Attack of the Rolling Cheese Part II:
The Adventure Continues
Chapter 1: It Starts
It was raining. A lone rider approached the entrance to Hickory Heights. The pair of wheels turned quietly as the bike made its way up the road.
The figure seated on the bike was small. Very small in build, with small feet and hands and long, thin fingers controlling the handle bars.
The bike stopped at the Hickory Heights entrance, the breaks squeaking slightly. The rider got off the bike and began to walk it up the hill, completely ignoring the large, expensive houses on either side of the road. Upon reaching the top of the hill, the figure got back on the bike and began to ride down the road, again ignoring the houses.
At last, the destination came into view. It was the House of Adrienne, also known as the last Housely Home this side of the stop sign.
It was a nice looking house that was made of brick and had a green awning over the front door. Of course, the moat surrounding it was purely for decoration, since the bridge connecting the driveway and the road couldn't be closed off (Um…can someone please explain to me why, exactly, is there a bridge and moat in the middle of Hickory Heights? Oh, and for those of you who haven't yet figured it out, Hickory Heights is a very nice residential community).
The bike crossed over the bridge then stopped. The rider got off the bike and tethered (!) it to the railing that ran, for some unknown reason, along one side of the driveway. After making sure that the rope was tied securely, the person leaned over the bike and said in a soft whisper, "I don't want you trying to go off anywhere while I'm inside."
The bike was defiantly silent, then proceeded to roll back several inches, tugging at the rope. The strange rider sighed, then turned and started to walk to the door.
Upon reaching the door, a fisted hand rose up and knocked three times (ah, why is the person knocking when there's a doorbell?). After a few seconds, the door opened and the figure stepped inside.
The small hands reached up to remove the old army coat and to push back the Kelly green hood of the swim team hoodie. She was short, about 5'2, and very thin.
Just then, someone came down the stairs. This someone was taller than the strange girl standing in the entry way by about an inch. This someone looked around and saw the girl standing there and…
"Hey, Jill," she said to the person who had just come into the house. (Well, at least we know the strange person's name. by the way, since we're all giving introductions, my name's Zakath, or Jill, whichever you prefer, and yes, I'm the same Jill in the story, but no, none of this ever really happened. sigh)
"Hi, Adie," Jill replied, reaching up to brush her hair out of her eyes.
"Did your dad drive you?"
"No. I rode my bike."
"Oh, god."
"What?"
"You're an idiot, that's what."
"Hey! I resent that. And, no, I'm not an idiot."
"Whatever, Jill."
Jill just glared at Adrienne for a few moments, then, more to break the silence than anything, Adie asked, "So are you hungry?"
"Do I ever really get hungry?"
"Good point. Well, I'm a little hungry, so I'm going to get some string cheese. I'll grab some for you, too, just in case." Then she went to the kitchen to get the cheese, leaving Jill standing alone in the entryway (snicker).
A few minutes later, Adie found Jill looking at DVDs. "Hey, Adie. I vote we watch this one. We watched Two Towers last time."
Adrienne looked at the movie Jill had in her hand. It was Pirates of the Caribbean. "Ok, sounds good to me."
"Great."
After the movie, Adrienne and Jill sat at the table arguing about man toys (long story, so I'm not explaining). Then a sudden idea came to Adie.
"Hey, Jill, do you want me to run upstairs and give you that one David Eddings book?"
"Yeah, ok."
"I'll be right back."
About a minute later, Jill heard Adrienne's voice calling down to her.
"JILL, where is it?"
Jill started to laugh, but quickly stifled the laughter. Then she called back up to Adie, "Where's what?"
Adrienne came quickly down the stairs so she didn't have to yell.
"My cardboard Legolas stand up. Where is it?" (Another long story)
"How should I know?" she replied innocently. (Note: when Jill pretends to be innocent, she's definitely not)
"C'mon Jill. Where is it?"
"Oh, fine. It's in Joey's room."
"Joey's room? Why on earth would you put it in there?"
"I knew you wouldn't look in there."
"You're insane."
"Thank you. Well, should we go rescue Legolas or not?"
About 15 minutes later (and no, it didn't take that long to move Legolas) Adrienne and Jill were sitting with more string cheese and watching some random movie on TV.
"Hey, Adie, let's go over to my house."
"Ok, umm, why?"
"I got something delivered to me and… well, you have to see it to believe it."
"What is it?"
"A box. But it's big."
"How big?"
"Bigger than me."
"Whoa. That is big."
"Yeah, but it's more what the label says that interests me."
"Ok. Umm, what time is it?"
"About 12."
"I have to be home by 7:30."
"That's fine."
"Oh, wait. My parents aren't home."
"That's ok."
"Jill, I really don't feel like riding a bike all the way to your house."
"You won't have to."
"What do you mean?" Adie demanded suspiciously.
"You'll see. C'mon, let's go."
They both put on their shoes and went outside to where the bike was tethered, but they didn't find a bike. It was a horse.
"Um, Jill, I think there's something seriously wrong here," Adie said, staring at the big horse.
The horse was a large, powerful looking roan. It had an ugly face and flat, unfriendly eyes. It was pawing restlessly at the ground and looked as though it might try to bite anyone who came too close.
Adrienne's eyes narrowed. "Hey, wait a second. He looks exactly like… it has to be! Jill, it's Faran!"
Jill shook her head. "No. His name is Bikan."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Ok, whatever. But how did he get here?"
"I don't know, but I knew he'd be here. I don't know how, but I did."
"That's strange. Hey, where's your bike?"
"Right here."
"What?"
"The horse. He's my bike, but as a horse instead."
"What the… Hey! I thought you said you didn't know how he got here!"
"I don't. But I know what he is."
"Jill, are you absolutely positive he's not Faran?"
She nodded.
"How?" Adie demanded.
"Look at his right shoulder."
Adie looked more closely at the horse's shoulder, just like Jill said. On the shoulder, there was a white circle that had a sort of silvery sheen to it. It was almost exactly the size of Jill's palm.
"That's freaky," said Adie.
"Yeah, I know. Now let's get going," Jill said as she was mounting.
"Ok," said Adie, mounting behind Jill. "You don't think it'll snow, do you? I've heard that horses don't like snowstorms."
"Umm, Adie, it's the middle of June, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. Now I just have one more question."
"What's that?"
"Since when do I have a moat?"
"I was hoping you could tell me."
Jill and Adie dismounted in front of Jill's house. By this time, the sun was shining and it was almost 80° outside. Jill went inside for a few moments to put the hoodie and the jacket away, then she came outside again to where Adie was inspecting the suspicious looking box in the front yard.
"Umm, Jill?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is it out here in the middle of your yard?"
"Oh, I didn't feel like moving it inside. It's really heavy, you know."
"It looks heavy, and it is a bit weird that something this size should be delivered to you, but I don't really see what's so important about it. Why exactly did you feel you had to come get me?"
"Did you see the label?"
"No," Adie replied. "What's it say?"
"It says that the big box here is imported silk."
"So? It's not really unheard of."
"Imported silk from any other country would have been fine, if not a little strange since I know we can't afford it. But not imported silk from that particular country."
"Why? What country does it say it comes from?"
"Drasnia."
When Adrienne heard this, she was more than a little freaked out. All she could do was stand there, staring first at Jill, then at the box.
"Well, Adie? Should we open it?"
"I don't really see what choice we have. We need to find out what's inside."
"Okay, then."
Jill grabbed the crowbars that were, for some strange reason, by the front door. Then she and Adie set to work prying off the top of the box. It took about 10 minutes, and when they were done, they turned the box over on its side. A small, rat-faced little man with a long nose rolled out.
End of Chapter 1