Chapter 3:

The Cold Heart of the Desert, the Warm Heart of Souls

-----With Carl/Sheen/Libby-----

Carl, Sheen, and Libby crawled out of the ditch, tired and filthy. All three of them looked around in hope of spotting Jimmy or Cindy, or even both of them. They saw neither...

Libby: Poor Cindy and Jimmy! Where could they be?

Carl: Well, they could either be alive or-

Sheen covers Carl's mouth to keep him from finishing his sentence.

Sheen: Don't say that Carl! Don't even think about it!

Libby: Yeah, they have to be around here somewhere, so don't give up hope just yet!

Carl: Uh guys, it's starting to get dark...

Libby looked over at the horizon and sighed.

Libby: I guess we should wait until tomorrow to look for Cindy and Jimmy then. Come on, let's get out of the opening and find a place to make camp.

Sheen: Where are we going to make camp? We're in the middle of the desert for crying out loud!

Libby: I was getting to that!

Sheen: Sorry.. Continue on then my queen!

Libby: Alright! I think we should dig underground and make a cave in the sand like you would with snow. Oh and Sheen?

Sheen: Yes my queen?

Libby: I'm not your queen!

Sheen meeps and takes a few steps back away from her.

Carl: Well, what are we waiting for! Let's go!

All three of them head back over to the ditch and start digging to make a cave for themselves.

-----With Jimmy and Cindy-----

Jimmy opened his eyes only to see Cindy hovering over him with an angry look on her face.

Cindy: Nice going Sherlock! Now we're lost in the middle of the desert without food or water! How are we going to survive?

Jimmy: Cindy, will you calm down for a second? I'm trying to figure out where we are!

Cindy sat in the sand waiting impatiently while Jimmy looked around at the scenery and trying to calculate where they were exactly.

Jimmy: I've got it! The only conclusion I can come up with is...

Cindy: Aggravated tone Is what?

Jimmy:... We're lost...

Cindy: UGH! Great! We're going to die out here and it's all your fault!

Jimmy: Why is it my fault!

Cindy: You built that stupid invention! And Carl found it! That's why!

Jimmy: Hey, hey! It isn't my fault that Carl found it! At least I tried to stop him! You just sat there in your little fantasy world not caring what was going on around you!

Cindy: WHAT! Look Freaktron, how was I even supposed to know it was in the hovercar? And I wasn't in my own little fantasy world, I was, in fact, paying attention to what was going on around me, unlike you!

Jimmy: Grrr.. That's it Vortex! Just stay 20 feet away from me for the remaining time we are here!

Cindy: I'd be glad to!

Jimmy: Good!

Jimmy looked over at the horizon and saw that the sun had gone down and it was getting colder.

Jimmy: Look, the sun's gone down, I think we should make camp and forget this whole argument. Agreed?

Jimmy stuck out his hand for Cindy to shake. She looked hesitant at first then decided to shake on it.

Cindy: Agreed...

Jimmy: Good. Now, I have some food and water in my backpack as well as some matches and wood. You go and make the fire while I scout for any sign of Carl, Sheen, or Libby.

Cindy: Why should I make the fire?

Jimmy: I hate to admit it, but you're better at making fires than me. So here, take the matches and wood and get started.

Jimmy took out the said supplies and headed out toward the hill nearby to see if he could spot Sheen, Carl, or Libby. Cindy sat down and started on making the fire while lost in thought.

Cindy: Thinking He actually admitted that I was better at something? Wow... Maybe he isn't so bad at all...

Cindy finally got the fire started just as Jimmy came back. He sat down and sighed.

Jimmy: I couldn't see anything or anyone... We'll start looking in the morning. In the meantime...

He pulled out some food and water from his backpack.

Jimmy: Would you like something to eat and drink Cindy?

Cindy smiled and took it.

Cindy: Thanks Jimmy! Don't you want any?

Jimmy: I'll be fine... But save me some water ok? I'm going to sleep...

Cindy: Ok.

Jimmy walked over to a spot near the fire and layed down, falling asleep instantly. Cindy looked at him in concern while eating only half of the candy bar and drinking a quarter of the water and putting it back.

Cindy: Thinking It's getting colder out here... I hope this fire holds out the rest of the night...

Cindy put the backpack down on the ground then followed what Jimmy did by laying down in the sand and closing her eyes.

-----Middle of The Night-----

Cindy opened her eyes due to the cold wind hitting her. She shivered and looked over at the fire and gasped. The fire was out! Then she panned over to look at Jimmy, seeing what she didn't want to see. He looked horrible! He was shivering, sneezing and coughing endlessly! When she couldn't take anymore of it, she got up, walked over to him and tried to wake him up.

Cindy: Come on Jimmy! Wake up!

Jimmy finally woke up and saw Cindy. He tried to speak, but he was too weak to even open his mouth.

Cindy: It'll be alright Jimmy, I promise!

Cindy picked him up and held him close to her to try and warm him up as best she could. She put a hand on his forehead, only to find he was running a fever. Her eyes drooped in sadness as she layed him back on the ground and layed right next to him. She gathered him up in her arms and did her best to warm him up.

Cindy: Thinking His breathing is so ragged.. I hope we get home soon!

She finally found out that he fell asleep and did the same within minutes.

-----Morning With Sheen/Carl/Libby-----

All three of them emerged from the man made cave and stretched.

Sheen: I"ll have to admit, that was the best sleep I've ever gotten!

Libby: Yeah, but you kept me and Carl up all night!

Carl: Yeah Sheen.. Learn not to snore so much!

Sheen: I do not snore!

Libby: I have to concur... Anyway, let's start heading out to search for Cindy and Jimmy. They couldn't be very far from here.

Carl: You mean we have to cross the desert? On foot?

Sheen: Aw grow up Carl! Be a man for once and start facing your fears!

Carl: I wish we still had the hovercar...

Libby: Well we don't, so let's get going sometime before I'm 70!

They climbed out of the ditch and started their trek to find Cindy and Jimmy. They would soon learn they weren't very far from where they were at all...

-----With Jimmy and Cindy-----

Cindy opened her eyes to see the sun rise up over the horizon. She grunted then squinted at it's brightness. After the morning effects wore off, she looked down at Jimmy to see he was still asleep. Cindy didn't want to wake him up, so she just layed there smiling, closed her eyes, and fell back asleep. She was enjoying every moment of this.

-----With Sheen/Carl/Libby-----

Carl: I'm tired!

Sheen: Get over it Carl! You can stand another hour or two!

Libby: Guys! Look! I think I spotted Jimmy and Cindy!

Carl: Where, where?

Carl and Sheen ran up to where Libby was and looked out to where she pointed.

Sheen: Yeah, it does look like them!

Carl: Well what are we doing just standing here? Let's go!

They ran down over the hill as fast as they could without tripping.

-----Jimmy and Cindy's Campsite-----

Jimmy slowly opened his eyes, due to him being weak at the moment, and saw Cindy next to him, well more than just next to him. She was holding him! His eyes widened, but he was too weak to struggle, so he just layed there waiting for her to wake up. As a matter of fact, he was actually enjoying it.

Jimmy: Thinking This is.. Kinda nice...

All of a sudden, he spotted three figures in the distance, running toward them. He thought nothing of it, thinking it was only a mirage. The figures kept coming closer and closer until he recognized them. His eyes widened as he tried to shout, but found he couldn't. He just sighed and waited for them to get there.

Carl, Sheen, and Libby finally reached their campsite, out of breath. As soon as they caught their breath, they looked over at Jimmy and Cindy and got the biggest shock of their young lives. Mouth agape and eyes widened, all they could do is stare. Libby finally broke the moment.

Libby: Jimmy? Cindy? What's going on between you two?

Cindy woke to the sound of her voice and sat upright into a sitting position, leaving Jimmy to get up on his own.

Cindy: Nothing's going on Libby! Seriously!

Libby just gave her a look of uncertainty.

Cindy: Look, he got sick and was freezing to death! I had to keep him warm somehow! Since our fire went out...

Libby just rolled her eyes.

Libby: Ok girl, whatever you say. But the important thing is, you're alive.

Sheen: Hey Jimmy, have you found a way to get us back home yet?

Jimmy just shook his head no and tried to stand, only to fall back down and start a coughing fit. Libby was shocked to see Cindy was telling the truth, Jimmy looked terrible! Cindy walked over to him and picked him up. She put him on her back piggy-back style so he could get some rest.

Cindy: Carl, fetch the DD900 for me.

Carl: The wha...?

Cindy: That remote thing that you found that caused us to be sent here in the first place!

Carl: Ow! You don't have to yell! Where is it?

Cindy: It's in Jimmy's backpack. Oh, and when you find the food and water in there, leave it alone! Just dig to the bottom of the backpack and get the DD900.

Sheen: Jimmy has food and water on him? Let me at it!

Cindy: Don't even think about it Ultra Dork! Jimmy needs that more than we do! He's sick! You're not!

Carl: Got it!

He walked over to Cindy with the broken DD900. Libby took Jimmy onto her back while Cindy looked over the DD900.

Cindy: Hmm... This doesn't seem too hard to fix. I should have it fixed within a few hours. In the meantime, you three watch over Jimmy. Wake him up in a couple of hours and give him some food and water. If you're thirsty, only take small sips! We need to preserve it! Libby, you're in charge! I don't trust these two!

Cindy pointed to Sheen and Carl as she said her last sentence.

Libby: Got it!

Cindy: Ok, I'm going to start working on the DD900. Remember what I said!

Sheen, Carl, and Libby nodded while Jimmy just groaned sleepily.

End of Chapter 3.