CHAPTER 6
It had been a full day since Nemo arrived at the hospital and the Lab Gang had made him feel welcome. Although what he learned from them about Sherman and his niece was scary, he couldn't help feel like his fate was already sealed and there wasn't anything he could do. The Lab Gang even knew too, but that day Gil gathered the gang and told them what he was planning that night.
An so night had fallen, Nemo trying so hard to get some sleep. But sleeping on a uncomfortable cot, as well with a thin scratchy blanket covering him, he just couldn't get to sleep. Oh wouldn't he give to be back home in his nice comfy bed. Nemo closed his eyes as he began to finally drifted off as he began to think of home.
Home, where his room was. Where all his toys were, and where his favorite stuffed clownfish was.
But most of all...where his dad was.
Just thinking of his dad Nemo felt more heartbroken, being so far away from him. Oh would he give to be back home with his dad right now.
No sooner that he began to drift off to sleep, dreaming of his dad before these terrible events...
He dreamed that he was back in his room, he was all excited for soon he would be going to school in the morning. He ran and got into his PJ's and hopped into bed. His father couldn't help but give a small smile at his son's excitement for the morning.
Once Nemo was in bed, his father tucked him in. Nemo then asked his father to tell him a story, maybe hearing one about monsters. Marlin of course showed his concerns and worries that he would have nightmares. But instead Marlin decide to tell him a story that Nemo always likes, about the little Clownfish and his crazy adventures.
As Nemo listened to his father's story, Marlin used his stuffed clownfish to reenact the story of the clownfish. Nemo laughing as his dad told some silly parts of the story and what happened. Nemo always loved to laugh at his dad's jokes, he knew that his father was the best comedian and knew he would love for him to get back on stage. Nemo also loved when his dad told him that his laugh was the best and favorite sound for him to hear, for it reminded him of his mom's laugh.
Nemo recalled about him asking about his mother and what happened to her. His dad smiled a little as he spoke of his mother, Coral, how beautiful and wonderful she was. But then his smile turned to a frowned at the question on what happened, he was too sad to tell him, as Nemo was still young, but instead he told him that she never woke up and she gave her life to bring him into the world. Marlin telling him that she saved his life, but she never made it. Nemo looked sad and frowned, he looked up to see his dad sad as well, he hugged him and told him that he wished he could've meet her. Marlin hugged his son and replied that she was here with them, in their hearts.
No sooner that sleep began to take Nemo, he fell back into bed and lay his head on his pillow and soon drifted off to sleep.
Marlin smiled at his son, he placed the stuffed clownfish next to Nemo. Gently ruffling his hair, he bend over and gave his son a kiss goodnight on his forehead.
"Nemo..."
"Daddy..."
"Nemo..."
Nemo was confused at the moment, his dad's voice changed and was speaking in a French accent. Why was he speaking funny like that? That didn't sound like his dad, but someone else. But who?
"Nemo!"
Nemo began to jerk wide awake as he felt like someone tapped him. He sat straight up and turned to see is was Jacques. He took noticed of Jacques's appearance, he had paint smeared on his face and he wore sheets that made him look like he was wearing a toga.
"Suivez-moi" Jacques told him and walked off, he turned back to see Nemo still sitting on the bed. He sighed to himself and walked back "Follow me" he replied in English. Nemo nodded and hopped off the the bed to follow him.
Nemo and Jacques strolled over to one of the cabinets in the corner of the room, Jacques held his hand out to stop the boy. He walked over, turned his head a couple of time to check like to see if coast was clear and used all his muscles to move the cabinet. Nemo was shocked to see that behind said cabinet was a hole in the wall. Jacques walked into the hole fist and helped Nemo in.
Nemo was slightly amazed what and looked around to see what the place was, he knew that they were somehow in the walls just by judging of some different kinds of pipes. Just by judging of this old hospital building and from what he was looking at some of the pipes, seeing some steam escape and making a hissing sound, he knew that there must be a furnace or boiler room somewhere close by.
He continued to follow Jacques until his ears began to pick up some chanting. As they rounded the corner the chanting began to pick up more louder.
Jacques stopped but allowed Nemo to walk on. So Nemo walked up as he saw Bloat, Gurgle and Bubbles were the ones that were chanting. He took noticed that the 3 also wore toga sheets. Bloat and Bubbles had paint smeared on their faces except Gurgle of course. And Bloat was wearing somewhat of a homemade headdress on his head.
The 3 men continued to chant as Nemo continued on, he spotted Deb and Peach dressed in toga sheets as well and the two wore homemade diadem tiaras on their heads. Nemo stopped in front of the women, the two nodded and pulled back a sheet to make it look like curtains.
Nemo continued on until he came upon Gil, sitting on a chair making look like a throne. He as well was dressed in a toga sheet and had paint on his face. Once he watched Nemo walking in, he got off his throne and made his way over. Everyone gathered behind Gil continuing to chant until Gil held his hand out making the chanting stop.
There was about a few seconds of silence before Gil said "State you name" Nemo gulped and answered with a stutter "N-Nemo. Nemo Clowfisch" "Brother Bloat, proceed" Gil said and took a step back with the gang.
Bloat cleared his throat up a bit, he walked over taking Gil's place "Nemo! Young newcomer of orange and white from the far land of City of Ocean." Bloat spoke with a booming voice. "You have been called forth to the center of the Temple of Wannahockaloogie," he raised his hands in a gesture to show their hideout, calling it their personal 'temple.' "To join us in the fraternal bonds of lab-hood" Bloat continued with his act, however what he said left the young boy confused. Peach leaned forward a bit "We want you in our club kid" she whispered "Really?" Nemo beamed "If!" Bloat continued.
"You are able to leap through...The Wall of FIRE!" Bloat boomed and raised his hands up. Nemo stood there and saw nothing was happening. Bloat almost look like a fool just standing there "Turn on the Wall of Fire, the Wall of Fire!" he whispered furiously to Jacques "You said you can do it!" Jacques ran to a small contraption and turned some pipes. No sooner that the said Wall of Fire suddenly appeared "The Wall of FIRE!" Bloat once again shouted, seeing this time it worked.
Nemo stood in his place, looking at the Wall of Fire before him. It may not look like actual fire but whatever they did, sure almost made it look like a real wall of fire. From the steams coming from the pipes, fire color lighting from a odd made contraption as well as some bubbles flying rapidly around.
At one point, Bubbles couldn't help but try to snatch said bubbles, only for Deb to smack his hand to snap him out and continue chanting with the others.
Bloat walked back to the group and Gil took his place, staring at Nemo through the Wall of Fire. The Lab Gang continued to chant louder and faster. "Isn't there another way! He's just a boy!" Peach acted dramatically. Deb couldn't bare to see and covered her eyes, only to discover Flo took a peek and turn her mirror away for her sister to not see. Jacques soon began to sing operatic to add more drama to this event.
While all that chanting and opera singing was going on, Nemo continued to stare at the Wall of Fire, looking through to see Gil giving him a nod.
So Nemo mustered up all his courage, setting himself in place getting ready to take that leap.
And with one big hop, Nemo took that leap and made it through the Wall of Fire.
All that was left was silence. Nemo looked up seeing Gil in front of him and smiled at the man, Gil smiling back at him knowing he could do it. With that Gil picked him up and carefully raised the boy above him "From this moment on, you will now as...Sharkbait!" "Sharkbait! Ooh-ha-ha" Bloat, Bubbles and Gurgle chanted. "Welcome, brother Sharkbait!" Gil continued as the 3 men continued chanting "Sharkbait Ooh-ha-ha" "Enough with the Sharkbait" Gil told them to stop "Sharkbiat!..." Gurgle blurted out, only to slowly sink back in realizing his mistake.
Gil then placed Nemo back to the ground as Jacques turned off the Wall of Fire and rejoined the gang. "Okay, Sharkbait's one of us, agreed?" "Agreed!" all answered "And we can't let him go on the operating table" Gil told the gang, Nemo heard him having completely forgot to what was to become of him. Gil continued "Sherman already made the call. Darla is coming in a few days, so what we are gonna do?" with that the Lab Gang began to be in thought.
So it was there Gil told them "I'll tell you what we're gonna: we're going to get him outta here! We're gonna help him escape!" "Escape? Really?" Nemo turned to the dark haired man with a surprised smile. "We're all gonna escape!" Gil said, placing his hand on Nemo's shoulder. Nemo was thrilled to hear, however he heard a couple of groans.
"Gil please, not another one of your escape plans" Gurgle groaned, during which the rest of the gang wiped the paint off their faces. "Sorry, but they, they just, they never work" Deb said, as she took her diadem off her head with Bubbles nodding along side her agreement. "Yeah, why should this be any different?" Bloat asked as he crossed his arms. "Because we got him!" Gil gave them the only answer, pointing to Nemo "Me?" Nemo pointed to himself.
Gil turned Nemo around and pointed up "You see that vent up there?" "Yeah?" Nemo nodded slowly. "Well kid, that vent's an air vent and you're the only one small enough to fit and crawl in there" Gil told him. No sooner Gil began to tell everyone his new escape plan.
"Alright, here's what we do; first we're gonna open a vent and give you an object. With said object, you're gonna jam the fans of the air system that leads straight to our room. Now this air system works like an air purifier, and if we jam it, it's gonna stop the air flow into our room. And with that, the room will get filthy with dust covering the room from top to bottom, that even dust bunnies would make a home, and will take at least no more than of couple of people to clean all the dust up. Maybe even close to an entire day to clean up the room. No sooner that Sherman and his men will see how filthy our room is and seeing we can't stay in a room with bad conditions, being a somewhat man of his word that Sherman will order his men to escort us out of the room. And while they are distracted by trying to clean the whole room, that's when we will make our chance and try to create a disturbance. With that we'll try to run down the halls, out of the doors, and into the world outside!"
Nemo and the Lab Gang listened to ever single detail of Gil's escape plan. Just hearing and imagining it, almost seemed like Gil has come up something that's this brilliant or this crazy. It may sounds crazy, but it seemed like it'll be crazy enough to actually work.
"And it'll work?" Nemo asked "It's foolproof!" Gil replied to the boy.
Gil and Nemo turned back to the Lab Gang "I know to you all you think it's crazy, even thinking that I'm crazy too, but we gotta try it. Who's with me?" Gil said to the gang. Hearing the man, the gang stayed silent, they were still thinking it over.
It was then Peach stepped forward "It does sound crazy, but you're right. We gotta try it! And...you know that I'm with you Gil" Peach responded with a smile. Gil smiled back at her, he then placed his hand to her cheek, Peach brought her hand to hold his in place and both stared at eachother with a deep and meaning look. Nemo looked up at the two, recognizing that look. It was the same look that his dad has whenever he looks at the picture of his mom.
After that tender moment between the two, Gil cleared his throat and turned back to the rest of the gang "Alright, anyone else with me?" And with that all the gang raised their hands and replied "I..!" "I..!" "I..!" "I..!" "I think you're nuts!" Gurgle replied, being the only one to think this plan is crazy. Gil however just rolled his eyes at his response.
However there was another concern Gurgle had "No offence kid, but...you don't seem like you can do it. No disrespect! You may be not the best climber, what with your hand and all" he said, not trying to let the boy down. Being reminded of the boy's hand did seem like a concern for the gang as well. But there was another concern to what if the plan didn't work somehow?
"He's fine, he can do this" Gil told the gang, having to show a little confidence for the gang and the plan. Gil knew that just watching him today that Nemo can due it, despite his disabled hand.
Gil turned back to Nemo "So Sharkbait, what do you think?" he asked him, after all the plan is centered around Nemo. And he was the only piece that they needed for the plan. And it was after all his decision if they should try the plan.
Nemo began to rethink the plan, and seeing that Gil and the others needed him he knew that he was the only one to do this. Nemo heard that they must've escaped so many times, that their plans didn't work. He wanted to help them all escape, just as they want to help him get out. With that he made up his mind.
"Let's do it!" Nemo answered, knowing that their plan was set in motion.
Now that they had a plan, they would have to time it and put it in works. They knew they only have a few days left for this plan to work. And they all knew they wanted to get Nemo out of this place before the days end until the day of his operation with Darla.
The Lab Gang knew right then and there they will all do anything to help Nemo escape and hoped this escape plan will work this time. Nemo hoped that this plan would work as well. For he knew that if he escaped and got out of this nightmare of a hospital, than he would be able to go home and be back in his father's arms.
Just thinking about him made Nemo wonder where was his dad right now...
To Be Continued...