Chapter 4: In the Dark
Valerie kept looking around her as they strolled through the city. It was beautiful to her, but Ruby had a sly grin on her face which made her feel uneasy. Valerie started to calm down after Ruby hadn't done anything for twenty minutes.
Valerie sighed. She spread out her arms and stretched. "Valerie!" Ruby shouted out.
Valerie jumped up and took a few steps away from Ruby, getting ready for a trap or attack form her! Ruby came towards her and said, "Come towards me!"
"I'm not falling for that!" Valerie hissed.
All of a sudden, a runaway cart ran into Valerie and she stumbled in the cart. She screamed as it sped down through the streets of Gongmen City! Ruby ran after it!
Valerie's eyes darted from side to side. The cart crashed into practically everything! People ran away from the cart and some even tried to stop it, but ended up tumbling into the cart as well.
It was starting to get crowded in that wooden cart. She barely had enough elbow room between two goats and three little bunnies.
"Valerie! Hang on!" Ruby shouted out. Ruby climbed up on top of some of the roofs and ran ahead of the cart. She ran at least a block ahead of it. She threw money on the counter to the shop's owner and grabbed a long line of rope!
She quickly tied it to on pole to another on the other side of the street. She looked up from the steep street. She saw the cart fly off the road and land in the middle of the street. Valerie was pushed to the front of the cart.
Valerie saw the rope and smiled. She reached out her paws for Ruby to save her. She grabbed onto the others' paws so they could get off as well. The cart encountered the rope and Ruby got a hold of Valerie's paws! But one of the villagers pulled Valerie and Ruby back into the cart!
The rope launched it back up! They went flying into the air. Valerie gripped the wooden cart, her claws digging into them, while she screamed away! Ruby, however, put her paws in the air and cheered, "Awesome!"
A goat snapped a picture of the runaway cart that soared in the sky! A bunny tugged on his mother's sleeve, pointing at the cart in the sky, saying, "Mommy! Mommy! Look at the flying cart!"
His mother in return said, not paying attention to the cart, "Honey, there are no such things a flying carts."
They landed roughly on the ground. The wheels broke and the cart collapsed as well. Valerie panted while Ruby laughed. "We're going back to the mansion," Valerie said shivering.
The next day, Zenghui and his parents arrived at the hotel they'd stay at until they returned home. Zenghui saw the daily newpaper they would get until they left. He picked it up and the front page showed a picture of Ruby with her hands in the air, her eyes closed, and laughing. Then he saw Valerie's expression.
Zenghui facepawed and sighed. "Poor Valerie," he said as he saw her screaming, her eyes wide, and claws gripping the cart.
"Poor who?" asked his father.
Zenghui hid the newpapers behind his back. "Huh? Oh nothing too important," Zenghui said. Mr. Xiaolin looked at him curiously, but continued on unpacking their things.
Zenghui sighed. I better make sure they're okay, Zenghui thought to himself as he grabbed a pen and paper. He would mail a letter to make sure they were okay. Or at least if Valerie was okay.