Johnny's Story: Part Three

     I didn't speak. She stopped in the middle of the road and stared at me. "Well?" she said. "Are you going to tell me or what?"

     "Johnny," I muttered through clenched teeth. I wanted to be anywhere but here. Even the pound was better then here. I got dragged along through the busy streets of Neopia. Once or twice I thought I saw Carrie, or Maria, or even Sherry, but they were no where to be seen.

     "My, you ARE filthy," Roja said, staring disgustedly at me. "And look at your wing! It's all bandaged up. And that pouch of yours is SIMPLY out of style! Well, that's my job, hon. I take poor Neopets and make them find their TRUE selves!"

     I walked in simple silence the rest of the way to her house. Her home was exactly how I pictured it to be. Simple, yellow wood, a red door, a square window, flowers decorating the outside of the house.

     "Here we are!" Roja sang cheerfully. She reached into her bright red purse and pulled out a ring of keys. She thumbed through them and chose a small silver key with a loop at the end. She opened the front door and ushered me in.

     "Children!" Roja called. "Children! Your new brother is here!"

     "A boy," an angry voice cried. "You got another one of those filthy things?"

     Three figures came stomping down the stairs. I stared, my eyes wide with half fright and half examination.

     There was an Ixi who looks like she had stepped right out of the Twisted Roses. She wore black lipstick and her eyes were anything but friendly. There was a yellow Bruce who was grinning so wide I could feel his face hurt. Lastly, there was a green Kougra with an unusually blank expression on his face.

     "Everyone meet Johnny!" Roja said excitedly. "Johnny, darling, you'll have to share a room with Bubbles and Derrick. You don't mind, do you? Oh well, anything is better then that filthy cage…"

     The yellow Bruce stepped forward and gave me an extra wide grin. "I'm Bubbles!" he introduced himself cheerfully. "Now, don't go saying that's a girl's name because it's quite cheery, don't you think?"

     "I'm Mage," the Ixi said darkly. "Get on my bad side and be on my hate list forever."

     I glanced over at the Kougra. He had large brown staring eyes, but his mouth did not move at all.

     "That's Derrick," Bubbles said simply. "He never talks. We don't know his real name. Roja just named him Derrick after she adopted him because nobody knew his name. Sometimes we just call him Kougra. You know, because he's a Kougra." He started laughing as if he had told the funniest joke in the world.

     "Now give Johnny a tour of the house while I get some lunch ready," Roja said. "Goodness me, we're running late! It's past 12 already! Chop, chop kids, let's get a move on!"

     "What's your original colour?" I asked Mage. I had planned not to say anything, but I was too curious to keep my mouth shut. The Ixi was almost all black or red.

     Mage eyed me evilly. "Same as you," she said gruffly. "I just wear make up, that's all." She got right up in my face. "You have a problem with that?"

     "Come now!" Bubbles said cheerily. "Let's all go upstairs and we can show Johnny our room!"

     "Must I go into your filthy room again?" Mage said in a dark voice. She gave me a piercing stare and I looked away from her. I focused on Derrick, the Kougra.

     "Come now!" Bubbles said again. "We must all welcome our new brother." He smiled at me. I didn't look at him.

     Bubbles rushed up the rest of the stairs and opened a red door. Inside was a large blue room. It looked neat and messy at the same time. I hated it. It smelled like broccoli.

     "We have a bunk bed, see?" Bubbles pointed at the bunk bed in the corner. "You're going to have to sleep on the floor… or I can if you want. We can take turns."

     I shrugged my shoulders. "Whatever," I said. I figured I had to say something, although I rather would've kept my mouth shut.

     Bubbles showed me the rest of the room, with commentary from Mage. Derrick sat on the bottom bunk and said nothing. He was a peculiar fellow.

     Awhile later we went downstairs for lunch. There were four plates and on each of them there was a plain cheese sandwich. Mage, Bubbles, and Derrick sat down and began to wolf down their sandwiches.

     "What's wrong, Johnny?" Roja asked. "You don't like cheese?"

     I didn't say anything. Instead I just sat down and started to pick at my sandwich. It looked dry and plain. I took a bite out of it and nearly choked.

     "EMERGENCY!" Bubbles screamed. He took the pitcher of milk and dumped it on my head. I stared at him, milk dripping down my head.

     "What. Was. That?" I asked, taking deep breaths.

     Mage started laughing so hard she spit out chewed up cheese on the table. Derrick gave me an expectant look as if waiting for me to say something.

     "OH MY GOSH," Bubbles cried. "I am so sorry! Let me clean that up for you."

     "NO!" I swatted him away. "I'm FINE."

     "I think now would be a good time to go on our after lunch walk," Roja said cheerfully. She cleared the plates away.

     I didn't want to go anywhere with this crazy family, but they practically dragged me out of the house. We walked around Neopia Central, Roja and Bubbles chattering happily while Mage mumbled words in response. Derrick and I were quiet.

     That's when it happened.

     I sauntered behind my 'family' as we crossed the road. A red convertible came roaring down, the tires squealing against the ground. It was Nigel the Commodity Broker Chia. I should have moved right then, but I had never seen a convertible before so I stopped in the middle of the road to look, not thinking of what would happen next.

     There was a shouting sound. Then there was a loud screeching sound. And then BANG- I was down. Everything was black.

     When I opened my eyes later I was in a bed. A woman, an Ixi, a Bruce and a Kougra stared at me. I stirred. They gasped.

     "Wh-where am I?" I mumbled.

     "You're in the hospital, Johnny," the woman whispered. She squeezed my hand. "It's going to be ok. Roja is here to take care of you."

     "And Bubbles!" the Bruce quipped. "There's, of course, Mage and Derrick too." He pointed at the Ixi and Kougra.

     "Wh-who am I?" I whispered.

     They exchanged nervous glances. "You're Johnny," Mage said. "Duh."

     I groaned and Roja quickly gave me a glass of water. "Drink it," she said. "It might make you feel better." I struggled to sit up and sipped. I sighed and lay back down in my pillows.

     "How do you feel?" Bubbles asked anxiously.

     "I'm not sure," I said distantly. I looked past the unfamiliar people and saw white walls surrounding me. Suddenly the door flew open and a green Gelert came bustling in.

     "I see young Johnny is awake!" he exclaimed, grinning. I stared at him, not daring to move. What was going on?

     The green Gelert began to examine me. I groaned. He glanced up at me, his eyes shining behind his half glasses. "Well Johnny… it appears that you're OK Although it looks like your wing is severely injured."

     "Oh no, that's terrible!" Bubbles cried. "His wing was broken before- the car accident must have made it worse!"

     Mage rolled her eyes. "I don't even know what a car IS."

     "It was that red vehicle, darling," Roja said softly. She turned her attention back to me. "How are you feeling Johnny? Do you need more water?"

     My mind was still on what Bubbles had said. 'His wing was broken before… the car accident…'

     "What car accident?" I asked. The green Gelert raised his eyebrows. Roja glanced at him nervously. Then she let out an anxious giggle.

     "Oh well it seems as if he doesn't remember the accident… All for the best I suppose…" She forced a laugh. I gave her a funny look. What?

     The green Gelert gave me a look. "Johnny, will you please follow me if you're well enough to get out of bed."

     I looked around before realizing he was talking to me. I slowly got out of my bed. I groaned and fell back down on to the bed. I took a few deep breaths and got up on my feet. I followed the Gelert into another room.

     The green Gelert sat me down in a chair. He sat down across from me and asked in a serious voice, "Johnny, tell me. When is your birthday?"

     I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I made a gurgling noise instead.

     The green Gelert raised his eyebrows again. He asked another question. "Who is your family?"

     I gasped. A faint image seemed to flutter across my mind. A yellow Acara, an Angelpuss and… I shook my head. "Roja, Bubbles, Mage and Derrick," I whispered.

     With more confidence I said, "Roja, Bubbles, Mage and Derrick. They're my family."

To be continued...