Chapter 9: The Haunted Alley Warning
A few hours past by and there were no sign of Julian or Emily. Arden had sweat running down her face. She didn't feel like how she felt the a few hours ago. She started feeling weird. She fell off her board. Olivia stopped and looked back at her. Arden fell on her knees, and looked up into the sky, thinking about her parents and how she longed for them to be with her once again. She had not seen them in years, though it felt like an eternity to her.
"How are we gonna find mother and father?" asked Arden.
"We've been following this damn map for, for…hours!" she exclaimed. Olivia walked up to her. She held her head up. Arden clenched her fists in frustration.
"Arden, we'll find them! I found my father when I encountered Ratigan. Remember when I told you about it?" asked Olivia. Arden looked at her.
"Yes," she said.
"But that's different. You were looking for one parent. We're looking for two parents." said Arden. Olivia unclenched Arden's fists.
Arden got up and sighed a big sigh. She found her wooden board and saw that the map was with Olivia.
"So where do we need to go next?" asked Arden. Olivia looked at the map.
"It says that we need to go through The Haunted Alley." replied Olivia. She then frowned. Arden gazed at her.
"What's wrong?" asked Arden.
"I remember my daddy telling me not to go there," replied Olivia. Arden took her hand. If she were still mad at Olivia, she probably would have threatened her and found several ways to persuade her, but, alas, Arden's anger had passed and now was not time to let anger get to Arden again.
"Olivia, this is urgent. I need you. Besides I'll be there beside you. We'll just hold onto each other, and then we'll get outta here… some how," replied Arden.
Arden and Olivia boarded until the found The Haunted Alley. Arden noticed that Olivia was feeling discouraged.
"Listen, what's wrong with this place?" asked Arden.
"Daddy says that they're snakes, unfriendly cats, and dangerous rodents who are determined to join you-know-who." replied Olivia. "I see why your father said not to come here. Some say that this was where Ratigan was born." replied Arden. That made Olivia want to turn around and walk away. She knew she could not. The two girls put their arm around the other arm. They walked into the dark alley.
"Well, we're here." whispered Arden.
No one could see a thing. Olivia still held onto Arden. Knowing it was the best thing to do. Everything was pitch black until they saw a bright light.
"Oh thank God I see a light." said Arden.
"This place is creepy. I keep on seeing shadows of snakes and evil cats. Now I know why many people say that Ratigan was born here. He's evil and so is this place!" replied Olivia. "I keep on waiting for Basil and my daddy to show up."
"So do I but watch our for Professor Ratigan." replied Arden.
"Did You-Know-Who have birds?" asked Olivia.
"I don't know. Why?" asked Arden. Olivia pointed into the sky. The two saw a couple of owls.
"OWLS! They eat mice like us!" yelled Arden. Arden and Olivia screamed and ran out of the alley.
Arden and Olivia ran until they were out of sight. Arden and Olivia stopped when they got out and tried to catch breath.
"Okay, never go in there again right?" asked Arden.
"Agreed." replied Olivia. They shook hands on. Arden and Olivia got back on some and started boarding out of the boundaries of the alley. Arden gazed at the dark and lonely roads of London. Olivia kept looking at the locket that was being worn. Olivia looked at Arden. Arden looked at her back.
A few hours later, Arden saw the moon going rising into the air. Arden stopped and looked at the moon. Olivia stopped also.
"What are you looking at?" asked Olivia.
"What my father called: The moon. He said that the moon comes up every night. The moon phases are crescent, first and last quarter, then there's the gibbous, then the full moon. The pattern is New Moon (where the moon isn't seen at all), the crescent, the first quarter, then the gibbous. Then the pattern reverses. The Full Moon becomes a gibbous, then a First Quarter, then the crescent, then the New Moon again. The pattern keeps going on. Right now we're looking at the Full Moon." explained Arden.
"I didn't know you knew so much." replied Olivia.
"I know many things. My father told me much about everything. I was home schooled. It was because of the Ratigan problem it was like that, so he was my teacher." said Arden.
"Let's stop here for the night. My father said that's never safe to travel after dark." said Arden.
"Good advice." replied Olivia. Arden and Olivia stopped for the night. Arden and Olivia stopped that night. Arden started telling stories…