Authors Note- Please R&R! I really want to know what you people think of my story. I have changed the age of Opal to 10. Thanks to Glitterpoison (My only reveiwer) It seems to work better if shes a bit older. But she is more mature for her age. So please Review!
CHAPTER 2
Her mother ran downstairs to see what was going on. Toby ran gleefully down to the commotion. Opal slowly went to the door. She really didn't care for what was happening because she was still half-asleep.The childlooked at her clock.
"Exactly midnight." She was about to turn off her light and go to bed like it was nothing when she heard a man's voice call out to her:
"Opal, pack your belongings and come downstairs." Though it was familiar, it was not her fathers'.
So she did as she was told and packed. She threw some stuff in her nap-sac. She didn't know how much to pack. Opal barely knew herself why she as packing. But she hoped she wasn't going far. It would be hard to keep in touch with her friends at school.
Oh well, they were never very nice to me anyway, she thought.
As she zipped up her bag, the voice again bellowed out: "Hurry up, we haven't all day." She liked the voice; it sounded nice and warm to her.
Opal threw her nap-sac over her shoulder and ran out of the room and was running down the stairs as she noticed the same man she saw in her dream. She stopped halfway down the stairs and just stared at him.
He looked exactly as his voice sounded. He was quite tall; much taller then Opal's own dad, which was about average. The strange man had on a sharp suit and his eyes seemed to match. They were a bright translucent blue. It seemed as though they would be able to stare right through her. She could smell the strange man's cologne from the stairs.
"You're going to take me away aren't you?" She said still wondering who he was.
"Yes I am," he said "I'm going to take you to the Twelve." Opal smiled: the man smiled back.
"What's your name?" Opal asked. She didn't like to call him the strange man in her mind all the time.
He laughed a long, gentle, loving laugh, "You can call me Joshua."
"I'm Opal." She sad very happily. She looked around and saw her dad holding his shotgun. "Daddy, put that thing away… daddy?" She came down the stairs and walked towards her father. Opal waved her hand in front of his face.
"I've immobilized your parents so they are momentarily stopped in time. Once you come with us you might learn how to do that."
"Well can you undo it? I don't like seeing my dad like that. Well can you? Please?" Opal asked strong yet politely.
My mother would have been proud. She thought sarcastically.
"Alright just after I take that gun. We wouldn't want anyone shot." Joshua did as he said. After the gun was far away and a long stick was in its place, he put up his left hand, spread out his fingers, and said something under his breath. The light from the hall caught on a ring he was wearing and shined in Opal's face. She noticed carvings set in the gold band and decided to ask Joshua about it later.
Opal's dad immediately started moving. Her father put his hand up as if he had a gun. She could hear her mother running towards the phone.
"Mary come back to this room. Would you?" She came as if she was in a trance and sat down on the couch. Opal was amazed.
"You can do that too?"
"Opal," Said her father, "This is a serious matter. Don't talk to the stranger. I need you to go up to your room and stay there until I come and get you."
"Let her stay." Joshua said. His warm, jolly face had slipped away leaving a serious determined man in its place.
Her mother must have come out of her trance. She screamed, "How did I get here?" And ran out of the room. Opal's father turned to watch her go and noticed something different about his gun, it felt rough. He looked down at his hands and sawa stickin them. He put his arms down looking rather embarrassed.
"What have you done with my shotgun? I assume you took it from me." Her dad threw the stick at the man. It would have hit him square in the face if Joshua hadn't caught it.
"Why would you assume, when you know?" Joshua smirked. He looked at Opal. "Toby's outside. Would you go and get him?" She nodded and strolled out of the room
As she went through the doorway, Opal dareda glance back. Her dad just stared at her in awe. She had left at Joshua's command and not his.
He must be jealous. She thought.
The child walked through door and took a deep breath. Opal loved the night. It was always so interesting. She could just smell morning in the breeze. The night was alive with sounds. She could hear a lot of unrecognizable birds. She heard a meow and looked its way. A full moon was out.
There was a big dark van and Toby was on top of it. He was cleaning himself. When Opal went to get him she saw two kids in the front seat. She wondered why this was. The passenger side window rolled down.
"Hi, I'm Garnet. What's your name?"
"Um… my name's Opal." She didn't like talking to strangers. But this girl seemed nice. She had reddish brown hair and green eyes.
"You must be like us. Do you have a ring?" She curiously asked. Surprised by this question Opal looked down.
"Yes I do have a ring. It's my birthstone. Why? Do you have one too?"
"Well of coarse silly, that's why we're here." Than an obnoxious sounding voice called out,
"Why are we even in this shabby old village. The shops aren't in this village they are in the bigger cities in India. Why would anyone live here?"
Opal flushed and yelled back, "I live here! So don't go saying this is a shabby old village." Everything got silent in the back of the van. A boy stuck his head out of the window.
"Sorry for Diamond but she lived in a big city in America. I'm Peridot by the way." He smiled. Opal liked him instantly so she smiled back. He had an Australian accent and light hair. From where she was, Opal figured he was about her height. He seemed a year older then her.
"Well," Garnet said. "Are you going to come and live with us? Did Josh say anything?" She seemed very anxious to leave.
Live with them? I thought I was just going to visit them…
"I don't know," She grabbed Toby and ran towards her house, "I'll go and ask him."
Opal went into the house. Both her parents were sitting on the couch. Her mother was crying. She was just saying, "But I don't want her to leave. She's just starting to learn about the world…."
"I found Toby." Opal said as she came in.
"Ah," Joshua remarked, "And did you meet his friends?" He smiled and winked at her.
"Yes, they are now my friends." She went over to the couch where Joshua was sitting. "Should I throw my stuff in the car?"
"That would be very helpful." Opal was going to do as she asked but was stopped as her mother grabbed her wrist.
"Why are you leaving me? Can you tell me that? Were we bad parents? Did you not like me at all?" Mary bawled.
"Mom, I love you. You are my guardians and I will always love you." She looked at her father the most even though she meant to be addressing both of them. She continued, "And I'll try to come back and see you, but right now I feel like I belong with these people." She looked at Joshua for his approval but he had his blank face on again.
"But you're my daughter. I paid for you. I cared for you. And I loved you!"
"Mom, I feel I'm leaving for a good purpose. I'm not leaving just because I want to." She went over to sit on the couch. "And remember how Toby doesn't like anybody?" Her parents nodded. "Well, he doesn't hate Joshua. So I trust him." Toby jumped out of her hands and into Joshua's lap. He smiled at the cat.
Hopefully I can trust my conscience on this one and pray it's a good reason.
"So what if the cat trusts him. How can we trust this man?" Her dad answered. Speaking for the first time. "And why do you have to leave right this second?"
"If she doesn't she'd be letting nine wild children down." Joshua looked into their eyes and smiled at them. The first time in front of Opal's parents. It must have triggered something in their minds to just let go.
They finally agreed. Opal hugged them both and went with Joshua.
"I won't forget you. I promise!" She yelled from the window. Her parents watched through the doorway, shedding many tears as their only daughter left them to someone they just met.