Note-Final chapter! Sorry it took so long to update, I was away for the weekend.
The hall was crowded with people. There were rows of tables with exhibitions on them, and I could have sworn I saw someone carrying a stuffed alligator under their arm. It was honestly like one of my daydreams come to life. The Janitor had set up his table near the back, and laid his collection of hospital squirrels on it. It was a war scene.
"Ok, as long as Basole doesn't notice us, we'll be ok" muttered Janitor. "I'd better stay here. Angry Doctor, Scooter, you split up and try to find the dog. Oh, and if you see anything amazing…" he pushed a small bottle of green liquid into my hand "acid it!"
I gave him a "what the hell, are you insane" look. A large old man in a tweed suit came up to us.
"Ah, and you must be Jan Itor!" he said. "I'm a huge fan of your work!"
"Why thank you!" Janitor replied in a very fake Russian accent. So that was his vice! Dr Cox had already gone, so I took off in the other direction.
Basole was up at the front, having been the prize winner for 3 years running. It was easy not to get close to him, but from where he was, he had a view of the whole lobby. And that included me and Dr Cox. Wonderful…
I looked at my watch. It was 11:56. The final judging started at midday.
Quickening my pace, I strode through rows of tables and people, trying to find Basole's unguarded exhibition. Finally I found it; the four card playing dogs. Apart from Rowdy, the animals were different to the ones in the shed. These ones were more polished and cleaner, more competition worthy.
I reached out to Rowdy, desperate to finally claim my prize. But just as I was about to touch him, a metallic voice echoed through the hall. I swore under my breath. It was the loudspeaker announcing the final judging.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Austin Taxidermy Competition 2008!"
A deafening cheer spread across the hall.
"Folks, you have been waiting for this moment for a year, and now it's finally here! The finalist tallies have been announced by our panel! And I can safely say that the three competitors who will be going through to the finals are…"
The crowd held its breath. If I was to grab Rowdy and run now, everyone would know. I stayed still where I was, like a statue. Hmm…JD, no! No time for daydreams now!
"Clara Medley with her kitten romance scene…"
The spotlight moved over to a pretty ginger woman who grinned cheekily and waved. She was holding a stuffed tabby.
"Jan Itor with his squirrel army…"
I whooped and cheered along with the rest of the crowd. At the front, Basole growled, now that he could see that we had escaped his shed. I reached out and grabbed Rowdy while the spotlight was on the Janitor. I had my arms around his belly when the announcement started up again.
"And three-time champion, Robert Basole!"
Suddenly there was a burst of white light, and I realised that the spotlight was upon Basole's collection. Which meant that it was also on me.
The crowd gasped and started to whisper to each other. Basole stood up in his chair angrily. I froze.
"Now you let go of that there dog, boy!" he bellowed. "That's ma show!"
"This is my dog!" I yelled back. Another gasp from the crowd. "You bought him off EBay!" another gasp. The director of the competition stood up.
"Mr Basole, is this true? Because if it is, then you have breached rule 28, and will therefore be disqualified from this and all other competitions!" he sounded as if he had rehearsed that speech in front of a mirror.
"It's true!" came a voice from the audience. It was Dr Cox. "This maniac locked us in his shed!"
"We had to break our way out!" said Janitor, still holding his Russian accent.
"It's all true!" I piped up again.
The director looked puzzled, and he started whispering to the judges. There was a stunned silence before he spoke again.
"Robert Basole, you are hereby disqualified from the Austin Taxidermy contest for breaking rule 28: passing another's work as your own! And Jan Itor, you are also disqualified for breaking rule 37: attempted sabotage of another's work! Which means that the winner of this competition is Miss Clara Medley, give it up for her, folks!"
The crowd erupted. I groaned. I had kinda wanted Janitor to win. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Dr Cox.
"Grab that dog, Dakota! We're getting out of here!"
I nodded, and the three of us ran outside and jumped in the van.
"Rowdy, boy, I'm so glad to have you back!" I crooned, placing him in the back and climbing in the front seat. "I'm sorry you got disqualified, Janitor"
"Ah, no biggie!" he said. "There's always New Mexico!"
Dr Cox got in the back, and looked over the seat.
"Have I seriously got another three days of you two to look forward to?"
"Yep!" I grinned. Dr Cox could act tough, but I knew he enjoyed the break as much as we did.
"Well turn on the radio then, Newbie"
I flicked the switch, and was greeted by…ah, sweet bliss, Journey!
"I love this song! Hear that, Rowdy, it's your bath music! She's just a small town girl…"
"No, Newbie. J-j-just…no!"
Note-Thanks for staying till the end, readers! There's a poll on my Fanfiction profile about which story I should write next, so come and vote please! If you vote for My Changes, that means I'll just carry on the oneshot I already wrote. Thanks!