And here's the next chapter, known as 'Helga Sleepwalks'... or rather, 'Olga Sleepwalks'! How will this work? You'll see! Anyway, enjoy!
The next night, I was in the Realm of Dreams as I knocked on the door leading to Helga's room. The door swung open. "Yeah, yeah, come in!"
At least Helga was inside this time as I came in and sat down where I was looking towards the blue eyed, frowning girl. "Where were you all this time when I needed you?"
"In case you haven't read my note, I've been in hiding." Helga shook her head.
"Yes, but from what? And why?" I asked. "And don't give me excuses, Helga! I deserve to know what's going on!"
Helga paused... as she sighed. "I wasn't going to tell you until you found more pieces, but... I guess I can tell you something more... remember the story I told you of when I was associated with both Arnold and Phoebe?"
"I remember it clearly." I nodded. "In your dimension, you pushed Arnold and he got knocked unconscious, then Phoebe ditched you in your time of need."
"Well, there's a little more detail than that... but I'll touch upon it when you figure it out..." Helga sighed. "Anyhow, after all that, I was in my room, trashing it in frustration. My life was going down... but then I heard a voice. I turned and I saw something unusual."
"What?" I asked.
"...You know what, rather than describe it for you, how about I just show you?" Helga sighed as a screen conjured behind her.
I nodded as I watched the screen as it turned on.
On the screen, I saw Helga herself just moaning her frustrations in... I guess it was her room... through her pillow as she said, "Why is everything going wrong today? I hit Arnold, Phoebe ditched me... and the only time I did need comfort isn't even here!"
I watched as Helga growled, ripping her pillow, kicking a picture frame (I didn't get a good look) and pushing aside her desk, knocking it down. "It's not fair! It's just not fair..."
She growled as she then noticed a small letter under there. She picked up the letter and noticed it said 'To Helga'. Helga had never seen that letter before, nor did she care, as she was about to shred it to pieces...
"Life isn't fair, sweetheart..."
Helga stopped what she was about to do. "Who said that?"
"Over by the window, Miss Pataki..."
Helga turned towards the window as she saw...
I recognized that little girl. This was the same girl who took the boots and who I saw talking to that old woman earlier. Helga growled. "Who are you, and how did you get in my house?"
"It wasn't that hard, really. Your parents wouldn't even notice if some guy just dropped in in your house!" The little girl said as she laid her head down on the pillow.
"Hey! Get out of here!" Helga yelled.
"And if I don't?" The girl asked, looking at her.
Helga growled as she was about to raise a fist. "If you don't get out of my house by the time I curl up Old Betsy, you're going to wish you were never born!"
The little girl just yawned as she pulled out a nail file and started to file them. "Bring it."
Helga growled as she was about to hit the girl. The girl yawned as Helga tried punching the girl multiple times, but the little girl didn't seem fazed. A few minutes later, Helga got tired as she asked, "H-how..."
"You'd be surprised at the feats I can do..." The girl explained. "Anyway, I'm here to make you a little proposition... I know you have a horrible life, at home and currently with your outer life..."
"How would you know that?" Helga frowned as she crossed her arms and turned around.
"Oh, Helga, I can make it all better..." The girl smiled.
Helga's eyes widened as she turned to the girl. "How did you know my name? Are you... a guardian angel?"
"Eh... I suppose you can say that, in a way..." The girl smirked.
"B-but I thought you couldn't see spirits or even ang-" Helga started.
"Kid, in this world, there are real ghosts running around." The girl sighed. "You don't see them because you turn your back, but they are there! I think your friend Gerald even claimed to seeing one..."
"He's not a friend, but how would you-" Helga started.
"Do you want your life to be better?" The girl asked. "To have a happy life, to not have to worry about all the responsibility that was laid upon you?"
Helga paused as she looked back and pocketed the envelope. "I'll bite..."
The girl smiled. "Helga, my friend... have you ever heard of the concept of ti-"
"And that's enough for now!" Helga said as she turned off the screen.
I stared with wide eyes. "That... girl looked familiar!"
"She should..." Helga growled. "Whatever you do, Rhonda, do not listen to this girl or trust her in anyway!"
"What did she do?" I asked. "And who was she?"
"She tricked me, okay? I went along with her plans, and long story short, I got away from her when I realized I was used and... yeah, I'm currently living here now!" Helga explained. "She got mad I escaped her clutches and I think even now she's still looking for me!"
"Why? Why is that girl looking for you? I mean, you're not alive in this world, so..." I started.
"My being a ghost is one of the reasons WHY she's looking for me!" Helga sighed. "All I'm saying is, be wary of her! She is a good master of disguise, she can easily fool you! As for who she is... talk with Curly! He may tell you more!"
"Curly? He's a sick, twisted, crazy freak!" I frowned.
"Sometimes, even crazy people can be right..." Helga sighed. "Come back to me when you've talked with him OR you have another vision."
I couldn't wrap my head around it, but I nodded. "All right... I will..."
"Good..." Helga nodded. "See you soon!"
The next thing I knew, I was waking up from my dream...
I yawned as I was snuggling in my bed. I then clutched on to the small animal I had beside my-
Wait... when did I get a stuffed animal beside my bed? And why does it feel like a head?
My eyes popped open to see blonde hair. My eyes became more focused as I put on my glasses to see a window open and... Olga in her pajamas, sleeping on a chair as she was laying her head next to my bedside, her eyes closed. I had to shake my head, wondering if this was a dream. It wasn't. Olga was actually in my house...
I had to shake Olga awake. "Olga, wake up!"
"H-huh, wha?" Olga moaned as she opened her eyes. Olga's eyes popped wide open as she looked around. "What the- this isn't my room!"
"I should say so." I sighed. "Olga, what are you doing here?"
"I wish I could answer that question." Olga sighed as she moved around trying to remember. "I don't remember what happened last night! I remember having a little of daddy's pork rinds, just a crazy idea I had to try some of them, after I so politely asked him... then I started grading some works, got tired and went to bed. I don't know how I ended up here!"
"...wow. Do you think maybe it's a sleepwalking thing?" I asked.
"I don't know for sure..." Olga said in concern... before laughing a bit. "But maybe it was a one time thing. Sorry for coming into your house, Rhonda..."
"That's okay..." I smiled as I hugged her a bit. "You're actually a joy to see in the morning..."
"Oh, Rhonda, I'm glad you're happy to see me, but I'm in a nightie, and people are going to see me climb out the window when I get out!" Olga smiled.
"Rhonda, sweetheart, breakfast time!" I heard my mother call.
"Well, Olga, we have to tell my parents you're here... they're going to blow a gasket that you broke into their house, but once we explain to them what is going on, they'll understand." I explained to Olga.
Olga smiled a bit as she said, "It'll be wonderful to meet the Lloyd family! I just hope they'll be accepting and understanding..."
"Well, we have to admit, you made quite a shock when you came down the stairs, Olga..." My mom said as she served some toast to Olga. "If I knew we were going to have guests, I'd have made more..."
"That's okay, I wasn't expecting to be here myself..." Olga blushed a bit. "Again, I am really sorry for breaking into your house. I don't even remember what happened..."
"I think she may be sleepwalking..." I mentioned.
"That's all right, Miss Pataki. You probably didn't know..." My father laughed. "Of course, you'll have to be extra careful... did you eat anything last night that may have caused the sleepwalking?"
"Well... I did have a few pork rinds, but I didn't eat THAT many..." Olga explained. "Just at least... two, maybe three handfuls."
"That would explain it. Sometimes, eating something like salty foods before bed can cause sleep walking..." My mother explained to her. "I've had a bit of an experience with it myself... potato chips, oh, they were great. But I had to stop eating them... only limiting myself to at least one handful each time."
"Oh... I see..." Olga paused.
"You know, Olga, my little girl has told us a lot about you..." My father smiled. "She's really appreciative that you're taking good care of her when she's alone, and we appreciate it as well... have you ever had a sibling before?"
"I wish I had, but no..." Olga said, I noted a little sadness in her voice. But then she smiled as she said, "But that's okay. Being with Rhonda and the other kids and protecting them from harm if they need it... it's enough to keep me happy..."
My mother and father whispered to each other as my father turned to Olga. "Actually, Olga, we wanted to talk to you about something..."
"Uh, all right..." Olga nodded as my dad and my mom led Olga away for a minute.
"Rhonda, could you wait right here?" My father asked.
"Sure, dad." I nodded as they were out of the room.
I sighed as I looked up, having my own thoughts. What was Helga talking about? What was her connection between that girl and herself? Who was her family? Why is she a ghost? And furthermore... what was going on in this world?
Has this world... been different since the beginning?
I wiped those thoughts out of my mind as my parents came in with Olga as she smiled, saying, "I'd be glad to do it!"
"What's going on?" I asked as Olga hugged me.
"Your parents decided to hire me as a babysitter for you in case they're out of town!" Olga smiled as my parents nodded.
"Hey, that's awesome!" I smiled, looking at Olga. "Usually, I'm fine without being babysat, but you're okay by me."
I hugged her back as Olga let go of me and turned to my parents. "Well, thanks for breakfast... I probably should be getting home... kind of embarrassing to see myself in my pajamas..."
"It's all right, Olga, we'll take you home." My mother smiled as we got up.
"Thanks..." Olga sighed in relief.
As soon as we dropped Olga off at her house, my parents dropped me off at Phoebe's, where she, Nadine and Lila were waiting. I filled her in on the story.
"Sheesh, sleepwalking?" Nadine laughed.
"I've read something like this on Mr. Simmons' class. Remember his little lecture on the balanced diet?" Phoebe asked. "He told us that even one sort of food type, even when eating too much or just trying for the first time, can make people do weird things..."
"Like your sugar rushes!" Nadine smiled, turning to me.
"You have to bring those up." I sighed.
"Those lectures are very educational..." Lila nodded. "But from what you told us, Olga didn't go sugar crazy, she just ate salty foods and had a little sleepwalking episode..."
"Maybe it's different..." I shrugged.
"Though I'm curious..." Phoebe paused. "Why did Olga come into YOUR house?"
I paused. "I don't know, Phoebe. I... honestly don't know... and from what Olga told me, she doesn't seem to know, either..."
All four of us looked at each other before we looked up to the sky, pondering how or why Olga stopped by my house when she was sleepwalking.
That's episode one hundred and thirteen! How was it? Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!