Chapter 2

KNOCK! KNOCK!

A pounding erupted from the door. Drowsy Ness was woken again by another late night incident. The crust on his eyes fogged his vision as he got up again to see what the problem was in his PJ's and curious spirit. He guessed that no one was up, but both his sister and mother seemed to have placed themselves behind their couch, as if a giant lizard was about to attack on their doorstep. He looked at both of them confused, and as they both blushed awkwardly.

Ness rolled his eyes, and went up to the door. Right when he slightly turned the knob, the door swung open, hitting itself on the wall behind it, creating a nice dent for the doorknob to sit. The figure who had burst through the door was none-other than Pokey, more terrified than ever. His pale white face only matched in anxiety to the sweat forming across his forehead and in his armpits, leaving an embarrassing darker color there on his shirt.

As he was panting, he said, "Hey! Ness!" he yelled. "Thank God you're still awake!"

Ness could already tell that he was about to ask him for a favor…of some kind. Pokey then looked at Ness's mom, and snickered.

"Uh, good evening to you too, Ma'am. You're looking nice…as usual."

Ness was just about to slam the door in front of him, but he was interrupted by his annoying speech.

"Listen. My brother, Picky, seemed to have run away like the little baby he is. I think he's up near the meteorite where the police were. They decided to book it and try to stop the Sharks again. I heard that they were doing something down near the arcade, which set them off. So I need your help finding him. I can't go up there alone. There are things up there that scare m-I mean- that are in the way. I got no one else on my side. Mom and Dad left me at home with him for some stupid diner, and they said that if I screw up, they will beat me until I begin to bleed. So will you come with me?"

Ness was unsure of his decision. He was on the brink of hating Pokey to the core, but as he has been told by many people, that no matter what they are, they are still people…even if they have punched you in the face before. Pokey could tell that his friend was having trouble, so he whispered, "If you say no…I say something that will cut you like a knife."

Ness was un-moved by his words, as Pokey could barely get two people to even take a glance at him when he needed to speak. But even though there was no obvious blackmail in the agreement, he said, "Fine. I'll join."

Pokey suddenly had a rush of relief pour over him like cold water on a hot day, and squeezed through the door to take a seat on the couch. Ness's mom looked at him with question, and to her son, with remorse.

"Look, you go find his brother, and hurry back as soon as you can. And hurry! The sun's coming up soon!"

As told, he went up to his room to put on his clothes from earlier, and as he was walking out, he was greeted by his sister, with a half-broken bat in her tiny hands.

"I-In case something happens." She said with a grin.

He met up then with Pokey at the doorstep.

"Goodbye Miss! We'll be back!" He said attempting to act brave, but still had a burning feeling of dread in his stomach. They then stepped out into the moonlight to find that it was as calm as an untouched lake. No police cars, no fire department, nothing. Just the two of them. Then, his mom called from behind, "Bring your dog, too! J-just in case!"

His big white dog, King, raced out to meet Ness, and began to lick his face. King then noticed the other company, and growled at him unusually.

"What's your problem, you stupid mutt?" He remarked. Ness pulled the dog away, looking at Pokey with anger.

"You don't have to call him stupid, Pokey." He argued.

"Wow! Ness finally speaks! What, you afraid of your Mom?" Pokey replied.

"Shut up! You want me to find your brother, or not?"

"Yes! Yes! I was just kidding, man! Can't you take a joke? Why are you being such a prick?"

Ness felt as if he was going to explode, but refrained with a sigh. He knew there was no point in arguing.

"Just come on!" he yelled. Pokey was left satisfied, and walked with him. They trekked up the mountain, continuously checking up on the dog to make sure he doesn't begin to attack Pokey, which Ness wished could happen. Every time the blonde haired boy heard a crow flying above him, or a snake hissing in the grass, he would try to stay back at least 4 feet.

Ness rolled his eyes every time this happened, except for when one decided that it was brave. It was a snake. It lurked in the grass, and waited for the right time to strike. The group was just about the reach the top, when a long, viper-looking reptile leaped up to Pokey, and bit him in the back. It sunk its long fangs into its fat host, enjoying every second as the boy quickly noticed a shooting pain run in the back of his neck.

Ness's instincts warned him once Pokey began to scream like a little girl, and he shot his arm with his bat over his head, and grabbed with two hands as he attempted to smite the animal. It hung off of Pokey like a loose string on a shirt, which was hard for Ness to hit. He decided to use his hands instead, and violently yanked the snake off of him, which flung himself onto the ground, with a not-so-deadly snake in his cold hands.

The scaly creature was your typical garden snake, with harmless venom in their bodies, but it was very rare to see one attack a person just like that without being provoked. Now a young boy has a ticked off one in his palms. Laying on the grass, he flung the thing high in the air, stood up, and then smacked it with his bat like a ball, and sent it flying a couple of meters.

Recovering, he looked back at the victim to find the two marks on his flesh, which blood poured from. He began to cry, and was refueled with frustration and sorrow.

"Why didn't you help me? I could have been killed!" Pokey yelled.

"What are you saying?" Ness shot back. "I'm the one that killed it! Plus, it was a garden snake, so…unless it bit you eight-hundred times in a row, it could not have killed you." He looked back at his bat, which was soaked in blood at the tip. He washed it with the dew of the grass, and stared at Pokey's troubled face. He grunted, and made more progress up the mountain with his friend. Unfortunately, right now, friend was used a bit too loosely.

Once they reached the top of the cliff, they looked a full three-sixty for King. He was nowhere to be found. They both then heard a whine from behind a tree, with a white tail sticking from the back. They both went behind the plant to see the dog lying in the grass, shivering. The poor mammal was terrified, and his owner did not want to push him too far.

"Picky! You little piece off-"Pokey yelled. His fist grabbed the young boy by his T-shirt, making his knuckles pale.

"Hey! Don't blame me! You ran away like a big, big chicken, leaving me here!" Picky defended. Ness then saw Picky's brother look at him laughing fearfully.

"I'm telling Mom what you did!" Those words struck Pokey like a slap to the face. With his fist raised high, he yelled, "IF YOU TELL MOM, I WILL RIP YOUR HEART OUT AND PIN IT TO A WALL!"

Ness shocked by what he said, he replied, "Whoa! Dude! Calm down! He's just a little kid! Besides, he is right. Why would you leaving your freaking brother out here when you were both trying to see the stupid rock?"

"Hey!" Pokey argued. "I just wanted to have some fun! The meteor looked awesome, so I just wanted to check it out! Mom and Dad never let me do anything! They hate me! They're embarrassed by me! Heck, they-"

His yell was blocked by the ringing coming from behind them. It was the meteor. It glowed even brighter than it was before. The heat blew the 3 back, which made King jump, and run down the hill like a bullet. They all looked in awe as a beam shot up from the middle, into the clouds, and dark sky.

It grew and grew as the ringing became higher and louder until they could not hear it at all, but could still feel an excruciating headache pound near their eardrums. They still looked anyway, as two robotic arms opened sides of the space rock, and what was seen inside was a bright red light. Something small began to shoot out of it, as small as a housefly or mosquito.

It buzzed like any other flying insect, and it spun in circles as the yellow beam disintegrated. Then…it spoke.

"A bee, I am….."

"…Not."