MyStreet: The Emerald Secret (OC Character Added)

Happy Memories

"Guys, wake up!"

I drag myself awake to Lucinda's panicked voice and Garroth/Aaron's sleepy moans.

"Uhhggg....what is it?" Garroth's voice slurs sleepily.

"Uhh...wha...?" Aaron groans.

"Have you guys seen Kim?" Lucinda asks frantically.

I sit up quickly, clutching my spinning head. "What do you mean?"

"We just woke up." Aaron complains.

"Yeah... plus wasn't Kim with you guys?" Garroth asks.

"She was last night when we went to sleep." Lucinda says. "But when I woke up, she was gone!"

I look at Kim's sleeping bag. "You mean she just left?" I ask, getting up the rest of the way.

"Huh? That doesn't sound like Kim." Garroth says. He stands up, scared now. "That doesn't sound like Kim at all! We've got to find her!"

"Do you know if she like...sleepwalks or anything?" Aaron checks.

"No, she doesn't." I say.

"Maybe she just had to go to the bathroom?" Lucinda tries.

"Maybe that's it." Garroth agrees. He starts running around. "Kim! Oh, Kimmie-Kim!"

"Kim!" I yell, chasing after him. "Kim, where are you?" I run after Garroth to the bathroom, and we both barge in at the same time. The lights are off. Kim hates the dark.

"Kim!" I call, just in case. Garroth makes a sad whimper-like sound and runs back downstairs.

"Guys! She's not in the bathroom!" Garroth bursts, back in front of Lucinda and Aaron. I join him, wringing my hands.

"Where could she be?" I ask.

"Hmmm..." Lucinda doesn't seem freaked out as much anymore. "Maybe she got lost coming back. This place is huge. There's plenty of halls to get lost down." She brushes her long orange hair behind her ears, trying to get her bedhead to go away. Feeling my cheeks redden, I try to do the same. Garroth giggles.

"All right, all right." Aaron breaks in. "Here's what we're gonna do. We'll just split up and check the garage, outside, and the rest of the main hall. Once we've cleared those areas we can regroup."

"Sounds like a plan." Lucinda agrees.

"Let's go!" Garroth says.

I grab his hand and follow him outside, soaking our flannel pajama bottoms through as wade around the thick slush. "KIM! KIM-KIM-KIM-KIM!!" Garroth yells.

I start to shiver and drop his hand to rub my arms. "M-m-maybe we should g-g-go inside n-now. And get changed int-t-o warmer c-c-clothes. B-b-but if Kim's still out h-here..."

He gives me a giant bear hug. "Aww, don't worry, baby sister. We'll come back out once we're dry again." He leads us inside and grabs his outfit, making a dash for the bathroom. I snatch my clothes up and beat him there.

"Nya, nya!" I call, locking it behind me and slipping out of the wet cloth clinging to my skin.

"Aww, come on, Violet, I need to change too!" Garroth says.

"Wait your turn!" I snuggle against the soft yellow yarn of my sweater, and then take an extra few minutes to brush my hair and pull it part way back. Mummy always said it made my violet eyes pop.

After Garroth changes, we go back downstairs to find Aaron and Lucinda already back in their regular clothes. "Anything?" Garroth asks hopefully.

"No." Aaron admits. "I-I didn't see her anywhere."