CHAPTER TWO

Remember how I said I hadn't been alone at home before? That's because I have two brothers, and we're all triplets. We go everywhere together. The only time I've ever really been alone, other than the past few days, were times when it was just me and Uncle Donald. And usually, those times were only when I had to go see the dentist or if he wanted to give me a special treat at the candy store or something. So basically, I have never been alone with anyone other than Uncle Donald.

And now I was stuck in a car with just old Uncle Scrooge, someone I only ever see at family reunions. And the last time I saw him, we tried to fill his hat with tofu.

This was really awkward.

Uncle Scrooge was sitting on the left side of the car next to the window, and I was sitting on the right. Sitting in the seat between us was my extra bag of stuff that didn't go in the trunk. I don't know the guy who was driving, but I guess Uncle Scrooge has a driver now.

I shuffled in my seat, and Uncle Scrooge fiddled with the cane in his hands.

"Did that..." I started to ask, before I paused and thought about what words I should use, "Is the news right?"

Uncle Scrooge nodded. "Aye." He said, "I investigated as soon as I heard. It's definitely true."

Silence again.

I hung my head. I don't really know why I needed to ask Uncle Scrooge that question, since I had seen the news myself. But I guess it just didn't seem real.

"We'll have the funeral in three days." Uncle Scrooge said, his words hitting the silence like a calm landslide, "And I've already enrolled you in a school in Duckburg. It's a fine school, yer Uncle Donald would be proud."

I must have had something in my eyes, because they started to tear up for some reason.

Suddenly, Uncle Scrooge ruffled my hair. It surprised me because, for just a second, it felt exactly like Uncle Donald.

"It's never easy, lad." Uncle Scrooge said, "I've had enough experience ta tell you that."

I don't care what experiences he's had, because he's never had brothers and an Uncle who just disappeared on him. They can't be dead. They just can't be...

I will be forever grateful that Uncle Scrooge didn't seem to notice when I started really crying.

Actually, I think I saw him cry a little, too.

When the car finally pulled up to Uncle Scrooge's mansion after hours and hours of driving, I should have been excited. I mean, I've seen the mansion a million times in pictures and stuff, but Uncle Donald always said that he'd rather lose his position in the Navy than stay there for one night. So I always pictured that on our first visit, Huey and Louie would be cramming me up against the car window so that we'd each try to get a good look before the other two. Then we'd all be really excited, and Huey and Louie would...

But it was no use thinking of what we would do now. I was here alone, with Uncle Scrooge. And my brothers and Uncle Donald weren't here. So I glanced at the mansion, but I didn't really care about it now.

It didn't matter anymore.

The car pulled up to the front, and I got out as soon as it stopped. I grabbed my bag that was in the middle seat while Uncle Scrooge told me that the driver would get my suitcase out of the trunk. He then led me through the front door, up the stairs, and through a maze of passageways until we came to a room with one bed in it.

To be honest, it was a great room. It was three times bigger than the one I already had at Uncle Donald's house, and everything in it was bigger and more expensive than what Uncle Donald ever gave us. Plus, it was all blue, which is my favorite color. But the room didn't feel right, since it wasn't mine. My bedroom would always have two more beds in it.

"This is your room," Uncle Scrooge said, "I've left a map of the mansion on the dresser. If you need me, my bedroom is just down the hall."

And he might have said a few more things too, but I wasn't really paying attention. As soon as he left, I plopped down on the bed.

This time, I was truly alone.

I heard the door open and close once, and when I looked up my suitcase was inside by the door.

I'm not sure just how long I stayed there, lying in one spot.

After a while, I noticed that the sun coming in through the large windows had traveled across the white carpet. I became really engrossed in that sunlight, and watched it as it continued to move, slowly, very slowly, across the floor. I was almost disappointed when it disappeared and the room became dark, but I still laid there and watched the spot where I had last seen it. I didn't feel like turning on the lights, so as soon it was too dark to see the spot anymore I closed my eyes and covered my face with my arm.

The light turned on, and the bed dipped a little.

"Dewey," Uncle Scrooge said, "Come down for supper. Neither of us has eaten a thing all day."

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled into the bedcovers.

Uncle Scrooge got up off the bed, walked a little closer, and reached down. I realized he was giving me a hug, which was a little weird coming from him. But suddenly the hug turned into a carry and he was lifting me up.

"Come along," he said, taking me with him out of the room, "We're both going ta get something to eat."

I fought him a little, just a little, and then gave up. It was a little strange to think that he could actually pick me up even though he's so old, but then I remembered Louie telling me Uncle Scrooge was used to lifting money. Since he was used to picking up treasures made of pure gold, it wasn't too strange that he could carry me.

Uncle Scrooge brought me through several hallways and down a flight of stairs, then set me down once we reached the kitchen.

"Here," he said, walking to the table and sitting down to a bowl of steaming soup already waiting, "Come get yers, me lad."

I obediently walked over and sat down in front of a second bowl of soup, and at Uncle Scrooge's urging I started to eat.

I'll never forget the taste of that soup.

I didn't deserve it. Why couldn't my brothers or Uncle Donald try it? Why could I have something they would never be able to have again?

The soup gradually became a little salty, but I finished it anyway.

Ma. Pa. Matilda. Me fiery sister Hortense. The fiery horse I named after Hortense. Della. Then there was Grandma Duck. She wasnae even my relative, but she treated me like family. Donald. Huey. Louie. The entire Duck family.

It's just Dewey now. He's the last.

The last of Clan McDuck, and the last of the Ducks.

We're all that's left.