A/N: Okay…. MSWord hates me. So if you didn't look at chapter eight again, the URL for The Ruins is NOW in my profile as well as right here.
There you go.
I find it amusing that I've got eight chapters up and 21 reviews. I never got that many when I was posting up HP-AK faniverse; HP, AK and the Phoenix Order Times, The Soul Reaver's Light and Omega Time. XD I'm happy. XD
Meanwhile, I am listening to the soundtrack for The Village while I type this. XD I got it from Celia and put it onto my computer so I may listen and drool while I try to imagine what happens in the movie. TT I wanna see that movie.
Chapter Nine
Charlie sat in the kitchen for a long time. Fidelio's mother hadn't shown up yet and it was getting rather late in the day. What was happening? Why had Fidelio and his mother not shown up?
Charlie got to his feet and paced the area in front of the door. He looked up the stairs a moment, thinking about that click he'd heard in his Grandma Bone's room. Had that been the sound of the receiver of her phone hitting the base?
Too many possibilities.
He wouldn't have put it past his Grandma Bone to call on one of her horrible sisters to cause trouble. Had she figured out what he was going to do? Had the Bloors already told her that Emma was getting worse and they were causing it?
He picked up his button up shirt and pulled it on over his T-shirt, heading for the door. He needed to get to Fidelio's house. It wasn't THAT far of a walk. He would have to keep an eye out for one of his horrible aunts trying to stop him. Or keep an eye out for Manfred or Asa.
He went to the door and opened it and nearly threw himself back to avoid being "knocked" by Fidelio. He was panting as if he'd been running. "Charlie! Charlie, you have to hurry. Come on!" he gasped.
Charlie ran out the door and jogged alongside Fidelio for a while before they had to walk so Fidelio could get his breath back. "What happened, Fidelio? Why are you so late and why did you run here?"
"It's your aunts. They keep showing up, one right after the other whenever my mum tries to go out the door. They come up and ask if they can barrow something, or see me, or do something else. I ran out the back so I could get past them and get to you before it was too late. Emma and Olivia are over there already."
Walking along the street, Charlie looked about; making sure no one was following them. He thought he caught a glimpse of someone behind them that looked like Aunt Venitia or Asa, but they were gone when he took a good look.
"I think Grandma Bone told them while I was telling Uncle Paton something. I thought I heard a click in her room… like a phone," said Charlie.
Fidelio grunted. Charlie looked behind them again. "Asa's following us."
"They don't want Emma to get better," Fidelio said.
"That must mean the nurse that has been taking care of Emma wasn't making her get any better. They were making her get worse." Charlie looked grimly at the coming street, Fidelio's street. "Which means we've got to hurry and get it over with before anything else can happen to her."
They started running again, heading into the runoff ditch behind the row of houses. They would have to come in from behind to avoid the Aunts further. Asa was still behind them, though he wasn't disguised in his usual costume. He was wearing a hat and glasses with a nerdy looking set of clothes that included, of all things, a pocket protector. If he had buck teeth and breathing troubles, Charlie wouldn't have been surprised.
Charlie helped Fidelio over the fence and jumped up himself. Once inside the backyard, they caught sight of Emma and Olivia, hiding behind a chair. There was Aunt Eustatia at the door and Fidelio's mother was trying to make her go away. Olivia put a finger to her lips to Fidelio and Charlie and hunkered down even more.
Fidelio looked to Charlie and they hid on opposite sides of the backdoor, away from the windows so that they wouldn't be seen. They couldn't hear what was happening inside, but Olivia and Emma could.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you into my garden, Madam. If I find what you're looking for in there, you'll be the first to know. Good day," Mrs. Gunn said in a singing tone, although it was beginning to sound a bit strained. Then, she shut the door.
Olivia ran to the backdoor and opened it. "Get inside! Hurry! They could be anywhere!"
Fidelio and Charlie hurried inside and found Mrs. Gunn helping up Emma. "I do not know what is going on, but I will say that it is quite adventurous."
Emma's hands were still bandaged up. Charlie looked at them. "Mrs. Gunn, do you have that plant I gave you still?"
"The herb? Of course, Charlie, it's in the kitchen. I've boiled some water for tea if you children would like any." Then, Mrs. Gunn went into the kitchen. Charlie trotted after her.
She handed him some of the vervain that she'd cut off and smiled. "I chopped up some myself and put it into a bowl for her hands, Charlie. And here is some tea for dear Emma, as well. Fidelio told me that was what you wanted."
Charlie grinned. "Thank you, Mrs. Gunn." Then, he took the bowl and tea out for Emma. MRs. Gunn came out with a normal teapot of regular tea for the others as Charlie set the tea cup of vervain in front of Emma.
She tried to reach for it, but her hands ached suddenly. "Ah… I can't pick it up."
Charlie nodded. "Put your hands into the bowl, Emma. Don't move them out of it for a while."
Emma did as he asked and smiled at him. "They don't hurt anymore. It feels good. Thank you, Charlie."
Olivia picked up Emma's tea cup and helped her drink it while her hands soaked. Charlie sat and watched, listening for the door. There was a heaviness to the air, as though if he were to speak now, it would break some sort of spell. It was the same feeling as when Paton was taking the vervain for himself. The heaviness was blanketing, making him feel tired suddenly, though not so much as last time.
The sound of the house quieted down, dimming as they sat there and watched. Then, it went quiet altogether.
Charlie sat up and breathed in heavily. He looked around blearily, blinking his eyes a few times to orient himself. Emma was next to him and pulling the bandages off her hands in the water. She bit her lip as she worked and rubbed her fingers as the cloth came off.
"Emma?" he asked.
"I think it's worked. There are a few cracks still, but they don't hurt anymore."
Charlie looked to Fidelio, who was looking very much like Charlie felt; like they just woke up from a nap. Olivia lifted her head and looked to Emma. "What's going on?"
"It's like what happened when Uncle Paton did this. We fell asleep downstairs and when he came down, he was all better. He was more than better, he looked as though he'd be able to blackout the neighborhood," said Charlie.
Mrs. Gunn walked in looking cheerfully at them. "Have a nice nap?"
They looked to each other. Emma flexed her hands and white feathers sprouted from them. The cracks healed up in the water and the feathers spread over her arms. In seconds, she turned into a large white bird. She looked wonderful!
Charlie stared up at her as she shrank down to a smaller bird and flapped out the window. Olivia laughed and Fidelio grinned as they all went to the window and watched the white hawk dart around in the darkened sky.
There was a howl. It was nearing nighttime and Charlie was still at The Gunn house. Asa was still out there and waiting for them. Nighttime was when Asa was dangerous.
"I have to get back or Grandma Bone will KNOW what we did, if she doesn't already," said Charlie. He took the bowl and the tea cups into the kitchen and smiled at Mrs. Gunn. "Thank you, Mrs. Gunn."
"Anytime, Charlie. You and all of Fidelio's friends are welcome here." Then, she went about making dinner, stifling a yawn.
Charlie looked to her. "Did you have a nap as well?"
Mrs. Gunn smiled. "Yes… it was nice, wasn't it? You had better find your friend Emma. It's awfully late."
Emma came back inside and giggled as she flexed her hands. Charlie trotted over to her and grabbed her wrist. "We need to get home."
Olivia giggled. "I can get you both a ride home, if you would like."
Charlie smiled at Olivia gratefully. "Yes, that would be very nice."
He heard a knock on the door. It wasn't an urgent knock or one of great importance. It was just a knock on the door.
Mrs. Gunn went to the door and opened it. "Oh—hello."
There was silence. Charlie couldn't see past Mrs. Gunn to see who was at the door. "Is there something you want? Are you one of Fidelio's friends?"
Silence again.
Charlie was getting worried. He pulled Emma away from sight and leaned out to see who was at the door.
"I'm sorry, but if you don't say anything, I can't help you," said Mrs. Gunn.
Suddenly, there was a crash and Mrs. Gunn landed on the floor. Charlie looked to the door and his eyes went wide. It was Morgan. Her eyes had a faraway look to them, unfocused and dead as they rolled over toward him.
She walked in, her head bowed slightly as she walked over Mrs. Gunn's unconscious body. How did they manage to hypnotize her!
She lifted her hands and held them in the air, flexing her fingers as though gripping onto something. Charlie had dodge out of the way, holding Emma to him. A heavy set of shelves fell down, books falling off of it.
"We have to get out of here!" Charlie called.
Emma ran at Morgan, and tackled her to the ground. Then, she shot off of her and ran out into the yard. Charlie ran over to Morgan and stopped suddenly as pain shot through his leg. He felt nails digging into his skin, but Morgan was still a little ways away from him. This is what Asa felt every time she held him like this.
He groaned and tried desperately to get away, but he fell to the ground, clutching his leg. It felt as though she was trying to rip his skin off!
There was a screech from above and a large fiery looking bird came down and picked Morgan up. Then, it flew off into the sky, disappearing.
Charlie sat up. The pain wasn't entirely gone from his leg and he felt a slight wetness coming through his trouser leg. He pulled the leg up and saw blood coming from a couple of the holes she'd left.
Emma dropped Morgan in front of number thirteen. Then, she turned back into herself and kneeled over her. "Morgan? Morgan, are you all right?"
Morgan's eyes still looked dead, but at least she wasn't attacking anymore. She patted Morgan on the cheek, which only served to make her head move limply side to side.
The front door opened and Mr. MacGregor came out. He looked to Emma with a sort of glare as he walked toward them. Emma would have been terrified if she wasn't so worried. "Sh—She won't wake."
Mr. MacGregor smiled faintly at Emma and ruffled her hair as he leaned down. "I know."
"How do you know, sir?"
He put an arm under Morgan's back and under her knees and picked her up against his chest. "Because they told me so."
Then, he walked inside the house. A car came screeching in front of Number Nine. Emma stood up in time to see Charlie get out and Olivia and her mother wave to her.
Charlie gave Emma a worried look and she nodded to him. Then, she jumped into Mrs. Vertigo's car and they went screeching away.
Charlie looked to Number Thirteen solemnly. They had managed to hypnotize Morgan and set her on the Gunns. They weren't going to stop until they got their way. The whole thing made Charlie suddenly very angry as he walked up the steps of Number Nine and went inside.
He stopped when he heard a howl somewhere very close. There was a light on in the front of the MacGregor house. He could see Mr. MacGregor placing Morgan on her bed. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then turned out the light.
Charlie rubbed his face as he closed the front door. Grandma Bone wasn't in sight and his mother had laid out the table for dinner. It had been a very long day.
There you go.
I find it amusing that I've got eight chapters up and 21 reviews. I never got that many when I was posting up HP-AK faniverse; HP, AK and the Phoenix Order Times, The Soul Reaver's Light and Omega Time. XD I'm happy. XD
Meanwhile, I am listening to the soundtrack for The Village while I type this. XD I got it from Celia and put it onto my computer so I may listen and drool while I try to imagine what happens in the movie. TT I wanna see that movie.
Chapter Nine
Charlie sat in the kitchen for a long time. Fidelio's mother hadn't shown up yet and it was getting rather late in the day. What was happening? Why had Fidelio and his mother not shown up?
Charlie got to his feet and paced the area in front of the door. He looked up the stairs a moment, thinking about that click he'd heard in his Grandma Bone's room. Had that been the sound of the receiver of her phone hitting the base?
Too many possibilities.
He wouldn't have put it past his Grandma Bone to call on one of her horrible sisters to cause trouble. Had she figured out what he was going to do? Had the Bloors already told her that Emma was getting worse and they were causing it?
He picked up his button up shirt and pulled it on over his T-shirt, heading for the door. He needed to get to Fidelio's house. It wasn't THAT far of a walk. He would have to keep an eye out for one of his horrible aunts trying to stop him. Or keep an eye out for Manfred or Asa.
He went to the door and opened it and nearly threw himself back to avoid being "knocked" by Fidelio. He was panting as if he'd been running. "Charlie! Charlie, you have to hurry. Come on!" he gasped.
Charlie ran out the door and jogged alongside Fidelio for a while before they had to walk so Fidelio could get his breath back. "What happened, Fidelio? Why are you so late and why did you run here?"
"It's your aunts. They keep showing up, one right after the other whenever my mum tries to go out the door. They come up and ask if they can barrow something, or see me, or do something else. I ran out the back so I could get past them and get to you before it was too late. Emma and Olivia are over there already."
Walking along the street, Charlie looked about; making sure no one was following them. He thought he caught a glimpse of someone behind them that looked like Aunt Venitia or Asa, but they were gone when he took a good look.
"I think Grandma Bone told them while I was telling Uncle Paton something. I thought I heard a click in her room… like a phone," said Charlie.
Fidelio grunted. Charlie looked behind them again. "Asa's following us."
"They don't want Emma to get better," Fidelio said.
"That must mean the nurse that has been taking care of Emma wasn't making her get any better. They were making her get worse." Charlie looked grimly at the coming street, Fidelio's street. "Which means we've got to hurry and get it over with before anything else can happen to her."
They started running again, heading into the runoff ditch behind the row of houses. They would have to come in from behind to avoid the Aunts further. Asa was still behind them, though he wasn't disguised in his usual costume. He was wearing a hat and glasses with a nerdy looking set of clothes that included, of all things, a pocket protector. If he had buck teeth and breathing troubles, Charlie wouldn't have been surprised.
Charlie helped Fidelio over the fence and jumped up himself. Once inside the backyard, they caught sight of Emma and Olivia, hiding behind a chair. There was Aunt Eustatia at the door and Fidelio's mother was trying to make her go away. Olivia put a finger to her lips to Fidelio and Charlie and hunkered down even more.
Fidelio looked to Charlie and they hid on opposite sides of the backdoor, away from the windows so that they wouldn't be seen. They couldn't hear what was happening inside, but Olivia and Emma could.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you into my garden, Madam. If I find what you're looking for in there, you'll be the first to know. Good day," Mrs. Gunn said in a singing tone, although it was beginning to sound a bit strained. Then, she shut the door.
Olivia ran to the backdoor and opened it. "Get inside! Hurry! They could be anywhere!"
Fidelio and Charlie hurried inside and found Mrs. Gunn helping up Emma. "I do not know what is going on, but I will say that it is quite adventurous."
Emma's hands were still bandaged up. Charlie looked at them. "Mrs. Gunn, do you have that plant I gave you still?"
"The herb? Of course, Charlie, it's in the kitchen. I've boiled some water for tea if you children would like any." Then, Mrs. Gunn went into the kitchen. Charlie trotted after her.
She handed him some of the vervain that she'd cut off and smiled. "I chopped up some myself and put it into a bowl for her hands, Charlie. And here is some tea for dear Emma, as well. Fidelio told me that was what you wanted."
Charlie grinned. "Thank you, Mrs. Gunn." Then, he took the bowl and tea out for Emma. MRs. Gunn came out with a normal teapot of regular tea for the others as Charlie set the tea cup of vervain in front of Emma.
She tried to reach for it, but her hands ached suddenly. "Ah… I can't pick it up."
Charlie nodded. "Put your hands into the bowl, Emma. Don't move them out of it for a while."
Emma did as he asked and smiled at him. "They don't hurt anymore. It feels good. Thank you, Charlie."
Olivia picked up Emma's tea cup and helped her drink it while her hands soaked. Charlie sat and watched, listening for the door. There was a heaviness to the air, as though if he were to speak now, it would break some sort of spell. It was the same feeling as when Paton was taking the vervain for himself. The heaviness was blanketing, making him feel tired suddenly, though not so much as last time.
The sound of the house quieted down, dimming as they sat there and watched. Then, it went quiet altogether.
Charlie sat up and breathed in heavily. He looked around blearily, blinking his eyes a few times to orient himself. Emma was next to him and pulling the bandages off her hands in the water. She bit her lip as she worked and rubbed her fingers as the cloth came off.
"Emma?" he asked.
"I think it's worked. There are a few cracks still, but they don't hurt anymore."
Charlie looked to Fidelio, who was looking very much like Charlie felt; like they just woke up from a nap. Olivia lifted her head and looked to Emma. "What's going on?"
"It's like what happened when Uncle Paton did this. We fell asleep downstairs and when he came down, he was all better. He was more than better, he looked as though he'd be able to blackout the neighborhood," said Charlie.
Mrs. Gunn walked in looking cheerfully at them. "Have a nice nap?"
They looked to each other. Emma flexed her hands and white feathers sprouted from them. The cracks healed up in the water and the feathers spread over her arms. In seconds, she turned into a large white bird. She looked wonderful!
Charlie stared up at her as she shrank down to a smaller bird and flapped out the window. Olivia laughed and Fidelio grinned as they all went to the window and watched the white hawk dart around in the darkened sky.
There was a howl. It was nearing nighttime and Charlie was still at The Gunn house. Asa was still out there and waiting for them. Nighttime was when Asa was dangerous.
"I have to get back or Grandma Bone will KNOW what we did, if she doesn't already," said Charlie. He took the bowl and the tea cups into the kitchen and smiled at Mrs. Gunn. "Thank you, Mrs. Gunn."
"Anytime, Charlie. You and all of Fidelio's friends are welcome here." Then, she went about making dinner, stifling a yawn.
Charlie looked to her. "Did you have a nap as well?"
Mrs. Gunn smiled. "Yes… it was nice, wasn't it? You had better find your friend Emma. It's awfully late."
Emma came back inside and giggled as she flexed her hands. Charlie trotted over to her and grabbed her wrist. "We need to get home."
Olivia giggled. "I can get you both a ride home, if you would like."
Charlie smiled at Olivia gratefully. "Yes, that would be very nice."
He heard a knock on the door. It wasn't an urgent knock or one of great importance. It was just a knock on the door.
Mrs. Gunn went to the door and opened it. "Oh—hello."
There was silence. Charlie couldn't see past Mrs. Gunn to see who was at the door. "Is there something you want? Are you one of Fidelio's friends?"
Silence again.
Charlie was getting worried. He pulled Emma away from sight and leaned out to see who was at the door.
"I'm sorry, but if you don't say anything, I can't help you," said Mrs. Gunn.
Suddenly, there was a crash and Mrs. Gunn landed on the floor. Charlie looked to the door and his eyes went wide. It was Morgan. Her eyes had a faraway look to them, unfocused and dead as they rolled over toward him.
She walked in, her head bowed slightly as she walked over Mrs. Gunn's unconscious body. How did they manage to hypnotize her!
She lifted her hands and held them in the air, flexing her fingers as though gripping onto something. Charlie had dodge out of the way, holding Emma to him. A heavy set of shelves fell down, books falling off of it.
"We have to get out of here!" Charlie called.
Emma ran at Morgan, and tackled her to the ground. Then, she shot off of her and ran out into the yard. Charlie ran over to Morgan and stopped suddenly as pain shot through his leg. He felt nails digging into his skin, but Morgan was still a little ways away from him. This is what Asa felt every time she held him like this.
He groaned and tried desperately to get away, but he fell to the ground, clutching his leg. It felt as though she was trying to rip his skin off!
There was a screech from above and a large fiery looking bird came down and picked Morgan up. Then, it flew off into the sky, disappearing.
Charlie sat up. The pain wasn't entirely gone from his leg and he felt a slight wetness coming through his trouser leg. He pulled the leg up and saw blood coming from a couple of the holes she'd left.
Emma dropped Morgan in front of number thirteen. Then, she turned back into herself and kneeled over her. "Morgan? Morgan, are you all right?"
Morgan's eyes still looked dead, but at least she wasn't attacking anymore. She patted Morgan on the cheek, which only served to make her head move limply side to side.
The front door opened and Mr. MacGregor came out. He looked to Emma with a sort of glare as he walked toward them. Emma would have been terrified if she wasn't so worried. "Sh—She won't wake."
Mr. MacGregor smiled faintly at Emma and ruffled her hair as he leaned down. "I know."
"How do you know, sir?"
He put an arm under Morgan's back and under her knees and picked her up against his chest. "Because they told me so."
Then, he walked inside the house. A car came screeching in front of Number Nine. Emma stood up in time to see Charlie get out and Olivia and her mother wave to her.
Charlie gave Emma a worried look and she nodded to him. Then, she jumped into Mrs. Vertigo's car and they went screeching away.
Charlie looked to Number Thirteen solemnly. They had managed to hypnotize Morgan and set her on the Gunns. They weren't going to stop until they got their way. The whole thing made Charlie suddenly very angry as he walked up the steps of Number Nine and went inside.
He stopped when he heard a howl somewhere very close. There was a light on in the front of the MacGregor house. He could see Mr. MacGregor placing Morgan on her bed. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then turned out the light.
Charlie rubbed his face as he closed the front door. Grandma Bone wasn't in sight and his mother had laid out the table for dinner. It had been a very long day.