Disclaimer: as everyone already knows the Mighty Ducks belong to Disney and
I own nothing. Don't sue me please, because I don't have any money. If I
had any do you think that I'd be going to college?
A/N: Okay I know it's been forever since I last updated, but I have a really good excuse. Um lets see. a good excuse. when I think of one, I'll tell you. ^-^ I'm just kidding. I've been really busy with school. Instructors just seem to know when everyone else in the world is giving an exam and they all schedule all the tests on one day! I just can't wait till finals week, I'm dead! Enough complaining about my problems, I've got a juicy one just waiting for you to read and enjoy. Please let me know what you think. Any constructive criticism is great. Flame me and I'll cry. But hey that's okay because the pen is mightier then the sword. MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I always get even! Oh yeah and thanks to all of you who reviewed. This and all my fics are for those who love to read them. So without further adieu the fic at hand.
I didn't mean to
By Silver Elf Child
The gun went off! Mallory couldn't believe it. She accidentally pulled the trigger. But she had and the smoking gun in her hand was proof enough.
"What the Hell!" exclaimed Sargent Ecoy.
Mallory looked up in astonishment, and saw the full force of what she had done. Mitch peeked his head out from behind the patrician and looked at his little sister, to his father and Sargent Ecoy, and then back again.
"Mallory what did you do?" he asked.
"I.I.I." she mumbled.
Her whole body had gone numb at the consequences of her actions. Her brother Chip stood over their father, who had fallen to his knees. He was staring at his mid section, which was bleeding profusely from where Mallory had shot him. He looked up at Mallory with blank eyes. Mallory couldn't help but stare at those eyes. Those eyes that always were full of life and love had gone dead. Dead as the gun in her hand. Dead as the ice on the street, dead. Dead! That's all she could think about.Dead!
"Mallory" her father said weakly as he held out his hand toward her.
"Da. Da.. Daddy" she whispered.
"Mitch get her!" Sargent Ecoy ordered.
Mallory snapped out of her trance at the hash words. She knew she was in for it now. She had just shot the general of the Puckworld army. That was treason and punishable by death! The army was going to court marshal her, find her guilty, and put her to death! Mallory couldn't let that happen. Tears were streaming down her face. She wanted to run up to her father and make the wound just disappear, but she knew if she did they would take her away and lock her up in prison. She didn't want to be put into a dirty cold jail cell filled with rats and cockroaches. She wanted to be safe at home in her daddy's arms. She was scared and she didn't know what to do. Sargent Ecoy again barked his order at Mitch "Get her!" Oh no they were going to put her in jail, she couldn't let that happen. Mommy would know what to do, so Mallory bolted. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. She ran down the corridor, the stairs, and out the door into the pavilion. She didn't notice all the soldiers, she ignored the perfection of the formations, she had to run and run she did. She ran until she felt like her chest was going to explode.
***
"Quickly go after her!" Sargent Ecoy ordered Mitch.
"But my dad."
"I'll be fine, get your sister." The General said as he tried to get to his feet.
"Dad wait till the medics get here" Chip said as he tried to help his father.
"Get her Mitch she's scared. She might hurt herself." The General pleaded.
"O.okay" Mitch said before he was gone.
"Go with him Marvin."
"I won't leave you sir."
"Please Marvin, Chip here can help me. I don't want Mallory out there by herself. She still has the gun!"
Sargent Ecoy looked up and saw the gun missing. *Damn! She took the gun with her* He thought. "I'll bring her right back sir."
"Good. Now hurry!"
As Sargent Ecoy ran he thought to himself *she couldn't have gotten far.*
***
Mallory had to stop to catch her breath. She lifted her right hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. The GUN! She still had it. *Stupid gun* she thought as she threw the gun. She didn't even think of the consequences of the action until it was too late. When the gun it the ground it went off.
"AHHHH" she screamed as she ducked.
***
"Mal!" Mitch screamed when he heard the gun go off.
"It sounded like it was from over there," Sargent Ecoy said pointing in the direction the gunfire came.
"Marvin!"
"I know she had the gun."
"What if she?"
"No, she's fine. She's just scared. We've just got to find her and quick."
The two race off toward where they heard the gun shot.
***
Mallory looked up. No one was near her, and the gun lay several feet in front of her smoking on the ground.
"Daddy I didn't mean to" she whispered as she wiped away a tear. Another drop fell on her beak. Wait a minute. That's not right. How could this be? She looked up another drop landed on her face. The clouds! It was starting to rain. Mallory tried to hide in an alcove to stay dry. Hopefully no one would be able to find her.
"Mallory!"
*Oh no, it's Mitch! He's going to find me and take me back.*
"Mallory come back."
*Sargent Ecoy! He's with Mitch. There going to get me.*
"Look Marvin the gun!"
Mallory jumped. The motion caught Mitch's eye. " Mallory?"
Mallory took off like a bolt of lightning.
"Mallory stop, come back!" Mitch called after her.
Mallory ran as fast as she could. She knew it was no use. Mitch could easily catch up with her. She was hoping that the rain would slow him down. And she was right it did, but it also slowed her down too. The dirt street was now mud and that made it harder for her to run. The mud sucked her down like quicksand. She slipped in a mud puddle, but quickly got to her feet and turned a corner. Squish squish squish her boots sounded off with every step. The mud was making it harder to run, so Mallory slowed down to a quick walk. The suction made between her shoes and the mud pulled her down and drained her already fleeting energy and will power.
"Mallory!"
Mitch was getting closer and she was running out of time. She tired to run again, but it was no use. She didn't have the energy left. She was so tired. Maybe if she could shake him off her trail she might have a chance. She ducked behind a dumpster in an ally.
"Mallory!"
Mitch ran past the alley. *Yes it worked! He can't catch me now.* Mallory thought. She went to leave the ally, but couldn't her foot was stuck. She pulled and pulled, but it wasn't coming. She took off her shoes and ran for it. She darted out of the ally and across the open pavilion. Mallory slipped again and fell "Oww".
Mitch turned to see Mallory lying in a mud puddle. "Mal!"
Mallory turned to look and saw Mitch coming at her. She quickly got to her feet and ran. She was running like a scared blind animal with no course or aim. She blindly rounded corners and dodged soldiers in her way. By now Mallory was no longer the General's cute little girl. She was a sloppy, soggy, muddy child. She had lost both hair ribbons and her right pigtail. No one could have told if she was a girl or a boy under all that mud. Mallory didn't care about how she looked all she cared about was the fact that Mitch was closing in and soon he would be hauling her back for punishment. She kept looking over her shoulder as she ran to check the distance between herself and her brother. Mallory slipped, but quickly caught herself. She kept running without thinking about looking in front of her to see where she was going. If only she had done so then she wouldn't have
BAM! Ran into Sargent Ecoy. Mallory fell to the ground unconscious. Sargent Ecoy picked her up out of the mud puddle that she fell in as Mitch came running up.
"Marvin!" Mitch huffed out of breath.
"Mitch help me."
Marvin was cradling Mallory in his arms feeling for a pulse. "Come on Sweetheart wake up."
"What happened?" Mitch asked still gasping for air.
"She ran into me."
"She's famous for that."
"Mitch stop clowning around and help me."
"With what? We caught her."
"She's not breathing."
"What?"
"Mitch, she's not breathing."
"Marvin do something."
"I'm trying."
Sargent Ecoy starts to perform CPR on Mallory, but for some reason she was not responding.
"Marvin!"
"She's breathing."
Mitch gave a sigh of relief "Marvin, why isn't she waking up?"
"I don't know, we'd had better get her to the infirmary."
Mallory awoke in the infirmary a few hours later. Her mother was by her bedside holding her hand. Mitch was holding her other hand.
"Mommy." Mallory said in a weak voice.
"Oh baby your all right." Mrs. McMallard sighed before she kissed Mallory's forehead.
"Mommy" Mallory sobbed "I didn't mean to."
"It's okay Mal" Mitch told her, "Everything's all right."
Mallory crawled out from under the covers and practically threw herself into her brother's arms.
"It's okay Mal, it's okay. I promise you everything will be all right."
Mallory sobbed into her brother's chest and didn't notice that Chip and Sargent Ecoy had entered the room.
"How's she doing?"
"She's fine Sargent. How's Mike?"
"He's out of surgery. The doctor said it went smoothly."
"When can we see him?"
"Not until he wakes up. I'd say not until tomorrow to be safe."
Chip sat on the bed next to Mitch and stroked Mallory's red hair.
"Hey munchkin, how ya feelin'?"
Mallory looked up at Chip, who gave her an awkward smile before he wiped away a tear.
"Dad's okay Mal. The doctors say he'll be fine."
Mallory smiled at Chip before snuggling closer to Mitch and fell to sleep. Mitch smiled at his brother; "she's really not all that bad. .. Once you get use to her of course." The two brothers hover over their little sister and stroke her face. Chip plays with her hair a bit and Mitch rocks her back and forth.
"How are you Lori?" Marvin asked.
"I'm fine, a little shaken, but fine."
***
Mallory and her family spent the night at the hospital. The three McMallard children slept in the same bed. Neither brother wanted to be separated from their little sister. Several times during the night Mallory awoke crying. She was reliving the day's events over and over again in her mind. Each time she cried out her brother's would jump up to the rescue and hold her till the tears subsided. For Mitch this was the hardest thing he had ever done. He had never cared before if Mallory was scared or not. He had never had to calm her down before; Chip always did that. But tonight she clung to him for dear life and it was up to him to keep her company and chase away the bad dreams.
***
The next morning the McMallard Family was allowed to see the General.
"I don't wanna go," cried Mallory as she struggled to stay in bed. Her efforts were futile against her determined mother.
"But Mallory you have to go see your father."
"No, I don't wanna."
"Mallory Marie McMallard, you will go see your father and that's final!"
Mallory fell to the floor crying. Mitch gently scooped her up and carried her to their fathers' hospital room. General McMallard was sitting up in his hospital bed reading a book on military strategy. He had an IV catheter in his right arm. He looked up when his family entered the room.
"Hey dad!" Chip called.
Mallory instantly reacted to her brother's voice and tried to make her escape. She started to wiggle her way out of Mitch's arms. The actions were useless, but none the less she attempted to free herself so she could run back to her room and hide. Mrs. McMallard approached her husbands' bedside and kissed him on his forehead. As she pulled away he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to give her a kiss full on the beak.
"Eww."
"Gross."
Mrs. McMallard smiles at her children as the General laughs at their reactions. Chip walks up next and holds his dads' hand. The General looks at Mallory, who is still trying to escape, and asks, "where's my princess? Don't tell me that she doesn't want to see me."
Mallory looks up and sees her dad. In an instant she knows that he's joking and will be fine just like Mitch said he would be. "Daddy!"
Mallory jumps out of Mitch's arms and onto the bed. "Daddy I'm sorry" she sobbed as she clutched to his chest.
The General suppresses a cry of pain from the pressure Mallory was putting on his chest. Instead he pulls her closer and enfolds her with his arms. He rocks her back and forth and strokes her face.
"It's okay baby, it's okay. Next time don't touch the gun unless I tell you to."
Mallory nods her head as she wiped her eyes.
"There there now, why cry princess your okay. Everything's all right."
"But it hurts." Mallory sobbed as she pointed to her chest.
The General kissed her, "see, now all better."
Mallory smiles at her father. He turns his eyes from Mal to the rest of his family. Mrs. McMallard was glaring at him.
"What?"
"There won't be a next time Mike."
"Oh Lori, of course there will be a next time. She's got a great eye! She hit both of her targets."
"And they would have been?" Lori states in an angry tone.
"The target and me."
"That's not funny Mike."
"Oh Lori, lighten up. I'm fine."
"But I'm not."
The General's smile fades "You didn't"
"No, I didn't, but I could have Mike. You two gave me the scare of my life."
"What did Mallory do?"
"She was in the hospital yesterday."
"What!"
"She passed out on the street yesterday. The doctor says she was exhausted and dehydrated. She's fine now."
The General pulled Mallory closer to him. He nuzzles her cheek and she giggles. He takes his index finger and traces her beak and points at her eyes. She laughs as he makes circles in the air before he tickles her.
"Dad we almost lost her." Mitch finally says.
Mrs. McMallard casts him an angry glance as his father gives him a puzzled look.
"That's enough Mitch!"
"No, I want to know what happened."
"She ran into Marv. I mean Sargent Ecoy. When I got to them she wasn't breathing. The Sargent revived her."
"Now do you see why I'm upset with you Mike. I almost lost both of you yesterday."
"Maybe we should wait till you are a little older Mallory before we try to do this again. I think you need a little more instruction on safety."
Mallory hadn't heard him. She was sound asleep in his arms. The McMallard family gathered closer and each gave the sleeping Mallory a kiss. Three days later General McMallard was released from the hospital. Mallory was not court marshaled and she was not put in prison with the rats and cockroaches. Instead her punishment was no candy, ice cream, or cartoons for a week. Of course Mitch would sneak her a bite or two of his candy and ice cream. As soon as everyone's wounds were healed Mallory had to go through an intense gun safety course. As we all know Mal Mal grew up to be a red-hot weapons specialist with a fiery temper. So don't piss her off, she totes a puck blaster. Fortunately for Nosedive, Mal vowed that day that she would never fire on someone she loved ever again, even if they annoyed her. (You don't have to be IN love with someone to love them. For example parents, siblings, and friends.)
I hope you liked Mal's tale. Guns are not toys, they are weapons and very dangerous. Here's how I know, first a boy whom my little sister knew in high school was shot and killed on campus. He was in special ed. and had brought his Dad's gun to school to show a friend. The gun accidentally went off. He died; thank God no one else was hurt. Second when I was about one years old (or in my case one years young) a neighbor was playing with his dads gun in the backyard (which is illegal in city limits) one day after he was suspended from school for fighting. My mom had just sat me down to feed me and closed the backsliding glass door. Next thing she knew bullets came flying through our back windows. I almost had a bullet straight through the back of my head. There still is a bullet hole in one window and the bullet is still in the wall. Come on over one day and I'll show it to you. It's a small reminder that life is very precious and we shouldn't take it for granted. I was almost an innocent victim of gun violence. I plead, beg, request, and ask you, that if you own a gun please follow the 10 gun safety rules. If you don't know what they are you can get a copy at the NRA's web site. I hate guns and I don't approve of them, but I do respect them. Once again be safe and don't let things you have no control over rule you lives. Remember to love one another and live your life to the fullest. I'm going to go play some hockey right now, and probably go take my parents out to dinner. (of course they are paying) stay safe, smile, live, laugh, love.
Silver Elf Child.
A/N: Okay I know it's been forever since I last updated, but I have a really good excuse. Um lets see. a good excuse. when I think of one, I'll tell you. ^-^ I'm just kidding. I've been really busy with school. Instructors just seem to know when everyone else in the world is giving an exam and they all schedule all the tests on one day! I just can't wait till finals week, I'm dead! Enough complaining about my problems, I've got a juicy one just waiting for you to read and enjoy. Please let me know what you think. Any constructive criticism is great. Flame me and I'll cry. But hey that's okay because the pen is mightier then the sword. MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I always get even! Oh yeah and thanks to all of you who reviewed. This and all my fics are for those who love to read them. So without further adieu the fic at hand.
I didn't mean to
By Silver Elf Child
The gun went off! Mallory couldn't believe it. She accidentally pulled the trigger. But she had and the smoking gun in her hand was proof enough.
"What the Hell!" exclaimed Sargent Ecoy.
Mallory looked up in astonishment, and saw the full force of what she had done. Mitch peeked his head out from behind the patrician and looked at his little sister, to his father and Sargent Ecoy, and then back again.
"Mallory what did you do?" he asked.
"I.I.I." she mumbled.
Her whole body had gone numb at the consequences of her actions. Her brother Chip stood over their father, who had fallen to his knees. He was staring at his mid section, which was bleeding profusely from where Mallory had shot him. He looked up at Mallory with blank eyes. Mallory couldn't help but stare at those eyes. Those eyes that always were full of life and love had gone dead. Dead as the gun in her hand. Dead as the ice on the street, dead. Dead! That's all she could think about.Dead!
"Mallory" her father said weakly as he held out his hand toward her.
"Da. Da.. Daddy" she whispered.
"Mitch get her!" Sargent Ecoy ordered.
Mallory snapped out of her trance at the hash words. She knew she was in for it now. She had just shot the general of the Puckworld army. That was treason and punishable by death! The army was going to court marshal her, find her guilty, and put her to death! Mallory couldn't let that happen. Tears were streaming down her face. She wanted to run up to her father and make the wound just disappear, but she knew if she did they would take her away and lock her up in prison. She didn't want to be put into a dirty cold jail cell filled with rats and cockroaches. She wanted to be safe at home in her daddy's arms. She was scared and she didn't know what to do. Sargent Ecoy again barked his order at Mitch "Get her!" Oh no they were going to put her in jail, she couldn't let that happen. Mommy would know what to do, so Mallory bolted. She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. She ran down the corridor, the stairs, and out the door into the pavilion. She didn't notice all the soldiers, she ignored the perfection of the formations, she had to run and run she did. She ran until she felt like her chest was going to explode.
***
"Quickly go after her!" Sargent Ecoy ordered Mitch.
"But my dad."
"I'll be fine, get your sister." The General said as he tried to get to his feet.
"Dad wait till the medics get here" Chip said as he tried to help his father.
"Get her Mitch she's scared. She might hurt herself." The General pleaded.
"O.okay" Mitch said before he was gone.
"Go with him Marvin."
"I won't leave you sir."
"Please Marvin, Chip here can help me. I don't want Mallory out there by herself. She still has the gun!"
Sargent Ecoy looked up and saw the gun missing. *Damn! She took the gun with her* He thought. "I'll bring her right back sir."
"Good. Now hurry!"
As Sargent Ecoy ran he thought to himself *she couldn't have gotten far.*
***
Mallory had to stop to catch her breath. She lifted her right hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. The GUN! She still had it. *Stupid gun* she thought as she threw the gun. She didn't even think of the consequences of the action until it was too late. When the gun it the ground it went off.
"AHHHH" she screamed as she ducked.
***
"Mal!" Mitch screamed when he heard the gun go off.
"It sounded like it was from over there," Sargent Ecoy said pointing in the direction the gunfire came.
"Marvin!"
"I know she had the gun."
"What if she?"
"No, she's fine. She's just scared. We've just got to find her and quick."
The two race off toward where they heard the gun shot.
***
Mallory looked up. No one was near her, and the gun lay several feet in front of her smoking on the ground.
"Daddy I didn't mean to" she whispered as she wiped away a tear. Another drop fell on her beak. Wait a minute. That's not right. How could this be? She looked up another drop landed on her face. The clouds! It was starting to rain. Mallory tried to hide in an alcove to stay dry. Hopefully no one would be able to find her.
"Mallory!"
*Oh no, it's Mitch! He's going to find me and take me back.*
"Mallory come back."
*Sargent Ecoy! He's with Mitch. There going to get me.*
"Look Marvin the gun!"
Mallory jumped. The motion caught Mitch's eye. " Mallory?"
Mallory took off like a bolt of lightning.
"Mallory stop, come back!" Mitch called after her.
Mallory ran as fast as she could. She knew it was no use. Mitch could easily catch up with her. She was hoping that the rain would slow him down. And she was right it did, but it also slowed her down too. The dirt street was now mud and that made it harder for her to run. The mud sucked her down like quicksand. She slipped in a mud puddle, but quickly got to her feet and turned a corner. Squish squish squish her boots sounded off with every step. The mud was making it harder to run, so Mallory slowed down to a quick walk. The suction made between her shoes and the mud pulled her down and drained her already fleeting energy and will power.
"Mallory!"
Mitch was getting closer and she was running out of time. She tired to run again, but it was no use. She didn't have the energy left. She was so tired. Maybe if she could shake him off her trail she might have a chance. She ducked behind a dumpster in an ally.
"Mallory!"
Mitch ran past the alley. *Yes it worked! He can't catch me now.* Mallory thought. She went to leave the ally, but couldn't her foot was stuck. She pulled and pulled, but it wasn't coming. She took off her shoes and ran for it. She darted out of the ally and across the open pavilion. Mallory slipped again and fell "Oww".
Mitch turned to see Mallory lying in a mud puddle. "Mal!"
Mallory turned to look and saw Mitch coming at her. She quickly got to her feet and ran. She was running like a scared blind animal with no course or aim. She blindly rounded corners and dodged soldiers in her way. By now Mallory was no longer the General's cute little girl. She was a sloppy, soggy, muddy child. She had lost both hair ribbons and her right pigtail. No one could have told if she was a girl or a boy under all that mud. Mallory didn't care about how she looked all she cared about was the fact that Mitch was closing in and soon he would be hauling her back for punishment. She kept looking over her shoulder as she ran to check the distance between herself and her brother. Mallory slipped, but quickly caught herself. She kept running without thinking about looking in front of her to see where she was going. If only she had done so then she wouldn't have
BAM! Ran into Sargent Ecoy. Mallory fell to the ground unconscious. Sargent Ecoy picked her up out of the mud puddle that she fell in as Mitch came running up.
"Marvin!" Mitch huffed out of breath.
"Mitch help me."
Marvin was cradling Mallory in his arms feeling for a pulse. "Come on Sweetheart wake up."
"What happened?" Mitch asked still gasping for air.
"She ran into me."
"She's famous for that."
"Mitch stop clowning around and help me."
"With what? We caught her."
"She's not breathing."
"What?"
"Mitch, she's not breathing."
"Marvin do something."
"I'm trying."
Sargent Ecoy starts to perform CPR on Mallory, but for some reason she was not responding.
"Marvin!"
"She's breathing."
Mitch gave a sigh of relief "Marvin, why isn't she waking up?"
"I don't know, we'd had better get her to the infirmary."
Mallory awoke in the infirmary a few hours later. Her mother was by her bedside holding her hand. Mitch was holding her other hand.
"Mommy." Mallory said in a weak voice.
"Oh baby your all right." Mrs. McMallard sighed before she kissed Mallory's forehead.
"Mommy" Mallory sobbed "I didn't mean to."
"It's okay Mal" Mitch told her, "Everything's all right."
Mallory crawled out from under the covers and practically threw herself into her brother's arms.
"It's okay Mal, it's okay. I promise you everything will be all right."
Mallory sobbed into her brother's chest and didn't notice that Chip and Sargent Ecoy had entered the room.
"How's she doing?"
"She's fine Sargent. How's Mike?"
"He's out of surgery. The doctor said it went smoothly."
"When can we see him?"
"Not until he wakes up. I'd say not until tomorrow to be safe."
Chip sat on the bed next to Mitch and stroked Mallory's red hair.
"Hey munchkin, how ya feelin'?"
Mallory looked up at Chip, who gave her an awkward smile before he wiped away a tear.
"Dad's okay Mal. The doctors say he'll be fine."
Mallory smiled at Chip before snuggling closer to Mitch and fell to sleep. Mitch smiled at his brother; "she's really not all that bad. .. Once you get use to her of course." The two brothers hover over their little sister and stroke her face. Chip plays with her hair a bit and Mitch rocks her back and forth.
"How are you Lori?" Marvin asked.
"I'm fine, a little shaken, but fine."
***
Mallory and her family spent the night at the hospital. The three McMallard children slept in the same bed. Neither brother wanted to be separated from their little sister. Several times during the night Mallory awoke crying. She was reliving the day's events over and over again in her mind. Each time she cried out her brother's would jump up to the rescue and hold her till the tears subsided. For Mitch this was the hardest thing he had ever done. He had never cared before if Mallory was scared or not. He had never had to calm her down before; Chip always did that. But tonight she clung to him for dear life and it was up to him to keep her company and chase away the bad dreams.
***
The next morning the McMallard Family was allowed to see the General.
"I don't wanna go," cried Mallory as she struggled to stay in bed. Her efforts were futile against her determined mother.
"But Mallory you have to go see your father."
"No, I don't wanna."
"Mallory Marie McMallard, you will go see your father and that's final!"
Mallory fell to the floor crying. Mitch gently scooped her up and carried her to their fathers' hospital room. General McMallard was sitting up in his hospital bed reading a book on military strategy. He had an IV catheter in his right arm. He looked up when his family entered the room.
"Hey dad!" Chip called.
Mallory instantly reacted to her brother's voice and tried to make her escape. She started to wiggle her way out of Mitch's arms. The actions were useless, but none the less she attempted to free herself so she could run back to her room and hide. Mrs. McMallard approached her husbands' bedside and kissed him on his forehead. As she pulled away he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to give her a kiss full on the beak.
"Eww."
"Gross."
Mrs. McMallard smiles at her children as the General laughs at their reactions. Chip walks up next and holds his dads' hand. The General looks at Mallory, who is still trying to escape, and asks, "where's my princess? Don't tell me that she doesn't want to see me."
Mallory looks up and sees her dad. In an instant she knows that he's joking and will be fine just like Mitch said he would be. "Daddy!"
Mallory jumps out of Mitch's arms and onto the bed. "Daddy I'm sorry" she sobbed as she clutched to his chest.
The General suppresses a cry of pain from the pressure Mallory was putting on his chest. Instead he pulls her closer and enfolds her with his arms. He rocks her back and forth and strokes her face.
"It's okay baby, it's okay. Next time don't touch the gun unless I tell you to."
Mallory nods her head as she wiped her eyes.
"There there now, why cry princess your okay. Everything's all right."
"But it hurts." Mallory sobbed as she pointed to her chest.
The General kissed her, "see, now all better."
Mallory smiles at her father. He turns his eyes from Mal to the rest of his family. Mrs. McMallard was glaring at him.
"What?"
"There won't be a next time Mike."
"Oh Lori, of course there will be a next time. She's got a great eye! She hit both of her targets."
"And they would have been?" Lori states in an angry tone.
"The target and me."
"That's not funny Mike."
"Oh Lori, lighten up. I'm fine."
"But I'm not."
The General's smile fades "You didn't"
"No, I didn't, but I could have Mike. You two gave me the scare of my life."
"What did Mallory do?"
"She was in the hospital yesterday."
"What!"
"She passed out on the street yesterday. The doctor says she was exhausted and dehydrated. She's fine now."
The General pulled Mallory closer to him. He nuzzles her cheek and she giggles. He takes his index finger and traces her beak and points at her eyes. She laughs as he makes circles in the air before he tickles her.
"Dad we almost lost her." Mitch finally says.
Mrs. McMallard casts him an angry glance as his father gives him a puzzled look.
"That's enough Mitch!"
"No, I want to know what happened."
"She ran into Marv. I mean Sargent Ecoy. When I got to them she wasn't breathing. The Sargent revived her."
"Now do you see why I'm upset with you Mike. I almost lost both of you yesterday."
"Maybe we should wait till you are a little older Mallory before we try to do this again. I think you need a little more instruction on safety."
Mallory hadn't heard him. She was sound asleep in his arms. The McMallard family gathered closer and each gave the sleeping Mallory a kiss. Three days later General McMallard was released from the hospital. Mallory was not court marshaled and she was not put in prison with the rats and cockroaches. Instead her punishment was no candy, ice cream, or cartoons for a week. Of course Mitch would sneak her a bite or two of his candy and ice cream. As soon as everyone's wounds were healed Mallory had to go through an intense gun safety course. As we all know Mal Mal grew up to be a red-hot weapons specialist with a fiery temper. So don't piss her off, she totes a puck blaster. Fortunately for Nosedive, Mal vowed that day that she would never fire on someone she loved ever again, even if they annoyed her. (You don't have to be IN love with someone to love them. For example parents, siblings, and friends.)
I hope you liked Mal's tale. Guns are not toys, they are weapons and very dangerous. Here's how I know, first a boy whom my little sister knew in high school was shot and killed on campus. He was in special ed. and had brought his Dad's gun to school to show a friend. The gun accidentally went off. He died; thank God no one else was hurt. Second when I was about one years old (or in my case one years young) a neighbor was playing with his dads gun in the backyard (which is illegal in city limits) one day after he was suspended from school for fighting. My mom had just sat me down to feed me and closed the backsliding glass door. Next thing she knew bullets came flying through our back windows. I almost had a bullet straight through the back of my head. There still is a bullet hole in one window and the bullet is still in the wall. Come on over one day and I'll show it to you. It's a small reminder that life is very precious and we shouldn't take it for granted. I was almost an innocent victim of gun violence. I plead, beg, request, and ask you, that if you own a gun please follow the 10 gun safety rules. If you don't know what they are you can get a copy at the NRA's web site. I hate guns and I don't approve of them, but I do respect them. Once again be safe and don't let things you have no control over rule you lives. Remember to love one another and live your life to the fullest. I'm going to go play some hockey right now, and probably go take my parents out to dinner. (of course they are paying) stay safe, smile, live, laugh, love.
Silver Elf Child.