Chapter 13

“Come back here! Cops cop… ah,” Grey howled after the person in black. I’m really catching up to him, he might not be able to get away! Grey thought. He reached out his arm, and grabbed the neck fabric of the robber. It pulled his hood off, and a young adult with light brown hair that was brushed to one side was revealed.

“Okay, you got me, but I don’t have the money!” He said, frustrated. “I just wanted to buy a boat for my cottage.” Boat. The word made Kaylin, Annabel, and Elmi shudder.

“What do you mean?” Grey yelled in his face. “Uh,” replied the young man in black. Grey held him up by the hood of his cheap, black hoodie. It was ripping at the corners. “I dropped it off somewhere, you know! What all people do.”

“Boy, you’d better be telling-” Grey started.

He was interrupted by Annabel. “I say, where’s Della?” Grey dropped the man and he ran away. Not that Grey really cared, he got up slowly and looked around. “We’ll retrace our steps.” They started walking, searching, and calling her name.

“Della! Della!” Elmi called. They were already back at the material’s shop. “Oh, it’s no use. I should have known she wouldn’t be able to keep up!” Grey looked determined. “I’ll go back and check one more time. If she’s not there, we’ll get… uh, social services.” Grey’s face crumpled. They wouldn’t know where I live… Anyway! He jogged off before all the bad situations could fill his head. There left, was the three, scared and worried.

They sat at the side of the building for a while. It was very silent and solemn before Kaylin remarked, “That’s odd.” “What?” Elmi asked, afraid her voice was too shaky. She hated when her youngers figured out of she was worried, scared or sad. Right now, she was all of them. Thinking of their worsening situation and the thought of never getting home.

“The tree,” Kaylin said pointing ahead. “There’s a leg coming from it.”

Annabel’s head was buried in her knees. “You mean a branch?” she asked.

“No!” Kaylin shouted, getting very excited. “A human leg!”

At the sound of the voice, the leg twitched, and then dropped right off the tree. “Seems the leg comes with an additional Della!” Elmi yelled happily, and the three ran to Della for a hug.

--<0>--

Grey had always been impressed with these girls, even from before they remember. A soft smile appeared on his lips. Della had spotted the robber drop the money in a corner and took it. Then, she went back to the materials trade where she knew they would find her. Now, they’ve found Della and their missing money.

Grey reached out and patted her on the back. “Great job, kid.” Della blushed.

“We’d better get going before Celeste worries or something else happens,” Elmi stated. Kaylin hopped in the bus and rubbed her stomach. “Plus, I’m hungry!” she added.

Another startling ride on Grey’s bus, and a new level of worries for Celeste's food to come back up arose. Elmi was very dizzy, and so was Annabel. “Ugh.. ah.” Annabel murmured. “What?” asked Elmi, holding onto a pole to prevent herself from falling over.

“Ngh…” Anabel tried, but she fell on the soft, uncut grass. She could feel the moss under her, it was swirling and swirling. The whole world was swimming around her.

Elmi walked cautiously to the door and missed it. On her second round she bumped into the doorframe, but luckily was able to slip in. She collapsed on the stairs, Annabel Landing after her. *Sigh.*

“You know-” Annabel started. A squeal of joy from the other room interrupted their unsteady conversation.

“WOW! CELESTE THIS SMELLS AMAZING!” Della screamed. It did, it smelled delicious. Kaylin took a slurp of the unfinished squid-ink noodles and jumped up happily. “CELESTE THIS IS THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER MADE!”

Celeste took a sip of her own pasta. “It’s better than mediocre that’s for sure.”

(Sorry the post was on Tuesday instead of on Thursday, but I won’t be available to post on Thursday)