Chapter Eight

Around the platform we sat on, there was a glass wall shaped like an oval.

I tapped on the glass as we flew down the tunnel.

"How does this stuff survive?" I asked.

"It's unbreakable. This tunnel leads us everywhere in the World. It takes us to our other hideouts where we go if there is an emergency. Which, so far, there hasn't been one," said Elvira.

The tunnel was so dark, I couldn't see anything.

Luckily we had a flashlight.

"So where exactly does it this lead to?" I asked.

"Oh…here in London. Then three locations in America. One in Australia, one in Germany, I believe there's one in Japan, one in China, one in Canada, and I think we might have one somewhere in Africa. I'm not sure. There's one somewhere in South America…Brazil I think. Then I think Melathiah was working on one in Antarctica but I don't believe he completed it," she answered.

Antarctica? Really? Oh well, apparently Melathiah wanted his tunnel to lead somewhere in every continent.

"Wow. Maybe one day we'll travel them all," I said.

"Doubt it but maybe," said Elvira.

We traveled for several minutes.

Going at the speed of sound really helped us get to America in just minutes!

Elvira didn't say much to me.

"How's Jeremiah?" I asked.

"Good, good. He seems kind of scared of me though. I kind of wish he would just be himself and stop acting so frightened," she said.

"Well, no offense but I think you kind of are a little too intimidating for him. I think you should tell him what you just told him. He'll come around, don't worry," I said.

She smiled.

"You really are a good kid," she said.

…Kid?

At last we reached America.

It felt great to be back home.

Elvira and I carefully got out of the "elevator" in a New York hotel.

It was a very fancy hotel.

We snuck down the hallway and exited the building.

We ran down the streets to the subway.

While walking down the staircase we heard a voice.

"Hi, Mellie! How was your vacation? You didn't tell me that you came back," said the voice.

I spun around to see one of my old friends, Karrie.

"Oh, yeah…uh…you see, I have to go. You'll never see me again anyways so um…this is good-bye," I said.

"What?" she questioned.

"Look, I have no time to explain. Just, this is the last time we'll be seeing each other. Bye," I said.

Elvira grabbed my arm and pulled me down the stairs.

"Well…bye!" Karrie called out.

She continued to walk up the stairs as I was pulled down them.

"We have no time," said Elvira.

We got onto the subway and we were taken to New Jersey.

Of course the Subways were open.

Even though it was almost midnight in England when we left, in America it was only about six o' clock or so.

Once we were in New Jersey, we quickly ran to my house.

My family still wasn't home yet from vacation.

I knew they could be back at any second.

I opened the garage door and ran into the back door.

Elvira followed me.

"Nice house," she commented.

"Hmm? Oh thanks," I said.

We ran up the stairs to my room.

Elvira opened the suitcases she brought with her.

I immediately started to pack up all my clothes and favorite belongings.

I put my laptop in a suitcase.

"What is that thing?" she asked.

"It's a laptop," I answered.

"What's it do?" she asked.

"A computer? You know…internet…music? Anything sound familiar?" I asked.

She looked confused.

"I'll show you all when we get home. Right now we have to hurry," I said putting pillows and bed sheets in a suitcase.

I put my iPod in a suitcase and Elvira asked about it too.

I told her I'd show her later.

I didn't have enough room in a suitcase to bring my keyboard/piano.

But I did have enough room to put the keyboard stand in the largest suitcase.

I decided that I would carry my keyboard with me.

By the time I packed all my clothes, stuffed animals, and other vital accessories, it was nearly dark outside.

"We got to get going," said Elvira.

Just then I heard the garage door open.

They were home.

Elvira and I stared at one another with shocked looks on our faces.

"Plan?" I asked.

"Um…escape through the window?" I asked.

"Let's go for it," she said.

I figured that my window was too high off the ground and we'd probably get hurt or be seen if we escaped that way, so I decided to go another way.