast first?" Marianne said as Eliza was heading out. "No I'll get something at school." Eliza said like she was still mad at her mother. "Well alright I just wanted to know if you wanted anything." She said. "No like I said I'll get something at school, now leave me alone!" Eliza shouted and ran out the door. "What's with her?" Donnie said as he sat down for breakfast. "I don't know Donnie she is just mad right now about a lot of things." Marianne said a bit worried about Eliza because she has never acted like that before since a few months ago. Sure she was mad about settling to one place but she has never treated anyone like that. Marianne immediately called Nigel to let him know what's up. " Nigel I'm really worried about Eliza," she told him. "I know but I just don't know what it could be," he told her.
…
Eliza headed off to school with so much anger she didn't know what to do. She was with her friend Amy. "Hey Amy" Eliza said. "What's the matter?" Amy asked. "Nothing I'm just mad at my mom right now." She said. "Why?" Amy asked "We just had a big fight last night that's all," Eliza said. "Oh that incident with your little brother." She said. "Yes I'm being blamed for everything and I'm grounded for a week cause of it. She says that I wasn't taking care of him like I should have been." Eliza told her. They walked the rest of the way to school in silence. "Well I hope everything works out between you two," she said as they both parted off to class. "Ya maybe" Eliza said to herself as she watched her friend go to class.
To be continued…