CHAPTER 2
In ten minutes, Arnold heard the blaring of the ambulance's siren pulling up to the boarding house. Helga was still knocked out. Thank goodness she had been, because she would have fainted anyway because, driving the ambulance, sat her obnoxiously perfect older sister, Olga. When she saw her sister, she rushed to her side, loaded Helga into the van, and stepped on it to the hospital. Her partner tried to make conversation with Arnold, who was numb with shock. Was it his fault that Helga was in the ambulance instead of enjoying summer?
When the vehicle reached Our Lady of Nausea Hospital, Arnold continued to stay by her side. When she came to, Arnold called the Patakis and told them about their daughter. Her loving parents then came to be by her side and Arnold caught a bus home. On the way home, Arnold wondered if it was his fault. Should he have warned her? Could Arnold have told his Grandma to stop? How would Helga react?
On the way home from the bus stop, Arnold ran into Pheobe. She was hysterical. "I heard Helga had a concussion. Is it true?" she asked.
"Yes," Arnold answered.
"Oh my God!" Pheobe cried and took off running to the bus station.
The next day, Arnold recieved many phone calls. Nasty phone calls, stuff like "You're gonna die tomorrow. You hurt our friend." Then, Gerald called him up.
"Hey Arnold!" he said.
"What now, Gerald?" Arnold asked.
"All the girls in the neighborhood are sayin' they're gonna put us in our place. Today I saw a huge pile of water balloons in the old, abandoned lot. They're gonna get us, Arnold! We must prepare for war. Helga got out of the hospital, too. She's the leader." Gerald explained the situation further, "This is going to be war! Get out your super soakers and buy water balloons. Oh, and the boys elected you leader. Good luck!"