[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Half an hour later, we were still wandering the halls. I had seen the gray, unfeeling walls more times than I could tell you; I had also seen the blue, purple, red, and green impressionist painting more than enough times. We were approaching it again.

“This is the hundredth time we’ve seen that hideous thing!” Nick exclaimed.

“Where are we?” Howie asked.

“Who knows,” AJ replied, looking down a hallway.

“We are so lost,” Howie commented.

“It was your idea to leave,” Nick pointed out.

“It was your idea to go exploring,” Howie argued.

Howie and Nick then started to argue about whose fault it was that they were lost. At that moment, AJ continued to look down that hallway. He suddenly started walking.

“AJ!” I called, running after him.

Nick and Howie were still arguing, suddenly, Nick noticed my absence. He looked down the hall.

“Darla!” he exclaimed, running after me.

Howie followed.

“Where are we going?” Howie asked.

“A way we haven’t gone,” AJ answered.

“And why is that?” Nick asked.

“Because we might actually get back this time,” AJ answered.

“I’m actually really glad you turned this way AJ,” I told him.

“Why?” AJ asked.

“Because I was getting tired of looking at that painting,” I answered.

“Oh I know,” Nick agreed, “It was like six different colors. God it was so ugly!”

“Actually Nick, it was four,” Howie corrected.

“Whatever, it’s the same thing,” Nick replied.

“No…” Howie disagreed.

Nick and Howie then stopped to have an argument about the painting.

“Stop!” AJ exclaimed.

Nick and Howie turned to look at him.

“We are getting no where by arguing about this painting,” AJ explained.

“Yeah, but Howie had to correct me,” Nick whined.

“Nick got it wrong in the first place,” Howie complained.

Nick and Howie then started another argument.

“Stop, just stop,” AJ told them, “Nick kiss Darla or something and stop arguing with Howie.”

“Alright, AJ, if you insist…” Nick leaned over and kissed me.

“Nick…” I laughed.

“AJ told me to do it!” Nick exclaimed, pointing a finger.

We laughed.

“Ya know, I wish we’d gone with those Sam and Charles guys,” Howie put out, “They seemed to know where they were going.”

“Yeah…” Nick agreed.

“Finally, they agree on something!” I announced.

“Not like it matters or anything,” AJ told me.

“I know,” I replied, “But it’s a break-through.”

AJ laughed.

“I wonder where they are…” Nick thought.

“Nick, they’re back in the room safe and sound,” I told him.

“We should’ve gone with them,” Howie pointed out, “Then we’d be back by now.”

“Like I said before…” AJ started.

“Not like it matters or anything,” he and I said together.

We laughed.

“Lordy, Lordy, Lordy,” Nick said, shaking his head.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re supposed to do that with me, not AJ!” Nick exclaimed.

“Jeez Nick,” I paused.

“Sure Nick, take your girlfriend back, I don’t want her…”

“Thanks AJ,” I interrupted.

“…I have one,” AJ finished.

“Oh… Nevermind,” I corrected, “Really?”

“Yeah. Nick’s not the only one with a girl,” AJ answered.

“I have one too,” Howie agreed.

“Wow! This is news to my ears… Nick did you know that?” I asked.

“I figured,” he answered.

Howie started humming until we turned a corner. Nick gasped.

“What?” AJ asked.

“It’s back,” Nick told us, pointing at the painting.

“Oh for crying out loud!” I exclaimed.

“What?” Nick asked.

“We’re never, ever, ever gonna get away from it!” I exclaimed.

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Howie agreed.

I shook my head and sighed.

“If my mom finds out about this…” I started.

“We won’t tell her,” Nick quieted me.

“She knows… Sometimes, she just knows…” I replied.

“Well this time she won’t,” Nick told me.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes!” Nick exclaimed.

“Ok…” I replied as AJ turned down another hallway.

“Where are we going now?” Howie asked.

“Another way we haven’t gone,” AJ answered.

“We’re gonna like be here forever, huh?” I asked.

“I hope not,” Nick answered.

“I doubt it,” Howie agreed.

“If we can not go by the painting for five minutes, I’d say this way is a success,” AJ agreed.

“Ok, who’s timing?” I asked.

“I will,” Nick volunteered, pulling out his watch.

“Let’s go this way,” AJ pointed, turning left.

“5 seconds, 5 seconds, 5, seconds, 5 seconds,” Nick counted.

“Stop him now! Please!” Howie exclaimed.

“6 seconds, 6 seconds, 6 seconds…” Nick continued.

“Nick…” I started.

“Can’t talk now,” he rushed, “7 seconds, 7 seconds, 7 seconds…”

Howie put his hands to his head and looked ready to scream.

“I’m sorry, I tried. He won’t listen to me either,” I explained.

AJ shook his head.

“You know what helps?” I asked.

“What?” Howie questioned.

“Take a deep breath and count to ten… Or sixty, then a second has gone by…” I started.

“10 is good, 10 is good,” Howie told me.

“9 seconds, 9 seconds, 9 seconds…” Nick continued.

“What happened to eight, Nick?” AJ asked.

“Can’t talk now, counting,” Nick told him, “10 seconds, 10 seconds, 10 seconds…”

“Ok, I’m taking a breath and counting to 10,” Howie announced.

“Fabulous!” I exclaimed, clapping my hands.

Howie took a breath and was silent for a while.

“How does that feel?” I asked.

“Better, thank you,” Howie answered.

“11 seconds, 11 seconds, 11 seconds…” Nick continued.

“Oh boy, this is gonna be a long five minutes…” I sighed.

“I just got a good idea,” Howie announced.

“Ok?” AJ asked.

“Let’s sing a song, that way, the five minutes will go by faster,” Howie answered, then dropped his voice, “And Nick will stop talking.”

“I know!” Nick exclaimed.

“What?” Howie asked.

Nick looked at his watch, “13 seconds… Anyway, let’s sing ‘If You’re Happy And You Know It Clap Your Hands’, it’s one of my favorites!”

“I think it’s just ‘If You’re Happy And You Know It’, Nick,” I corrected.

“14 seconds,” Nick started looking at his watch, “Whatever.”

“Will you stop monitoring the time?” Howie asked.

“Sure!” Nick exclaimed.

“Alright, then we can sing it,” Howie agreed.

“Great!” Nick exclaimed.

“Here we go Howie,” I told him, laughing.

“If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands!” Nick sang at the top of his lungs.

I laughed again.

“If you’re… oh yeah,” Nick stopped and clapped his hands, “wait! Start over!”

I continued to laugh at Nick.

He repeated the same part over and over and over again, because every time, he forgot to clap his hands.

“Nick, do you want support?” I asker laughing.

“What?” Nick questioned.

“Do you want someone else to sing with you?” I asked.

“Ok!” Nick smiled.

“I’ll sing too,” Howie volunteered.

“I would, but I gotta keep track of where we’re going,” AJ explained, “Sorry.”

Nick looked at his watch, “It’s been one minute! We might make it!”

“Great…” Howie paused.

“Let’s sing some more!” Nick explained.

“If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands,” the three of us sang, then clapped our hands.

We went through the whole song, until two more minutes ha passed by.

“Let’s sing another song,” I suggested.

Nick linked arms with me and motioned me to link arms with Howie.

“You be Dorothy,” Nick instructed, “I’ll be the scarecrow and Howie can be the Tin Man.”

“You’d make a better Cowardly Lion, Nick,” AJ laughed.

“Well, unless you’re gonna sing with us, I’m the Scarecrow!” Nick exclaimed.

“Fine, fine, fine, whatever,” AJ replied.

“We’re off to see the wizard…” I started.

“The wonderful wizard of Oz!” Howie and Nick sang.

We started skipping down the hall, following AJ and singing the song.

We went through it twice when Nick couldn’t think of the words.

“Because, because, because of the wonderful things he does… What’s next Howie?” Nick asked.

“I don’t know,” Howie told him.

“Howie?” Nick asked.

“I’m serious!” Howie exclaimed.

“Ok, if you’re sure…” Nick replied.

“Let’s sing another song!” I rushed.

“Let’s sing, ‘If You’re Happy And You’…” Nick started.

“No!” Howie and I exclaimed.

“Ok, fine… Have it your way,” Nick stuck his tongue out.

“At Burger King,” Howie finished.

I laughed, again.

“Let’s sing the Mac Daddy’s song!” AJ exclaimed.

“No way! Besides, you’re concentrating on where we’re going, remember?” I asked.

“Fine,” AJ grumbled.

I laughed.

“Look!” Howie exclaimed, putting his head up.

“What?” I asked.

“It’s the door to the room!” AJ exclaimed with him.

“Oh we’re back!” Nick exclaimed, then looked at his watch,” Ooh, five minutes…”

“AJ, you’re a genius,” I told him as we walked into the room.