The intruder

Elmore General hospital, Tuesday 04:00 p.m.

"It is bad!" said the doctor.

"that baby wasn't supposed to be there! Who dismiss it from the intensive care unit?"

"Me, doctor!" answered the nurse.

"How could you? That baby wasn't ready!"

"It looked fine, so I moved it from the basement. I was so sad seeing him in a place without sunlight!"

"We have to find him. His medical conditions are unstable without the machineries!"

The doctor peeked outside the window.

"Mustn't be far! We have to bring the baby back soon, or else…."

"Or else what?" asked worried the nurse.

"He will die!"

Fitzgerald's house, Tuesday 04:00 p.m.

"Open this door!" said Penny before her door house.

"Who are you?" said her mom from the other side of the door.

"Mom, it's me, Penny, your daughter!"

"Impossible, right now you are in your room doing your homework!"

"Mom, that girl is not me, she's an imposter, kick her away!"

"No, you just go away!"

Mrs. Fitzgerald turned to the couch.

"Who's at the door?" asked Patrick.

"Just a crazy guy pretending to be our daughter!" said taking a sit.

Penny had to find another way to enter home.

Sandy remained alone. What she was supposed to do now? Patrick, looks like, discovered her mistaken identity with Penny and, eventually, all Elmore would know the truth.

She had to escape. Where? She had no idea! Although she ran out all the supplies that she took from the orphanage. Should she steal some food from the Fitzgerald? It was an idea but Sandy had no heart to do such mischievous thing to a family which kindly hosted her as a daughter. Was she supposed to steal some money from Penny's piggybank? She may never be back home but, somehow, Sandy wasn't even able to do that. All she was supposed to do was to return in her orphanage. She took the decision; she opened the window in order to escape from the house.

Maybe she had to write a letter before leaving.

Sandy took a piece of paper and a pen:

"Dear Patrick and Mrs. Fitzgerald,

I'm not your real daughter. Penny is, injured, at Elmore General Hospital. She destroyed the rainbow factory and now she has burns by the flames. I don't know if she'll ever be able to return home by her own. As for myself, I'll return to the orphanage which I escaped. Thank you for your hospitality.

My greatest apologizes.

Sandy Williams.

The letter was done. Sandy asked herself when Penny's parents were supposed to read it. Maybe after her escape would be the best moment. Sandy would run away from the window right now and the parents would find the letter shortly after. It would be fine.

Sandy was carefully leaving the letter on her desk when she heard a weird noise coming from the window.

A small gecko was climbing inside her room. Sandy was about to kick it back when she noticed the antlers on the gecko's head. Suddenly the gecko transformed into a weird yellow-orange glowing creature with antlers and wings. It may looked like an ugly fairy but its oversized round head gave an impression of a light bulb. It was Penny.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sandy while the "fairy" was trying to get up.

"Were you supposed to stay at the hospital?" said Sandy but Penny was still trying to get up; she seemed exhausted for the long flight.

"Sandy….(cough cough)…" said Penny which started to flutter; she looked like she wasn't completely healed.

"I swear…..(cough)…I'm going to…(cough)…take my life…..back!"

Sandy wasn't displeased.

"Well, what a coincidence. I was about to leave; your father distrusts my identity so you can take your life back!"

Penny didn't look satisfied.

"No….(cough)….you stole my life, I can't let you go so easily…..(cough cough cough)!"

"I'd go back to the hospital if I were you! Seriously, you're not healed!"

"Penny!" said a woman voice downstairs.

"What is it?" answered Sandy.

"There's Watterson at the door! He wants to see you!"

That wasn't good. If Gumball would see his girlfriend with Sandy in the same place he would discovered the mistaken identity. It wasn't the right moment for that.

"Gumball!" said Penny.

Sandy stopped Penny.

"I'm too busy right now, send him away!" said Sandy covering Penny's mouth with her hands.

"Penny, he has something very important to tell you!"

Sandy had no choice; if she would act strictly, her boyfriend would take it badly.

"All right. Bring him to me!"

Despite the situation, Penny couldn't shape-shift into a monster in order to free herself from Sandy's grip: she was too weak. Gumball was arriving and Sandy had to find a solution.

"Hi Penny!" said the blue cat to his girlfriend all alone.

"Hi Gumball!" said Sandy.

"What are you doing?"

"I was studying. I'm sure you have a lot of homework to do too!" said Sandy in an attempt to make him go away, but Gumball stood there confused.

"Penny, don't you know what day is today?"

"It's Tuesday!"

"There's school's prom today. Do you forgot? We talked about it the last week!"

Sandy wasn't aware about that, she wasn't at Elmore last Tuesday.

"Oh yup, the prom! Sorry I was too busy this week that I forget!"

Luckily, Gumball wasn't bewildered about that.

"The prom starts at 17:00 p.m. do you have a dress?"

"Ehmm…..no!"

"Don't worry, I'll help to choose one in the mall!"

"Oh, thanks!"

"No problem, see you downstairs!"

Gumball was walking out the door when Penny was slowly sneaking outside a toy box near the window where she was hidden.

"Gu-gum…!"

Sandy immediately put her back inside the box.

"Yes….? Did you said something?" said the cat turning his head back.

"Ehm….I love you!" answered Sandy.

Gumball smiled and turned on his steps.

Penny tried to sneak out from the box again. Sandy, put her back inside and, this time, locked the box with a locker. Gumball turned his head again.

"Penny?"

"Yes?"

"I love you too!"

When the blue cat was gone, Sandy talked to Penny.

"Here's my plan, you stay here while I'm at school. Don't worry I'll free you once the prom is over!"

No answer came from the box. Sandy took her letter and went downstairs.