Yay, more than one review! That's what I like to see! Thanks to Asmith137, Karenkook, EppopinkfangirlXDXDXD, and Kukipye for reviewing! Candy corn for you all! Here is chapter four!
When They Came
Chapter Four: December 31 (continued)
Rico couldn't quite understand why Skipper was freaking out over the new neighbors. Yes, the last ones were creepy, but big deal. He scared them off with one stick of dynamite. And it wasn't even real! The cowards.
Either way, he actually liked getting new neighbors. It brought a little excitement to the building. Alice wasn't a big fan of excitement. The last thing to happen in the building that Rico could say was interesting was when Alice added a fake plant to the lobby. Actually, that wasn't even exciting. Private was the only one who noticed it. So yes, new neighbors were fine by him.
"Rico!"
Rico snapped out of his thoughts. He had forgotten that it was New Year's Eve and that he was at Skipper's house with Kowalski and Private, discussing their plan.
"Pay attention!"
"Yes, sir," he said half heartedly. Skipper rolled his eyes and continued rambling about the dangers of neighbors.
Julien stood on the beach with Maurice, Julia, and Jade and watched his father help pack their belongings onto a boat. The closest airport wasn't in Madagascar, but in Mozambique, so they were taking a boat to the mainland to get a plane from there. The boat wasn't small, but it was no cruise ship either. Just big enough to fit the four adults, five kids, one driver, and all their stuff. And they didn't have a whole lot of stuff.
Julien didn't need to turn around to know that Mort and Kylie were sitting in the sand, not worrying at all, and Josh was kissing his girlfriend one last time. But he wasn't thinking about that. He was concentrating on not letting any tears fall from his eyes. Because today he said goodbye to everything he had ever known, and he was NOT happy. Not one bit.
They stood there, in a circle, unable to think of anything to say. What could you say? All four of them just stood there looking at each other, until Julia starting crying, which set off everyone else and forced them into a group hug that no one wanted to break.
And they didn't break it, until Mort's father called out "All right, kids, let's get this show on the road!"
Which of course sent all four kids bawling again, until they sucked it up and looked at each other one more time. Julien slowly reached his hand out to the middle of the circle, where the friendship bracelet reading "Best" was visible to his friends. And the other three did the same, Maurice's reading "Friends", Julia's reading "For", and Jade's reading "Life". They knew it wasn't the end; that didn't change the fact that it felt like it.
They huddled into one last hug before Julien and Maurice reluctantly wandered to where their parents were waiting. The two boys allowed the required life jackets to be buckled and to be helped into the boat. Both were turned around in the seat, facing the beach, and neither pair of eyes left the two girls. The boat eventually started and gently surged into the ocean. And none of the four kids looked away until they could no longer see each other.
So... be honest. How are you liking this so far? You know how to tell me! :)