Chapter 5: Not All Good


{Foggle Towers} Later that day

"Hey Cindy, thanks for coming over." Logan greeted her soberly. "She's in the bedroom...hasn't come out yet. I have some calls to make, so I'll be around."

"No problem." Cindy replied, started to the bedroom. Knocking once to announce herself, she entered, not bothering to wait for an answer.

"Hey boo." Cindy said softly, to the prone Max.

The trembling reply could barely be heard "Cindy." Max said softly, sitting up on the bed, weeping.

"It'll be alright Max. Come here." Cindy sat down next to her on the bed. Trying to pull Max into a hug, she asked, "What happened?"

This brought on another wail from Max, but she tried to answer. Her voice wavering, she said, "We were in the park, and I saw my paper..." *sniff* "...had blown all over, so I went to pick it up. I turned my back for just a minute. She was gone. Oh God Cindy, she's gone!" Max broke down, finally allowing Cindy to pull her into a hug.

"Oh boo, I'm so sorry..." she didn't know what to say, so she simply hugged her. Trying to give her strength. They sat that way for 15 minutes or so, until Max's tears dried for the moment. Cindy pulled away slowly, wiping away her own tears as Max lay back down, completely silent now.

"Max?" Cindy asked tentatively. There was no reply. She had fallen asleep, or seemed it, curled up in a fetal position. Cindy quietly settled Max against the pillows and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Logan was still on the phone with the police when Cindy went looking for him.

"...fax us a recent picture of her. We'll do all we can to find her."

"Thank you officer." Hanging up the phone, Logan sighed, and rubbed his face in despair. ((what now? Think Logan, think. You can't fall apart too.)) Getting an idea, he began typing furiously at the keyboard...

Cindy left him to whatever he was doing, and made herself comfortable. After calling Kendra to let her know what had happened, and Sketchy and Herbal at work, she had made some tea and tried to persuade Max to drink some. Max barley even opened her eyes when Cindy entered. She tried to get her to drink, but to no avail. Sighing deeply, Cindy set it on the bedside table and left the room once again.

Kendra was on her way there, and Herbal and Sketchy would be coming by after work. Sooner, if Normal stopped 'bip bip bipping' and let them off early. Bling was already with Logan in his computer room, helping him do...something. She didn't know what. Once more she sighed, and leaned back on the couch. Herbal's often spoken phrase, "It's all good, all de time." popped into her head. It was definitely Not all good, all the time. For real, for sure.


end of chapter 5