Back in the hallway:
After the excursion at the prom Jimmy decided it was time to ask little Cindy some questions:
"How did you get here and where do you come from?"
"I woke up here in the hallway and didn't know who I was or how I got here. It was a little confusing. When I saw you, I couldn't tell you why, but I felt I knew you and wanted to follow you to see what you were doing." Said Cindy
"When you fought the mime how did you feel?" asked Jimmy
"I was afraid but I couldn't stand around and do nothing. It would have eaten you if I had. But once it was dead I felt stronger and I could remember some things."
"What did you remember?" he asked in a soft tone that she found inviting.
"I remembered that you were important to me but no real details. So I decided I had to follow you." She said as a blush crept over both of their cheeks.
He flipped the mic and asked Libby if she was still there. She responded that her mom had said she was glad he hadn't been taken into the dream entirely and that she was now convinced that the girl was the main avatar for Cindy. As he helps her face her fears she is coming back together. Keep going and don't give up. Jimmy told Libby to thank her mom for her and to tell her he owed her one.
He decided to level with the girl and tell her what he believed to be true. Little Cindy took it rather well considering. It's not every day you find out you are the spiritual avatar for a girl laying in a hospital bed. That you ended up here by saving the life of the boy you are traveling with. She wasn't upset at all in fact she beamed with pride to learn of her sacrifice.
Door 4:
They found themselves on the deck of a large wooden galleon. The sails billowed in the wind and the sun was rising in the east. The clouds were white and soft over head and the sky had that hint of blue in it as the sun light crept over the horizon. Little Cindy, Goddard, and Jimmy stared out as the sun rose and watched the splendid beauty.
As the sunlight hit them their attire changed to fit the scene. Cindy found herself in a pirate captain outfit that was reminiscent of the one Captain James Hook had worn in the renditions of Peter Pan. Jimmy was dressed like the first mate Smee. Goddard discovered he now was wearing a doo rag, eye patch, little wooden sword and his left hind leg was a wooden stump. Little Cindy laughed and pointed out how cute Goddard looked. Goddard barked happily.
"Well what happens now Cindy?" asked Jimmy
"For starters you can call me Captain Vortex, Neutron." she beamed with pride with her hands on her hips. She looked adorable in the red captain hat with its long white feather. He couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. In the back of his mind he was really starting to enjoy this. He had cherished every moment he had ever spent with Cindy in the real world and this was simply an extension of that.
"Ok Captain Vortex, what are your orders?" replied the grinning Jimmy
She began to speak when the ship suddenly pitched to the side. The sudden movement sent them tumbling to the deck. The little girl shrieked in surprise. Jimmy got to his feet and looked out at the water to see what had hit them. He stared in amazement as dozens of pink tentacles emerged from the water and started hitting the deck.
He shouted to Goddard to go into defensive mode and tossed one of the laser swords to little Cindy. The swords ignited with audible hums and they started slashing at the tentacles that had latched on to the deck. Jimmy severed the first one and they heard an ear shattering roar over the side of deck from the source of the tentacles.
The ship pitched again and began leaning unnaturally over one side as the tentacles pulled at the two masts. Jimmy looked in horror as he saw the monster. It was a giant squid like creature to be sure but in some horrific way its brown eyes looked strangely familiar.
"I just want the boy! Give me the boy and I'll let you live! Give me the boy!" roared the monster.
Jimmy realized he knew that voice. It was Betty Quinlan and she was here for him! He raced toward the closest mast and slashed with all his might. The tentacle severed and the ship groaned as the pressure was released off the mast. Cindy took care of the 2nd mast and ship lurched back upright. Our three brave crew members stumbled about but maintained their footing.
Jimmy noticed there were harpoon guns mounted on both sides of the ship and shouted for little Cindy to use one as he jumped into the seat of the other. He fired his harpoon and it hit the left familiar eye dead center causing it to pop like a water balloon. The creature roared in pain and thrashed back and forth as it tried to dislodge the harpoon but the rope line held fast and it simply towed the boat in an clockwise motion. Cindy managed to hit the second eye with the other harpoon and the creature stopped its thrashing as the life drained out of it.
As before with the mime, the creature vanished in a blast of energy that Little Cindy absorbed. Jimmy turned to look at Little Cindy and saw she was no longer little but looked like the girl he had expected to find.
"So I guess I can't call you short anymore?" he said reminding him of the time she had said that to him after they had defeated the Yolkians.
"Don't worry; I'm sure there are all kinds of other insults you can come up with." Cindy replied with a playful grin.
"You remember?" Jimmy held her hands and looked in her eyes, the amazement was clear in his face.
"Yeah; there are a lot of gaps but I remember a lot of things. I remember my mother and father's names. I remember you and I are more than friends." She replied as she pulled him in close and kissed him the smell of jasmine filled the air. She pulled away leaving the taste of strawberry lip gloss on his lips.
"Well Come on Neutron. Let's go get the rest of me back together. By the way, thanks for coming after me."
He replied "Oh it was nothing. You would have done the same for me."
She stopped walking and turned to face him. "Do you want to know?"
"Want to know what?" he asked slightly confused and still dazed from the kiss.
"If I think you were worth the sacrifice?" she asked with a serious look in her eyes.
He gulped and nodded his head. She grinned ear to ear and replied "I would do it again in a heartbeat."
With that said they walked into the door marked number 5.
To be continued….
A/N: thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.