So the girls are on the boat and the guys are back in NY. This is a little different then what I usually do. And no hitting me with a stick! It'd hurt, virtual stick or real stick. In retrospect it probably would have been good to end the story from the last chapter. Oh well...too late now.
They had just got out of the cargo hold and had set up their little hideout there. They made sure it had a view of the door to the room so they could escape when the situation came up. Flora had taken the time to stitch up Madison and wrap fresh bandages on her to stop the bleeding that made her feel faint. Currently, the girls were stealthily going down a hallway to the command center of the ship to redo the coordinates for their plan.
"Doesn't this suck?" Sara whispered to Flora, who bent down so they could have a conversation. She didn't want Amber to hear. They were in the back with Amber taking point and Madison behind her. Even though she was upset, Madison was as alert as ever.
"Yes but I suppose that it's best that we left," Flora whispered back with remorse far too noticeable in her voice to tell it was a lie. Her eyes also betrayed her regret that encouraged Sara to go on with the faint argument.
"How? Look at Madison." Sara pointed to the female penguin. "She looks so upset."
"She always acting like this," Flora sighed.
"Yes, I know, but can't you just feel the sad essence around her?" Sara asked and gestured to Madison again.
"You can't feel essence and, even if you could, it doesn't really exist," Flora told her bluntly with a bored expression when she went back to her full height, where it was comfortable.
"Why don't you believe in magical things?" Sara inquired with hurt in her eyes.
Flora explained, "Because they're make believe. Childish fair tales." She was showing no regret in crushing Sara's dreams.
"They're not childish, and they're not fair tales!" Sara protested.
"And Private thinks there is a little gnome in the fridge that turns the lights on, and off." Flora rolled her eyes.
The little bird shouted angrily, "Don't bring Private into this!"
"Will you girls be quiet!" Amber snarled. "Someone might hear you two." The chatting penguins remained silent after that. "Flora, where is the control room?" Amber asked after a while. You had to know where your target was before real action took place.
"Um…" Flora tapped her beak thoughtfully. "I believe it's up ahead."
"Double time then," Amber ordered when she pointed to ahead of them. The others complied, and they started sliding on their bellies down the corridor with ease, mostly because of the recently cleaned floors.
"I believe that's the room," Flora announced as she matched Amber's speed.
"Alright, we're going to do this as delicately and stealthy as possible," Amber told them. They nodded in understanding. "Perfect." She smirked like the devil itself.
The captain of the ship was looking at the map so he could type in the coordinates to Antarctica. He was old looking, but he still had a youthful strength. He wore the classic blue vest, white jeans and a captain's hat to mark his authority. His skin was palish with hints of wrinkles. He had a large white parka nearby for when they reached Antarctica.
"Found the coordinates yet?" his assistant asked.
He shook his head. "Nah. These old eyes of mine are making it difficult. Maybe I should retire," the captain sighed.
"You should only retire when you don't have a breath left in you."
"That's what I'm afraid of," the Captain grumbled. The two men turned toward the door when they heard a razor sound coming from it. "What the-" the captain started.
The door completely fell over and in the doorway stood a crazed penguin with a chainsaw. It wore a red baseball cap backwards on its head and, just by looking at it, you could see pain, anger and an excited look in its eyes.
"Why is that penguin wearing a baseball hat?" the assistant asked.
"Is that what you're questioning? I would wonder why it has a chainsaw!" The Captain pointed to the penguin as it made it towards them threateningly. Just when the two people thought it couldn't get any worse, or crazy, three more penguins jumped into the room.
"What is wrong with these flightless birds?" the assistant screamed. Oh he shouldn't have done that.
"Flightless?" Amber started angrily. "Flightless? Flightless! You're calling us flightless pal? You can't fly either, so shut your trap! ATTACK!" Amber ordered with fiery rage. Sara went for the assistant while Amber went for the captain. Flora and Madison jumped to where the map was to find the proper coordinates.
Amber swiftly knocked out the captain with a whack on the back of his head. The assistant soon fell down on the ground, joining his captain.
"Nice hit," Amber praised.
"Thanks Amber." Sara smiled slightly at the praise.
"Now what do they have against penguins?" Amber asked Sara as they joined Flora and Madison at the map.
"Well we just-" Sara started, but Amber cut her off by saying, "Rhetorical question Sara."
"Right..." Sara muttered and slumped.
"Alright I got it!" Flora jumped off the map and went to the coordinate computer. "Alright let's see now. North-east penguin colony," Flora muttered to herself. She tapped in multiple numbers on the keyboard and, for a moment, she considered about changing course back to New York. She stopped typing for a second to consider it.
She would for sure get in trouble with Amber, and it wouldn't help anyone back home. If they were alive. She shuddered at a realization. Were they even alive? Months away with barely any source of food they couldn't get on their own. Their chance of their survival was very slim. It was doubtful that they had figured out how to fish out of their fear but it was still possible. That settled it. She had to go home and find out for herself. She started typing once more and pressed 'Enter' on the keyboard. The computer flashed the words 'OVERRIDE'. Flora jumped down and informed Amber of her success.
"Excellent. Now, I think we should do something about these two." Amber gestured two the unconscious men.
"Agreed," Flora responded, looking troubled. Madison raised her chainsaw with an evil glint in her eye.
Amber growled, "No murder on this mission." She scowled at the mute bird. Madison lowered the chainsaw with a dull, blank look on her face.
Sara and Flora stared at her, horrified. "You were thinking of murder?" Sara exclaimed. Madison shrugged and wandered off with a chainsaw being dragged off with her.
"Any ideas?" Amber asked the remaining females.
"How about we take these guys to the workman's lounge place? They'll think they got drunk or something," Flora suggested. Amber smiled in approval and nodded for them to do so.
Flora grunted as she pulled the assistant with Sara's help. Amber took the captain and easily dragged him out of the room with her strength.
"Show off!" Sara laughed lightly. Flora, Sara, and Amber took the men to the lounge room and set them up on chairs. And, just for good measure, they put empty bear glasses around, even putting one in the captain's hand to be all the more convincing.
"Perfecto." Amber smiled in approval. "Go to the cargo hold and do what you want as long as you're quiet," she told them sternly. "I'm going to have a look around this puppy."
Before Sara and Flora could say anything or object, she ran out of the room and they were left alone.
"We might as well go now, before these people wake up," Flora suggested. Sara nodded nervously in agreement. The two penguins jumped off the table they were on and exited the room. They waddled down the corridor until they found the door leading to the cargo hold. They jumped into the room and were greeted with boxes and crates.
Madison was laying on her back, on a box, with her head hanging upside down, staring at the door. She gave a small smile to them and waved slightly, the chainsaw out of sight. Flora and Sara returned the smile and came over toward her.
"I miss the guys already," Sara admitted sadly. Flora and Sara settled down next to Madison and leaned on the staked crates.
"You're not the only one," Flora muttered. Madison nodded her head in an awkward looking way. She got up and sat next to Flora on her right. Sara got up from Flora's left and waddled to Madison. She whispered something to her that Flora couldn't hear. Madison offered a smirk and pulled out her recorder with a look of smugness.
Flora cocked a brow when Madison began flipping through her many tracks. She gave Flora a sly smile as she pressed the button to a familiar song. Flora grinned, knowing where she and Sara were going with the music.
Flora cleared her throat and began to sing. Her voice was somewhat angelic, one that usually worked with sad or love songs. But she also had a knack for more traditional and tribal songs as well. "Grew up in a small town and when the rain would fall down I'd just stare out my window..." she sung with a haze of sadness in her eyes. "Dreaming of what could be and if I'd end up happy...I would pray..."
"I would pray..." Sara drawled out quietly .
"Trying hard to reach out but when I tried to speak out..." Flora shook her head and Sara swayed with her when they sang, "felt like no one could hear me..."
"Wanted to belong here." Flora made a gesture that made Madison think she was talking about Antarctica. "But something felt so wrong here, so I prayed..."
"I would pray," Sara sang quietly and swiveled her head when she heard a noise coming from the door to the cargo hold.
"I could break away..." Flora sang just as quiet.
Amber walked in, having heard the music and, too everyone's surprise, started singing by herself.
"I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly!" Amber's voice came loudly into their hearing with a voice that seemed to be trained and experienced for singing. "I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky!" She smirked at them when she flipped onto the crate they were on. "And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change and breakaway! Out of the darkness and into the sun!" The look Amber gave them when she sung, "But I won't forget all the ones that I love!" seemed to have told them a story. "I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change and breakaway..."
Flora's gaping beak slowly closed and formed a confident smile from the idea that Amber understood what they were going through more then they had thought. "Wanna feel the warm breeze, sleep under a palm tree," the brown feathered penguin sang.
"Feel the rush of the ocean," the three drawled out together. "Get onboard a fast train, travel on a jet plane, far away..."
"I will break..." Sara sang.
"And breakaway..." Amber and Flora sang in harmony. Madison smiled faintly at them. They sang really well together. If only she could join them. Madison's smile went a little bigger when Sara joined in.
"I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly!" they sang loudly together as they got the right key and were in perfect sync with each other and the music that came from Madison's recorder. "I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky! And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change and breakaway!"
Flora's eyes glistened from tears that threatened to possibly come down at the thought of Kowalski but that didn't stop her from singing with her friends. "Out of the darkness and into the sun, but I won't forget all the ones that I love..." No one could stop the thoughts of the penguins that had allowed them to stay in their home.
Gratefulness came into their souls that gave their singing more gusto. "Gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change and breakaway."
"Buildings with a hundred floors swinging around revolving doors," Amber sung, reminding her of Las Vegas. "Maybe I don't know where they'll take me but gotta keep moving on, moving on."
Sara's eyes flashed with some renewed happiness. "Fly away, breakaway!"
"I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly!" They're voices brought passion to the music which made Madison appear mesmerized. "Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye!"
"I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change and breakaway!" Amber's voice brought a new thing to the music, her own flavor suited the song better then most would expect.
"Out of the darkness and into the sun!" The three gestured to above them, eyes shining and all. "But I won't forget the place I come from. I gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change and breakaway, breakaway, breakaway…" They concluded as they drawled at the words slowly, with their emotions put in every word.
Madison clapped vigorously. She had a little smirk on her face as her friends smiled back at her applauding. Amber, Flora and Sara took an amused bow.
"You two are really good!" Sara complimented; Madison nodded in agreement.
"Thanks," Amber and Flora chorused.
The female penguins' then sat down in silence.
Flora decided to ask a question that was prodding her brain. "Amber," she began hesitantly. "Do you think they're even alive?" Flora asked, implying the penguins' at their old colony.
Amber narrowed her eyes at the intellectual. "What makes you ask that?" she responded.
"It's just that…we've been gone for months now. Don't you think that they would have died from… you know…" Flora trailed off.
"Starvation?" Sara finished for Flora, with worry making her voice quiver.
Amber closed her eyes and took a large intake of air. After a moment, she opened her eyes back up. "Yes," she answered simply.
Flora's eyes grew from their usual size. "Do you think they're dead?" she blurted. Madison growled at her for even thinking that, Sara gave a whimper at the thought, and Amber glared at her. It wasn't something she should have said.
"I doubt they're dead," Amber denied.
"But-" Flora tried to argue but was cut off.
"No buts. They're not dead. Case closed."
Flora sighed, "Alright." She rolled her eyes in their sockets.
"How do you think the guys are doing?" Sara asked thoughtfully, staring up at the ceiling.
"We just left them, I'm sure they're fine," Amber grumbled. "Just get some sleep. It's late."
"Goodnight Amber," Flora and Sara mumbled. Madison just grunted, and they all closed their eyes for sleep. All except Amber, who kept a wary eye on the door to the cargo room. I hope they're all safe. The colony...and the guys.
The song is Breakaway from Kelly Clarkson. A short chapter for my standards. I hope you like my story so far. I appreciate the reviews, even if it has a little bit of criticism in it. But don't whack me with anything!
Skipper: You should.
Amber: It might knock some sense into her.
Me: I got sense, and I know what I'm doing. I can make everyone get eaten by leopard seals!
Kowalski: *Screams like a little girl*
Me: That's priceless every time...Ok review and please send virtual chocolate!