Chapter 3
"Alright, we're here." Ulrich said, leaning on a tree. "Where's Manchate?"
"She should be here." Kiwi said, putting his hands into his pockets. "Unless her owner couldn't open the door to let her out."
"Wait, is Manchate that poodle that looks like it was attacked with a pepper shaker?" Yumi asked.
"Ya," Kiwi said, nodding his head. "Her owner's that old woman with bad lungs."
Maybe we should check up on her." Ulrich said, worry crossing his face.
"That might be a good idea." Yumi said.
…
"This's her house?" Odd asked as the four walked up the walkway to the door of a house in eye sight of Yumi's house.
"Ya." Yumi said. She stopped at the door and pushed the door bell.
Half a minute went by, concerning the four.
"Ring it again. Maybe she just didn't hear it." Ulrich said. "She is in her 80's, isn't she?"
"Ya." Yumi said, ringing the bell again.
A whine of a dog caught their attention to the window.
"It's Manchate!" Kiwi said, jumping off of the step. He went to the window and listened to the poodle's barking.
"What's she saying?" Ulrich asked, getting so that he was standing next to Kiwi.
"She's saying her owner's breathing has gotten slower and she won't get out of bed." Kiwi said, looking towards Ulrich and his friends with concern on his face.
"Anyway we can get in to help her?" Odd asked.
Kiwi looked at the dog through the window, getting a response from her.
"There's a key in the flower pot on the left side of the door." Kiwi said, jumping over to the steps to get to the flower pot.
Odd looked over Kiwi's shoulder and saw something shining on the dirt. "There it is." Odd said, reaching over Kiwi and grabbing the key.
Kiwi stood up as Odd used the key to get in.
The four walked in as Manchate jumped over to them and barked something to Kiwi before running up the stairs.
"Come on!" Kiwi said, following his friend.
The four followed the dog up the stairs and over to a bed room. Inside was a gray haired woman lying in her bed.
"Mrs. Stratton!" Yumi cried, running over to the woman's side.
"Is she…" Odd started, not wanting to say the word 'dead'.
"No, look at her chest. It's rising, but not enough." Yumi said, putting her pointer and middle finger on the woman's neck.
"I'll call for help." Ulrich said, pulling out his cell phone.
"How well do you know her?" Odd asked, seeing his friend's face.
"She was kind of like a grandmother. She treated everyone around here as her extended family." Yumi said. "She even went to the trouble of remembering everybody's birthday and what religion everyone is in case of bar-mizfas or Christmas."
Ulrich hung up and looked towards Yumi. "They're coming."
Manchate jumped onto the bed and started to lick the woman's face, doing everything she knew to help.
"We'll wait for them EMT's outside." Odd said, grabbing Kiwi's hand to drag the boy downstairs.
After the two were gone, Ulrich looked over at Yumi, who was looking down at the old woman.
"I better go with them." Ulrich said.
"NO! Please. Could-could you stay?" Yumi asked, looking at Ulrich, her face pulled by the emotions running though-out her.
Ulrich smiled and walked over so that he would be next to her.