Surprise, surprise!
Chapter 7:
The Escape
"No one could ever climb up to those. Except…." Gerald said and then looked over at Arnold and Helga. "You guys were always the best at rope-
climbing," Harold admitted. Arnold and Helga looked at one another. "Us?" Helga asked worriedly. Arnold looked up at the vents and then at Helga. "What
do you say?" he asked, extending his hand out to her. She smiled. "Let's do it," she replied.
Gerald threw the rope into an open vent and secured it. "Ladies first," Arnold commented. Helga smiled and began to pull herself up the rope. Years
before this she would have thrown something at anyone who even dared to call her a lady. Now she didn't mind so much. Arnold began to climb up behind
her. Helga climbed into the vents and pulled Arnold through. "You okay?" Arnold asked breathlessly. Helga nodded and wiped the sweat off her forehead.
"How 'bout you?" she replied. "I'm fine," Arnold answered, "Ya know, we might have a better chance of finding an exit if we go separate ways." Helga
nodded and pointed. "I'll go this way." she decided. Arnold nodded in agreement. "Call if you find something," he told her and headed off in the opposite
direction. 'I always thought that if this ever happened, Curly would be responsible. Not Eugene. Though people were really mean to him.' Arnold thought as
he made his way in the vents. 'Helga has changed so much. She's more beautiful, sweeter, and dare I think it, nicer' Arnold kept thinking until he heard a loud
crash. "Help!" he heard Helga scream.
Phoebe looked up to see Helga dangling from the vents. "Helga!" she screamed. Gerald came and put his arm around her shoulders, a worried expression
in his eyes. "Come on, Arnold. Help her," Phoebe heard him whisper softly.
Arnold turned himself around and crawled quickly to where he had heard Helga scream from. He gasped. Only the tips of Helga's slender fingers kept her
hanging on the vents. Her fingers were slowly slipping. Quick as a flash, Arnold grabbed Helga's hand pulled her up. Helga leaned back on Arnold, breathing
heavily. "Thanks," she whispered faintly. Arnold was too shaken up to say anything. 'I almost lost her' he realized. He had known Helga a long time. But he
had never come this close to loosing her. He looked over the edge of the vents. It was a very long way down. It could have killed her. It would have killed
her. He blinked hard to avoid tears. Helga touched his cheek lightly. "You gonna be okay?" she asked. Arnold nodded and looked down again. Helga turned
his face towards hers. "I didn't fall," she whispered and smiled sweetly, "Stop worrying." Arnold smiled and took her hand. "I don't want to lose you," he
told her. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Ever. Helga, I--" Helga put a finger to his lips. "Tell me when we're on the ground," she whispered.
Arnold smiled and looked around. Then his mouth dropped. I see an exit," he said. He crawled forward and pushed open a door.