Disclaimer: I certainly do not own Zero ((but he's sooo cute)) nor do I own many other things Louis Sachar and Walt Disney have made up. HOLES belongs to Mr. Sachar, THINGS-YOU-DO-NOT-RECOGNISE probably belong to me.
My Angel, My Only
Chapter Eight ll My Mother
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The Warden was there again when Group D went out to dig holes. They continued their routine of digging and putting the dirt into the wheelbarrows. When it was lunchtime, it was obvious she was getting impatient.
Zero glanced up at her and frowned, trying to figure out what exactly they were doing. Then he shook his head, and continued to dig.
He didn't care.
"You're not in the Girl Scouts," he heard Mr. Sir's voice above of them.
Zero had no idea how long they had been digging for, but it was well over the usual time he finished digging.
He was exhausted. It had never taken him that long to dig a hole before. But then, they had no limit to their digging their holes at the moment. Before, they stopped when it reached five feet wide and deep. Now they were just digging and digging, and digging...
It kept on going forever and ever.
Zero barely had enough energy to walk back to the compound. He almost collapsed halfway, before Armpit staggered over and helped him back up. Zero had to lean on him all the way back to their tent.
His four minutes of heaven (his shower) was over way too quickly, but he felt better afterwards. Zero entered the Wreck Room and sat by himself in the corner, on an overstuffed chair. He looked over to where Stanley and X-Ray and all the others were, sitting on the opposite side, on their usual couch. X-Ray beckoned him over, but Zero just ignored him. He still didn't want to get to know anyone.
He closed his eyes, and tried to let his childhood memories flood back. He couldn't remember much. It was like his life had started when he came to Camp Green Lake. He could hardly remember anything before that.
Just his mother.
Two years at Laney Park...
Zero let out a long breath he didn't know he had been holding. He wished he could take action and look for her. He wished she didn't hate him.
And then...
Jaffy.
The image of his little stuffed giraffe came back. It was working; he was starting to remember things again.
Zero laid his head back, his curly hair getting in the way. It made a nice, soft pillow.
What else could he remember?
...
"...your mother?"
Zero's eyes snapped open. Squid's loud voice had interrupted his trip down memory lane.
"Aren't you going to read it to us?" Armpit was asking Stanley, who said nothing.
"Give him some space," X-Ray said, "If Caveman doesn't want to read it to us, he doesn't have to. It's probably from his girlfriend."
Zero looked over to Stanley to see his reaction. He was smiling.
Zero admired him a bit. He wondered how he could possibly stay so calm and accepting when he was sentenced for a crime that he hadn't commit. Zero wondered if Stanley had even tried to prove his innocence.
Or... maybe Zero had it all mixed up. Maybe Stanley hadn't been the unlucky person who came across the shoes Zero had stolen.
But what were the odds of that?
He tried to relax and clear his mind.
The next time he opened his eyes, Stanley was the only person left in the Wreck Room. Everyone else had gone to dinner.
He was reading something off a piece of paper. Zero watched him curiously, feeling a little envious.
Stanley suddenly let out a short laugh.
"What's so funny?" Zero wanted to know. He had walked up behind Stanley, and was standing a little bit behind, a little bit beside him.
Stanley looked startled.
"Nothing. Just something my mum wrote."
"What'd she say?" Zero asked. He longed for his own mother to talk to him.
"Nothing."
Zero got the idea Stanley didn't want to talk about it. Maybe his mother had written something cruel to him, and he was laughing in a sarcastic manner.
"Oh, sorry."
Stanley looked a bit guilty, "Well, see my dad is trying to invent a way to recycle old sneakers. So the apartment kind of smells bad, because he's always cooking these old sneakers. So anyway, in the letter my mum said she felt sorry for that little old lady who lived in a shoe, you know, because it must have smelt bad there."
Zero didn't understand a single word. He stared blankly. In his mind, Stanley had made little sense.
"You know, the nursery rhyme?"
Zero didn't know what to say.
"You've heard the nursery rhyme about the little old lady who lived in a shoe?" Stanley tried again.
"No," Zero replied. But he wanted to hear it.
Stanley looked amazed.
"How does it go?" Zero wanted to know.
"Didn't you ever watch Sesame Street?" Stanley asked him curiously.
Zero continued to stare at him blankly.
Stanley, still looking amazed, just shook his head to dismiss the subject.
"Let's just go to dinner," he said to Zero, who nodded slowly.
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---- A/N: Hello everyone! Spice of Life, roguemagic13, Nosilla, Holes' Chica, rising waves, Ronniekinsgrl, sophianwin, Mellabee and everyone else I've forgotten... HI! XD And thanks for reviewing, though I only got a few for chapter 8 (really chapter 7)... (SOB) But still, I'm very happy about it. =] As soon as I get five reviews for this chapter, I'll post the next one up! It's long! Hehehe. And here comes Zero!
Zero: ((sneezing into a hanky)) Hewwo! (SNEEZECOUGHSNIFF)
Aawww!
Zero: Fwank woo fwor all thwe cwookies and (SNEEZE) swoup and (COUGH)--
...Um, he'll be better next chapter, I suppose! We'll send him to CGL so all the heat will make him feel less cold. Please review, you little DEARS. They are one thing that motivate me, so plz plz plz review if you don't usually! I'd LOVE to hear ANY types of comments, even flames, but I'll use them to toast marshmallows. Uh oh, I got to go! Adios!
Zero: ((waves while sniffling)) --MSQ.