Gregor and the Return to the Underland
Gregor and the Return to the Underland
A/n: a water pipe broke in my school today so I have the day off. You know what that means- yep, I'm updating. Thanks to Seraphania for reviewing!
Disclaimer: I only own Michelle so far. the rest is not mine.
Chapter 2-
Merry Christmas?
"Gregor! Gregor! Wake up its Christmas!" Gregor woke up the next morning to Boots jumping up and down on his bed.
"Okay, Boots I'm up. I'll meet you in the living room 'kay?"
"'kay." Boots scrambled out of his room excitedly. He could hear his father making breakfast in the kitchen and the faint static sounds of the radio playing Christmas tunes.
Gregor yawned, stretched, and climbed out of bed. He grabbed the presents for Boots, his parents and Mrs. Cormaci, leaving Lizzie's for last.
"Merry Christmas, Gregor!" Lizzie called as she handed him a steaming mug of hot chocolate. He took a sip.
"Same to you, Liz, Gregor tried to be cheerful for his sister's sake but his mind was just somewhere else.
"Merry Christmas kids!' Mrs. Cormaci entered from the hall and her granddaughter Michelle followed carrying a bag of presents.
"Hey Peoples, long time no see!" she said ruffling Boot's hair. Boots giggled and showed Michelle her frog figures.
Michelle was five years older than Gregor and she didn't visit very often, but they all loved it when she did. She was like a big sister to them.
"Mommy! Mommy! We open presents now?" Boots ran up to her mother who had just come in with a plate of Christmas cookies.
"Yes, Boots, we can open presents now. Who wants to go first?"
Gregor received a pocket knife, a brand new pair of steel-toed boots, and a book called Silverwing about bats.
He didn't pay much attention to what everyone else bought, his mind was somewhere a thousand miles beneath his feet. What were they doing down there? Did they celebrate Christmas? He had seen no sigh of it during any of his past visits. Four hundred years… Christmas was around before then, right? Maybe Ripred-
"Gregor, where's your present for Lizzie?" his mom asked. He snapped back to reality and dashed to his room. There was no time to wrap it so he just covered it with a clean bath towel and stuck a lopsided bow on it.
He edged into the room backwards. "Well, Mister lets see it." Mrs. Cormaci said.
Gregor gently placed the gift down. It was three feet tall and two feet square. Confused, Lizzie walked over and carefully removed the towel. There was a common gasp when the other saw what it was. It was a cage. Inside the cage was a mud grey rat.
He squeaked angrily at being disturbed until he saw Lizzie.
"Can I pick him up, Gregor?" Lizzie asked nervously.
"Sure, Liz he's yours now." Gregor said grinning. He knew Lizzie would like him, especially because the rat resembled Ripred, only with no scars. The lady at the store even said he loved shrimp.
Lizzie carefully undid the latch and reached in tentatively, ready to pull her hand out if she thought he was going to bite her. But instead of attacking or running away, he cautiously approached her out stretched hand and jumped onto it. He sat down and looked up at her. It was strange but the little rat reminded him of the real Ripred.
It was then that Gregor noticed that none of the others had spoken yet.
"Awesome pet Lizzie! What are you going to call him?" Michelle said breaking the silence.
"I'm going to call him Little Ripred." She said simply.
"Ooh Rat! Rat! R is for rat! Boots cried. She toddled over to Lizzie and tried to grab the rat. He hissed at her.
"Oh! Rat bad!" She gasped and went back to her Christmas movie.
"Wow", thought Gregor, "he really is just like Ripred."
As his father began to gather the wrapping paper strewn around the room, Gregor's Mom got up.
"Gregor, dear, can I talk, to you for a minute in the kitchen?" her tone was strained, and Gregor knew he had no choice but to listen.
Why did you get her a RAT! It probably has some incurable plague we're all going to get, or lice, or fleas!"
"Mom!" Gregor could feel his ever-present rager senses fight their way up. "I got him from the mall. He was on sale. The manager said he had all his shots. Besides did you see how happy
Lizzie was?"
"It doesn't matter! It'll only remind all of you about that place."
Now Gregor was fighting to keep his voice calm.
"Mom, what if we like 'that place'? What if we miss our friends who happen to live there? You say you just want us to be normal but, here let me tell you a secret. WE. ARE. NOT. NORMAL. And we never will be. At least not here."
"What do you mean 'not normal'?"
"Where have you been the past three months? Lizzie hasn't had a single panic attack since we got back, Boots goes around talking to bugs, saying she's a 'pincess' and I'm a twelve year old warrior for crying out loud. We don't belong here anymore."
It was then Gregor realized that he'd been shouting. He saw both of his parents looking shocked, but before he could comment, the door opened.
"See, I told you he'd still be here."
Standing in the door were none other than Ripred and Luxa.
A/n: Cliffie! So there you have it, chapter two. It's a little longer, too! I probably won't update till the weekend, but please review!
See ya!
E.C.