The Vanishing Stone (8 page)

12

N
ikoleta appeared in a dark room. After a moment of panic, she looked around and could tell she was back in her room at the orphanage. She sat down next to her bed on the floor and began to cry. Surely, Kibbie was dead now. She couldn't believe how Raphael had betrayed her. She wished she hadn’t told him what Madam Piccolo said. How was she going to save her parents now? How was she ever going to forgive herself for letting her guard down and watching Madam Piccolo get killed? How was she going to get back to save her parents.....and hopefully it wouldn't be too late.

  
              “Nikki? Where are we?” Nikoleta opened her eyes and there was Kibbie sitting on top of the bed behind her. She gasped. The joy that Kibbie was alive made her cry even more. “Kibbie! You're alright!” She reached over and hugged Kibbie tightly. After a moment, she let go and wiped away her tears. “This is my room at the orphanage. The necklace brought us here for some reason. But how did you get here too? You're not wearing it.” “I don’t know, Nikki. That thing must be very powerful. To be honest, I never messed with it.”

 
              “Well I guess we shouldn’t question it too much since we are both OK, right?” They both laughed faintly. Nikoleta looked over at her clock and it read 8:00pm in bright red.

 
              “Oh my goodness, Nikki, how are we going to get back? I hope Bosh and Day are alright.”

  
              “Me too, Kibbie. Me too. I don’t know how we are going to get back, though. When the necklace decides I guess, but who knows when that will be?” This was all too confusing for Nikoleta. “What if the necklace never takes us back? There must be another way," Kibbie said.

 
              Nikoleta suddenly realized that she was home and everyone needed to know that she was alright. Then she also remembered that Helga, Misty and Mary had betrayed her too. They knew about the note that was left with her when her mother left her at their doorstep and they kept it from her. It was time that she go confront them. “Kibbie, I have to go down stairs and talk to Helga, Misty and Mary. Then we have to find my aunt that Day told me about.”

  
              “Are there dragons here, Nikki?”

  
              “Nope.”

 
              “Oh...Um, Nikki I am sorry about Raphael...I had no idea what he was up to. I can’t believe he was actually going to kill me.” Kibbie buried her face into Nikoleta's pillow. “He was supposed to be one of my best friends and he was plotting against me the whole time.”

  
              “Kibbie...I am sorry. He tricked me too but I just
can't
imagine how you feel. Hopefully we will get back somehow to help Bosh and Day.” Nikoleta told her while rubbing her back between her wings. “And what about Jack and Amelia? Raphael said he would be killing them later.”

 
              “I don’t know Kibbie, we will just have to figure something out.”

                Nikoleta went to take a shower. She hadn’t had a proper bathing in days. It felt nice to be in the hot water. Meanwhile, Kibbie washed up with warm water in the sink. After they were both done they dried off with their towels and Nikoleta brushed her teeth. They snuck through the third floor hallway and back up the attic stairs. After drying off, Nikoleta twisted her big, kinky curls into a bun on top of her head. She put a long sleeve gray shirt on, a pair of jeans with rips on the knees and her typical Converses. She grabbed her school back pack and emptied the books and papers from it. She replaced them with a small blanket she had, the blanket would be for Kibbie. In the front pocket she had a small water bottle and a Chap Stick. She added the letter from her mother to the mix.

  
              “Nikki, how will we find your aunt?” Kibbie asked. “Day gave me the address. It’s Seagull Rock Ave. That's on the other side of town but we can get there by foot.”

“OK.”

              “Come down stairs with me. I want you to be with me when I tell them how I feel even if you scare the life out of them. Then we'll go,” Nikoleta told Kibbie. “OK,” was all Kibbie could muster. She had a worried look on her face. It couldn't possibly be safe for a dragon in a place where they supposedly didn't exist.

 
              Nikoleta grabbed her backpack and put it on. She caressed the necklace and hoped silently that it would take them back as soon as possible. Kibbie got on Nikoleta's shoulders and they headed down the stairs. They were sure to be quiet as to not wake the other girls who were most likely asleep in their rooms. They went down the third floor stairs. On the second floor were Helga, Misty and Mary's rooms. Nikoleta knew they weren’t in them though. At this time of night, they would be sitting in the living room watching some stupid TV show and talking.

  
              They came to the first floor and passed the kitchen, the office and a closet and then they were standing in the living room doorway. Nikoleta stood there for a moment as the three women didn't notice her. “Is any one going to turn around and acknowledge that I am here?” Nikoleta said coldly. Kibbie was still on her back barely peeking over her shoulder. The three women turned around and looked at her. “Oh, hi, Nikki. Why are you dressed and where are you going?” Mary asked. Nikoleta was confused. “Where am I going? Where am I going?! I have been gone two days and you ask me where I am going?”

  
              They each looked at each other, befuddled. “What are you talking about, Nikki? I just saw you a half-an-hour ago?” Helga said. Kibbie peeked a little further over Nikoleta's shoulder. “NIKKI! WHAT'S THAT ON YOUR BACK????” Mary yelled. They all stood up now. “OK, Mary, Misty and Helga,” she looked at each one of them as she said their names, “This is my sister, Kibbie. Yes, she is a dragon. No, she isn't a pet. My
MOTHER
found her egg shortly after her and my
FATHER
got married nineteen years ago! Then I was born!--”

  
              “What in the world are you talking about Nikki?” Helga asked. “There's no such thing as dragons!”

 
              “Oh really? You're looking at one! Say hi, Kibbie.” Kibbie looked completely over Nikoleta's shoulder now and hesitantly said, “Hi...” and waved. The women gasped. “It talks?!” Misty yelled.

“Yes SHE talks. Let me just sa
y how disappointed I am in all three of you! My mother left a note with me when she left me here and you all kept it from me my whole life!” The women looked at each other.

 
              “Nikki, we never meant to hurt you, we just thought she would be one of those mother's that never came back anyway, so what would it matter?” Helga explained. “Yeah, well it does matter. I have been sitting here wondering about my parents for seventeen years and you've all lied to my face and acted like you knew nothing! And actually my mother AND father have sacrificed EVERYTHING for me!” Nikoleta was yelling now with tears in her eyes. “You told all the other girls about their parents! Why did mine have to be a big secret?”

 
              Helga, Misty and Mary just stood and stared. They didn’t know what to say. “I guess I wouldn’t say anything either, if I were you,” Nikoleta shrugged. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go see my aunt.”

  
              Nikoleta turned around with Kibbie and her backpack on her back and headed towards the door. She slammed it behind her.

  
              “First things first, Kibbie, we're going to the beach. It’s a little late so it may not be a good time to go see my Aunt. Secondly, it appears that time is different here than it is in Amarian. When I first went there it was 7:45 here. Don’t ask me how I remember that.”

              “I thought we were going to your aunt's house, now?” Kibbie asked. “We will after I clear my head. We need to come up with some sort of plan, if we ever do get back.” Nikoleta explained.

  
              “Which I hope will be soon,” Kibbie said worriedly.

  
              “Kibbie let me ask you a question. How did my parents get to Amarian?” “To be honest, I don’t know. Maybe your Aunt will have some answers for us.”

 
              “Hope so because Mrs. Metzger got here and back too, somehow. Or I guess I should say Akonni.”

  
              They walked down the small street that leads to the beach boardwalk. No one was around and it was dark.

 
              As they were walking, they started to see the lighthouse. “What's that, Nikki?” “That's the lighthouse.” Nikoleta walked over to her rocks and sat down. Kibbie sat down next to her. The water was calm and quiet. There was no moon out that night but the lighthouse's light shined on the water. “What is the purpose of the lighthouse, Nikki?” “It’s to guide the ships.” Nikoleta answered.

 
              “Oh, OK. That makes sense.”

 
              “So, Kibbie, do Day and Bosh have families?”

   
Kibbie paused.

                “Yes, they...
did
,” Kibbie answered. She seemed hesitant to talk about the situation.

 
              “Oh.”

 
              “They each lost both of their parents. They were killed in front of them. That's all I know.” Kibbie looked away putting her head down.

                “Oh, wow, that's awful,” Nikoleta said. She knew what it was like to not have parents, but to have their lives taken in front of her was something totally different.

                “They have never really talked about it. But I guess that's understandable.”

“Yeah, it is. It's got to be hard to have seen something like
that. They must be traumatized,” Nikoleta said sadly.

 
              “Hopefully they are OK. All the four of us have now is each other,” Nikoleta put her arm around Kibbie and smiled. “Do you want to go to your aunt's house now?”

 
              “Yeah, in a minute.”

 
              Suddenly, they heard another voice, “You won’t be going anywhere!” They both stood up and saw that it was Akonni. “How did you get here?” Nikoleta yelled to her. “Wouldn't you like to know? I'd like to know how you got here too, but that can wait.” Akonni walked closer to them. “I'd actually like to know where your weird looking friends are and where you're hiding them.”

 
              “Our friends who?” Kibbie asked her. “Oh please, lizard, you know who I mean! Mr. Green hair and Miss purple eyes. Where are they?! And trust me, you will want to tell me, or it will be your necks!”

 
              “I've about had it with you, lady!” Kibbie yelled. She blew fire towards Akonni but it backfired—Akonni pulled out a staff with a glowing, green ball on the end and aimed it at her. Kibbie went flying about twenty feet and was slammed on the sand. Nikoleta hesitated and stayed where she was. “Where are they? I know you're hiding them! They disappeared the same time you did!”

  
              “What are you talking about?” Nikoleta asked. “There's no way!” Akonni rolled her eyes.

  
              “I'm going to ask you one more time, where are they?” Akonni said with a threatening voice. “If I knew, I wouldn't tell you!” Nikoleta responded.

 
              “Then prepare to suffer the consequences," Akonni aimed her staff at Nikoleta. Nikoleta turned around and grabbed her back pack and ran towards Kibbie. “Running wont help you, little girl!”

 
              “It will if I'm faster!” Nikoleta yelled behind her. She reached Kibbie and picked her up and continued running. “Nikoleta, where are we going?” Kibbie asked. “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know!” Nikoleta answered, quickly.

 
              Holding Kibbie, Nikoleta was running as fast as she could down the beach. Akonni wasn't far behind. Nikoleta briefly looked back and saw Akonni aiming her staff. Next thing she and Kibbie knew, they were flying forward and they both landed and rolled on the sand. They got up and Nikoleta picked up Kibbie again. As they were running, they heard two more voices behind them. “Nikki!” She stopped and turned around, it was Raphael. The other voice was Karina. “Just keep going Nikki! Don’t stop!” Kibbie yelled. Nikoleta ran as fast as she could and the three others behind them were coming closer. Raphael was the fastest and he was now right behind her. Kibbie got out of the grip of Nikoleta's arm and climbed up her chest to where she could look over Nikoleta's shoulder. Raphael was within an arms reach and Kibbie blew fire at him. He blocked the attack with his staff that had a glowing, red ball at the end. He grabbed Nikoleta by the top of her backpack and pulled her to the ground. Nikoleta grunted. Akonni aimed her staff at Kibbie and put a glowing, green bubble around her.

 
              Nikoleta and Raphael began to scuffle in the sand. She punched him in the chin and he kept trying to grab her wrists. When he succeeded, he got really close to her face, “You're going to regret everything