Chapter 6

"WHAT?", shouted Ron into the phone.

"I'm sorry, Ron", said Wade, "But it's true."

Ron choked and tears welled up in his eyes. How could Kim be dead? She could do anything. There was no way a mountain lion could kill her! Ron closed his phone without another word and put it back in his pocket. He needed to see proof. He needed to see her body, no matter how much he didn't want to.

Ron talked to the helicopter pilot at the lab, and was soon on his way back home. At first he tried to hold back his tears, so the pilot wouldn't see him crying, but as Ron looked over the mountains below where Kim had supposedly spent her last moments of life, the tears flowed freely from his eyes. He didn't want to believe Kim was dead, but Wade was never wrong about anything.

Ron opened his cellphone and called the local police. Kim's body and belongings were en route to a mortuary in Middleton, they informed him. Now there was only one thing left to do. See her one last time.

---------------------------------------

"You mean we're going to have to hike out of here?" asked Drakken.

"Looks like it", said Kim digging through a backpack, "I wonder if there's a map in here with this stuff. It'd be a much shorter hike if we could hike back to the lab. But without a map, I doubt we'd be able to find it."

Kim tossed the backpack to the ground, "Damn it, no map! They must've had the map with them when they were attacked by the mountain lions"

"Well. See ya. I'm taking the tent, and heading east, towards the setting sun", said Drakken.

"Umm, I don't think so", said Kim blocking the tent from Drakken.

"You can't have the tent! I called dibs first!", said Drakken.

"What I mean is, there's enough food and supplies stored here for a week-long hike, but it'll take both of us to carry it all. We'll have to work together if we want to make it out of here. Besides, doesn't the sun set in the west?", said Kim.

"East, West, whatever. You teenagers think you know everything!" said Drakken with an angry pout, "Fine we'll work together. But only until we get out of these mountains."

"We should camp here tonight. It's getting dark", said Kim.

Drakken sighed then grabbed a few twigs from near the campsite and started making a pile. Kim saw what he was doing and began to help. Soon they had a pile of sticks good enough to use for a camp fire.

Kim picked up a large stick covered with dry pine-needles from the pile, "I'll head on over to our signal fire and light this stick so we can start our camp fire here easily."

Drakken was busy digging into one of the food bags, and didn't reply. He pulled out a piece of chicken and made a big grin. Kim headed down the grassy slope towards the sound of the gurgling river. When she reached the spot of the signal fire, it was almost out. The forest was getting dark, but she noticed Drakken's labcoat and boots were still on a log next to the signal fire. She grabbed his coat and boots for him, lit the stick on fire, and headed back to camp.

"I brought your coat and boots", said Kim as she approached the camp. She stood still then started laughing, "What are you wearing?"

"I found these in one of the backpacks. They're quite warm", said Drakken looking down happily at the pink teddybear slippers he was wearing.

"You're such a goof", said Kim.

"Yeah, well, You're a goof times infinity", said Drakken.

Kim laughed as she started the campfire. Drakken was pretty funny, in his own weird goofy way, she thought to herself. They sat by the fire and ate chicken and chocolate bars for dinner. As Kim talked with Drakken over dinner, she kept feeling her heart flip in her chest. It was that familiar feeling she got whenever she was crushing on a guy. Despite the fact that Drakken was a villain, she noticed he also seemed to have a charming immature innocence to him. Not to mention, really good-looking long black hair, and a cute smile. As Drakken happily recounted tales from his twisted childhood, Kim watched him, admiringly. She was starting to feel happy that she had this chance to spend time alone with him. She never realized before what an attractive man he was.

Drakken looked up into the nighttime sky. It was a sea of endless sparkling stars, no longer clouded over by the light pollution found in city living. He smiled and said, "Oh, look a shooting star! Make a wish."

Kim blushed as a very naughty wish suddenly came to her mind.

"What did you wish for?", Kim asked Drakken.

"To take over the world, of course", he said matter-of-factly.

"Of course", said Kim.

"What did you wish for?" asked Drakken.

"Oh… umm… If I tell you it won't come true", said Kim nervously, and nudged Drakken with her elbow.

"Gasp! Does that mean I'll never take over the world?" said Drakken.

Kim laughed, "Well it's getting late. We should get some sleep. We have a majorly long hike ahead of us tomorrow."

Drakken unzipped the tent and crawled inside.

"It's pretty cozy in here", he said.

"Yeah cozy and small", said Kim, "Is this a one-person tent or something?"

Drakken laid down comfortably, fluffed a pillow, and pulled the blanket over himself.

"Where's my blanket?" asked Kim.

"There was only one in here. So it's mine", said Drakken.

"Excuse me?", said Kim, as she snatched the blanket away from Drakken and put it on herself.

"Wait! I called dibs!", said Drakken, and he grabbed the blanket back from her.

They tugged back and forth on the blanket, until Drakken finally said, "Ok time-out! Let's just share the blanket."

Kim looked at Drakken surprised for a moment, then layed down next to him under the blanket. Her heart pounded as she felt the warmth of him laying next to her. She looked into his dark eyes and blushed.

"Goodnight", he said.

"Goodnight", replied Kim.

Within a few minutes Drakken was asleep, facing away from Kim. Kim silently stayed awake. She was enjoying the warmth of him next to her. She had never slept next to a guy before. He was softly snoring, in a deep sleep. His ponytail brushed against her cheek and she breathed in the sweet scent from his hair. She ran his ponytail across her lips and scooted up next to him, so that her body was touching his. In the silent darkness of the tent, she fell asleep, warm and cozy.