Kidnap Revised (Part 2)

Here's the next part of the story:

JEN

            WHEN I SAW BEN CHEATING USING his watch, I felt like telling Mom. He wasn’t supposed to be doing that, after all. Then he turned around to make sure no one had seen him and I leapt at the chance. I tried to seem - you know - boring and teacherly. And I must have seemed really convincing because I saw his eyes widen and his right index finger twitch. Then he leaped on his hover-cycle and zoomed off. I hesitated, then smiled. Now that no one was there to catch me, I could cheat just like him – except without the risk of being caught. It took me only a few seconds to find out where the school was, and then I hopped on my hover-cycle and drove off.

            Above me, a few advertisers flew on their hoverboards, talking to busy civilians.

            “Zoric Group of Companies-the Newest Hoverboard Ever!”

            “Try our new hot cocoa-for only 150 Wyrnian shants!”

            “Have you been to the new Rolladog Circus? Go there now!”

            Voices rang around me. Gritting my teeth, I drove gracefully beneath this commotion, untouched by its noise and density. I took a right turn onto Evelyn Street. This, for some strange reason, had formed a mental bond with me. It may be because my mother has the same name, but I had always felt comfortable and relieved here, as if I was sleeping in bed. The feeling that you are somewhere familiar, that feeling that makes you feel safe, came to me on this road in the city of Altucornia.

            Some little squirrels nervously bit at their acorns, staring at me with their wide, black eyes.  I shivered. Something tugged at my memories, violent images of animals jumping clawing, biting, scratching at a lady and a man. Suddenly, I was plunged into a strange world.

            The sun glittered among the leafy trees, the animals and birds cried with delight, the sky smiled upon the young couple.

            They were talking, walking through this street.

            “…thank you.” She was saying. “This gift truly is heartwarming. Are you sure it was wise of you to purchase something like this?” she was rather stately-wearing a mauve colored dress and being rather tall. “We are in quite a financial mess-up, after all.”

            “My love,” the man said, “Of course it was. You are my wife. I feel glad only when you are glad. Anyways, we have a fortune in our will,” The man was just as tall and had a handsome face. His broad shoulders gave him a powerful experience.

            “Very funny. I think you’ve been reading too many romantic novels recently.”

            “No!  I’m serious, Mary!”

            “Ah well. Let’s leave it at that. But what about your birthday present? Your birthday was last month!”

            “You have already borne me two children. Isn’t that enough? Here, let me put the necklace on your neck.” he said.

            Out of a red velvet case, he pulled out a blue and green necklace. The two colors entwined beautifully, making even the flocking thrum-thrums, which vainly displayed their vivid colors, seem like mere scribbles.

            The lady gasped in delight. “But…but…this must have cost a fortune! You can’t do this!”

            The man smiled and said, “Well…I guess I just did.”

            At that moment, Nature removed its control. The squirrels’ eyes turned red and their necks twisted to let them stare at the necklace.

            All of a sudden, they attacked.

            Ferocious, foaming at the mouth, they clawed and bit. The man and woman fell under the enormous group of raging animals. A baby cart, holding two twins, was left untouched in a corner.

            The man managed to get free for a few seconds. “Alicia! ALICIA! Get the children out NOW!” he yelled.

            Suddenly, a maid came rushing onto the street. She attempted to help the couple, but was shooed away by the man.

            “There is no hope, Alicia. Get the children out of here! NOW!”

            She scurried to the cart and pushed it in my direction. She obviously could not see me, since she ran right past, while the babies were wailing piteously.

            As suddenly as it started, the vision stopped. My head was reeling. Because, when the babies went past, I looked at the one closer to me.

            And I swear it was me.

            I was still trying to recover from the splitting headache that had consumed me seconds after the vision had abated when Ben, unable to notice the utterly obvious fact that I was in great pain, came and tapped me on the shoulder.

            I had learned how to put myself in a sort of coma that would reduce the pain by a large amount, but I wouldn’t be able to move until that time. My mind would still function, though, and it would give me a chance to think the events over.

            What had happened was nothing short of supernaturally strange. A vision in the middle of a street…any doctor would say I was suffering from some sort of mental disorder. But I was sure it wasn’t something so simple. It was the death of someone, a couple, by squirrels. Squirrels were generally known to be quiet, simple creatures. Such a vicious attack would have been alarmingly dangerous. Squirrels ate poisonous acorns and a bite may have injected the same poison into the Nuuks.

            The couple had called their maid, Alicia, and she had immediately appeared, like she was waiting for them to be attacked. Could she have been instrumental in their death? Perhaps she desired the necklace: anyone would have. Perhaps she believed she was worth more and wanted to use the necklace to sell and buy a home for herself, to pursue her own dreams.

            But why do my thoughts keep averting to the necklace? Couldn’t there be something else, something more she could have wanted?

            Then it hit me.

            The will.

            The money in the will would go to the children, who were in her possession. She could make them collect their inherited money and give it all to her, then she could dump them on the street. No one would recognize them; they were only seen as babies.

            The picture of the baby in the stroller greatly disturbed me. I looked into the eyes and knew it was me. But how could it be me? I was here, daughter of Raymond and Evelyn White, not of a couple I didn’t even know. If I was there, next to me there was probably Ben. But…how?

            The only way was that we were quadruplets. The four of us were born to this couple and two of them were sent to our parents. But the man had said that she had borne him two children. So what about the other two?

            It was then that Ben tapped me.  

            I was so surprised that I slipped out of my coma. A splitting headache overcame me and for a few seconds I felt like I was blinded. My vision began to sharpen and I saw the smug face of Ben in front of me, as well as a new brilliantly colored bruise on his arm.

            If he had been more sensible than a pig, he would have seen the symptoms of a person who has, on purpose, induced herself in the pain reducing coma. But, sadly, he isn’t so he idiotically and ignorantly shook me awake.

            I let go some of my anger on him. “Can’t you see that I want to be alone? Just leave me alone, will you? GOD, you are so annoying!”

            It was right there that he interrupted and said “Chill! Let’s go home, shall we?”

            “Why, what else would we do, you nitwit? Get a move on!” I said.

            No matter how much my brother exaggerates, just remember that this is exactly what happened.

           

            Third part comin' in!!!