Breaking Barriers

Wondering Why

"Hurry! , vete, vete, Saumensch!" I hissed at Jane. She gave me a nasty look and continued pushing the box as it scraped the pavement with our precious cargo inside. I gave a large heave with all my might, and the box began to grind the ground of the back alley we were in.

"Shh, quiet!" Shellington was dragging the box from the sides along with us. I had the feeling that he wasn't talking to me. Soon enough, I heard the sweet little tune that I remembered hearing floating from the kitchen all the way to HQ every single day. The scraping abruptly stopped, and Jane and I cautiously pried the top of the crate open, just enough that we could catch a little slit of a sweet little Vegimal's eye.

"Shh!" I whispered to them in a soothing tone that contrasted sharply with the panic that was building up in my chest, "We need to be quiet, we're playing hide and seek from the big navy guys." Their sweet little chatters immediately ceased as we arrived at the pier, and Shellington quietly stifled a groan.

"I told him not to overdo it." He grumbled, massaging his temples with weary paws, and I soon knew who 'he' was. Jane and I stood on the tips of our toes and craned our necks to get a better look, and after straining our eyes for a good chunk of time, we finally saw "it".

Shellington lifted us both up one by one and perched us on a high brick wall beside him. Our eyes fell on the sight of Paani, or the telltale mop of light brown fur that gave him away, on the docks.

Paani was covered head to toe in black, but a wave of hair that curled around his forehead gave him away far too easily.

Joy tugged at my insides but caution stepped right in as its hooks grabbed a hold of me, and it wouldn't be letting go anytime soon.

"Paani." Shellington tone was between annoyance and laughter. It was the same tone he used with us when we'd give excuses for where our homework, "When I said blend in, I had simple clothes that would not catch anyone's eyes in mind, not," He gestures towards Paani's clothing, "Not this."

"Oh," Bright red bloomed across Paani's cheeks, "sorry! Anyways, why'd you bring the kids along? It's not safe here."

"I needed someone to help me move the box, someone small and inconspicuous who wouldn't attract much attention, and knew their way around, so they came."

"I see." Paani beamed, but as quickly as he spoke, his happy expression vanished, and he became solemn, "Get the box on board; time to get these vegetables to Scotland." He winked at us, and began to push the box onto the Gup-X. Emotion began to well up in me as the box gave one last rattle on its way into the Gup. My heart began to grow far too heavy for my chest, my eyes began to burn, and I wrenched the box open one last time.

12 pairs of the kindest eyes in the world stared back at me. All was silent, even the Gup seemed to be holding its breath. I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a couple of small toys. Jane did the same.

"For you. We'll miss you all." Jane said, handing each Vegimal a little toy to sweeten their long journey. I did the same, and after all the Vegimals had a toy, we all just stared at each other in pure shock, this was really it. This was goodbye. I couldn't take it. Pikato raised his tiny flippers up and I took him into my arms and held him like my life depended on it until Shellington nudged me and gave me a gentle,

"Time to go!" The three of us climbed out of the Gup X and said goodbye to Paani, but as Shellington lifted me out, I could hear his and Paani's low whisper,

"When I return?" Paani asked, and Shellington had hastily nodded and then clambered out of the Gup. The sun was rising. Peso had told me that every sunrise was the start of a new day, a chance to correct the mistakes of yesterday, a new beginning. This sunrise was no different. It was the beginning of life without the Vegimals around, and it already left my heart aching for them.