I'm not getting any reviews! I'm getting reeeeeeeeeally angry!!!!!!!! OK guys here's chapter 7!
Chapter 7
"He's delirious!" Sarah shouted. "He has to be!"
"Let's go through the facts," James said. "All right, Who? Henri. What? Supposedly, he attacked himself. When? Just now. Where? In his room. Why?"
"It was the only thing I could do! I thought that if he found me already attacked, he'd leave us all alone."
"Well, you're all right now. Henri, he's going to come back. He's after us all!" Cecile cried.
"Henri, would you like to ride Soot with me?" Cecile asked Henri one morning. "We're all going riding in the field near Bobby Bell's shop. Maybe it'll get your mind off of...you know." "Yeah, I guess we could go riding." "Wait. Maybe we shouldn't go." "Why?" "Blaze isn't doing well. I'm going to check on him. Want to come with?" "Okay. I guess. I'm going to go get him a carrot. Do you want something while I'm there?" "Sure, could you get me an apple if there is one?"
Cecile went to Blaze in their backyard. "Whoa. He looks worse than before!" She hugged Blaze's neck and fingered the long mane. She was sweating and breathing heavily. Her insides quivering with excitement, she touched Blaze's stomach. Something was definitely kicking. "Déjà vu!" she whispered to herself. "HENRI! Don't come outside! Blaze doesn't need a carrot! She needs space!" "What do you mean, she?" he yelled back. "Just listen to me! Tell James that we're not going riding today! We might not be able to go for a few months!" "What about the apple?" "Forget the apple!!!!!! You really don't want to be out here right now!"
Five minutes later, Cecile was still outside, helping Blaze deliver her new foal. "Henri, can you get Sarah in five minutes? Whoa, Blaze. Easy, girl! It'll be all right." Cecile started to pet the top of Blaze's head, and Blaze started to relax. "Shhh...Blaze," she called softly. "It's over. You've got a foal. You're a mother!" And she went inside to wash her hands and bring a long-awaited carrot.
"Sarah," Cecile called softly. "Everyone, I feel really bad that we can't go riding today. But I have a surprise for all of you, particularly Sarah and Henri. James, the two of us got our presents six months ago. You know what I'm talking about," she added, glancing at James's scowl. "If you would come outside to the backyard with me..." And Cecile led the way outside. "You don't want to get too close. Horses are very protective. Sarah, I cured your horse. Henri, if Sarah grants you permission, you have your very own horse." She swept her arm over the scene.
There was Blaze, kneeling on the ground, surrounding her newborn foal. It was chestnut brown, and its beetle-black eyes seemed to fill them all with warmth.
Four months later, Blaze had become less protective, and Henri could finally control the new horse, which he had named Penny after her chestnut color. "Do you want to go riding in the field now?" The vote was unanimous, and the three got ready to ride to the field.
"So, let's look at the facts for these weird attacks," Cecile said. "Both times it's been a man with brown hair and blue eyes. Both times he's had a club and knife, and both times we were alone." "Let's look at all the people with brown hair and blue eyes," Sarah suggested. "Well," James began, "there's Robert Bell, Benedict Arnold, John Adams, and possibly...the Marquis de Lafayette. But they're all Patriots!"
They were all stumped. "Wait a minute," James said. "Where's Henri?" "Oh, no!" Sarah moaned. "He's going to be attacked!" "Sarah, you're forgetting that we're on horses," Cecile reminded her. "The culprit wouldn't ride a horse...I hope."
Lo and behold! They saw a black mare in the background, and a raised weapon glinting in the sunlight!!!
"No! Stop him!"
"YAH!" The three kids galloped away on their horses, hoping they could make it. They gasped.
Henri was lying on the ground unconscious. They were too late. The attacker had beaten them to the punch.
Sarah took command right away. "James, you should probably take Cecile and Henri home. We've all had enough excitement for one day."
Cecile dismounted Soot and picked Henri up off of the ground. Her eyes were already shining with tears. James helped him up and put Henri in front of him. Cecile got back on Soot, clicked her tongue and the two of them were off.
"He doesn't look good."
James and Cecile were surrounding Henri. "Do you think he's going to make it, James?" Her voice was obviously trembling with fear. "I sure hope so. Then again, hope isn't on our side right now." Cecile was breathing heavily. James looked at her. This 11-year-old-girl, whom he had known for a few months, was grieving at his side, and he couldn't do anything. All he could do was rest his hand on her shoulder, his right index and middle finger crossed.
Cecile looked up at the 17-year-old she had come to know as a father (but that would be biologically incorrect). They each held one of Henri's hands. Cecile put her other hand on Henri's chest. There was no pulse. He was gone. He had been attacked too many times.
Cecile looked back up at James and buried her face in his chest. James knew how to react to this. Sarah had done it with him countless times. He hugged her back and assured her that he was in a better place.
"But he was my best friend! He promised that we would always be together!"
"Cecile..."
She looked up from her sorrow.
"Cecile...Don't cry for me. I'll be all right."
It was Henri's spirit.
Silver tears streamed down his transparent cheek. He carefully took her hand and put it on his lifeless face.
"Would you like to see me again, Cecile?"
Cecile was looking wide-eyed at this ghost whom she had once known as her best friend.
"Yes! Yes I would! How can I possibly see you again? You're dead!"
"Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I can't be with you. I shall always be with you." He floated over to Cecile and kissed her on the cheek. James crouched down and put his head on her shoulder.
"I'm going to stay here in the shop forever. That way, I can keep my promise. I'm staying true to my word. We'll always be together."
James looked at the 14-year-old he had semi-adopted and gave him a small smile. "If only Sarah were here..."
Tears were still streaming silently down Cecile's face.
"James," she looked up at him yet again. "You and Sarah have been like a mother and father to me." She ignored the pink patches that were forming on his cheek. She couldn't help herself. She buried her face in his chest again, and he slowly picked her up and hugged her. She wrapped her arm around his neck and hugged him tighter.
"James?"
Sybil Ludington was at the door. The 19-year-old woman sure had grown.
"James, it's me. Sybil."
"You're Sybil Ludington? I read that article about you! You're one of my revolutionary heroes!" Cecile said, and Sybil beamed.
"Well, look here!" she said. "Who do I have the honor of addressing?"
Cecile drew herself up and looked dignified. "My name is Cecile DuMont. It's nice to meet you, Miss Ludington."
"You look troubled, James," she said, and she wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Is anything wrong?"
Cecile had calmed down by then, but she looked shocked as she pointed to Henri's spirit. The gray mist was whirling around, forming a tornado over his body. The mist sunk into Henri's body, and he jolted awake. He sat bolt upright in bed.
He breathed heavily. "What happened? Is something wrong?"
Cecile was still shocked as the 14-year-old got out of the bed.
"James, can you do me a favor?" "Sure, what is it?" "Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming. Ouch!" "Well, you asked for me to pinch you." "Wait a minute. That hurt."
Henri was alive and well.
"You're not dead!!!" "But we just saw your ghost!" James protested. "Who cares? Henri's alive! Sarah! He's alive!" She tore down the stairs, screaming the good news.
"Looks like you're not so troubled anymore, Mr. Hiller," Sybil said innocently.
"Let's go through this one more time. I'm still confused," Henri said. "We're naming all the victims," James explained, as they sat around the table eating their stew. Moses had moved out of the print shop to find a house. James had taken charge of The Pennsylvania Gazette. He and Sarah were still single (BOOOOO!!!!!), and Henri and Cecile had remained untouched for the past few months. Nobody had attacked them anymore. "Let's see," Sarah said, waving her spoon in her hand. "First, Cecile was attacked outside Ben Franklin's shop. Then James was attacked inside Mr. Bell's print shop. Finally, Henri was attacked in the field near Mr. Bell's shop. It all fits!" she said happily. "It has to be someone who writes for a paper! Let's see. The only person who hasn't been attacked is..." her head jerked up, her piercing green eyes wide with horror.
"Me."
"Well, you've got to look at all of the sides, Sarah," James construed. "You look, talk, and act like a British lady."
"Yes, that may be true. But I am an American at heart. Appearance and language isn't everything."
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," Henri said. "You're absolutely right. Just use your appearance to fool the attacker. Or maybe..." and he leaned closer to the table and whispered his plan, completely forgetting about his stew.
"Be careful, Sarah," were the only three words Sarah heard the next day. "I'm coming along, too," said James. "I have to report this incident immediately." "I'm coming so I can catch him myself," Cecile said. "I'm strong," she added. "That's why I'm going too!" Henri stood up and said. "Not because Cecile is going, but because I'm strong."
"Oh, look! It's a Patriot!" James shouted into the streets. "Someone might want to attack her!"
Sure enough, there was the brown haired, blue-eyed culprit.
He was crazy; there was no doubt about that. He was hungry for Patriots.
"No m'lady. You must be mistaken. You're loyal to the crown."
"Aha!" Sarah caught him. "I may look like a loyalist, but I am an American at heart." She snapped her fingers three times.
"That's our cue," Cecile whispered to James and Henri, a piece of rope in her clenched fist.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
The three Patriots ran for their enemy, Cecile holding a rope.
"Stop right there, Tory. If you go anywhere, we shall expose you to all the Patriots and have you hanged." Reluctantly, the man gave in. Cecile, with Henri's help, tied the man's wrists together and bound them behind his back. "Now, tell us who you are!"
"I don't need to tell you. One of you can figure that out on your own."
Sarah was staring at him, wide-eyed. "No, that can't be right. All of them have agreed that I stay here," she mumbled to herself.
"Uh...Sarah? What are you talking about?"
The man bowed.
"It is good to see you again, Cousin Sarah..."
DUDE!!! MAJORLY FREAKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 7
"He's delirious!" Sarah shouted. "He has to be!"
"Let's go through the facts," James said. "All right, Who? Henri. What? Supposedly, he attacked himself. When? Just now. Where? In his room. Why?"
"It was the only thing I could do! I thought that if he found me already attacked, he'd leave us all alone."
"Well, you're all right now. Henri, he's going to come back. He's after us all!" Cecile cried.
"Henri, would you like to ride Soot with me?" Cecile asked Henri one morning. "We're all going riding in the field near Bobby Bell's shop. Maybe it'll get your mind off of...you know." "Yeah, I guess we could go riding." "Wait. Maybe we shouldn't go." "Why?" "Blaze isn't doing well. I'm going to check on him. Want to come with?" "Okay. I guess. I'm going to go get him a carrot. Do you want something while I'm there?" "Sure, could you get me an apple if there is one?"
Cecile went to Blaze in their backyard. "Whoa. He looks worse than before!" She hugged Blaze's neck and fingered the long mane. She was sweating and breathing heavily. Her insides quivering with excitement, she touched Blaze's stomach. Something was definitely kicking. "Déjà vu!" she whispered to herself. "HENRI! Don't come outside! Blaze doesn't need a carrot! She needs space!" "What do you mean, she?" he yelled back. "Just listen to me! Tell James that we're not going riding today! We might not be able to go for a few months!" "What about the apple?" "Forget the apple!!!!!! You really don't want to be out here right now!"
Five minutes later, Cecile was still outside, helping Blaze deliver her new foal. "Henri, can you get Sarah in five minutes? Whoa, Blaze. Easy, girl! It'll be all right." Cecile started to pet the top of Blaze's head, and Blaze started to relax. "Shhh...Blaze," she called softly. "It's over. You've got a foal. You're a mother!" And she went inside to wash her hands and bring a long-awaited carrot.
"Sarah," Cecile called softly. "Everyone, I feel really bad that we can't go riding today. But I have a surprise for all of you, particularly Sarah and Henri. James, the two of us got our presents six months ago. You know what I'm talking about," she added, glancing at James's scowl. "If you would come outside to the backyard with me..." And Cecile led the way outside. "You don't want to get too close. Horses are very protective. Sarah, I cured your horse. Henri, if Sarah grants you permission, you have your very own horse." She swept her arm over the scene.
There was Blaze, kneeling on the ground, surrounding her newborn foal. It was chestnut brown, and its beetle-black eyes seemed to fill them all with warmth.
Four months later, Blaze had become less protective, and Henri could finally control the new horse, which he had named Penny after her chestnut color. "Do you want to go riding in the field now?" The vote was unanimous, and the three got ready to ride to the field.
"So, let's look at the facts for these weird attacks," Cecile said. "Both times it's been a man with brown hair and blue eyes. Both times he's had a club and knife, and both times we were alone." "Let's look at all the people with brown hair and blue eyes," Sarah suggested. "Well," James began, "there's Robert Bell, Benedict Arnold, John Adams, and possibly...the Marquis de Lafayette. But they're all Patriots!"
They were all stumped. "Wait a minute," James said. "Where's Henri?" "Oh, no!" Sarah moaned. "He's going to be attacked!" "Sarah, you're forgetting that we're on horses," Cecile reminded her. "The culprit wouldn't ride a horse...I hope."
Lo and behold! They saw a black mare in the background, and a raised weapon glinting in the sunlight!!!
"No! Stop him!"
"YAH!" The three kids galloped away on their horses, hoping they could make it. They gasped.
Henri was lying on the ground unconscious. They were too late. The attacker had beaten them to the punch.
Sarah took command right away. "James, you should probably take Cecile and Henri home. We've all had enough excitement for one day."
Cecile dismounted Soot and picked Henri up off of the ground. Her eyes were already shining with tears. James helped him up and put Henri in front of him. Cecile got back on Soot, clicked her tongue and the two of them were off.
"He doesn't look good."
James and Cecile were surrounding Henri. "Do you think he's going to make it, James?" Her voice was obviously trembling with fear. "I sure hope so. Then again, hope isn't on our side right now." Cecile was breathing heavily. James looked at her. This 11-year-old-girl, whom he had known for a few months, was grieving at his side, and he couldn't do anything. All he could do was rest his hand on her shoulder, his right index and middle finger crossed.
Cecile looked up at the 17-year-old she had come to know as a father (but that would be biologically incorrect). They each held one of Henri's hands. Cecile put her other hand on Henri's chest. There was no pulse. He was gone. He had been attacked too many times.
Cecile looked back up at James and buried her face in his chest. James knew how to react to this. Sarah had done it with him countless times. He hugged her back and assured her that he was in a better place.
"But he was my best friend! He promised that we would always be together!"
"Cecile..."
She looked up from her sorrow.
"Cecile...Don't cry for me. I'll be all right."
It was Henri's spirit.
Silver tears streamed down his transparent cheek. He carefully took her hand and put it on his lifeless face.
"Would you like to see me again, Cecile?"
Cecile was looking wide-eyed at this ghost whom she had once known as her best friend.
"Yes! Yes I would! How can I possibly see you again? You're dead!"
"Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I can't be with you. I shall always be with you." He floated over to Cecile and kissed her on the cheek. James crouched down and put his head on her shoulder.
"I'm going to stay here in the shop forever. That way, I can keep my promise. I'm staying true to my word. We'll always be together."
James looked at the 14-year-old he had semi-adopted and gave him a small smile. "If only Sarah were here..."
Tears were still streaming silently down Cecile's face.
"James," she looked up at him yet again. "You and Sarah have been like a mother and father to me." She ignored the pink patches that were forming on his cheek. She couldn't help herself. She buried her face in his chest again, and he slowly picked her up and hugged her. She wrapped her arm around his neck and hugged him tighter.
"James?"
Sybil Ludington was at the door. The 19-year-old woman sure had grown.
"James, it's me. Sybil."
"You're Sybil Ludington? I read that article about you! You're one of my revolutionary heroes!" Cecile said, and Sybil beamed.
"Well, look here!" she said. "Who do I have the honor of addressing?"
Cecile drew herself up and looked dignified. "My name is Cecile DuMont. It's nice to meet you, Miss Ludington."
"You look troubled, James," she said, and she wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Is anything wrong?"
Cecile had calmed down by then, but she looked shocked as she pointed to Henri's spirit. The gray mist was whirling around, forming a tornado over his body. The mist sunk into Henri's body, and he jolted awake. He sat bolt upright in bed.
He breathed heavily. "What happened? Is something wrong?"
Cecile was still shocked as the 14-year-old got out of the bed.
"James, can you do me a favor?" "Sure, what is it?" "Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming. Ouch!" "Well, you asked for me to pinch you." "Wait a minute. That hurt."
Henri was alive and well.
"You're not dead!!!" "But we just saw your ghost!" James protested. "Who cares? Henri's alive! Sarah! He's alive!" She tore down the stairs, screaming the good news.
"Looks like you're not so troubled anymore, Mr. Hiller," Sybil said innocently.
"Let's go through this one more time. I'm still confused," Henri said. "We're naming all the victims," James explained, as they sat around the table eating their stew. Moses had moved out of the print shop to find a house. James had taken charge of The Pennsylvania Gazette. He and Sarah were still single (BOOOOO!!!!!), and Henri and Cecile had remained untouched for the past few months. Nobody had attacked them anymore. "Let's see," Sarah said, waving her spoon in her hand. "First, Cecile was attacked outside Ben Franklin's shop. Then James was attacked inside Mr. Bell's print shop. Finally, Henri was attacked in the field near Mr. Bell's shop. It all fits!" she said happily. "It has to be someone who writes for a paper! Let's see. The only person who hasn't been attacked is..." her head jerked up, her piercing green eyes wide with horror.
"Me."
"Well, you've got to look at all of the sides, Sarah," James construed. "You look, talk, and act like a British lady."
"Yes, that may be true. But I am an American at heart. Appearance and language isn't everything."
"Sarah, Sarah, Sarah," Henri said. "You're absolutely right. Just use your appearance to fool the attacker. Or maybe..." and he leaned closer to the table and whispered his plan, completely forgetting about his stew.
"Be careful, Sarah," were the only three words Sarah heard the next day. "I'm coming along, too," said James. "I have to report this incident immediately." "I'm coming so I can catch him myself," Cecile said. "I'm strong," she added. "That's why I'm going too!" Henri stood up and said. "Not because Cecile is going, but because I'm strong."
"Oh, look! It's a Patriot!" James shouted into the streets. "Someone might want to attack her!"
Sure enough, there was the brown haired, blue-eyed culprit.
He was crazy; there was no doubt about that. He was hungry for Patriots.
"No m'lady. You must be mistaken. You're loyal to the crown."
"Aha!" Sarah caught him. "I may look like a loyalist, but I am an American at heart." She snapped her fingers three times.
"That's our cue," Cecile whispered to James and Henri, a piece of rope in her clenched fist.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
The three Patriots ran for their enemy, Cecile holding a rope.
"Stop right there, Tory. If you go anywhere, we shall expose you to all the Patriots and have you hanged." Reluctantly, the man gave in. Cecile, with Henri's help, tied the man's wrists together and bound them behind his back. "Now, tell us who you are!"
"I don't need to tell you. One of you can figure that out on your own."
Sarah was staring at him, wide-eyed. "No, that can't be right. All of them have agreed that I stay here," she mumbled to herself.
"Uh...Sarah? What are you talking about?"
The man bowed.
"It is good to see you again, Cousin Sarah..."
DUDE!!! MAJORLY FREAKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!