Rudy quickly drew the scewdriver, and passed it on to Penny. She quickly
took out the scews... only the ones needed, and pulled off the nob. While
she did this, Rudy watched, amazed.
"Where did you learn that?"
"I read about it."
"Of course."
The door swung easily open, and they gasped at what was inside. Two chalkfigures lay bound and gagged on the floor, and began thrashing more franticly at the sight of the two in the doorway.
"It's alright. We're here to help you." Rudy reassured them.
"Hold still, so I can take this off." Penny quickly removed the gag, and gave the chalk-person a chance to breathe. Rudy worked on the other one.
"Untie my hands so I can help." The chalk-person Rudy was helping gasped. His voice was rough from thirst. Rudy drew a glass, and held it out for him.
"The hands, Lad, the hands. I can't hold it telepathically, you know."
Rudy, looking sheepish, did so.
He downed it swiftly, and sighed in relief, "That's better."
Penny was already helping hers to her feet. This one seemed to be holding out much better then the other.
"Pshaw, now, I don't need help, I've barely been in here a day. That fellows been in much longer."
"Don't worry. Rudy's with him," Penny dimmed the light in what was left of the bell hop, knowing that the chalkladies eyes would take a moment to adjust, and she did not want to damage them, "Come out here and sit down."
She obliged, albeit grudgingly.
"Can you tell me who did this? What did this? How..?"
"I don't know. It just... happened."
"Please... tell me exactly what happened."
"I was just walking along Alasplash River, and I heard these footsteps behind me, and then everything went black."
"The Alasplash River... I've heard of that place!" Rudy suddenly said.
"You have?"
"Yeah. Snap said something about it being one of the tributaries into the Amazin River."
"Did you say the Alasplash?'" The chalkman asked, his features barely distinguishable in the dim light, "That's where I was caught, too."
"Then that's where we're going. Ready Penny?"
"Ready, Rudy," Penny turned to the two chalkpeople, "You two should have everything that you need here, and your eyes should be ready to face the light by now. You'll be alright?"
"Of course we'll be alright," The chalkwoman admonished, "We're coming with you, aren't we." She turned to the man, who was acting as if he'd never heard her, "I said, AREN'T WE?"
"What? Right. Of course she's co---"
"WE'RE"
"Right, right. WE'RE coming."
"That's what I thought." The Chalkgirl smirked.
The door out of the Bell Hop protested loudly as they opened it, and light flooded the room. For the first time Penny could see the chalkpeoples features. She gasped.
"I know you! Y-you're... you're.. you're Abernathy . You used to sing Blues here."
Abernathy was very pleased that someone remembered him, "Emphasis on the used too. That was about three years ago. You do seem vaguely familiar."
"Vaguely familiar! Abernathy, shame! That's young Penny Sanchez. Remember? Three years back." The Chalklady said from behind her.
"And your the jazz singer. Gabrielle."
"Oh. Now I remember her. The girl who used to come and do math for us. Whatever happened to you? You were going to count up our concert savings."
"It's so nice to be remembered, " Penny sid dryly, but the sarcasm was lost on Abernathy.
"Your welcome."
Gabrielle rolled her eyes, and muttered something about 'ignorance.'
"Well... the Alasplash river, then?" Rudy asked, eager to get on with it.
"Yes. Maybe then we'll find out why everyone who gets anywhere near there dissappears."
Abernathy stopped. "Wait... dissappears? I don't want to get nocked on the head again. Remind me again why we're going there?"
Okay, just a quick A/N to acknowledge my reviewers (more like reviewER) but that doesn't matter. Okay,
Beatiful Mind: I know that not everyone talks like that in New England. I grew up there. It's mostly the older generation that does that now, and it happens more frequently in areas that are farther north. And then, of course, each area's accent is a little bit different. New Hampshire versus Maine, and then there's New York, and Massachussettes. They all have slightly different inflections. In my years there, even though I don't have an accent myself, I just sorta grew fond of it, and I just felt like putting it in. Anyway, thanks for reviewing.
"Where did you learn that?"
"I read about it."
"Of course."
The door swung easily open, and they gasped at what was inside. Two chalkfigures lay bound and gagged on the floor, and began thrashing more franticly at the sight of the two in the doorway.
"It's alright. We're here to help you." Rudy reassured them.
"Hold still, so I can take this off." Penny quickly removed the gag, and gave the chalk-person a chance to breathe. Rudy worked on the other one.
"Untie my hands so I can help." The chalk-person Rudy was helping gasped. His voice was rough from thirst. Rudy drew a glass, and held it out for him.
"The hands, Lad, the hands. I can't hold it telepathically, you know."
Rudy, looking sheepish, did so.
He downed it swiftly, and sighed in relief, "That's better."
Penny was already helping hers to her feet. This one seemed to be holding out much better then the other.
"Pshaw, now, I don't need help, I've barely been in here a day. That fellows been in much longer."
"Don't worry. Rudy's with him," Penny dimmed the light in what was left of the bell hop, knowing that the chalkladies eyes would take a moment to adjust, and she did not want to damage them, "Come out here and sit down."
She obliged, albeit grudgingly.
"Can you tell me who did this? What did this? How..?"
"I don't know. It just... happened."
"Please... tell me exactly what happened."
"I was just walking along Alasplash River, and I heard these footsteps behind me, and then everything went black."
"The Alasplash River... I've heard of that place!" Rudy suddenly said.
"You have?"
"Yeah. Snap said something about it being one of the tributaries into the Amazin River."
"Did you say the Alasplash?'" The chalkman asked, his features barely distinguishable in the dim light, "That's where I was caught, too."
"Then that's where we're going. Ready Penny?"
"Ready, Rudy," Penny turned to the two chalkpeople, "You two should have everything that you need here, and your eyes should be ready to face the light by now. You'll be alright?"
"Of course we'll be alright," The chalkwoman admonished, "We're coming with you, aren't we." She turned to the man, who was acting as if he'd never heard her, "I said, AREN'T WE?"
"What? Right. Of course she's co---"
"WE'RE"
"Right, right. WE'RE coming."
"That's what I thought." The Chalkgirl smirked.
The door out of the Bell Hop protested loudly as they opened it, and light flooded the room. For the first time Penny could see the chalkpeoples features. She gasped.
"I know you! Y-you're... you're.. you're Abernathy . You used to sing Blues here."
Abernathy was very pleased that someone remembered him, "Emphasis on the used too. That was about three years ago. You do seem vaguely familiar."
"Vaguely familiar! Abernathy, shame! That's young Penny Sanchez. Remember? Three years back." The Chalklady said from behind her.
"And your the jazz singer. Gabrielle."
"Oh. Now I remember her. The girl who used to come and do math for us. Whatever happened to you? You were going to count up our concert savings."
"It's so nice to be remembered, " Penny sid dryly, but the sarcasm was lost on Abernathy.
"Your welcome."
Gabrielle rolled her eyes, and muttered something about 'ignorance.'
"Well... the Alasplash river, then?" Rudy asked, eager to get on with it.
"Yes. Maybe then we'll find out why everyone who gets anywhere near there dissappears."
Abernathy stopped. "Wait... dissappears? I don't want to get nocked on the head again. Remind me again why we're going there?"
Okay, just a quick A/N to acknowledge my reviewers (more like reviewER) but that doesn't matter. Okay,
Beatiful Mind: I know that not everyone talks like that in New England. I grew up there. It's mostly the older generation that does that now, and it happens more frequently in areas that are farther north. And then, of course, each area's accent is a little bit different. New Hampshire versus Maine, and then there's New York, and Massachussettes. They all have slightly different inflections. In my years there, even though I don't have an accent myself, I just sorta grew fond of it, and I just felt like putting it in. Anyway, thanks for reviewing.