Wow, Chapter 17. This is pretty far for me ;) Thank you to all of the readers out there. I love the positive comments I'm getting. I write because of those people who are leaving comments, so feel free 3
Disclaimer: Tuck Everlasting=Not Mine
Thank You
"I'm sorry Mom, I really don't know what happened to my cell phone," I responded for the sixth time, hardly paying attention. I was focused on the TV. "I must have left it at the park yesterday."
"Lillian Owens, why didn't you go get it?" she demanded, rushing around the house, getting ready for work. She was really late.
"By the time I realized it was missing, Jesse was already heading back home. I would have called him but his number is on my cell," I explained, trying to listen to the news. It was about a girl that got ganged up o on at the same amusement park we were at yesterday. But she was able to take them down because of her extensive knowledge on self defense. I don't normally listen to this kind of stuff but I happen to know the small, blonde, freshman girl.
I smirked as Daniela appeared on the screen, being interviewed and questioned about self defense. I guess it wasn't just Jesse and I who had an exciting time yesterday. She had her ten seconds of fame.
"Are you going back to get it?"
"I could, I guess. But remember what happened to Daniela, Mom," I reminded her, watching my friend show off some of her moves on TV.
She stood at the door for a few moments then sighed. "Fine. God only know what stranger picked that thing anyway. See you tonight honey."
"Yeah Mom."
She left through the door and all went silent after I heard her car leave our street. In the silence, I noticed it was that silent. I heard the cars from the street over, this old houses creaking, the birds in the forest. Hm.
I laughed at myself. I'm so bored that I'm analyzing sounds around me. Wow. I need a life. I wish I had my phone.
I stood up from the couch and went into the kitchen. I grazed through the fridge for a while before I decided that if I ate more, I'd have to actually exercise today. I have a feeling it's going to be a lazy day. It's been a while since I've had one of those.
I took a spoon, as I sat down at the dinning room table, and balanced it on my nose like a expert.
"Weeeeee!" I shrieked as I slide down the railing to the main level again. I skidded on my socks as I hit the hard wood. I saw a wall coming right for me so I dropped onto my knees and stopped quickly.
I shook my head quickly and rushed onto my feet. I caught the bouncy ball in my hand and held onto it tightly.
I had thrown it out of my room and it bounced down the ball, down the stairs, and into the living room. That's why I was running around like a startled car. But I wasn't scared, I was entertaining myself. I have been doing weird stuff all day. Out of pure boredom to be honest. I put some eggs in the microwave. He, he, he. They exploded. I, of course cleaned the microwave, but it was so worth it. I've also been throwing my extensive collection of those bouncy balls, and thrown them out the window, at people walking by.
I swear I've only had two Monster Energy Drinks.
Okay three Monsters. But I was beginning to crash. I still had some energy left though. No worries!
I skipped through the kitchen and onto the porch. The heat blasted me and the air was heavy and muggy. I didn't care though. I went down into the grass and started doing cartwheels and tumbles until I ended up on my back, with grass stains all over my white shorts.
I turned my head and laughed as I saw the familiar toad. "Hi there you!" I rolled over onto my stomach and stared at it. "I haven't seen you around, not since before I met Jesse. You just are a sign of things to come aren't ya?"
The dark green toad closed one eye lazily and then opened it again, hardly looking at me.
"Your enthusiasm moves me," I chuckled, folding my arms under my chin and smiling at it. "Sometimes I wonder if you're the same toad or if you have a lot of family around these parts. You have to be though. You might not act a lot but you have a personality. I'm pretty sure other frogs and toads are more…uppity."
It seemed to roll it's eyes at me. Is that possible? I'm not sure.
"You probably find me the most annoying human on this Earth, don't you?"
No response to that one, so I took it as a 'You're not that irritating'.
"Thank you," I grinned, waving my feet up in the air. "So if you're a sign of things to come, what are you here for? Is something going to happen?"
I blinked one eye very slowly again. I don't know what that's suppose to mean.
"Um…I keep forgetting that you can't talk back." I intertwined my fingers into the grass and continued to gaze at it. "I wonder why you stay around here, ya know, and I wish you could tell me. It's so weird that you're not afraid of humans."
For the very first time, I heard it croak at me. I rose my eyebrows as it did it again and again, very quickly. It rose out of the grass and looked straight at me. The repetitive croaks almost sounded like throaty barks and it was enough to shock me. This toad was barking at me! It continued to talk until I brought my head up, off of my arms. The toad stopped instantly and relaxed back into the grass and was silent, as if it didn't even happen.
I had to question my sanity.
I cocked my head to the side. "What in the world was that?"
Then I heard an urgent knock at the front door. I got onto my feet and gave the crazy toad one last bizarre look before heading back inside.
As I came to the door, the knocks became faster and louder. I sighed at the visitor's impatience. I opened the front door and came face to face with a wide eyed Jesse Tuck.
"Lily!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"Jesse," I responded back. "What-?"
"Are you okay? Is he here?" he questioned, walking inside, without permission I might add.
"I'm fine but who are you talking about? Who's 'he'?" I followed behind him as he searched though every room of my house. I left the front door open.
"The Man. I called your cell phone and he picked up, saying he was here."
My eyes went wide, like his. "The Man in the Yellow Suit! He has my phone? He must have gotten his hands on it somehow while we were at the circus."
Then a different voice echoed through the halls of the house. "I don't exactly take pride in taking girls' cell phones, but the situation called for certain measures." We stood perfectly and completely still, trying to be silent. "Oh come on out, I know you're both in here. Lillian Owens. Jesse Tuck. I set it up so you both would be here."
We both went around the corner cautiously and saw The Man in the Yellow Suit standing in the front door frame. He looked so happy with himself, thinking he cornered us in my house.
I turned to run to the backdoor but a gunshot was heard and then a glass vase shattered and the bullet went into the wall. I froze.
"You're not moving a inch unless I tell you so Miss Owens, or else I'll have to do something quite illegal."
"Listen to him Lily," Jesse whispered then turned to The Man. "What do you want Mister?"
"What my family had wanted for generations, that fountain, the water that makes you live forever," he responded, showing off his hand pestle to us, a subtle threat that he'll shoot us if he wants to.
He frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh my dear, stupid boy, don't make me do more work than I have to do. You know what I'm talking about."
Jesse kept his mouth shut.
"Fine then." He rose his gun without hesitation and I flinched when I heard the ear shattering bang.
I saw Jesse fall to his knees and I hurried to help him. "Jesse! Jesse are you okay?" I exclaimed, trying to get a good look at where he might have been shot.
"Fine," he sighed roughly, slowly getting to his feet again. "Just fine." He sounded disappointed.
I got to my feet again and glared at The Man. "You ass hole! Don't you ever do that again! I swear on Grandma Winnie's grave that by the time I'm done with you I'll-," I shouted before getting interrupted.
"Lily, just because I'll bulletproof doesn't mean you are," Jesse warned, pulling me behind him.
"You should listen to him. But more importantly, listen to me. I want you to write a note to your parents, I'm afraid you'll be out late tonight."
I had to keep myself from trying to run off with Jesse again or attacking The Man in the Yellow Suit. I know that if I didn't do what he said right now, I'd end up with a bullet lodged in my head. "Fine," I spat, hoping the acid on my tongue would go right though him. I went into the kitchen, both of them following me. I pulled out a piece of paper and got a pen. I wrote a basic letter, saying I was going out tonight with Jesse, hoping that they would call Mae and Tuck and they would know we're in trouble. Miles will hold this over our heads for the rest of our lives, if we don't get them blown off that is. Well Jesse will hear it for the rest of eternity. I'll be six feet under.
"There." I turned back to them both. "What now?"
"Oh well that's simple my dear, you two show me the way to the fountain," he responded, jerking his head to outside. "Let's go kiddies."
"Call us kiddies one more time-," Jesse growled but was silences when he pointed the gun at me. "Can you please leave her out of this?"
"Nope, she's coming with. Otherwise, you'd run off, since you can't get hurt," he replied quickly.
As we headed outside I whispered to Jesse, "I'm sorry. Miles knew this was going to happen."
He shook his head. "Don't apologize Lily, it was my responsibility to make sure nothing happened. You did a wonderful job." He reached over quickly and kissed my cheek. "I couldn't have asked anything but for you to be brave. And your so brave."
"Hurry up!" The Man in the Yellow Shirt ordered.