Hey Everyone! So sorry for the long wait between chapters. I've been having trouble with writer's block lately...Anyway, despite not working on this chapter in a while I've received a few new reviews for this story which really inspired me! I realized that a lot of people are probably stuck inside due to the worldwide virus and are re-reading old stories, so I thought I'd get this one out to you. Stay safe out there, and make your own fun!
CHAPTER EIGHT
"Uncle Scrooge, are you alright?" Dewey asked.
"No, I'm not all right," he responded, still hitting the floor with his arms and legs, "That blasted bozo is out of jail and on the loose!"
"Who is?" I asked.
"Er, well, we'll discuss that later," Uncle Scrooge said, picking himself up off the floor. For a second he looked right at me, then sheepishly turned around and dusted off his hat.
"I know who it is!" Louie said, "It's someone who's trying to steal your money, right?"
"Not exactly," Uncle Scrooge said, placing his hat on his head, "What he's after is more important than that."
Louie dropped what he was holding, and Dewey's mouth fell open.
"What's more important to you than money?" Dewey asked.
Wow, I didn't know Dewey liked money so much.
"You know what, forget I said anything!" Uncle Scrooge said, "Just get these supplies set up for tomorrow. And Louie, it's your turn for dinner. Donald is going to be starving once he gets back. Huey, we're going back to our game. Now everybody get going!"
Uncle Scrooge was right about Uncle Donald being hungry. When he finally came back just as Uncle Scrooge and the twins were sitting down to eat, he looked all worn out and his clothes were even torn.
"What happened to you, Uncle Donald?" Louie asked, and at the same time he gestured me to sit down next to him.
"Hm?" Uncle Donald said, speaking slowly as he sat down, "Oh, nothing. I was just throwing rocks into an abandoned quarry."
The twins and I looked at each other.
"But...why?" Dewey asked.
"To blow off steam." Uncle Donald said, "Pass me the salt, Dewey?"
He wasn't looking at Dewey, though. Louie passed him the salt.
"Thanks," he said, "This is really good. Louie, please pass me the butter."
Boy, he was not paying attention. Even though he was asking for Louie, he was looking right at me!
I picked up the butter and passed it to him.
"Thanks." Uncle Donald said, then he spoke a little faster but still slow enough for me to hear, "Did you guys try this stuff? It's really good."
"Uncle Donald," Dewey said, "why were you so mad that you went to throw rocks around?"
"Don't even ask, you'll just remind me all over again." Donald said, suddenly applying more force as he cut into his food.
"But-" Louie started to ask.
"No more questions, Uncle Scrooge! Asqwackasaqasqw, swacqkwka!" Uncle Donald said, stuffing a ton of food into his mouth.
Uncle Scrooge rolled his eyes while piling food onto my plate.
"Boy, am I beat." Uncle Donald finally said, speaking slowly again while patting his belly, "I think I'll hit the hay early tonight."
"What time are we getting up tomorrow, Uncle Scrooge?" Louie asked.
"Crack of dawn." He answered, "Finish yer meal, lads. Best get a good sleep tonight."
The room was extremely quiet at night. Everyone was asleep nearby-Louie was sleeping on the cushions next to me, Dewey was on some cushions nearby hugging a pillow, and Uncle Donald was sleeping on a hammock hung in the corner. Uncle Scrooge was in the attached bedroom sleeping in the bed.
It was really strange to be around so many people who were so quiet. Back at the trailer, I couldn't even sleep in the same room as Ratmeat and Crazyhair. The few times I was allowed to, I learned they were loud snorers. Uncle Donald snored a little, but nowhere near as loud as Crazyhair.
It was a little boring to be the only one awake.
Silently I snuck out from under the blankets and crawled over the cushions. Louie moved a little, but after a few seconds he fell silent again.
I walked around the room, past sleeping Dewey and snoring Uncle Donald, and quietly opened up the door to Uncle Scrooge's room. He was asleep too, snoring really quietly, and his hat was on a chair next to the bed.
I don't know what I was thinking, but maybe because the chair was taken I found myself sitting on the bed. I half hoped that Scrooge would wake up and play checkers with me, but I also didn't want to wake him.
It felt really safe just being near Uncle Scrooge.
After a little while, I got tired of sitting and decided to just lie down next to Uncle Scrooge. The bed was small though, and was made to only fit one person. There was still enough space for me though if I squeezed close enough, and compared to my bed in the trailer this was huge.
Uncle Scrooge's snoring became quieter when I lied down on top of the covers, but thankfully he didn't wake up. I was very careful not to touch him. I decided that I would go back to the other room soon...
Right, I'll go back in a minute...
"Alright lads, rise and shine!" Uncle Scrooge said, and suddenly I was awake.
It took me a second to realize where I was. I was alone in the middle of a bed, underneath comfy white sheets. I must have fallen asleep here by accident, although I don't remember getting under the covers. The bedroom door was half-open, and Uncle Scrooge's voice had come from the other side of the door.
"Come up boys, breakfast is ready!" Scrooge said again.
I crawled out of the bed and walked through the open door.
"There y'are, Huey!" Uncle Scrooge said, sounding very energized, "Come and get some breakfast."
I didn't recognize any of the food on the table, but that didn't mean much. It was some kind of fruit, and we almost never had fruit at the trailer.
"Morning Uncle Scrooge," Louie said, yawning as he walked to the table, "Morning, Huey."
"Morning." Uncle Scrooge said, "Huey, why are you still standing there? Hurry up and sit down."
Dewey yawned as he sat down next to Louie. "Where's Uncle Donald?" He asked.
"Woke up early to take care of a few things." Uncle Scrooge said, putting a giant portion of the unknown fruits on a plate, "He'll be back soon enough."
The plate Uncle Scrooge made was pushed in my direction, and then Uncle Scrooge put an equal amount of food on another plate and pushed it over to Dewey.
"The plan is to leave in half an hour so we can arrive at the ruins precisely at 8o'clock."
"Ugh, why do we have to be there so early?" Louie asked, taking the third plate of food that Uncle Scrooge handed to him.
"Early? Lad, in treasure hunting that's considered late." Uncle Scrooge said, making a plate of food for himself.
Wait. Did he really make his own plate last? Weird. Adults always made their own plates first. At least, that's what always happened to me.
"The only reason we're getting there at 8am and not earlier is because it's such a long way out of the city." Uncle Scrooge continued. "Slow down Huey, there's plenty for seconds. Take your time so you don't choke, lad."
I obediently slowed down, but purposefully didn't stop eating. This was the best tasting breakfast I've ever had, and not even Uncle Scrooge was going to stop me from eating it.
"Why are we going out to these ancient ruins again?" Dewey asked.
Just as Uncle Scrooge opened his mouth to answer, the hotel room door opened.
"All set!" Uncle Donald said, coming in the room. Then he said a couple more things, which as usual I couldn't understand because he spoke too fast.
"Good!" Uncle Scrooge said, "I made you breakfast, Donald. We'll set out after we're all finished eating."
Louie reached over. "Are you gonna eat that?" He asked, and suddenly one of the fruits on the plate I was using went into his mouth.
"Quack!" Uncle Donald shouted, and suddenly he was standing next to us at the table saying something really long without taking any breaths. Of course, I couldn't understand him.
"What!" Uncle Scrooge said, "Louie, is this true? Did you take yer brother's food?"
The green twin hung his head, but didn't respond.
Uncle Donald starting giving him some kind of elaborate speech that included wagging a finger at him, and then suddenly pointed that finger off to the right.
"Yes Uncle Donald. I'm sorry, Huey." Louie said sorrowfully, and for some reason he walked over to where Donald had pointed and then just...stood in the corner.
I really don't get it. What just happened? And why was Louie sorry?
"Right," Uncle Scrooge said, nodding his head and continuing to eat his food, "When yer done with the punishment lad, you'll have a few minutes to eat yer breakfast. Then we'll be off."
When we finally left the building, we were all carrying backpacks for the journey. It was really strange, but Uncle Scrooge and Uncle Donald carried the heaviest stuff. Maybe I was supposed to carry the heavy stuff later, and they didn't want me to get tired too fast?
"Our transportation is this way," Uncle Donald said, speaking slowly, turning the street corner.
"Lead the way, nephew." Uncle Scrooge said.
Suddenly, I thought I saw a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye.
Quickly I turned, and I think my heart was racing.
That guy in the alley...he looked a lot like Ratmeat...
It had to be someone else. Right?
But when I looked again, there was no one there. It must have been a mirage or something.
"Did you see that?" Dewey whispered, so that only Louie and I could hear him. "I think that creepy guy in the alley was staring at us."