Forlot: Monster Protector - Book One {Completed}

Chapter Thirty-Five

"You want me to do what again?" I asked, surprised by what she said.

"I want you to shoot at the button that is on the left," Lean said. "Point your crossbow at the button between the spaces of the laser beams. When you are in position, fire!"

I could not believe that she wanted me to do that. Does she not remember my most embarrassing moment?

"...are you serious?"

"Of course. It is a good idea. Once your arrow hits the button, the beams will shut off, and I can get my eyes at last! I will be so happy!"

My face saddened. I did want to help Lean and make her happy. At the same time though, I had a sinking feeling that I would fail miserably, and we would not be able to retrieve her eyes. Without any warnings, the incident at school yesterday flashed back.

I decided to go first.

My classmates teased and laughed at me, and they also thought that I hated humans and desired to kill humans, which is absolutely not true.

Accidentally shot my arrow from my crossbow.

Caused panic.

My classmates hated me even more from that point on.

If time machines were invented, I would go back to that morning and fix the situation.

"What are you waiting for, Margie?" the ghost girl questioned, clearing away my mind. "Shoot!"

"I...I cannot," I confessed.

"Why not? It is your crossbow. Surely, you know how to work it."

I shook my head. "The truth is...I have no clue how to work this thing. The crossbow is an antique that was passed down to me by my ancestors. I have had the crossbow for over a year, and it never worked. Until yesterday." I sighed. "It is old, was used a lot, and the arrow was jammed. I thought that it would be alright to take it to Show and Tell." I looked at my shoes. "I was wrong."

Lean wrapped her ghostly arms around me and pulled me in a hug. "I am sorry. If I knew that ahead of time, I would not have put that pressure on you."

I looked up at her. "...can you do it?"

"I wish, but I have never used a crossbow before." She let out a heavy sigh. "So much for that plan."

"Now what?"

"We have to come up with another plan and fast. I am not leaving here without my eyes."

While the ghost was thinking of a new plan, I examined my crossbow. Old. Brown. Rusty.

Dangerous.

Why did my parents let me keep this?

Because they do not care for me or Scarlett anymore, that is why.

I glanced up at the buttons, and then Lean, and then back at the buttons. She really wanted her eyes, and we were so close to them. And the Barmerians would be where we were sometime very soon.

There was no time to waste. No time to come up with an easier and better plan. I knew what I had to do. My heart told me so.

I raised my crossbow and aimed it at the red button.

Now how do I work this crossbow?

I played with it, figuring out how to use it - and shoot! The arrow shot out from the crossbow and hit the button, and the beams flickered for a bit before going off. "Yes!" I exclaimed excitedly. "I did it! Did you see that Lean? I actually did it! On purpose this time!" I turned to her and noticed a weird look on her ghostly face. A worried look.

"Margie?" she said. "You pressed the wrong button."

"The wrong button? But the laser beams turned off."

"That is because you pressed the button to the right, not the left. You pressed on the self-destruct button."

My face suddenly went pale. "Self-destruct button?"

"Yep, and I am afraid that this factory is going to blow in three minutes."