Three Delivery "Another Dimension" 2
By Crystalquirt
Finding clues of a recipe being hidden nearby send the kids to the local used bookstore, where they unexpectedly encounter Kong Li. He uses a recipe to separate them to try to get what he wants. They are sent to a magical dimension where they experience their worst fears.
Violence, more violence, scary situations, attempted sexual assault, mild expletive.
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FROM PART 1
"You sneaky little reject, kicking a guy in the back. Doesn't your Nana teach you anything about honor?" he pointed at Mrs. Thompson "YOU! Find me that book!" before lunging at Tobey.
"You're not anyone to talk about me about honor!" Tobey said as he lowered into his defensive stance, ready to fight alone for as long as he had to.
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Sue kept her eyes squeezed shut as she brought both hands to her head. "I feel like Tobey's been playing the drums on my head."
Worried about her, Sid leaned over her, "MeiMei, are you hurt badly?"
"I don't think so, no - I'm fine." She winced when she tried to roll over to sit up.
"Sit here until you are sure – I gotta go help Tobey-OK?"
"Go Sid! I'll join you as soon as I can!"
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Tobey slid head-first across the top of Mrs. Thompson's desk, overturned her chair and hit the wall. He slid down the wall to the floor holding his head. It took some extra effort for him to stand back up, and he still looked a little shaky. Kong Li advanced on him, and made him back up tight to the wall.
With Tobey against the wall, Kong Li threw a vial of something he could only guess was a recipe at him. Tobey ducked and it hit the wall behind him and broke. Kong Li held his hand out toward Tobey and chanted "Ku-Fio-Fu."
Tobey put his hands up to protect himself from whatever Kong Li was conjuring. But it seemed like nothing happened. Nothing happened in front of him at least.
Kong Li backed away slowly, laughing and looking very pleased with himself.
"You are done for now, my little enemy."
"How am I supposed to be done for - old man, nothin' happened." Tobey was feeling cocky, until the phenomena behind him caught his eye and he turned to look.
Against the wall behind Tobey, the recipe turned the old, poured-concrete wall into a swirling pool of glowing energy that looked alive. It concentrated into a round spot just two feet across that glowed orange.
The swirling vortex spot in the wall wasn't bad enough, but two slimy, warty tentacles snaked their way through the wall at him. "GROSS!" Tobey yelled when they brushed against his shoulders and started to wrap around him.
Tobey jumped away, head first back over the desk. As his legs went over, the tentacles followed farther through the wall and grabbed him around his left ankle in mid-air. Tobey was jerked to a stop and landed on the floor. He rolled onto his back trying to kick the tentacles off with his free leg, but he was picked up by his ankle and pulled across the top of the desk toward the glowing orange place in the wall.
"SID!" he screamed and rolled onto his stomach knocking the rest of Mrs. Goldberg's belongings off the desktop. Even though he was kicking ferociously the tentacles grabbed his free leg and pulled his ankles together. Tobey kept screaming and grabbed onto the front edge of the desk, but the tentacles pulled him and the desk to the wall.
Sid was already on his way, but had to stop and deal with Kong Li for a moment first. Kong Li attacked him and tried to keep him from passing. When he saw Tobey get caught by the tentacles he quickly left Sue and tried to avoid Kong Li's attack as he crossed the store, but Kong Li blocked his way and forcefully delivered the palm of his hand to Sid's cheek. Sid fell back into a roll and ran around Kong Li like they were playing. "Hey! Maybe I should play guitar AND football!"
Tobey's legs had already disappeared through the wall, all the way up past his knees and he was hanging on across the top of the desk for dear life! Sid grabbed both of Tobey's hands in his and leaned back with his knees against the front of the desk to pull. Tobey's scared eyes begging for help terrified him and just about broke his heart!
"Tobey – don't worry – I'll save you!" Sid promised even as every moment the wall claimed more of his best friend.
With Tobey in the wall all the way up to his chest, Sid tried even harder, he put one foot against the front of the desk and used his legs to try and pull him out, even though it seemed to hurt him.
Tobey gritted his teeth from the pain – it felt like Sid might just pull his arms off, but he didn't complain about it hurting. He screamed, not from the pain, but from being terrified he was being pulled away from his friends into an unknown.
Sue heard all the yelling and forced herself to get up to see what was happening. Her head and back were really sore where the books hit her, but she still managed to run toward the boys. Her way was blocked by Kong Li. She kicked at him he stepped back and hit her with his staff. She could hear Sid and Tobey yelling and tried hard to get past Kong Li right away, but he blocked her again.
Sid still had Tobey by both hands and now he had his foot up on the front of the desk trying to keep him from being sucked in any farther.
"Aaahn! Sid! Pull harder! – it's ok!" Tobey slipped in more, now he was in the wall all the way up to his neck. Sid jumped up on the desk, dropped to his knee and braced again with his foot on the wall next to the phenomena.
Tobey looked up at Sid once more with tears in his eyes before he squeezed his eyes shut. The hole in the wall got smaller around his face, so now all Sid could see was his nose and mouth.
Tobey changed his plea, "Sid let go – you'll be sucked in too!" It was the last thing he could say before his face disappeared completely into the wall, the wall filled in the space, like he was being sucked into vertical quicksand.
"NO! Tobey! I won't let go! I have to save you!" Tobey disappeared up to his wrists and Sid's hands started into the wall. "Tobey Please!-Dammit! Don't take him!" Sid strained so hard he cried out and growled as he pulled.
Soon, Tobey was completely in the wall and Sid's hands were too, still holding onto him. With one more yank Sid felt Tobey's hands slip away and he completely lost him. The glow went out and the wall solidified around Sid's hands.
"Tobey!" NO! Give him back!" he pulled on his own hands intending use them to punch a hole through the concrete wall, but he couldn't pull them out! "NO! Dammit! GIVE TOBEY BACK!" he screamed and kicked the wall over and over while he tried to pull his own hands out.
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Kong Li only fought with Sue to keep her at bay. He watched Sid struggle to save Tobey as much as he could, but also kept Sue busy so she couldn't get to them to help. He was really enjoying this day!
After a kick and thrust with Kong Li's staff, Sue landed on her already sore back. Before she got up she managed to look over just as Tobey disappeared. She yelled "No!" and Kong Li hit her in the shoulder with his staff. She rolled away from him and ran to Sid. Kong Li followed quickly - his cloak billowed out in the breeze made by his quick movement.
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When Sue got to her brother's side, he was sitting on top of the desk, kicking and trying to get his own hands out. The wall was solid so at least he wasn't still being pulled in.
"Sid! What happened to Tobey?"
"I don't know! I could feel his hands being pulled out of mine, in the wall! Aahhg!"
"We have to get your hands out! Does it hurt?"
"Not really – but I can't even move my fingers. Aaahgg! This is so frustrating!" Sid used his shoulders and gave his hands a good yank. He didn't show that doing that really smarted! The poured concrete that had reformed tightly around his hands didn't give at all.
Kong Li had been standing behind them watching. He interrupted, "Don't worry Sid and Sue - you will soon experience the same fate as your little friend."
Sue glanced back at Kong Li, but quickly looked at the wall where Sid's hands were stuck. She jumped up on the desk next to him and pushed on the wall all around his wrists, but only got more puzzled. It was solid, no cracks no soft spots. She kept looking back at Kong Li to make sure he hadn't moved.
Kong Li hadn't moved, but had started to chant again. "Ku-Fio-Fu." The wall around Sid's hands came to life again. It glowed orange and the surface started swirling. Sid pulled his hands out and scooted back. Sue jumped down behind him, grabbed him around the chest and pulled him back to get him off the desk. The tentacles followed out of the vortex and grabbed his wrists.
"OH NO! Sid!" Sue yelled and hugged him tighter trying to pull him away. Sid put both of his feet against the wall on either side of the phenomena and pushed but not matter what they did, he got closer and closer to the wall, soon his hands and arms went in. He pushed with his legs and pulled with his back and shoulders, and Sue had her arms around his chest pulling too.
Sid cried out through gritted teeth when he felt a sharp pain in his wrist.
"Sid! What hurt you?"
"Nothing, I'm fine." Sue didn't believe him, and eased up on pulling for a few seconds afraid she was hurting him.
"I couldn't save Tobey and you won't be able to save me. Just let go Sue, don't get pulled in too. Nana will need your help to defeat Kong Li and hopefully find me and Tobey."
"No! I can't lose you too!"
"Ai-ya." Sid said quietly, giving up. His knees buckled and he gasped just before his head went in the wall. There was no way Sue was just going to let her brother go. She hugged him tighter and held her breath as she went in with him.
Kong Li raised his arms in victory. He threatened Mrs. Thompson again and told her she better find the book before he came back and then he vanished.
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Mrs. Thompson got quickly on the phone and called the police. Then she called Mei Hua. Nana got there very quickly and heard the story even before the police. After they heard Mrs. Thompson's story, the officers dismissed some of her explanation about what happened to her being scared, but Nana knew better. She was sure it had been something Kong Li did.
Nana examined the wall where Sid, Sue and Tobey had disappeared. She gathered up what was left of the vial that broke to try and figure out what recipe Kong Li had in it. Then she spoke to Mrs. Thompson again and convinced her to take her husband and go on a little trip someplace for a week. After being threatened by Kong Li, she was happy to agree to leave especially since Mei Hua promised to watch the store for her.
Nana only went home long enough to get some of her magical supplies and books. When she got back Mrs. Thompson was just leaving with a suitcase to meet her husband at the airport. "My husband was so happy to go! We are spending a week in Rapid City, South Dakota with his sister. We will be seeing the National Monument and everything!" Nana wished them a happy trip and went to her desk. She pulled it away from the wall and got set up to do some research.
Between what she smelled in the broken vial and her books, she found more information that lead her to make several discoveries. She learned that it probably wasn't a phenomenon that hurt them, at least not right away. It was a vortex or alternate dimension recipe. Those send anyone trapped by them to another place, where a person might experience all sorts of things.
One spell she found in particular, that glows orange when active, literally creates a place that knows the worst fears of the victim and makes them happen. Nana was very concerned that this is the one Kong Li used. It said in one of her books that this is an effective spell to cause deep emotional turmoil in those who are sent there and a 'common' side effect is suicide!
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As they were falling head-first through a vast, open space Sue was still behind Sid with her arms wrapped around him. She was afraid to open her eyes until Sid put his hands over hers and called to her. When she looked up at him, he took her by one hand and pulled her around in front of him so he could hold onto her tighter. "What's happening Sid?"
"I don't know! Just hang on!" The siblings held on to each other tightly as a force propelled them through space exerting pressure from all directions on them. It felt like something was trying to pull them apart. They were sure they didn't want to be separated as they fell quickly through this . . . whatever this was.
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Tobey woke up and found himself in a very large, empty space. The walls were very far away, if they were walls. He could just make out that this space was enclosed somehow, but huge. It was very bright too, but he could see no specific source of light. He stood up and started to walk to what looked like the wall, but after several minutes he thought he hadn't gotten any closer so he started jogging and then running.
Frustrated because he was still no closer, He stopped, out of breath and leaned forward with his hands on his knees. He wished for his bike for a moment, then thought since he didn't know where he was or if going anyplace was a good idea maybe having his bike would just get him more lost, faster. Either way, he wanted his bike.
While he was catching his breath, he heard footsteps echo around him. He looked around and saw Nana! She was walking towards him from across the brightly lit expanse. Her clothing was all white too and he could hardly see her from so far away. Tobey ran to her.
When he got close he put his arms out to hug her, "Nana! I'm so happy to see you!" Nana put her hand in the middle of his chest and pushed him away from her.
"Nana? What's wrong?" Tobey's feelings were a little hurt, but these were very strange circumstances. Maybe there was danger nearby and there was no time for a hug. He quickly looked around.
He continued, "Nana! Where are we? OH MAN! We have to get back to help Sue and Sid. They're fighting with Kong Li in Mrs. Thompson's bookstore!"
"It's just like you to leave Sid and Sue to fight alone! You are so useless!"
"Nana? Um . . . What?" Tobey was very confused.
"What are you doing here instead of helping them?"
"But, Nana? I really couldn't help it. Kong Li did something. . ."
"They will get hurt because of you! When I think of all the time and training that I have wasted on you, I just wish I had never adopted you when I found Sid and Sue!"
"But, these tentacles grabbed me and I couldn't get away and they pulled me into . . ." Tobey was speaking faster and his voice was getting higher as he got more and more confused and upset by what he was hearing.
"Don't interrupt! Sue and Sid are so much better than you. They try to depend on you and you let them down. You are like a third wheel – completely useless!"
"But Nana? I try hard – you said I was getting better when we last trained. I even mastered the ways of the Nian. You said so!"
"AGAIN – you don't LISTEN – I told you not to interrupt me!"
"Sorry Nana," he said in a softly. He was having a lot of trouble believing what he was hearing. Tobey went to his knees and put his hands up to his temples.
"You wouldn't have survived this long except for Sue and Sid saving your worthless life all the time. You are unskilled, undisciplined and have the attention span of a moth. You won't even try to meditate! I don't think you are capable of it."
"Please Nana? I'll do better!" He was becoming frightened. Nana had never said these things to him before. The floor under his knees was freezing cold and he fidgeted.
"Stay still! Even after all my training your Kung fu is still so weak!" Tobey didn't even see her move before her heel connected with his head. He was kicked just above his ear and he fell to the floor dizzy. He stayed on his side where he landed in a fetal position and put his hands up to both ears with his eyes squeezed shut. He was trying to escape from what could only be a nightmare.
Nana reached down, grabbed him by both wrists and yanked him back up. "Don't you dare cover your ears – you will hear me!" She did it so fast his hair blew around like there was a strong wind.
She tightly held both his wrists up in front of his face and he saw his hand was bloody. It was his blood from where Nana kicked him. "But Nana, I don't . . . ow." He whispered and closed his eyes to make the dizziness pass more quickly.
"NO buts'! You have no excuses Tobey! You don't know what a wonderful opportunity you had – yes – 'HAD' – you could have been a superhero and helped save Chinatown, but now you are going back to the orphanage. I will leave you at the curb like so much garbage!"
"No! Please you can't . . ." Tobey fell to his knees again.
"Of course I can. With you gone I can stop wasting my training on you and give more time to Sue and Sid, who truly deserve my attention. You have only been holding them back. Without you they will be able to defeat Kong Li easily. You will never see Sue or Sid again."
"No! Nana please! Please don't send me back! Do Sue and Sid know you feel this way?"
"Of course! They are the ones who first suggested that I send you back."
"No. they couldn't." He looked up at her with tears running down his cheeks and sniffled.
"Now you're gonna cry? You stay right here. I will be back to get you after I have made the arrangements."
Tobey's chest hurt, he started to watch her walk away, but couldn't see well for the tears. He squeezed his eyes shut to wipe his eyes. When he opened them Nana had already vanished.
"Nana – Please?" He got up and ran in the direction he thought she went, but couldn't find her.
"Alright – since this is how they feel, I will leave! But I won't go back to the orphanage. I can live on the streets - I've done it before – I can do it again." He shouted out loud and slowed to a walk and then stopped. He had his head down, his face covered with his hands.
At the thought of living on the streets alone again, Tobey dropped back down to his knees and slowly leaned forward to rest his forehead on the floor. No. I don't want this! How could she? I must be awful. I thought Sue and Sid were my friends, but I was wrong I guess and I won't make any friends on the street. I will only meet people who want to use me for things they wouldn't do themselves!
He started shaking. It was terrifying to him to think of having to live that way again. He remembered how lonely he was before he met Sue and Sid. He didn't want to steal, hurt anyone else or do other terrible things for each meal or a roof over his head. The orphanage was bad enough, but being on the streets was just terrible.
It felt like his heart was up in his throat trying to choke him. Tobey got up and ran again. Blinded by tears he just kept running in this great expanse – never coming to a wall, or doorway. The only sounds his sobbing and his footfalls as he ran.
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The siblings were exhausted, tossed around in this huge expanse for what seemed like forever, it was like they were falling, but they never came to the bottom. Finally the forces that had been pulling them in different directions, succeeded in pulling them apart.
Sid reached for Sue as he felt her losing her grip, but she slipped from his grasp anyway. He called to her and she screamed. An instant later, they couldn't see each other anymore.
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Sid found himself lying on a hard, cold surface. At least he wasn't falling anymore and he didn't seem to be hurt! He moved carefully at first just in case something was broken and when he was sure everything was alright, he opened his eyes.
"Sue?" Sid looked around for her. He was lying face down on the floor in Jiang's smoothies. Tiffany and Stacy were sitting at a booth nearby laughing and pointing at him. Their hair was messed up and their clothes dirty.
"Wha . . ." he got up and went to their booth. He started to ask them something – but stopped to listen to what they were already saying about him. "What a klutz, did you see him? He fell over his own feet – some superhero. No wonder Kong Li beat him!"
"Ya, he's just a dork."
"What, Kong Li? Beat me! No way – we were in the bookstore, then I was falling through space with Sue. How did I get here and why is everything so messed up? Where's Sue!"
"What do you mean, you idiot? You probably rode your lame bike or something and we haven't seen Sue in days."
"Did I do something to make you guys mad?"
"Ya, you screwed everything up for everyone. We heard you got your sister and your skinny friend killed. Even if she's alive somewhere, she's probably too embarrassed to be seen with you after what happened."
"No way – Sue – dead? And you say it was my fault? I don't remember a thing! Hey – what happened?"
"Oh come on – don't pretend you don't remember and it was totally your fault everything that happened was your fault!" Tiffany sounded very angry.
"Since, Kong Li pronounce himself King, and sealed off Chinatown from the rest of the world, we are all little more than slaves. He has some kind of magical barrier around Chinatown and army of demons to keep us all from leaving." Stacy explained, a little more calmly than Tiffany would have.
"Ya and no one outside, can get in to save us."
"Chris's place here only has about two hours left before they will be here to take him to Kong Li. See? There's even a schedule!" Stacy pointed at a poster nailed to the wall. "We just came to try and console him."
For the first time, Sid really looked around. He was in Jiang's smoothies, but the only light was coming in from the broken and half missing windows. It was dirty, and it looked like the electricity was off, the refrigerator behind the counter was empty and standing open. The fruit on the counter was all rotted. Chris was there, but his clothes were ripped and dirty and he was sitting in a booth on the other side with his head on the table like he was sleeping.
Sid went to look at the poster. It said 'Schedule' at the top. It was a list of all the local businesses and when they would be shut down. A list of the business owners' names were listed along the side with the times they were to report for their new assignments, mostly involving building Kong Li's new castle.
Sid went quickly to Chris. "Hey man, are you alright?"
He looked up at Sid, with big dark circles under his eyes.
"I'm surprised you have the nerve to show up around here – or anywhere in Chinatown. Too bad you weren't just a little better with that thing – perhaps things would have turned out differently for all of us."
It looked like Chris had pointed to Sid's shoulder. He looked, and there was a bow on a strap across his back and a quiver of arrows. He looked down at his clothing and it was all black and tight like a ninja wore.
"Ai-ya . . . I don't use weapons!"
"Well that was obvious."
"Come on tell me, what happened?"
"Just get out of here – you don't want to be here when they come to gather me and take me to Kong Li's castle. Kong Li put a price on your head, I guess I could collect it, but money won't do us much good if we are just slaves working for him now will it."
Sid stared at the floor as he went through the broken door and out into the street. There were no cars or anybody walking around. A fire hydrant sprayed forty feet in the air and made a rainbow in the mist surrounding it.
Down the block a building was on fire and with no one around, it was just going to burn to the ground, maybe taking the block with it. Smoke was thick on the street and made Sid cough while he looked around trying to make sense of it all.
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Sue woke up in her own bedroom, in her bed. She looked around and everything looked fine. Her lucky cat alarm clock said it was late morning and her calendar said Sunday. She jumped out of bed and ran to the boys' room still in her pajamas. She was very relieved to find them there and backed out without waking them.
She changed her mind and went back in, "Hey! It's almost eleven am! What are you two still doing in bed?"
Sid groaned and rolled over "What're you doing awake so early Sue? We had a real late night you know."
"Well what happened to Kong Li and Mrs. Thompson? Did you find the recipe?" she paused for a moment ". . . and why can't I remember? WE were sucked into a wall and I was . . . "
"SUE! You must have been dreaming or something – everything's fine. Nana has all the recipes that she's supposed to have." Tobey said from under the covers.
"Well ok?" Sue was still not sure. She ran down stairs in her flannel pajamas taking five steps at a time. She hadn't seen Nana anywhere, or Mr. Wu. Maybe he went to get his own Sunday paper since they were all still in bed.
She went in the kitchen and greeted Barney on her way to get something for breakfast. Barney stopped what he was doing, said nothing, and just looked her up and down with a smirk on his face. "What's up Barney?" Sue noticed he was still looking at her.
"I just never noticed how hot you are baby!"
"Baby?" she giggled.
"Ya baby – you are a pretty sweet thing." Sue totally forgot what she was doing and dropped her bowl on the floor.
"Barney? What's going on?"
"Nothin' special . . . Cutey." He put the hunk of meat he had been cutting up back on the counter and took off his gloves. Sue watched him. He looked weird, and this was so unexpected, she didn't know whether or not to be excited or suspicious. Maybe he was planning to put a raw egg in her hair or something.
Sue bent down to pick up the bowl and when she stood up he was right behind her. She started and stepped away to put the bowl in the sink. He was very close to her, smelling her hair.
"Alright Barney, why the familiarity all of a sudden?" She felt her cheeks burning she was blushing so much.
"Oh nothing, I think you've been 'wanting' me for a while, and I just thought I would let you know I've caught your hints. Why don't we go in the storeroom?"
Sue giggled again. She had wanted Barney to notice her for so long, now it seemed to be happening, but it felt so weird. It was even a little creepy. She declined his invitation to the storeroom and suggested they sit out in a booth and talk until the restaurant opened.
"Talk? We can talk in the storeroom while you help me a minute. Come on – I know you've been wanting to . . . um . . . help me with something.
Even though every instinct she had was screaming at her that something was wrong, she melted and agreed to go with him. She liked the way he smelled and loved the attention he was finally giving to her.
Once they were in the storeroom. Barney put his arm around her shoulders and gently guided her in front of the shelves away from the door. She allowed it and watched him, he was so handsome and smelled so good of raw meat and curry powder.
He leaned in cautiously and their lips were very close. She pulled back a little, but found herself against the shelves. She relaxed and let him kiss her. Her knees felt shaky and she felt like she was melting again until she felt his hand going up her pajama shirt.
"Hey, no! I really like you, but we can't do that. Not yet." she slid sideways away from him, but he followed, staying way too close. His presence started to feel very threatening.
"Come on Barney, please understand. Your right I really like you a lot. I just want to take it slower."
"What makes you think it's all up to you? I think I should have a say-don't you?"
Sue was still backing away down the counter now. He was still keeping up, and as she got closer to the door, he stepped in front of her and slammed it.
"Haha, Come on Barney let me out."
"No"
"I-uh, gotta go find Sid. He should have been up hours ago –he's right upstairs, so is Tobey.
"Well ya, but they are sleeping and I know you wouldn't want to wake them up." Sue found herself against the wall again. She instinctively put her arms up in front of her to defend herself, but still – come on this was Barney she told herself. I trust him - we've been friends for a long time.
"What's this? Are you gonna use your Kung Fu on me. Mei Mei?" Sid's nickname for her sounded very wrong coming from Barney. He quickly grabbed both her wrists and held them tight enough to hurt.
"Ow, Barney, that's too hard. You better let me go, NOW!" she gave him about a second before she executed the move Nana taught them to break out of someone's hold, but it didn't work! He still had a firm grip on her wrists. She struggled and looked at the door.
Her little voice kept telling her this is Barney, you don't want to hurt him – but he was hurting her a little, and starting to frighten her a lot.
"That's it, let me go!" He ignored her, put both her wrists in one hand and was still able to restrain her. With the back of his fingers he touched her cheek and then her neck. She turned her head away thinking she would warn him one more time before she went kung fu all over his butt.
If you don't let me go now, you will be sorry! I don't want to hurt you."
"Come on, your just a dumb girl – you can't hurt me."
That did it, now her fear turned into anger. She frowned at him deciding which part of him she should hurt first. It didn't take her long to make up her mind. She brought her knee up in between his legs but she was surprised when he easily blocked it.
He growled as he flipped her around to face the wall. He pressed hard in the middle of her back and put his mouth on her neck. He bit her! She yelled at him and tried with all her might to push back away from the wall. He let up just a little. Only enough that he could reach in front of her and grab her pajamas.
With one yank, all the buttons came off the top of her pajamas. She screamed now, she screamed for Sid then she screamed Tobey's name while she struggled with no result, accept to make Barney laugh at her!
Please wake up guys! Come down here! She thought as she screamed louder. Barney didn't seem to mind that she was screaming at first. But soon put his hand over her mouth and pressed her against the wall with his chest. He still had his hand in her shirt.
She got tears in her eyes and she tried to talk through his hand. Maybe he was under the influence of some kind of awful magic recipe? She was sure Barney wouldn't act like this, unless something really powerful and bad was affecting him. His hand slid down past her stomach and she felt his fingers go into the waistband on her pants.
She squealed and slid down the wall away from him. As she went, she bit his hand! He cried out in pain and fury and let her go for a second, but was on her again before she could get to the door. She screamed as loud as she could and hit the floor on her back with him on top of her.
She kept screaming until he backhanded her, striking her cheek. His wrestling ring cut her and a little trickle of blood ran down from her cheek to her neck. Her blood got smeared across her cheek as they fought and made the wound look even bigger than it was.
Her flannel pajama top was open in the front and with one hand she covered herself up with the material.
"Girl! You're really starting to annoy me! I thought you liked me!" He covered her mouth again, this time with a dirty kitchen towel that had fallen off the counter above them. Sue tried to bite him again, but only got a mouthful of towel.
Tears ran into her hair at her temples as she tried to kick him off of her. She couldn't believe this was Barney! How could he be doing this? AND where was Sid and Tobey!
The Barney she thought she loved was getting rougher as he man-handled her. She hit his arms and anything else she could reach and he just ignored her and ripped her pajama's some more.
A loud noise made by the door slamming open, startled Barney and he stopped. They both looked for the source of the noise and Sid was standing in the doorway still wearing his 'Cars' pajamas!
"MeiMei?" he stared for a moment trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
"Barney!" he growled "How could you do this to Sue!" he ran forward and knocked Barney off of her with his elbow. He scooped her up in his arms and hugged her. "Sue? Oh man! Are you ok? " he pulled his Cars pajama shirt off and covered her before he turned to face Barney and demand an explanation.
Sue watched in horror as Barney growled and charged at Sid. He body slammed her unsuspecting brother and they both fell against the shelves. Sue scooted back against the counter and begged them to stop fighting while she put her arms through Sid's pajama sleeves.
Barney kicked Sid in the stomach with his shoe. All Sid wore was pajama bottoms and no shoes.
"How dare you interrupt my fun?"
Sid took his kick and delivered a palm to Barney's gut. "Your fun? Have you gone crazy? Barney – you were about to . . . you were hurting Sue!"
Barney tackled him and they rolled around on the floor until they rolled into the front of the counter. Sid was on the bottom and Barney put both hands around his neck. Sue was still begging Barney to stop!
"Barney NO! Don't hurt him! Get off!"
Ignoring her, Barney squeezed Sid's neck tighter, Sue grabbed Barney and tried to pull him off. Barney stopped choking Sid long enough to knock her away with his elbow.
Dammit – I couldn't get myself out of trouble – and now I can't help Sid! What's going on here? Sue was really freaking out – it seemed her skills were all gone.
Sid pried Barney's hands off his neck and got his legs under his stomach. He pushed Barney off of him over his head. Sid jumped up and grabbed Sue to run with her. Barney tackled Sid again and knocked both of them down.
"Barney! Stop!" Please – you're fighting with Sid – your friend." Barney laughed, "No – I'm gonna kill him!"
Sue watched Sid gasp when he heard Barney's threat. With determination Sid got up and pushed Barney away to try again to run out with Sue. Barney grabbed a knife off the counter and slashed at Sid. Sue screamed when Sid cried out and stopped, blood running down his back. She jumped in-between Sid and Barney and he knocked her to the side.
Sue fell down again and looked back at them in disbelief! Barney had just . . . Even though she could see him, she just couldn't believe that this was Barney – Barney wouldn't act like this.
"Barney stop! You're our friend."
"Ya? Well I don't mind calling you friend 'sweetie,' but I'll make him pay for interrupting us!"
Sue saw Sid was still bent forward in great pain as Barney lunged at him again. Sid managed to grab his arm and they wrestled over the knife. Sid screamed as he slid across the floor on his back leaving a smear of blood.
Sue grabbed Barney around his chest and tried to make him let go of her brother.
"Barney! Dammit! Get away from him – stop!" Barney totally ignored Sue and got one hand free from Sid's hold. He used it to punch Sid in the jaw, snapping his head to the side. Then he went after Sue again. Barney grabbed her and tried to pull Sid's pajama shirt away from her.
"Dammit Barney! Stop!" Sid got up and charged him, and as he got close Barney turned to face him. Sid gasped and bent over before he stepped back. Barney stopped and backed up with blood on his hands.
Sue watched in horror when her brother tried to stand up straight and she saw the knife handle sticking out of his chest. Instead of standing, he went to his knees. She screamed slid to her knees beside him and put him on the floor gently.
Barney stood nearby wiping Sid's blood off his hands.
Sue told Sid to stay still, "Barney! Call 911!" Sid blinked and shook his head like he was trying to stay awake. "Sid hold on – Barney! HELP!"
"Why should I?"
Tobey opened the door and came in. Sue saw him and yelled, "Tobey! Call 911 – Tobey was already dressed and had his phone with him. So he dialed right then and kneeled down beside Sid too.
Sid moaned and gritted his teeth. Sue held him still and tried to comfort him.
"Awe look, why don't you let me finish him off, he's suffering. How cruel are you?" Barney grabbed another knife off the counter and started to walk toward them again. Tobey handed his phone to Sue and stood up. As Barney got closer, Tobey stepped over Sid to face him. Barney stopped and looked Tobey up and down. Sue felt like she couldn't breathe not knowing if Barney was going to hurt Tobey too.
Before Barney left the storeroom, he told her, "You and me will have a date later' Sue cringed. Tobey kneeled quietly by Sue again, the 911 operator was asking her a bunch of questions, but she could barely speak she was so upset. Tobey could hear the operator tell Sue that they were on the way and would be there soon.
Sue handed Tobey's phone back to him. She had a hundred thoughts running through her head. Blaming herself because Sid had been injured protecting her – why did he have to protect her from Barney? And why couldn't she have protected herself – it should have never come to a point where he had to 'save' her – she hated having to be 'saved'!
Sue watched Sid breathing very shallow and fast. He started to pull out the knife himself, but she stopped him. "Help will be here soon!" She watched him put his head down on the floor and shut his eyes. "Sid! Don't you dare die! . . . Sid? . . . SID!"
Terror washed over Sue when Sid tilted his head back farther and made a motion with his mouth open that looked like he was gasping for air. But no air was moving! Sid's eyes opened. Sue held her hand close to his mouth and nose to check - after he made the gasping motion three times he didn't move anymore.
Sue looked desperately at Tobey. He had his face covered with his hands, sobbing, his shoulders shaking. Sue started crying hysterically.
She picked Sid up by his shoulders and hugged him tight to her chest. She shook him and called to him. Her brother's blood got on her hands and soaked what was left of her pajamas. She put him back down and tried to do CPR but the knife was in the way and every time she pressed over his heart, he bled more, thinking that couldn't be good, and having no one with more experience to help she stopped.
She didn't know how long they sat there crying. It seemed like an eternity. The paramedics never came. Sue got one hug from Tobey, and then he was gone. She didn't see him leave. He was just gone. She couldn't find him after she had been staring at Sid's body for a while.
Sue kept checking for Sid's pulse, and tightly held his hand. She laid her head, right ear down, on his chest trying to hear a heartbeat, and there was nothing. Her head rested on her brother's chest for so long, his body felt cold next to her ear.
Not only couldn't I protect you, I couldn't protect myself and that's what got you killed. Guess Barney noticing me wasn't such a good thing. I don't want to go on without you.
{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}
Instead of finding the Black Liquid recipe from inside the book, Nana decided she needed to find the portal recipe and get it back from Kong Li so she can get the kids back. She did all she could at the bookstore and went back to Wu's about five in the morning.
Nana did some additional research and found a 'seeing' portal recipe. It wouldn't do to bring them back, but it would allow her to see where they went and what is happening to them. When the recipe was prepared, she went to her room and got a picture of Sue, Sid and Tobey out of her album. She took a mirror off the wall and took it with the picture back down to the storeroom.
On the back of the counter, first the picture went against the wall and then she stood the mirror up in front of it. Nana took a spoon and covered the mirror with some of the recipe from the bowl. The edges of the mirror glowed and a fog formed over the glass. When it cleared Nana could see clearly past the mirror into a bright white expanse, but she couldn't see the teens. "Oh, no maybe they are no longer together! I hope I am wrong."
Nana went back up to her room and got three individual pictures of each of them from the album. She washed the mirror off and started over. This time with Sue's picture first. She watched in horror as Sue and Sid fought with Barney and gasped when it looked like a knife went into Sid's chest.
She watched a little more, and saw that Tobey didn't leave the room. He vanished like reflected light disappearing. She pulled Sue's picture out and put Sid's picture behind the mirror next, anxious to see if his death was real. When he appeared he was in a totally different place. Alone and in strange clothing, she realized these were the illusions they were experiencing.
After using Tobey's picture she saw him just lying on a white floor sobbing. Saddened by what she sees, she wanted to waste no more time and find Kong Li.
{{{{{{{{{{Three Delivery}}}}}}}}}}
Tobee continued . . .