Chapter 10
September 10, 2011
Everything had been smoothed over at school and Joshua now hung out with his new friend Patrick. The parents of the children who picked on him and Joshua had made them apologize as quickly as possible when they found out that Sportacus was Joshua's father.
Patrick had come over to play and the boys went to the playground with Ziggy, who had the day off from the candy factory since it was Saturday. Amanda and Robbie had called and said they wanted to talk with Sportacus and Stephanie.
"I have some good news." Robbie smiled to his friends.
"Maybe I should tell them." Amanda butted in.
"If you want to after all it was your idea." Robbie joked. Amanda gave him a look and stuck out her tongue.
"Meanwhile back at the ranch…" Stephanie said trying to get her friends to focus.
"We thought you should be the first to know that Robbie and I are starting a family." Amanda said.
"Congratulations!" Stephanie squealed giving her friend a hug.
"So that's what you've been doing." Sportacus smiled as he shook Robbie's hand.
"Indeed." Robbie smiled back. Everything seemed to be going pretty well in LazyTown as the friends celebrated. Or was it?
Joshua, Patrick, and Ziggy were enjoying themselves at the apartment complex's playground. Though Ziggy was now in his mid-twenties, there were times when he was still six-year-old Ziggy. Joshua was swinging when suddenly he grabbed his head and fell off the swing.
Patrick shouted for Ziggy and he came right over. The younger boy was nervous and didn't know what to do and unfortunately so was Ziggy. Slowly he picked Joshua up and tried to see what was wrong.
"Joshua, what's wrong?" He asked. Ziggy didn't realize that he wasn't being heard over the loud noises inside the five-year-old's head.
"Patrick, run back to the apartment and get his parents." Ziggy instructed. The other boy stood there frozen. Ziggy tried again.
"Patrick, go to Joshua's house and get his mom and dad." This time his words sunk in and the little boy took off.
Patrick reached the apartment a few minutes later to find the door off its hinges. Something wasn't right and the little boy was frightened. A neighbor, Mr. Donegood, came out in the hall and saw him standing there. Noticing the door, he quickly entered the apartment.
Everything seemed to be in place with the exception of the door. Searching every room, he found the apartment completely empty. Mr. Donegood knew better than to touch anything. Running across the hall to his own apartment, he dialed a special number.
"Captain Dogooder, this is Mr. Donegood. We have a situation." The neighbor said.
"Are you sure, Mr. Donegood?" The captain responded.
"Yes, I'm sure." The strange conversation between what seemed like an average citizen and the chief of police took less than one minute. A team was immediately assembled at the police station and sent out to the apartment complex.
Mr. Donegood told Patrick to take him to Joshua and Ziggy. The two raced out of the building and out to the playground. The friendly neighbor hoped that he could help.
Joshua was now writhing in pain and Ziggy had no idea what to do. Mr. Donegood arrived and instructed Ziggy to follow him to the apartment building. The twenty-six year old scooped up Joshua and went with the neighbor.
Sportacus' crystal was continuing to beep but the sound fell on the deaf ears of the above-average hero. A tall man bent over and removed the crystal from his captive's vest. The beacon became silent as he wrapped it in a piece of cloth and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Seems that I'm not a complete waste of your time after all." The evil man smiled.
To Be Continued…