Twenty Days I've Lived Without You

     13th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Dear Rayneboery,

     Oh my gosh! I can't believe my little-wittle Rayneboery-Wayneboery is finally growing up! It's just like it was yesterday I hatched your egg at the adoption center. And now… you're all the way up in Terror Mountain! And it's for Neoschool! I hope you're learning some stuff… because it'd be a waste of my neopoints if you were just off in the caves with some boys or somethin', instead of studying! I can't believe you're going to be gone this long. It's going to be murder for me without you! You probably don't know how much you actually help out in the house with your three little sisters. If it weren't for you, they'd be jumping off of the roof! Or inflating themselves with the hose! Or worse…

     Oh wait; they already do those things. Well, I wonder what it's going to be like with you gone! They've already gone crazy and you've been on your trip for a day. Hmm… you know, I've been doing some thinking, and I'm going to have your sisters write you some letters. Yeah, that'll be good. It'll be good for me and you, and them. For all of us! Yay! I'll have them hop right on it.

     Sincerely,

     Your favorite, coolest, awesome owner, Squieshie

          13th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Rayne-Bo!

     What's up, my sister? I wish you were here to help me with my math homework! This huge packet we have to do over the summer is killing me! The teacher wants us to do one page a DAY! A day! I can't believe how psycho she is! Regular teachers wouldn't torture their students over the summer, making them spend useless hours doing nonsense like MATH, instead of being outside doing fun recreational healthy things, like playing badminton! Or skateboarding!

     Anyways, I really miss you! You'll be back soon, right?

     Your favorite sister, Waffle-Ducky

          15th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Rayneboery,

     It's so weird without you! There's no one to be on my team for Capture the Flag… no one to share my ice cream cone with when we go out to the Central (actually, I never did like sharing my precious ice cream with you).

     Though there is a bad side to you being gone, there is also a real good side! Like, Taitl and I skateboarded off of the roof today! Before we only JUMPED off of it! Now we can skateboard off it, and you're not there to tell us not to, or to yell at us! See, here's what we do: Waffle-Ducky distracts Squiesh, and then me and Taitl run and climb up the pipes onto the roof and then we see who can skateboard down it the fastest. Then we switch, and Taitl distracts Squieshie with something really dumb. Yesterday she stuck a scrambled egg up her nose! It was the funniest thing when Squieshie tried to get it out.

     Yeah, I know what you're worrying about. We DO wear our helmets and kneepads!

     From Xraie, the radical skateboarding purple Draik

          16th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     To Squiesh; Xraie; Waffle-Ducky and Taitl,

     Thanks for the letters, guys! I'm so glad you haven't forgotten about me! I'm joking; you could never forget about me. Right? Well, I'm also really glad that I decided to go on this trip. It would have been really stupid of me to have stayed home with you insane people. And don't worry! I'm only gone until the end of the month. Yeah, I know, it's nineteen days more that you have to live your lives without me, but one day I'll be gone for good, living on my own. Then what'll you guys do?

     Squiesh - Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere in any… caves. With anybody! You won't have to worry about me doing that kind of… stuff. I've stayed in the lodge the whole time, other than when we go sightseeing. You wouldn't believe how cold it is up here! And it's in the middle of summer! I swear, one of these days I'm going to freeze up into an ice cube. I can't imagine how the residents here survive the winters!

     Waffle-Ducky - It's okay, stay strong. Math is really confusing for a lot of people, especially weird people like you (only KIDDING. Heh). Just try your best, and when I get back I'll help you catch up real quick! I pinky promise on Xraie's life!

     Xraie - Ha, ha, ha. Very funny. Squieshie better not find out about that. And did Taitl get that "scrambled egg up the nose" thing from that one time Waffle-Ducky pushed it up her nostril the morning before we went to the Chomby Carnival? She sneezed her allergy for pepper out of herself that day, seriously. She's never sneezed even at the sight of pepper since then. Ah, those were great times, my friend. Great times.

     And, Taitl - I don't know why you haven't sent me a letter. I know I shouldn't mind anyway though, since it's not even the type of thing you would do.

     Anywhoo. I'm having a blast up here. But at the same time I can't wait until I get back to good ole Neopia Central!

          16th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Rayne,

     Squiesh made me write a letter to you. Bleh. What's the point of letters, anyway? Well I hope you're learning something. See you.

     P.S. My letter is late. Squieshie told me to say sorry. So, sorry… I guess.

     Taitl

          20th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Dear Rayneboery,

     I haven't written you in forever! I'm so sorry! It's been so stressful trying to keep these maniacs relaxed. You'll never believe what those munchkins got themselves into yesterday! They went to the post office, right? And they went into the mailing room and PLAYED in there! They messed up everything! Letters were on the floor, boxes were torn apart… the place was just a mess. I was so embarrassed! I apologized to the manager over and over about how immature those phantoms are. I mean, I can't keep my eye on them for a second! They keep disappearing every time I look away for even just one moment, like to grab a marshmallow or something yummy to eat out of the cupboard. I can't wait until the day you get back. That will be the day I start living my life again.

     Utterly miserable,

     Squiesh

          22nd Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Dear family,

     I hope you're still doing well. It's gotten colder up here, if you can even believe that. Only one week until I come back home! I miss you guys so much. I love getting your letters, so keep them coming! It makes me feel so loved when I sit by the warm fire and read your mail over and over again. It makes me feel as if I'm right there at home, with you guys. Just seeing your letters makes me hear a little voice in my head that sounds exactly like each one of yours.

     My earmuffs are keeping me especially warm in the dry, raging blizzards. I bought two pairs actually; so all four of my ears can keep warm. I'm also bundled with scarves, yet I'm still incredibly cold. When I look in the mirror I look red instead of pink, because the cold air is making my face numb and flushed.

     Studying other regions in Neopia is great. There's even this Polarchuck who I've kind of befriended. I call him Nuts, and he follows me everywhere. He reminds me of you guys - goofy and carefree.

     Well, I can't wait to get home, like I said before. I miss you guys to death.

     Love,

     Rayneboery

          22nd Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Rayneboery,

     Merf. Squieshie's making me write another letter to you. I can't think of anything to say. See you in nine days.

     Taitl

          23rd Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Dear Rayneboery,

     I'm glad to know you're still doing well. Don't worry; we'll keep the letters coming! Sounds like you're learning some great stuff. That Polarchuck sounds so cute! Bring him home and show him to us, will you? Just thinking about him in the way you described him makes me feel all cuddly inside. Your sisters have calmed down a bit, I'm glad to say. They aren't getting themselves into as much trouble as before, thankfully. I'm actually thinking about taking them down to the Lost Desert for a couple of days. You know, my little treat? You shouldn't be jealous though. The Lost Desert really isn't a very nice place when you're so used to the weather up here in the city. Down there it's like… a desert. I guess you could say that me taking them down there is more of a punishment than a reward, couldn't you?

     We'll keep you informed!

     Squieshie

          25th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Dear Rayneboery,

     I finally understand my math packet! Thanks for your last letter, we all read it. We always read all of your letters. Anyways, we have stopped skateboarding off of the roof. Xraie told us it's not safe, as she read in a book called 'Skateboarding For the Insane'. Now we are practicing our uber skills on the pavement in the backyard, like we're supposed to! I think I've already made a lot of progress, as have Taitl and Xraie. Skateboarding is so cool! I'm glad we have 'broadened our horizons', as you always say, by trying new things!

     Waffle-Ducky

          26th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Dear crazy people,

     If you are in the Lost Desert by now, I hope the mail Chia gets this to you. I worry what kind of trouble you will get yourselves into down there. I've never been there before, so I wouldn't know how hot it is. I'm still doing great up here, though, and I think I've finally gotten used to the cold temperatures. Too bad I come back in four days! Actually, I can't wait to come back. Going on a field trip with your Neoschool class is kind of boring. Never do it. Even though all of my friends are here, I can't help but miss you guys. Being away from you for so long has made me realize how much I love you.

     Gosh, I miss you so much. Only five days!

     Always,

     Rayneboery

          27th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     My Rayneboery,

     Happy Birthday! I can't believe that just seven hundred and thirty days ago you came home with me. When you left for Terror Mountain, we knew that you wouldn't be here to celebrate your birthday with us, but that's okay. As soon as you get back in four days, we'll have a huge birthday bash for you. It will be even better than last year's party. I can't wait! I've already started planning things out.

     Oh, yeah. I decided not to take your sisters to the Lost Desert. I read in the Neopian Times that the weather there is reaching up to one hundred and twenty degrees, maybe even more!

     Love,

     Squieshie

          27th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     Rayneboery,

     You'll never, ever believe what happened! Well, you know how Waffle-Ducky told you we stopped skateboarding down the roof, right? Well, we did it one more time. Just one more time! We never thought anything like this would ever happen! I'm shaking as I write. I can barely breathe, and my heart feels like it's beating one million times a second. I can't believe it. I'm so scared, Rayneboery. I wish you were here. I really, really wish you were here right now. I want you to be here so you can comfort all of us. Squieshie's no help. She's a wreck, and she doesn't want to talk to Waffle-Ducky or me. All we can to is pray, and hope everything will be okay. I miss you so much, Rayneboery. I miss you. I want you to be here right this minute so you can tell us everything will be okay.

     We didn't think we needed to wear our helmets anymore. We were wrong.

     Xraie

          28th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     What happened? You're scaring the living daylights out of me! Tell me what happened, right this second! Is this a prank? If it is, I'm going to kill you when I get home, Xraie. I'm going to kill you. I'm crying at this very moment. I'm so sorry if my letter is smudged and you can't read it. You don't know how worried I am right now.

     Forget about the party, Squiesh. I want to know what happened to Taitl.

     Rayneboery

          29th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     I'm serious, guys. WRITE ME, FOR GOSH SAKES! I couldn't sleep last night. I feel like I'm not even alive right now. I keep on writing, even though I'm not even thinking about what to say. You better write me. You better.

     Oh, yeah. The other reason I'm writing you is there is a huge blizzard going on right now. We can't leave the lodge, it's too dangerous. I will probably be back by the third day of Hiding.

     Write me.

     Rayneboery

          30th Day of Swimming, Year 6

     WHY AREN'T YOU WRITING ME? WHY? WHY, WHY, WHY? WHAT HAPPENED? I NEED TO KNOW! Taitl's not going to be okay, is she? I knew it.

     I hate you. I hate all of you.

     Rayneboery

          1st Day of Hiding, Year 6

     Family,

     I have waited for four days on news of what happened. Is there a reason you can't GET OUT A PENCIL AND WRITE A FEW SIMPLE WORDS ON A PIECE OF PAPER?! If so, please tell me in your next letter… If you even write me again before I come home. Which should be in two days by the way, like I said in the letter before the last.

     Rayneboery

          2nd Day of Hiding, Year 6

     Dear Rayne,

     I'm really, really, really sorry about this. You don't know how sorry I am. I have pretty much tortured you for five days now, and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for what happened to me, too. It was the stupidest thing I have ever done in my whole entire life. My whole body feels like a huge scab, and I can barely move. At least I'm going to be all right, though. Squieshie offered to write this letter for me, but I refused. I wanted to write it myself. So I'm sorry if my handwriting is horrid.

     I can't move my leg, and I have bruises everywhere. Xraie told me that everyone in the neighborhood rushed over to see what happened that night. The doctors are trying their best to get me healed as fast as possible. I'm really weak right now; the only thing that's easy for me to do is breathe. Squieshie has been crying ever since she saw me lying there in the street, my knees and elbows all bloodied, tears streaming from my eyes, and my shoulder mangled.

     All I remember is Xraie running up to me, screaming. Then I heard sobbing, and then everything went black. It's amazing how much can happen to you in one second. Now I sit in the hospital, unable to move anything but my left arm. Thank goodness I broke my right arm instead of my left. Otherwise Squieshie would have been writing this to you, and I didn't want that. Rayneboery, you don't know how much I miss you.

     I hate you for not being able to be here, not being able to tell us not to do it. You could have told us to wear our helmets. It was a really stupid thing for us to have done, and if you were there… If you were there to have just told us that one time, just that ONE time to wear our helmets… None of this would have ever happened.

     I hate you, I hate you, I hate you. I hate you. Yet at the same time, I love you with all my heart.

     It's been twenty days I've lived without you. It was only supposed to be nineteen.

     Love,

     Taitl

The End

Author's Note: If this gets in, it will be my first publication in over one hundred issues of the Neopian Times, and it will be my twenty-fifth publication for the NT. It will also be my last. That's right, I'm officially retiring from the NT. I would really appreciate it if you would give me feedback on this story. I put a lot of time into it, and it was also my favorite story I've ever written for the Times. I will still write outside of Neo, though, as it is one of my passions. I just felt like I wanted to give you all a formal goodbye after one hundred weeks of nothingness from me. -Squiesh