Chapter 2

Halley had been riding her bike for over an hour and she couldn't find anyone who

could help her.

"Man, it's getting late," she said with a yawn. "How can it be so hard to find

someone around here?" Halley took out the Chaos Emerald from her purse and looked at it. "I'm

pretty this gem can lead me to the owner." Halley wasn't paying attention to the road, so she

tripped over a rock, flew from her bike, and crashed into a tree. Half of her body was stuck inside,

leaving her rear sticking out.

"Crude, I'm stuck," she said, struggling to get out. "Someone get me out of here!

HELP ME!!"

In a dark alley, a red echidna was hunting for treasure. He had long red hair,

white gloves with sharp knuckles on his fists, purple eyes, and red shoes with a gray buckle on

each orange strap.

The echidna heard Halley scream. "What now?" he said to himself. He ran from

the dark alley to where Halley was stuck.

She was still struggling. "Could someone help me, please?" she cried. "I don't

want to be stuck to a tree forever." She began to whine. "I'll never get out of here."

"Hello, miss," said the echidna, leaning against the tree beside Halley.

"Is someone talking to me?" Halley asked. "Oh, thank God you're here. I--who

am I talking to?"

"My name's Knuckles the Echidna," said the echidna.

"Well, as you can see, Knuckles," said Halley, "I'm sort of under a predicament

right now."



"Are you stuck?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Halley sighed.

"Want some help?"

"That would be very grateful of you. Thanks."

Knuckles stood behind Halley. "Hang on," he said. "I'll get you out."

"Just be a little gentle," said Halley. "I can become very sensitive."

"Okay." Knuckles grabbed Halley's legs and tried to pull them out.

"Ow, ow, ow," Halley yelled as Knuckles was pulling her legs. "Watch it, watch

it! Hey, you're touching my tail."

"Sorry," said Knuckles as he finally gave up. "Man, you really are stuck."

"No, you think?!"

Knuckles scratch his chin, thinking. "Looks like we're going to have to go with

Plan B," he said.

"Plan B?" asked Halley nervously. "What's Plan B?"

"Don't worry. Just hang on." Knuckles grabbed the tree trunk and he pulled it

from the ground. He held it on the side where Halley was hanging.

"What are you doing?!" asked Halley.

"Let go of the tree," said Knuckles.

"WHAT?!"

"Just do it!" Halley let go, causing her to fall to the ground. She stood up,

rubbing her waist because it was bruised from the tree.

"Are you okay?" Knuckles asked, putting the tree down.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Halley replied. "Thanks." Suddenly, when Halley and Knuckles

saw each other's faces, they were in their own little world. Then they blushed, realizing that they

were staring at each other.



"Um…thanks for getting me out of the tree," said Halley.

"You're welcome," said Knuckles, smiling.

Halley looked at the ground. "Oh, crude," she said. "My stuff fell out of my

purse." She bent down and picked up her stuff from the ground.

"Let me help you," said Knuckles, picking up her purse. He also saw a small

package.

"Uh...that's mine," said Halley nervously as she took the package. "It's personal." Halley giggled nervously.

"Whatever you say," said Knuckles. Suddenly, he saw the Chaos Emerald on the

ground and gasped. He picked it up. "Where did you get this?"

"Oh, that," said Halley. "I found that in the middle of the road while I was on

my bike."

"Don't you know what this is?"

"Ah…no."

"It's a Chaos Emerald!"

"A what Emerald?"

"Chaos Emerald. It's a very powerful gem that can make you travel through and

stop time. It also possesses positive and negative qualities."

Halley went silent for a few seconds. "Could you clarify, please?"

"Oh, forget it," said Knuckles. "Anyway, thanks for the emerald." Just as

Knuckles tried to take the gem, Halley pulled her hand back.

"Hey," said Knuckles. "What was that for?"

"I didn't say you could have it," said Halley.

"What are you saying?"

"I found this gem and you know what they say; 'Finder's, keeper's. Loser's,

weeper's,' unless you're trying to find the owner. And you're not the owner, are you?"



"Well…no, but--"

"Then, you can't have it."

"Oh, c'mon. What's it going to take to convince you to give it to me?"

"That depends on what you've got."

Knuckles began to think. "I know," he said. "Let's flip a coin."

"I'm low on money," said Halley.

"Rock, paper, scissors?"

"Been there, done that."

"Think of a number from one to twenty?"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Oh, wait. I've got it. How about a trade?"

"A trade, huh?" Halley was thinking. "Okay, Knuckles. Tell me, what can you

give me in exchange for this emerald?"

Knuckles thought for a moment. He saw a pansy on the ground. "How about

this flower?" he said after he picked it up.

"I'm allergic to pansies," said Halley, then she sneezed.

Knuckles picked an apple from a tree. "This apple?"

"Knuckles, you know that won't work, even though I am hungry."

"Well, that's all I've got. What's your idea?"

"It has to be as valuable as the Chaos Emerald. I'll tell you what, since you got

me out of the tree and since I'm being so nice to you, I'll give you twenty four hours to find it. In

the meantime--" Halley yawned. "--I need to take a rest. I haven't slept in days."

Halley lied down near a tree and closed her eyes.

Knuckles stood beside her. "You want me to keep you company?"

Opening one eye, Halley said , "Sure. Why not." Knuckles sat down near



Halley.

"I hope you don't mind my asking," he said, "but what's a teenager like you

doing out here in the first place. I mean, shouldn't you be home, sleeping with your family, unless

you don't have one."

"I do have one," said Halley. "It's just that…they're not with me right now."

"What do you mean?"

Halley sighed. "Okay, the truth is, I don't know where they are. I haven't seen

them in years."

"You're kidding me. You've been traveling on your bike for a few years and yet

you didn't find your family?"

Halley shook her head.

"Oh my God. What happened?"

"I was seven years old during that time. It was late autumn, in the afternoon.

The weather man said that a hurricane was coming to our town." Halley was thinking of a

flashback inside her head. "The mayor of our town had us evacuated. I was with my

parents and my twin sister, Sal. We tried to find shelter during the evacuation.

"Suddenly, there was a huge crowd near us. Someone accidentally pushed

me aside and I got left behind. I tried to find my folks, but the crowd was so huge that I couldn't

see them. During the hurricane, my best friend, Jackie the Raccoon, she had me stay at her

house.

"When it was over, the whole down was a mess. I couldn't find my family

Anywhere. I was so worried that I cried for a little while. Even Jackie and her family couldn't find

them. I've been staying at their house for about four years, and then I left on my journey. I didn't

take any breaks, unless I really needed one." Halley's flashback ended. "The next thing I knew

was that my supplies were low and I've been very tired and hungry. Then, I found the Chaos



Emerald, crashed into that tree and met you."

Knuckles felt ashamed. "I'm very sorry."

Halley sighed. "It's cool," she said. "I'll find them eventually." Halley's

stomach growled. She blushed madly.

"You still want the apple I tried to give you?" Knuckles asked.

"Yeah." Knuckles gave Halley the apple and she ate it. "Oh, by the way, my

name's Halley Hallivan."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Halley and Knuckles smiled at each other.

When she finished her apple, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

"Halley?" Knuckles tried to wake her up, but she looked so tired, that he let

her sleep through the night. He fell asleep beside her, holding her hand.