"Is she okay?" A voice above me caused my eyes to open slowly, staring into
a blurred face.
"She'll be fine Carassa, now just calm down. She sprained her ankle- that's
all," a tall woman with wavy blond hair pulled into a ponytail said as she fluffed
my pillows.
"Now you and Mika just go on home. She needs her rest." The woman closed the
door behind the retreating Chias.
"Where's... where's... where's Zippo and Fly_Gurl?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"Who?" the woman asked. I felt Fear settle in my chest.
"Fly_Gurl... Zippo... my NeoPets..."
"What do you mean? There were no NeoPets within 100 yards of where you lay."
I let out a small cry, and got desperately out of bed. Not again! No, not again!
Grabbing some crutches I began, wobbling, towards the door. I was halfway there
until I felt a hand on my back. A cold hand... ice cold. I turned and stared
into her too-blue eyes. How could she look so cheery when my NeoPets were probably
freezing? Alone and hungry, unprotected...
"Now you just go back to bed sweetie, there you go..." she practically shoved
me into the bed.
"No!" I cried, "My NeoPets are out there! I've got to save them! The Ghost
Lion will take them!" I pushed her away and attempted to get up.
"You," she was smiling at me with her lips, but her eyes... her cold, ice blue
eyes were glaring at me... "Are going to get some rest..." This time she did
shove me back into the bed.
"My NeoPets..."
"I was not trained to care about the health of your NeoPets," my mouth dropped
at her words, "I was trained to care about your health." Her expression
changed. "Now you just get some sleep now! Nighty-nighty! Don't let the bed
buggy-wuggys bite!"
How old was I? Three?
She closed the curtain, and I heard her open and close the door behind her.
I got out of bed quietly, my thin flannel nightgown rustling with every step.
I tried the door. It was locked.
Shoot.
I found a window, unlatched it, and, with all my strength, lifted it up. The
cold air hit me with full force. The pathetic gown they gave me helped little.
I leaned against the door and lifted the crutches, sliding them out the window.
Next came me. With one leg completely useless, my arms did most of the work.
The snow melted through my nightgown, making me numb all over. I leaned against
the wall and my crutches to stand up. I hobbled towards the road, and hailed
a taxi.
"To the Alpine Challenge," I said, closing the door with slam. The Chia looked
at me strangely, shrugged, and began to drive. A hundred Neopoints was a hundred
Neopoints.
When I arrived, I paid the Chia and stepped outside. I could have bought some
ski gear--should have bought some ski gear, but the thought didn't cross
my mind. I was going to get my NeoPets.... even if it wore me down.
I looked warily at the ski lift. It would take forever! On the other hand,
the lift used by employees might work... I dashed... or, as close as I could
on crutches, to the small wooden building holding the elevator. As I entered
the elevator, sirens went off and I clicked al the buttons furiously. The elevator
lurched forward at top speed as tourists and guards yelled up at me. I smiled.
I'd be in the news.
Arriving at the top, guards were circled around the elevator. I took the emergency
exit the opposite way and hobbled into some woods. Breathing hard, I heard the
baffled guards enter the wooden elevator. Thank goodness I'd heard them. AS
I was about to begin searching, I heard a loud scream. My heart stopped. I'd
know that wail anywhere! It was Zippo!
I began towards the scream as quickly as I could until I ran into an invisible
force and flew backwards. I looked up in horror at the shimmering white figure.
It was the Ghost Lion.
As I stared into it's eyes, I could see Zippo swerving into the woods, alone.
Fly_Gurl chasing after him. Alone.
"Where are my NeoPets?" I screamed, "Tell me!"
"You do not deserve your NeoPets!" the voice boomed and rumbled the peaks.
"They are badly hurt because you were not there to protect them!"
"Please! It's not my fault! If I didn't care about my NeoPets, why would I
be out here in a nightgown on crutches?" I was on my knees, sobbing.
The Ghost Lion's eyes flickered, and suddenly we were in a completely different
place. We were in a field, with snow blowing around us. Looking up, the Pant
Devil was laughing, my limp NeoPets in his hand.
"Zippo!" I cried. "Fly_Gurl!"
The Pant Devil raised his hand, and was about to destroy my NeoPets, when the
Ghost Lion let out a roar that shook the mountain itself. The air seemed to
vibrate, and with a high-pitched squeal, the Pant Devil dropped my pets and
covered his ears. For a fleeting second it looked exactly like the woman who
had locked me in the hospital, but the idea fled my mind in a moment.
"Be gone!" The Lion cried, and a clash of thunder and lightning filled the
sky.
After that, I don't know what happened.
***
I woke up the next day in my bed, with my NeoPets nestled beside me. I hugged
them close, put on a robe, and hurried to the Food Shop to buy a paper. My NeoPets
followed me, yawning. I wondered if they remembered anything. Probably not after
going into the woods. They looked passed out when the Pant Devil had them. People
looked at me strangely, but I just grabbed a paper and paid. I pored over it
on the way home. On the front-page it read:
|
Ghost Lion
Attacks Local Neopian Citizen
By: Meeka Meerca
Yesterday in the Wintery Wonderland
of Terror Mountain, the perilous Ghost Lion attacked an innocent Neopian.
She and her NeoPets were almost destroyed, but were rescued by an Alpine
Challenge guard at the last minute. The girl's name is Katie Landrown,
who resides currently in Neopia Central.
"I was so scared," says Katie's
rescuer, "I knew I could be a goner, but all I cared about was rescuing
that girl..."
|
I stopped reading there. That wasn't true! The Ghost Lion rescued
me! The Pant Devil attacked me! I...
I knew it was useless to argue. Everyone would just say I was still dizzy form
what happened, or had slight amnesia or something. I sighed. If only
everyone knew the truth!
I turned around at the sound of people talking and cameras clicking. I sighed
again. My prediction had come true. I would be in the news. I braced
myself against the crowd of people, and put an arm around my NeoPets. It jolted
me to think I owed their lives to a feared evil-being. Closing my eyes, I whispered
something softly under my breath...
Thank you, Ghost Lion.
The End | 
