(A/N: Long awaited chapter, finally finished! Holiday's have caused more and more of a delay but I'm excited to finally unleash this awesome chapter to all of you! Also, the winner of last chapters fun little game, was messaged! If they could kindly look into their inbox to see what they've won, that would be brilliant :p The correct answer, was The Little Mermaid! If you have no idea what little game I'm speaking of, it was only posted until the correct answer was said, and then removed to avoid more guessing. Better luck next time, aye? Enjoy!)
"WHY on EARTH did I let you talk me into this?!"
Phoebe shuttered the moment her blonde friend yelled, feeling as if the whole neighborhood could hear her. She had been ranting and raving loudly, arms flailing as she walked around in a circle, letting off steam. Fully understanding why Helga was so flustered, the Asian girl did her best to focus on keeping her repose, while showing her undivided attention to the one who needed it the most. "I merely suggested the idea, Helga." She clarified with a soft sigh. "You're the one who decided to take the challenge head on without considering the party in question…"
For the last 4 days, Phoebe watched as Helga's fuse began to shrink shorter and shorter; her morale, patience, and energy wearing thin. By the end of each one of those days, Phoebe had continued to show her support, encouraging her friend that she was doing an excellent job and to try to not focus on the negative, despite knowing the ticking time bomb would inevitably explode.
"How was I supposed to know these were the things I'd be doing?!" Helga asked, kicking the dumpster in front of her repeatedly where someone had drawn a crude image of a woman, until the dent was so large, the image was hardly visible.
"Although, I admit that things didn't go quite as expected…" Phoebe replied, her voice squeaking with uneasy, "You can't deny the fact that you've made a positive impression." She watched as Helga stopped and shot a glare straight at her; her face mirroring that of a bull who had just watched an object being waved in its face. "A-and that was the initial intention."
"That's easy for you to say!" Helga hollered, causing a flock of birds to fly off of the nearest rooftop. "You're not the one who had to give a pig a bath, after being sprayed by a skunk!"
Phoebe adjusted her glasses, as Helga chucked a large rock at the rusted green dumpster, causing a large dent upon impact. "No… I'm not." She agreed, feeling sympathetic towards her friend's plight, as well as the object of her abuse. "It's obvious that your hard work is paying off, though. I can't imagine they would have assigned you some of those tasks, without a favorable amount of trust."
"Trust?" Helga asked in a mocking tone before snatching up a small stone. She threw it up in the air and caught it, all while still keeping her eye on her target. "Cleaning out storages that probably haven't been touched in years, dusting off old bookshelves, fishing out a drain clog, organizing and then rewriting a bunch of stained, torn and falling apart recipe cards… is not what I call trust!" The small stone flew up once more, before being snatched out of the air, and sent hurling towards the large metal target, sending a shockwave to ripple through the dumpster and into the ground beneath them. "It's called taking advantage of the young and dumb!" Helga spat in disgust, before turning around to face her patient counterpart. "It's no different than some of the stupid crap Bob used to make me do, because Miriam was too hung over to be useful, or he was too fat and lazy to do it himself!" She grit her teeth at some intruding memories, then grabbed her backpack off the ground and stomped out of the alleyway.
Quickly, Phoebe gathered her things and chased after her. "The situations aren't the same at all, Helga!" She hurried to explain as she caught up. "You're not doing these arbitrary tasks in vain, just because adults are expecting you to. You're doing them out of your own free will, to show how advantageous and dependable you can be!" They rounded the next corner, dodging a few oncoming pedestrians and a mailbox. "It's about showing respect to your elders, and proving that you'll be a capable partner and provider..."
"This just in, Phoebe! I'm only twelve!" Helga irritably cut her off. "And cleaning out gutters hardly proves that I'm capable of providing for anything, other than cheap labor costs!"
"Even if you don't outwardly ask if you can be of help, leaving yourself open and willing to accept if they need you, is certainly impressive, especially at someone your age!" Phoebe insisted, not wanting Helga to give up so fast on her plan. "It's never too early to start showing off some of your assets, Helga." They both rounded another corner, leaving Phoebe to accidentally bump into a large man with a top hat. She frantically apologized to the portly man, before running off to catch up with her less observant friend who was leaving her in the dust. "Although you may not have a cultural barrier between you, I must stress how long it took Mother to gain the approval of my Father's parents!"
"I saved them from silently rotting to death out in a third world country!" The blonde announced for the world to hear. "I don't think a bunch of random chores will be able to trump that." She looked down at her short companion, noticing her struggle to keep up and began to slow down. She was grateful of Phoebe's eagerness to help, but the number of exhausting ordeals that Gertie had put her through in only a matter of a few days, where not something she wanted to keep up, especially just for appearances. "Helping out in the kitchen, sure. Lending a hand here or there, fine! But throttling that old crazy lady won't earn me boons either, Phoebe." She watched as her comment led the small girl to frown, then let out a small sigh the moment they reached Phoebe's residence. "Look, I know you're just trying to help and I really appreciate it, Pheebs. I'm just over worked and underpaid!" She expressed with a dramatic moan of exhaustion. "Of course, I want to show Arnold's family that I'm willing to pick up some slack and help out, but… I think I just bit off more than I could chew."
"Yes…" Phoebe nodded, coming to terms with the situation but no less feeling a little defeated. "I apologize if you felt I was pushing you too hard, Helga." She picked up her head and smiled with endearing encouragement. "I suppose I'm just excited for you, that's all." Noticing a glimmer in Helga's eyes, she gave in to an embarrassed laugh. "Things have been heading in such a positive direction for you, after all this time of you chasing around the boy that you love-"
"Phoebe!" Helga warned in a hushed voice, looking around to see if there were any onlookers.
"I just wanted you to be able to seize all of the possibilities while you have the chance." She finished, ignoring her best friends flustered appearance at the truth. "It's not every day that someone of your age is given an opportunity like this. Even if these tasks are daunting and less than ideal for you, you should take this time to get to know them and immerse yourself in their world. You've been looking in through their windows for so long-"
"PHOEBE!"
"And now, you finally have a chance to be inside, and a part of it all!" The small girl finished, smirking at the red faced Helga who began to squirm with, what she could only imagine, was a mixture of embarrassment and giddiness. "All in a manner of speaking, of course."
Wanting to bury herself inside the concrete beneath her feet, Helga groaned and pressed her hands against her face to cool herself off. "I really hate you sometimes… you know that?" She mumbled.
"Yes, I know." Phoebe smiled brightly, fully aware of her words reaching Helga's core.
After finally giving up, Helga dropped her hands and eyed her best friend. She could see from her expression that she had somewhat intentionally been toyed with, and needed to get back on her feet. "So, speaking of your family, how is Old Baggy chin?"
The nickname Helga had created for her fraternal grandmother, caused Phoebe to scowl. "It's Oba-chan, Helga. We've been over this…"
Helga began to laugh, and continued walking up to their destination. "Yeah, yeah. Sure thing, Pheebs." She replied casually, waiting for Phoebe to unlock the front door, before letting herself inside. "Does she still look like a chipmunk with a vendetta against the world?" She asked, watching, and waiting as Phoebe took off her shoes, and gave her a look of disapproval. "Oh, come on! You know it's true!"
With an eyeroll, Phoebe succumbed to the mockery of her mean-faced elder and let out a small giggle.
"I'm Home!" Arnold announced as he entered through the old door of his families boarding house, stepping aside for the various animals to run out. As he entered, he noted how unusually quiet it was and looked at a nearby clock. It was still pretty early in the afternoon, why wasn't anyone around?
"Hello?" Arnold peeked his head into the living room, but no one was there. He checked inside the dining room and kitchen, but still… empty. He opened up the door to the basement to peak his head inside and listen for noises of human life, but all that echoed back was the small humming of the heater sending its warmth throughout the pipes of the old building. Discouraged, Arnold took one last look into the small parlor room his grandfather usually sat in when wanting some peace and quiet. Just an empty chair with the old television turned off.
Shrugging, Arnold made his way upstairs and into the hallway. He looked around in silence and noted how clean the upstairs carpet looked. As he passed the upstairs phone, he checked to see if there were any messages waiting, but there were none. He sighed and felt himself become a little lonely. "Where is everybody?" He asked out loud, to no one in particular.
As if on cue, he heard a door open from downstairs. Considering the distance of the sound, the only door that matched was the back door from the kitchen. A smile found its way on Arnold's face, as he raced back downstairs to see who was home with him.
Phil took off his old hat and brushed some dirt off of his pants. When he heard someone enter into the room, he looked up. "Hey there, Short man!" He greeted, before taking off his jacket and laying it flat on the table. "When did you get home?"
Judging from the old man's appearance, Arnold was able to grasp that his grandpa must have been raking leaves in the backyard, or something along the lines of yard work. "A few moments ago." He replied, watching the man as he walked over to the kitchen sink, washing off the soil from his hands. "Do you need help with the back yard?"
"What?" Phil asked over the loud rushing water. Once he turned the tap off, he grabbed a kitchen towel and dried himself with a curious look at his grandson.
"Oh, I was just wondering if you needed any help out there." Arnold repeated, nudging himself towards the back door the man had just came out of.
Phil chuckled and walked over to the boy, giving him a nice pat on his head. "Awwww! That's nice of you, but I've pretty much finished what I could back there." He turned towards the coffee maker and reached up to grab a mug from the nearest cupboard. "At this point, I'm almost convinced it might just be easier to dig that whole mess up and poor concrete over it! Less work for me to do, that way." Phil dug into his large tin of coffee grounds, adjusting the amount needed for his pot and set the filter inside to begin his brew.
"You can't really mean that." Arnold suggested, walking to his grandpa's side, and watching him as he finished putting everything together and turning on the coffee maker. "We need to keep as much plant life in the city as possible."
The thought caused the old man to laugh, but turned towards his grandson with a warm, musing smile. "Plant life, yes!" He exclaimed. "But a lot of what's back there is long since dead now, Arnold."
"What about the greenhouse?" Arnold asked, a little shocked. "There's still some things growing in there, right? You can't give up on those."
"Some?" Phil asked, scratching the top of his head, and looking confused. He began to take inventory in his brain, humming for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose there are a few potted plants that manage to keep themselves alive all year round, but the majority is basically turning into mulch."
The news caused Arnold to frown, as he sifted through his feelings. He didn't spend much time in the greenhouse, but he had a lot of good memories in there, helping his grandmother tending to plants, learning about them with Gerald while they were working at the flower shop, the experiment with Helga that caused the place to flood… It was tough to let things go, even if he knew that he'd hold on to these memories.
Sensing the boy's disappointment, Phil raised his eyebrow. "I didn't realize you cared about it, that much."
Noise from the coffee maker filled the empty space between them, bubbling and brewing the water to the proper temperature before it was allowed to pour through.
"We don't need to get rid of the greenhouse, Short man!" Phil loudly announced, a smirk raising his cheeks upwards and creating the rosy complexion to become more prominent on his pale face. He watched as Arnold's demeanor shifted, before turning around to ready himself for the pot to be finished. "Your Mom has ideas for the place, anyway!" He explained, pouring the hot black liquid into his old mug. "Something about… holistic remedies, or something."
"Really?" Arnold smiled, considering the idea of his mom turning the mess into something magnificent, while being beside her to help out.
Phil hummed back. "I was talking about the crap around the fence anyway, and the empty patches of dirt all over the back yard." He continued, stirring some cream into his coffee. "But if she plans on taking over the greenhouse, you can bet your patoot she'll probably begin to 'cultivate' those areas, too." He grinned and shook his head. "Besides, do you really think I would want to go through the hassle of digging all that up, mixing cement and doing all that mess?! I'm an old man, Arnold! I'd leave doing all that messy business to you and that little girlfriend of yours!" His humor laced his words as he turned back to the boy, until a lightbulb then lit up inside Phil's mind, that caused him to look around suspiciously. "Speaking of which, where is she?" He asked, leaning his back against the counter, and scratching his leg.
"I'm not sure." Arnold replied, looking just as curious towards the doorway to where the front door lay just beyond his point of view. "She's been spending a lot of time with Grandma, lately."
"Yeah… and that's another thing." Phil mumbled, uncomfortably. "Pookie's got something up her sleeve with that one… and I haven't quite been able to figure out what, yet." He sipped his coffee loudly, before cringing and placing his cup back down. "I had my suspicions at first, but now she's all over the map."
Arnold looked down at the kitchen floors clean surface, moving his shoe around on it. "I dunno… I think it's kinda nice, actually." He could feel eyes on him, and looked back up at his grandpa with a bashful smile. "She doesn't have a great relationship with her family… and I know Grandma can be a bit much, at times-"
"All the time." Phil murmured to himself.
"But even so…" Arnold hesitated, thinking of all the crazy shenanigans they had gotten themselves into over the years. Some things, helpful and innocent… but other things, very illegal and risky. He considered for a moment how Helga could be just as precarious, and wasn't sure whether to be more worried or at eased. "I'm glad she's going outside of her comfort zone to at least try and have fun, even if… Grandma's methods are strange-"
"Understatement of the year." Phil added with exhaustion.
Arnold got himself comfortable as he reminisced fondly on many life lessons he had learned; due to the extremist he called his grandmother. "It could be good for her."
"If you say so, Short man." Phil eyed his grandson with uncertainty, then took another sip of his coffee. "Don't get me wrong, I love free help as much as the next guy but, indulging your grandma can push a normal person to their limits and lead you into trouble. Trust me…" He took another sip, this time much longer and paused to cough, "That's how your dad was born." He finished with a wink.
The comment caused Arnold's cheeks to turn red, leading him into a downward spiral of thoughts. Why did he add that? Was this meant to be a warning? A message to quit while he was ahead if he wanted to avoid a tumultuous future? Or was his grandpa trying to imply something else? The young boy's mind flustered as he tried to navigate all conclusions and possibilities of just a simple whim from his grandfather. Was he already in too deep? Did his grandpa know more than he thought he did?
A boisterous laugh erupted out of Phil as he viewed Arnold's shocked response. "Oh, you kids! You never cease to entertain me!" He cackled, grabbing his coffee, and getting ready to move on with his day, "With your discernable awkwardness and ever expanding minds!" He continued, slapping Arnold on the back, and causing him to lose his balance and stumble forward. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride for you, if little things like that are gonna get you all in a tizzy, Arnold!" He chuckled as he walked out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Phil glanced back at his innocent grandson and waved his way. "Come on! Let's watch a nice Halloween movie together before the crowd comes home and ruins everything!"
Arnold's face stiffened with annoyance; He was just teasing me! But despite this, the young man found himself following and sat on the sofa, while Phil got himself comfortable in his chair. "What are we watching?" He asked dully, resting his oblong shaped head up against his propped up hand, as he patiently waited for his grandpa to pick something for them.
With the click of a button, Phil turned on the old television and started to browse around. "I dunno!" He replied as he flipped through the channels. "There's gotta be something good on for this time of year!"
The TV continued to cycle through the channels at a slow pace, causing the old man to comment and mutter to himself as he saw things he didn't care for. "Nope." "No." "Not that." "No way." "Boring." And Arnold sighed in discontent. He looked around the room and noticed that it seemed a lot cleaner than it had been in a while, even noting to himself that the shelves looked like they had been recently dusted, and knickknacks polished. Just what had been going on?
"Ah huh!" Phil shouted, startling Arnold into looking his way. "We got ourselves a good one, Short man!"
Arnold looked at the television and could see that it was an old black and white film, and from the looks of it, it was just starting. Large text appeared on the screen, reading the title and suddenly they were thrown into an old fashioned thriller.
"Night of the wild…" Phil reminisced in a longing voice. "I remember when this movie hit the theater! Ohhhh Boy! It was the perfect movie to take your girl to!" He turned around to face his grandson with a mischievous grin.
This peaked Arnold's interest. "Why's that, Grandpa?"
Shock dawned the old man's face, causing him to smack his forehead with this palm, and slide his hand down his slender face. "Are you… are you kidding me?!" He shouted, absolutely amazed at what he was hearing. He scanned the boy's face, making sure that he was serious before he continued. "Well… I suppose things are different now." He said, scratching his neck and feeling even older than before. "But back when I was just a young lad, girls weren't as thick skinned as they are now. Some were, but most weren't." He thought to himself for a moment before sticking his finger up in the air with an idea. "They were similar to that little friend of yours. You know, the one you chased around for a long while, even though she stated she only liked you, and not like-liked you? You know, the one with the braids?"
"You mean, Lila?" Arnold asked, becoming gradually more irritated than before.
"Yeah, yeah! That's the one!" Phil nodded, happy with himself. "All sweet and innocent!" He then pointed to the screen, as a young lady stepped off of a bus and headed towards her house. "You'll see in the movie, anyway. They would cling to our arms and hide their faces when scary scenes would happen!" He then wrapped his arms around his body and pretended to pout. "It's so scary!" He said in a shrill, girl-like voice before letting out a laugh. "And what guy wouldn't like that?"
Arnold thought back to the time he had asked Lila if she had wanted to see one of the Evil Twin movies with him. She had made it quite clear that she hated scary movies like that, which didn't surprise him much, but also found it quite odd that she would willingly go to the same movie with Arnie, given the situation. "Do you think girls agree to see these movies… for that same reason?" He asked, almost hoping that this wasn't the case, even though he knew the truth.
"Probably!" Phil replied, in a loud obvious tone, before turning back to his movie to watch as the next scene unfolded. "One thing you've always gotta remember Arnold, is that women are the crafty ones! Not men! We may think we're being sneaky or that we've got the upper hand, but 99% of the time, we're just stupid and full of ourselves!"
The honesty was appreciated, even if this left a bitter taste in the young man's mouth. When he had asked Lila if she wanted to see the movie, he had no ulterior motives when doing so. It was as simple as wanting to know if she wanted to see the movie with him. He knew that Rhonda, Nadine, and Helga liked those movies, so why not her? Sure, it seemed outside of her personality but Arnold knew that you can never judge a person by what they show… especially now.
"There's going to be a party this Friday, and all my friends are going." A young woman explained to her family, as they sat around the dinner table. "Can I go too? I promise I'll be home by 8 O'clock!"
The parents continued to eat their meals, without exchanging any glances.
"No, Suzie… I think it's best if you stay home and practice for the piano recital coming up." Her father replied, with a strong tone of authority. "It's only a few weeks away, now."
"But, I'm already better than most of the other girls!" Suzie then turned to her mother. "Please, Mother! You must understand."
The mother quietly cut up one of her carrots, and did not make eye contact with the daughter who was pleading to her over the dinner table. "Listen to your father, dear. Quit making a fuss or your dinner will get cold."
The girl sat down in defeat, and continued to eat in silence.
After dinner, Suzie called up her friend and explained to her that she wasn't allowed to go.
"That's awful, Suzie. I'm sorry." Her friend said over the long, and winding cord. "Maybe you can go next time! You know Bonnie will have another party once summer starts!"
Suzie slumped herself against the wall, clutching to the phone cord. "It's just not fair! Your parents are letting you go! As is Janis and Nancy's parents! Why must I always be stuck at home…"
They continued to talk back and forth, until an idea of sneaking out had been brought forth. At first, Suzie wasn't thrilled with the idea, but her friend eventually persuaded her to come around, resulting in her waiting until she knew her parents would be occupied, locking her bedroom door, and sneaking out the window.
Phil chuckled to himself. "Now that's something that never changes with time! Kid's and their shenanigans! Can never take no for an answer!... Why don't we have any popcorn?" He then turned to his grandson. "Arnold, fetch us a bag of popcorn so we can be proper movie goers!"
Without a second thought, Arnold stood up and did as he was told. He went into the kitchen, rummaged through the shelves, and found a bag of microwavable popcorn. Grandpa's right… things were different back then. He thought to himself, as he removed the plastic and unfolded the bag. Most kids would have fought a lot harder, before deciding to sneak out… He placed the bag into the microwave, pressed the proper button and listened to the appliance whirr loudly. It occurred to him that he had never had to sneak out of the house, or really be defiant towards his family in anyway. He was usually allowed to go out by himself, and hang with his friends, since he knew his grandparents trusted him. If they ever said no, there was a good reason for it, which he always respected. It was one thing he truly cherished about his relationship with them. Nothing was ever gone unexplained, and they were always honest with each other. The only topic that was ever tiptoed around, or masked was the topic of his parents and their disappearance…
"Hurry up, Arnold! It's about to get good!" He heard his grandpa shout from the other room.
Arnold looked at the timer and could see that it only had a few seconds left to pop, and grabbed a big bowl. Once it was finished, he carefully ripped open the bag, emptied the contents in the bowl, threw out the bag and rushed into the parlor where his grandpa was eagerly awaiting him.
"What did I miss?" He asked hurriedly, before sitting back down in his spot and handed the bowl over to his grandpa.
"You remember that guy Jack, that she was sweet on, right?" Phil replied, popping a few morsels in his mouth, and letting out an eerie laugh. "He offered her a ride home! Watch and see what happens!"
Suzie stepped out of the car door, and smiled shyly at the handsome boy in front of her. "Thanks so much for the ride… I had a great time at the party."
"Sure thing!" Jack replied, flashing his pearly white smile. "There's gonna be another party next week, over at Rocky Beach, you know, to celebrate the end of the school year. You gonna be there?"
Suzie hesitated a moment, looked back at her fully lit house, and then back at the boy in waiting. "My parents aren't very big on letting me go to parties…" She admitted, sorely. "This is the first time I've ever snuck out…"
Jack peaked his head around her to look at her house. "I don't see any police cars, so it doesn't look like they suspect anything right now. Just do it again!"
"Oh, alright." Suzie giggled, charmed by his insistence at her attendance. "If I have to, I'll sneak out again but you better take responsibility if anything happens!"
"Don't worry, you're safe when you're with me!" The boy tipped his nonexistent hat towards her. "You have my word! This is going to be the wildest party of your life!"
Suzie watched as Jack drove off, before she snuck back in through her window and noticed that nothing had been disturbed, nor her door unlocked. She knew she was safe.
Next week came, and again, Suzie asked her parents for permission to go. Again, she was told no. Not wanting to have to be a bad child, she decided to instead try and butter up her father for his approval. She gathered up his favorite snack, and brought it to him in his study. There, he sat behind his large oak desk, a book in hand and a record playing nearby.
"I just finished baking these…" She explained as she brought the tray of cookies to him. "I know they're your favorite, so I figured you would want them straight away."
The man put down his book and gestured for the girl to come closer to him. "This is very thoughtful of you, thank you."
Suzie placed the stray in front of him, then took a step back and waited for him to take a few bites before mentioning that there would be another party tomorrow, and that she really wanted to go since she missed the last one.
The father gave her a stern look. "Now, Suzie. You know how I feel about you going to parties…"
"I know, but the whole school is going! I can't be the only kid missing!" She added, sadness oozing from every word.
"The whole school, huh…" The gentleman repeated, before opening a desk drawer and taking out a box of cigars. "That means there will be a lot of boys there, as well." He took out one of the cigars, smelled it, and then grabbed a silver device that snipped the end right off.
"Of course, there will be…" She admitted. "But I'm only going because so many of my friends will be graduating and going off to college! I want to be able to see them before they're sent away."
"Will there be any adult chaperoning this party?" He asked, giving her a sideways glance before lighting a match and holding it to the freshly cut end.
Suzie thought for a moment. "I know James Chandler from Biology will be there." She replied, thinking of a plausible answer. "His family has a small house right on the shoreline, and him and his parent's always stay there on the weekend. If anything were to happen, he could get them right away!"
Her father frowned, and leaned over his desk. "So, this will be unsupervised." He watched as his daughter bit her lip and looked away. "You're too young to be at a party, with boys, unsupervised. Too many things could happen."
The young teen pouted and crossed her arms. "I'll be the same age as many other girls at the party. What could happen?"
"Suzie… You're 15 years old now. Not a little girl anymore, but not old enough to understand the dangers around her when she sees them." The father inhaled from the cigar, its tip glowing a bright red, and then blew out the smoke. "I know you don't understand now, but I would rather keep you safe, here at home, then throw you out to a pack of wolves." He waited until his words caught his daughter's attention. "You're growing into a fine young woman, and you're at a time in your life when many boys will be turning their heads your way. This may seem flattering to you, as all girls seek to be attractive… but what lie behind a boy's eyes may not just be fancy, but hunger as well."
"Father, you're being funny now…" Suzie nervously interjected, unsure of herself or what he was saying. "Be serious!"
The gaze in the older man's eyes became stern. "I am. And it's this type of response from you, that shows I know exactly what I'm talking about. You're too young to understand. You've had time to change and become accustom with becoming a woman, but boys turning into men…" He took another puff of his cigar and looked outwardly, towards a window. "It's not just a simple change of the body… but of the mind as well. On the outside, a boy you've known all your life may seem the same as always, even if he's a little taller or his voice is a little deeper… but what lie behind that boyish smile, are the teeth of a wild animal, waiting to pounce on its prey."
"You're… starting to scare me now, Father." Suzie shivered, placing her arms around herself, as if to keep warm.
"Good." The man continued to look out the window. "Tomorrow will be a full moon. It's best you stay home."
Arnold grabbed a handful of popcorn from the offered bucket, and at each kernel piece by piece, watching the movie intently. It was obvious where the movie was going at this point, with the name of the movie, and the mention of the full moon, but even still… he couldn't help but be intrigued.
The movie continued on, with the young woman not heeding her father's warning, sneaking off to the party anyway and gathering among her friends. They laughed and played volleyball until only the full moon shined its lights on the ocean, causing the mood to shift from playful childhood innocence, to ambient and romantic. The students began to pair themselves up with another, and two by two, they were escorted away to be alone. Soon, it was Suzie's turn to be approached by none other than Jack, the boy she had been waiting for.
"Are you ready to go home?" He asked her, his arm reached out to help her up from the sandy beach.
Suzie looked at Janis, who only nudged her to go with a supportive grin, before grabbing his hand and getting to her feet. "I suppose…" She replied coyly, grabbing her purse, and following him off the beach and towards his car.
"I'm glad you decided to come." Jack stated, opening the door for the young lady, and watching her as she gracefully sat down in the passenger's seat. "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah…" Suzie answered, looking down at her yellow sandals and tapping them both together to avoid making eye contact with him. "It seems like such a shame that so many people left already. I wish the party could have kept going all night."
The boy shut her door and walked over to his driver's side, and hopped in. "I'm sure they're all enjoying themselves elsewhere..." He said, putting his key into the ignition. "The night is still young…" He then turned to her, and flashed his smile at her again. "We could always drive around and find something else to do?"
The girl blushed and nodded her head, giving him the go ahead to begin to drive away. Jack eventually brought them to the local lover's spot, which was only about a 5 minute drive from the beach. It had a tranquil view, that made the moon look even bigger and brighter, as it hung above the ocean and make you feel as if nothing in the world mattered anymore.
Jack reached his arm over Suzie's shoulder. "Are you cold? My varsity jacket is in the back seat. I could get it for you."
"No… I'm quite alright…" Suzie replied, blushing as she looked his way. "I'm warmer now…"
Jack took this as his greenlight, and twirled her curly blonde hair around his finger, and placed his other hand on her leg. She didn't flinch, or move away, so he brought his hand up to her chin and turned her head to face him. He kissed her softly, bringing his arm out from around her shoulders so he could better steady himself. His hand moved from her chin, up to her cheek and towards the back of her head.
"You look so beautiful, in this moonlight…" He whispered to her, between kisses. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this…"
"Oh no, Arnold…" Phil playfully teased. "Better look away! I wouldn't want what's about to happen to shock you!"
The twelve year old boy scowled at the joke. "Ha, ha."
"It's gonna get pretty wild!" Phil laughed, giving his final warning before shoving his mouth full with another handful of popcorn.
The kissing continued, until Jack broke away and placed his left hand under her neck, and gently moved her head to the side, admiring the pale white skin. Suzie gasped as Jack brought his lips to the exposed area, and continued to kiss her there, slowly moving down to her collar bone.
"It's… too much…" She whispered to him, softly but making no movement herself.
"But we've only gotten started…" He replied, picking his head back up and meeting her gaze. "Am I being too rough?"
The question caused the girl to look away, and shake her head. "No… it's not that…"
"Then… what is it?" Jack whispered, before bringing his lips back to her neck, and continuing his fun. He could hear her gasp once more, when he lightly bit down on her soft skin, and could feel her body shiver. "Don't you like this?"
Suzie opened her mouth to reply, but only another gasp came out of her mouth as the teen boy began to bite down her neck, and towards her collar bone.
He glanced up to see her expression, before trailing his hand down to her chest, and pulling down her shirt.
"N-no!" Suzie cried out, suddenly pulling away. "This… We can't do this. It's getting late and if I'm any later, my parent's will find out and then I'll be grounded until I graduate."
He could hear the fear in her voice, but this only led him to come even closer to her. He placed his nose around her breasts, then sniffed up to her neck and stared into her eyes once they were face to face. "But you're enjoying this… I can tell." His voice had become gruff. "I promised a wild night, didn't I? I can't break that promise. What sort of man would I be then, hm?"
Suzie hesitated, and knew that her father had been right; the situation was taking a turn that she didn't know how to control. "Jack, please… Just take me home now and we can go out again tomorrow." She pleaded. "I'll… I'll just tell my parent's that I'm going to Nancy's house. They won't know! We can come back here then…"
The boy grinned as he sniffed the air openly. "Tomorrow? It will be too late…" He replied, his voice turning into more of a growl. "And besides… It's even better when you're scared."
"W-what do you mean?" asked Suzie, trying to create a distance between them but failing once she realized her back was already against the passenger door.
The wind blew around them, causing the trees to sway back and forth as if they were dancing to a tune only they could hear. The waves crashed down below, and caused the moonlight to reflect off their waters, and shine through the windshield.
Light shone around Jack as he arched his back and stretched long and loudly; his groan turning into more of a howl. The hair on his head grew longer, and the muscles on his shoulders, arms and chest began to bulk up slowly.
Suzie watched in horror as the boy she thought she knew, transformed into a beast she no longer could recognize.
Fur began to cover his exposed skin, and his face finally jaunted forward until it resembled that of wolves. "Do you hear that?" He growled, looking out towards the lapping waters.
There was no need for Suzie to answer, because soon howling was heard all over the beach. Louder and louder it grew, and Jacks once pearly white smile was changed into wicked yellow fangs.
"They've all finished their transformation and taken their prey…" He licked his lips and turned to the cowering girl once more. "And now it's my turn…" Their eyes made contact and he knew there was nowhere for her to go, and no way she could escape. "Do me a favor and scream loud enough for the others to hear, okay?"
The camera panned outward, only leaving the girls screams to be heard and the car to be seen by the audience. Blood was splattered on the windows and finally all was silent. Only one more howl was heard that night.
"They sure don't make them like this anymore. Now it's all blood and gore without any suspense and plotline!" Phil commentated, until the sound of a door being opened, and voices chorusing interrupted him. He turned towards Arnold, who still seemed very engaged in the movie. "Sounds like our time is up, Short man."
"Huh?" Startled, Arnold looked to his grandpa and soon his ears also recognized the noises, causing him to frown. "Oh…"
With a click of a button, the television turned off and Phil stood up to stretch his legs. "Plenty more movies like that, though! We'll have to head on over to the rental store this weekend and pick us up a few more. What do ya say?"
Before Arnold could reply, his parents and grandmother walked into the living room and greeted them, holding grocery bags in their arms.
"I hope you're ready for a fancy feast tonight!" Gertie called out. "Because tonight, we dine like felines!"
"Oh, Pookie!" Phil groaned. "Why?! Why can't we eat like normal people around here?"
She cackled and ran off, causing the old man to walk after her, shouting his quarrels and leaving the happy couple to smile at their son.
"Dinner will be ready in a few hours." Stella informed him before bending down and giving him a kiss on his forehead. "I think you're really going to enjoy it!"
It took a moment for Arnold to realize that a missing member remained missing. I guess Helga isn't with them, after all… He noted sadly, before giving his mother a hopeful smile. "Sounds good, Mom!"
She handed her bags to her husband, who juggled to grab them all and not fall. "Here, honey! Take these to the kitchen. I'll be in there in a moment."
"Wh-wha?" Miles awkwardly moaned, managing to steady the overlapping bags. He noticed she was giving him a specific kind of look, and knew not to question it. "Sure thing…" He replied, struggling as he waddled his way out of the room.
Seeing that her actions had caused her son to worry, Stella gave him a thumbs up and nudged them towards the upstairs. "Why don't we head on to your room and let them handle the groceries." She suggested, with an air of careless whimsy about her. "I could use a little break today and who better to spend it with, then my son?"
All Arnold could do was nod, and follow her lead. "What did you do today?" He asked once they reached the second floor, still unable to brush off the strange atmosphere she had created.
"The usual," Stella sighed, letting the tire of the day get the better of her. Once they reached the string to his staircase, she let her son do the honors of gaining them entrance. "After you." She gestured, watching as Arnold reached up and grabbed the string to his pull down stair case. The creeks echoed loudly throughout the quiet hallway, in a way that made them both cringe. "We should really oil those…" She noted to him before they both ascended and reached his bedroom.
The familiar scene was welcoming, as was the scent and overall feel of what was undeniably his. Usually, this would have created a feeling of ease, but given the odd atmosphere throughout the house, it only left Arnold feeling unsettled. "Is everything okay?" He asked, unable to contain the anxiousness that had been building up.
Stella smiled and sat down on his bed. "I hope so." She replied, placing her hands on her lap, and fiddling with her fingers. "Sit down and let's chat."
This only caused Arnold's anxieties to rise even further, but still, he did as he was told and sat down next to his mother. "Did something happen?"
Taking in a deep breath, Stella looked up at the ceiling towards nothing in particular. "Not exactly but I wanted your input before anything might happen." She began softly, her own heart beating hard as she could feel herself fill with guilt. "It's been an adventure to wake up after a long nap, and suddenly finding out that years have passed while you stood still. Your only child is transformed from a baby, into a young man, relatives have come and gone, and even technology goes from always needing to have coins ready to call someone when you're out, to a phone you can take with you anywhere!" Stella let out an awkward but sad laugh. "I thought battling disease and thieving pirates was hard, but I'm realizing that being stuck in time, is even harder." She then turned and looked at her son, allowing her weakness to show through. "It's been so fun learning about everything that's happened while we've been away! You've become such a fine young man, Arnold."
The comment caused the boy to blush, but he remained silent, knowing there must be more that she was struggling to say.
"Your father and I have enjoyed every moment we've spent with everyone since we arrived back home, and honestly, it almost feels like we're still dreaming!" She explained, letting out another laugh of disbelief. "But… we've also realized that we can't continue to live on a permanent vacation, as much as we'd like that. The boarding house is in pretty rough shape, and your grandparent's can only do so much with the money they have from their retirement, as well as the rent given by the boarders here."
"You're not leaving again, are you?!" Arnold suddenly shouted, placing his hands on top of his mothers, his eyes pleading and desperate.
"No, no!" Stella reassured, a little shocked that he would come to such a harsh conclusion, but also frustrated in herself for possibly making this sound that way. "We're not leaving you ever again!" She pulled her son in with a tight hug. "We made a promise that we would be right back, so many years ago, and failed to keep that promise. We know that we can't ever make up for that, so the best we can do now, is promise to never let something like that happen, ever again." She released him and looked into his brilliant green eyes. "You're our world now, Arnold." She expressed lovingly, placing her hand on his cheek. "And nothing will ever keep us apart, okay?"
Arnold nodded but still remained silent, pushing back his feelings of doubt.
"I'm sorry if I led you to believe something like that! What I'm trying to say, is that I think it's time that your father and I got ourselves jobs. Not overseas, but locally!" She clarified, with a long and stressed sigh. "We've been given the option to accept our retirement funds early, by Habitat for Humanity, without any penalties so that way we can live easily while we recover both mentally, and physically. This money will be great for a time, but will run out in the long run and we've agreed that it would be smart to get a jump on finances, while we're ahead. Are you following?"
"I think so." Answered Arnold, still unsure of everything but doing his best to not seem distressed at the news.
"We plan on staying with the company, but instead of taking jobs that would send us across the world, we would only be focusing on small projects within state lines. Aiding the homeless, cleaning up downtrodden areas and helping communities who need it. This is partially why we were out today…" Reaching into her pocket, Stella pulled out a picture and frowned. "Your grandmother brought some disturbing news to our attention, and we couldn't help but see this as a sign that we needed to stop being stagnant, before we got too comfortable. One thing that has always remained consistent with man, is that we strive to advance our race and way of life to become easy and efficient… but always fail to see the impact our changes have on the environment and every other species around us." She handed the picture over to her son, and frowned as he gazed upon the horrors it depicted: a waste covered beach, filled with dead sea life. "I'm sure you're aware of the Mall they're creating a few blocks away. Its goal was to tear down some of the old, hazardous structures, giving way to something that would help create jobs, and cause people from surrounding cities to bring their business here. In turn, this brings more money into the city, that the city can use to repair the roads, fund the schools, and make life in Hillwood a little bit easier… however, the right way of getting rid of the waste this project creates, isn't always the cheapest, causing people to cut corners and well… it results in this."
"This… This is horrible!" Arnold cried out, gripping the picture, causing more creases to form all over the image. "How could they let this happen?! Does Mr. Green know about this?!"
"He's recently been made aware, but things like this don't simply disappear with some orders and a speech." The tired woman explained, removing the horrendous image from his hand's, and placing it back in her pocket. "There are other matters that he's been focusing on, as well as running his butcher shop. Problems like this are easy to make, but hard to clean up and no one man can do it all. He must rely on others as well, to follow through and do what needs to be done. This is where our organization comes in!" She gave way to a smile, filled with hope and esteem for the future. "We throw the ugliness of corporate greed into the faces of the unaware, and let the rage of the people fuel the drive to make change happen… in a structured and well mannered, civilized way, of course." She winked.
"Do you need any help?!" Arnold asked, eagerly. "I've helped Grandma before, and I know I could help out now! I could even ask my school to help out too!"
"Woah! Easy there, Tiger." Stella placed her hands on her son's shoulders. "I appreciate the offer but this is a little more complicated than saving an old theater from being torn down." She watched as disappointment mounted on her son's face, only causing her to adore him even more. "If we need help, I promise you'll be the first person I call, okay? Until then, I want you to focus on things you can control… Like your hygiene and grades."
"Okay…" Arnold frowned, feeling as though he was being needed less and less. What used to feel like frustrating obligation, to assist the adults around him… now made him realize how much he appreciated being needed, as well as enjoying the feeling of achieving things that others couldn't on their own, even if it interrupted his plans.
"But… the reason I'm telling you this, is because it wouldn't feel right for your dad and I to take on something like this, without considering your feelings." The woman watched as her son looked up at her in both shock and confusion. "As I've said, you're our world and what you think, and how you feel, matters the most. If you felt like you needed us home, we would respect that and pass this job on to someone else."
"No!" Arnold jumped up, determination filling his being. "So long as I have the two of you, I couldn't ask for anything more. It would be selfish of me to ask you to just remain home, for my sake, when others are suffering!"
Stella continued to admire her strong willed son, knowing that the apple couldn't fall far from the tree, as this driving force lived in both of his parents, along with his grandparents. "I'm happy to hear that. Just know that if you ever need us, don't hesitate to let us know, okay? Promise me, Arnold."
"I promise." He stood firmly and smiled, letting any worry between them wash away, before giving his mom a big hug. "When do you start?"
"Monday, bright and early." She answered, giving him an equally big hug right back. "I told them that we needed a few days to talk it over with you and your grandparents, before giving them an answer."
"Alright." Arnold let go and sat back down, still filled with excitement for his parents, but even more he was filled with the gratitude that they were his parents. "Thanks for thinking about me."
"Anytime." Stella stood up and looked apprehensively at his door. "Before I subject myself to whatever chaos is waiting for me downstairs… Is there anything else that you'd like to talk to me about? Any questions I can answer? Advise I can give?"
The question took the boy off guard, causing him to stir his mind around, waiting for something to pop up. At first, he couldn't think of anything he needed her help with, but as he continued to look upon the patient woman, something of importance brought itself forth. "Well… maybe." He replied, a little nervous as he went back and forth on whether or not this would be a suitable question to even ask his mother.
"Shoot!" Stella instructed, excited to be of help and to avoid the unknown that awaited her down below them.
Shifting on his bed uncomfortably, Arnold scooted back and rested his back against the shelves that lined his wall, bringing his knees up to his chest and getting as comfortable as he could. "Well…" He continued to hesitate, feeling more awkward with every looming second of delay. "Remember when I came home a little late from Gerald's house?"
Stella looked thoughtfully to the side for a moment. "Nope, but I've also had my hands pretty full recently." She said honestly. "Why, what's up?"
Arnold recalled the excuse he had given his grandpa and decided to continue to go on using that as his scapegoat. "I ran into his older brother, Jamie-O that day. I know you haven't met him yet, but he started college this year. He told us about how… he started dating this girl that he's known a really long time, and at first, wasn't really sure if he was in love or not…"
"Oh?" Stella became very intrigued with the topic, and found herself sitting back down, leaning to her side, and encouraging him to continue. "And why's that?"
"Huh?" The question seemed a little silly and out of place. "What do you mean?"
"Love can be a very simple, yet very complicated thing." She began, feeling as though she was teaching a class. "Let me ask you this, Arnold. How do you know when you're happy? How do you know when you're sad?"
"You… feel it?" He replied, confused at this line of questioning.
"Exactly! We feel it! No one needs to identify these feelings for us, nor to we usually question these feelings. They simply… are!" She explained, sticking her index finger in the air in a dramatic fashion, as if acting out some sort of detective in a play. "Feelings are as simple, or as complicated as we the feelers make them out to be!"
Arnold blinked at her answer, still trying to grasp what she was saying. "I… see."
"I can see that I've left you a little perplexed." Stella giggled at herself, "Let me change things up a little. When you think of love, what comes to your mind?"
"My family and everyone around me who makes me happy, and that I care about." He replied simply, without needing to think about it. "The people I look forward to seeing every day, and who I want to keep smiling."
"Pretty simple, right?" Stella crossed her arms. "I know this isn't exactly the answer you were looking for, but its really all there is to it. Although there is a big different between loving someone, and being in love with someone, the differences are very… nuance." She watched as the cogs began to roll around the boy's head, at the contradiction. "Attraction, Arnold. That's really the only key to unlocking that extra bit." She watched as the connection sparked in his eyes, and she knew she could continue. "You love Gerald, because he is your best friend. Of course, you would want him to live a happy life, full of great experiences that make him smile. The same goes for myself, your father, and your grandparents! Loving someone means wishing them all the best with all of your heart! Being in love with someone, is all of that and a little bit more. Instead of just being happy for them, you want to be happy alongside them. You want to experience the good and the bad with them, because they're special to you in a way no one else is. The thing that sets them apart, and makes them special, is attraction. Does this help?"
Arnold nodded, even if it still didn't fully solve the riddle. "Somewhat." He acknowledged, "But Jamie-O has already come to the conclusion that he must be in love with her… but doesn't have any idea on how he should tell her." Arnold could see that his question had now turned the tables, leaving his mother with a questioning look. "Girls like to be told this in the perfect place, at the perfect time, right?"
The moment Arnold had finished his question, Stella let out a full belly laugh, that coupled itself with a few uncouth snorts. "Of course, we do!" She managed to say in between laughs. "Life's not a soap opera, though!"
This left Arnold feeling a bit silly, causing his cheeks to become pink with embarrassment.
"Ohhhh." She moaned, clutching her sides as they began to ache with cramps. "Sorry. I just wasn't expecting something like that to come out of a college boy's mind. He must be a true romantic."
Arnold's cheeks became another shade darker. "Not intentionally…" He grumbled quietly.
"But, to answer his dilemma, I want you to tell him this." Stella managed to sit straight up, and become serious. "We always love it when the atmosphere is right, but sometimes that goal is impossible, and if a man waits forever until an opportunity like that presents itself, the moment may be long passed. If he really believes that he loves her in the way he thinks he does, the best way to tell her is by sitting her down and just letting her know." The woman took in a long and deep breath, catching her senses and trying to remain open. "Honest people are very hard to come by, and it doesn't usually come easily to most. Any woman who's right in her mind, would cherish even the sentiment… even at the worst possible timing."
"And if he really wanted to make it special?" Arnold pressed gingerly.
Stella allowed herself another moment to think. "I don't know him or his girlfriend, so it's really hard to say…" She thought out loud, drumming her fingers against her leg. "But I think that if he's sure he's in love with her, and he really wants to make the moment special, then he should take her to a place he knows she's comfortable and tell her there." She looked over at Arnold, and noticed his curiosity in his friend's situation had to have a bigger meaning to him, other than general interest. "Let's say she has a favorite movie, or a favorite dessert. What could be more special than someone taking the time to combine all the things he knows she loves, spending the day enjoying them with her, and then adding the cherry on top with his enlightened, heartfelt confession? It's simple, practical and even proves to her that he truly cares for her, by demonstrating that he listens whenever she expresses herself."
A large grin grew over the young man's face, as he was once again filled with hope and excitement. "I'll let him know! Thanks, Mom!"
"You should keep this in mind as well." She informed, standing up and placing her hands on her hips. "Should there ever come a time when you've decided that you've found that special person; the person you could imagine adventuring the toils of life with… don't go making it overly complicated, and letting them slip away." She encouraged with a warm, motherly smile. "It's alright to be clumsy once in a while, but not chasing an opportunity or letting something special slip away, simply because you were too scared to move forward, is unforgivable. Too many people let their chances fade, and live the rest of their lives full of regret, and longing for what could have been if they had…" Stella paused, then took the initiative to take one step forward, "…moved out of their bubble, and into the unknown." She finished, grinning at her child, and allowing feelings and intentions to speak for themselves, before turning to the bedroom door and walking towards it. "Much like I'm now moving out of this comfortable room with my favorite son, to battle the unknown downstairs."
Arnold gave his mother a small wave, watching she disappeared from out of his sights, before allowing his body to collapse on the bed beneath him. "That was… a lot." He told himself, still taking in all of the information she had to offer. Strangely though, this made him feel a lot better, now that he had a clear idea of how he should approach telling Helga how he truly felt.
Rolling onto his back, and looking up at the darkened skies above, Arnold reached upwards as if trying to grab one of the stars that shone off into the distance. He let his arm fall to the side, and he sighed longingly. "I think… adventuring through life with her could be… fun." He told himself, allowing himself to smile at the thought of them helping each other up with they fell, comforting each other in times of hardship, and laughing together in times of happiness. "She's made my life interesting so far… to say the least." Arnold closed his eyes as he enjoyed the feeling of familiar warmth spread throughout his body, washing away his doubts and calming his mind. "Sky's the limit…"
Since Helga had moved into the boarding house, it was if a mysterious door had opened into a new dimension that only seemed to grow with every passing moment together alone with her. It didn't seem to matter where or when these moments would occur, but it always pushed him further and further into this strange realm of uncertainty. Their chemistry had drastically changed from the midst of the fourth grade, up until now, and the once childish correspondence that consisted of annoying jabs and dread, where gone and evolving into something else entirely.
Arnold found his mind wandering as far back as he could remember…
The vision of such a sweet and innocent looking little girl, yet full of undeniable rage and aggression that never really had a focal point. When she would lash out, how she would lash out and to whom would receive that lashing would never be the same. It was like stepping on a landmine for all of his classmates from as early as preschool. It wasn't until probably the first grade, did he become her most frequent target. His child mind could never consider the why of it all, only the best way to avoid it as much as possible. It became a bond between him and his fellow classmates to do their best to avoid the sleeping dragon in the hallway of P.S 118. Any wrong step, any creek of a floor board or small pebble falling could cause her eyes to open and lock on to the first kid in her view. Only seconds would pass until she was charging towards their group, causing them to disperse in every direction and try to avoid being the one getting caught… but how often was it, that Arnold was the unlucky one. Instead of her flamethrower burning him to a crisp, it was insults and ridicule of a similar temperature… and this was on a good day. On a bad day, it wasn't the dragon's breath that they would need to avoid, but her large sharp claws and astounding speed. Arnold always considered himself lucky to avoid these attacks, but had no choice to look on as one of his friends was ripped to shreds in front of him…
First grade turned into second, which only led to more colorful insults as their vocabulary and knowledge grew, and the threat only grew around them. This created this anarchy among the friends that would inevitably create their own circle within their friend groups. How each group handled it, was up to them. Rhonda and her girlfriends would create a reflective armor that shielded themselves to the dragon's flames, creating their own army to defend themselves or attack back, if need be. Harold took more of an offensive approach, with his friends as either fodder to lure the dragon out of its den in hopes of spearing it with lances made of the dragon's own claws, or taking a heroic stance in attempting to make the dragon flee with his might… yet always failing. Quiet kids like Eugene and Curly usually just avoided the dragon's den at all costs, and hid whenever it came around to remain safe… but Arnold and Gerald had their own approach to the beast, which was to ignore it whenever possible, taking a neutral stance. They would not seek out nor avoid her, to show that she had no significant power over them, and in hope, would eventually give up on them…
It was sometime in the Third grade, that an unsung hero unwillingly made themselves known amongst the friends. A scholar with magical powers to quell the beasts rage, or at least direct it someplace else for a time being, came into view. It had become obvious to all of the friends that Phoebe had aligned herself with Helga, becoming her only friend. This scholar would go back and forth between the dragon's den and the town below, putting out flames or warning the townsfolk of the impending danger that may or may not come on a certain day. This was deeply appreciated to all, and probably was the beginning to the best friend's attraction to each other. For someone so small, quiet, and meek to don the robes of a wizard, truly spoke volumes of how brave Phoebe was, and that was no doubt the first thing that Gerald noticed. Arnold recalled many days of Gerald voicing his concerns of the girl's wellbeing, and wondered if Helga had some spellbinding power over her, or blackmail, that kept Phoebe by her side. By the end of the year, the dragon's wrath and terror had subsided into something manageable by the masses, and eventually they all lived in harmony… or the closest thing to it. Many people didn't approve of this arrangement, but being as they still stood no chance against Helga 1 on 1, their voices faded into hushed curses and life went on.
Arnold thought on and wondered if anything could have been different, if he had been able to learn whatever secret spell Phoebe knew, or at the very least, been as brave as her and possibly been able to vanquish the demon within, turning the dragon back into the maiden she had been all along. Back then, things were only seen in black and white, with no possibility of any color in between. She had been evil, and everyone else had been good. It was only until Fourth grade did Arnold really focus his view into seeing that there were more than 2 colors within their world. This was something he always knew, but was unable to see for himself with undeniable proof. He was able to see that maybe there was a reason for the dragon's wrath, that maybe this dragon was born out of something unnatural and was more than what she seemed. He was able to see that much of her rage was instigated by others around her, instead of just purely being evil for the sake of it. Once Arnold had fully opened his eyes to the world around them all, he was able to watch her with curiosity and sympathy, instead of only seeing her as this unruly bully who preyed upon him and his friends mercilessly.
He breathed in slowly, letting his lungs will up with the welcoming substance that kept his mind intact and body at ease. As he breathed out, Arnold compared all of the feelings that had changed over the past several years: Confusion, to dread, to annoyance, to apathy, then back to confusion and eventually sympathy. The mere thought of having any sort of positive feelings, or attraction to the infamous girl was so absurd, that even the possibility coming into question during Rhonda's handmade marriage predictor, caused him to thrash around his bed with nightmares of what his life with her could look like.
The memory caused Arnold to close his eyes with disbelief and shame. In truth, it was this horrible dream that caused him to pay a little bit more attention to his dreams after waking up. The ending was in such a stark comparison to the beginning, that it led him to question the fabric that wove his reality all together. It made him wonder why, after having endured so much physical and mental anguish at the hands of his aggressor and her family, would there be any sort of happy ending where she owned up to her own mistakes and took responsibility for her actions. It had to mean something, right? Shortly after that, during the throws of his attraction to Lila, for him to have yet another confusing dream that really shattered the reality of his perception of the girl, that it caused him to stand still and watch as the world around him continued to move, causing his longing for Lila to quietly die out, and his curiosity to see what lie beneath Helga's steel scales, sharp claws and fiery grin grew…
Where is she…? And what is she doing…? He wondered as adrenaline coursed through his veins, causing his body to tense up, as he let it remember the electricity of her touch on his skin; feeling stunned as if lightening striking the ground beneath him and branching out in all directions, electrocuting everything in its wake. Her lips and soft breath against his ear; a wave of static that caressed nerve receptors he wasn't even aware he had, submerging his brain into a deep murky ocean that kept his consciousness afloat but incapacitated. Would every new contact they shared create these new sensations that he had never known he could feel before? Was there a limit that they would eventually reach? And did he even want there to be a limit…?
It was amazing how the danger of coming in direct contact with Helga Pataki could change so dramatically over the years, yet remain just totally the same, with only one key difference: He wasn't afraid of her or what she might do… he was afraid of himself, and what may happen if he let the whirlwind of feelings he now craved when with her, overwhelm him. He no longer wanted to avoid this danger, but instead sought it out, curious of where it could lead.
A grin found itself growing across the young man's lips as he remembered a past dream fondly. I really must be sick… He recognized. The strong lock of his convictions had begun to crack, and Arnold could feel an unknown beast within its cage pacing back and forth, awaiting its release. He wasn't sure when this creature was born, but the more that it grew, the more he found himself unable to follow the script he had rehearsed over and over in his head. What was morally right? What was wrong? The lines now blurred as the beast fought against its cage, causing the chains of caution and humility to begin to shake. Since when did danger become so… exciting? He found himself wondering, causing the dark side of him to flash its canines and grin back. Just like the old thriller movie, Arnold found himself eye to eye with the werewolf that lurked within: His own primal urges.
Thousands of miles away, in a small town freshly blanketed with snow, Olga Pataki had finally managed to get cell service and continued to dial her father's number.
"We're sorry, but the number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check that you've dialed the number correctly, or try your call again later." A pre-recorded operator's voice spoke, tormenting her further and further.
"No, no, no, no!" She shouted back at it, before hanging up and dialing the number over again. "There must be some mistake!"
A few hours earlier, Olga had politely asked one of her neighbors if she could borrow their phone for a family emergency. The moment the recording reached her ears, all color washed out of the girls usually glowing cheeks, causing her neighbors to worry and ask her if she needed anything further. Grasping as much courage as she could, she simply thanked them for their hospitality and ran out of their shop, hoping on the first train she could into a larger city where she knew she would have more service.
"This can't be happening…" She wept, her strength finally leaving her, as she collapsed to her knees. "Mommy… Daddy… Baby sister… what happened to you?" Her voice was carried off by the wind, and silenced by the snow that continued to fall around her.
Her family's company and address, no longer existed…
Her father's cell phone number, no longer in use…
Fearing the absolute worst, Olga knew there was only one option left. Buried deep within a secret journal that she had kept since she was a little girl, was a life line she hoped she'd never have to use.