I'm going to dedicate this chapter to my amazing mum. Because although we fight all the time, I just need her to know that I love her and that I'm sorry I'm such a pain. I hope she can forgive me.
Tap, tap, tap.
Axel sighed. Tapping on his desk with his pencil wasn't going to help! The only way to finish his revision for his exams was to face up and do them.
But it was so hard. Axel could spend hours procrastinating in one way or another. Eating, sleeping, doodling, staring into space, you name it. And it didn't help that his parents were so damn pressurising. Acting like if he failed, it would be the end of the world.
It was only when he was studying at the dead of night that came the moment that would change everything.
And not to do with studying.
Axel was scanning through some French revision notes when he heard a voice.
"Is anyone there?"
Axel's gaze darted upwards to his ceiling where the voice had come from.
"Hello?" he called. "Wait! Do you know what's French for 'cottage'?"
There was a pause.
"What?"
"It's for this exam I've got at the end of the month, you see," Axel explained. "You see, my dad says that if I don't pass this test, then I shouldn't consider French for collage, but my mum says that-"
He stopped suddenly, aware that he was burbling. "Sorry, I'm ranting aren't I?"
"Are you alone?" the voice asked.
"What?"
"Right now, are you by yourself?"
Axel looked around in case his sister had snuck up on him, but he was on his own.
"Yes, it's just me," he said.
"Come up to the attic."
"What?"
"Please? Come up to the attic. I need to know I can trust you."
It was a girl's voice, she sounded young, scared. What if she needed help?
"Alright," Axel said. "I'm coming."
Axel didn't even know the Muppet Theatre had an attic. With a stage, two floors backstage, a boiler room and a basement, he thought it was big enough. But after finding and climbing a ladder, Axel found himself in memory lane.
The attic was where the Muppets put the stuff they didn't need anymore. It was remarkable how many chicken, cow and other stupid animal costumes were up there. Axel preferred the photos. There were a few of him and Jasmine but most were very old 1990s shots of the show. Various Muppets alongside guest stars.
But the sight in the corner made Axel's heart stop.
There was a bald eagle with blue feathers, blond hair and the most amazing blue eyes Axel had ever seen.
"Do you have anything to eat?" she begged.
She sounded like she hadn't eaten in days, but considering how she was stuck in Axel's attic with no reason why, she probably hadn't eaten in ages.
Axel shook his head. "Sorry, no," he said. "Hey, I'm Axel, who are you?"
"That doesn't matter right now," the eagle said. "I need your help."