CHAPTER THREE

There are times when you wake up in a strange place and are really confused, but then you remember that you're on vacation and you've got something awesome planned for the day. And then there are times when you wake up and you know right away where you are. Well, today was nothing like that.

When I woke up, I didn't know where I was. So, the first thought I had was that we must be on vacation somewhere and Uncle Donald would come wake me up soon with pancakes or something since I was the last one out of the bed.

Then I remembered that Uncle Donald and my brothers had gone without me to the family reunion. Which meant another day of staying home alone, and that was getting kind of old now. I wished they be back soon.

...And that was when I remembered everything. How I wasn't home anymore, and that Uncle Donald, Huey, and Louie weren't coming back.

I pulled the covers over my head, but sleep wasn't coming back. So instead I threw the covers away and got out of bed.

The room was exactly the same as it had been the night before. My suitcase was still sitting by the door next to my smaller bag, with nothing unpacked. I hadn't even slept in my own pjs last night; they were some clothes I found hanging off a hook in the attached bathroom.

I looked at the suitcase, and decided to leave it there. There was no point unpacking, since I was sure that I wouldn't be here much longer.

You see, they couldn't be dead. They had to have survived. So when they came back for me, I wanted to be ready to go home.

With that in mind, I changed into the same clothes I had been wearing yesterday and made my way downstairs.

I was really glad Uncle Scrooge had left me with a map of the mansion, because I almost got lost once or twice. By the time I made it to the kitchen, I almost felt as if I were exploring the place with Huey and Louie. I could even imagine their reactions to everything-Huey would know just what style that weird piece of architecture was in, and Louie would know the exact cost of that suit of armor.

The kitchen seemed larger than it did last night, especially since I was the only person in it.

"You're up early," Uncle Scrooge said, making me jump. He was right behind me. How did he get there?

"Just how long have you been standing there?" I asked.

"Not long. I'm taking a break from work."

"Work?" I asked, confused, "It's time for breakfast. Have you been up all night?"

"No," Uncle Scrooge chuckled, walking to the fridge, "But I do start me days early. You know what they say about the early bird, lad."

He took out some milk and set it on the table, then opened the cupboard and pulled out some generic store-brand cereal.

"Come and have some breakfast," he said, setting a bowl and spoon down, so of course I sat down and started making cereal.

While I was eating, Uncle Scrooge began cooking some eggs. Soon enough I had another plate next to me full of scrambled eggs with toast. Uncle Scrooge then made a plate of scrambled eggs for himself and sat down across from me.

I'm not sure how this guy could continue working when almost everyone he's related to is gone. No, wait-I had decided that they weren't gone. I mean, it was such an outlandish way to go that they probably evacuated and were just kidnapped somewhere, or something.

"How can you keep working, Uncle Scrooge?" I asked.

Uncle Scrooge slowly put down his fork, and looked up at me with a strange half smile.

"Because I cannae afford not to." He said.

"But you're rich," I said, gesturing to the mansion we were in.

"Aye," he responded, "So rich that if I don't act now, the world economy would fall to pieces."

What?

"How so?" I asked.

"Well," Uncle Scrooge said, "If I didn't stand up straight and tall, and continue with me work, we would have gone to war with Loonsvania. After all, this whole thing is completely their fault, even if it was an accident."

"War?"

"Aye," Uncle Scrooge said. "But I will admit, lad, I do want a break. I want ta lock myself in the moneybin and bury meself in me treasure. The last thing I want to do is plan out funerals and make peace with the country that killed them all."

He stabbed at his eggs with his fork, and continued eating.

War. We had almost gone to war. Somehow I had missed that, even when I had been watching the news yesterday back at my house.

"NO!" I shouted, slamming my spoon into my bowl, "We can't go to war, and we can't have any funerals! You know why? Because they're not dead! Uncle Donald would have seen it coming. He would have done something! So would my brothers, and Grandma Duck, and all my...anyway, they would have gotten off the boat! They're not dead, Uncle Scrooge! They're not dead, so stop giving up!"

"Dewey-"

But I ran out of the kitchen. I ran all the way upstairs, somehow remembering the way to the room I stayed in the night before. I slammed open the door and tossed my suitcase to the ground so I could open it.

"I've got to make sure he doesn't give up," I said to myself, unzipping the suitcase.

I was never a great packer, but I still had a system. I knew exactly where I put the red shirt. It was right next to the green one. I took off the blue shirt I was wearing and put on Huey's.

Normally, I don't ever put on my brother's shirts. They're our way of being independent, so we only ever switch them when we're playing our craziest pranks on someone. So, this was the first time in a while I had worn red.

As soon as it was on, I raced down the hall again. Uncle Scrooge was just coming up to the top of the stairs, and he looked concerned.

"Hiya Uncle Scrooge!" I shouted, giving him a big hug, "I can't believe I made it!"

"Dewey, why are you wearing that?" Uncle Scrooge asked.

"I'm not Dewey, I'm Huey!" I said, "See? I didn't die, I'm right here."

Uncle Scrooge knelt down where he was, and pulled me into a hug.

"So don't give up," I told him, "We're all alive, Uncle Scrooge! You just have to help me and Dewey find Louie and Uncle Donald."

"Dewey," Uncle Scrooge said, hugging me even tighter, "I know how you feel, lad."

"I'm not Dewey," I protested.

"Lad," Uncle Scrooge said softly.

Stuck in his arms, I could only start to sniffle.

"Yesterday, after I brought you here," Uncle Scrooge continued, "I checked in with a rescue team I had sent out as soon as I heard of the accident. Even though I had known immediately when I first heard the news, I still wanted ta be sure. Dewey, there were...there were no survivors."

Uncle Scrooge hugged me tighter, but I still saw his tears.

To Be Continued...