The Love and Treachery of Scrooge McDuck!

Monitoring Misery!

2020

He didn't want to wake up but he knew better. His stomach ached and his head pounded. He needed food or water soon.

His eyes drifted open lazily and he realized he was using Goldie as a pillow. He was thankful she was still asleep because he didn't have the strength to move quickly. Though he did manage to prop himself on the wall. The stone felt cool on his head and he noticed his hat had been sitting to the side.

He reached for it and dusted it off. He flipped it over and nearly panicked. Goldie shifted and he saw the paper flutter to the ground. He snatched it. The hand drawing was old and faded but it was one of his most precious possessions.

He barely remembered how he got her to sit that long but it was the best nickel he ever spent. He knew her rule about photos and thought it was shite. The more he looked at the more he realized that ____ looked slightly older than she did now. No not older but more mature somehow.

His eyes drifted to the monitor. It was still dark outside the manor from what he could tell. However, he was surprised to see Lena and the purple youth wandering the halls.

"She's in here," Lena whispered.

The child opened a bathroom door and he saw glimpses of Webbigail. She was curled in a bawl. The girls disappeared for several minutes then the door reopened and Lena made her way quickly to Webbigail's room.

The monitor shifted to ____. She appeared exiting his room, shaking. She made her way through the halls. She was stiff but didn't have any visible bruises. She wasn't crying but her eyes were red. He was conflicted.

____ found Webbigail and her friends and disappeared for a moment. Then she reappeared holding the two sleeping girls. She took them back to Webbigail's room.

"The whole house heard Mrs. B send you home," her voice barely drifted from the edge of Webby's room.

"It was an emergency!" Lena sounded like she was caught doing something she shouldn't.

"Shhh," ____ chastised her. "I love Webby too, but her dreams are just bad dreams. They don't warrant pissing off Beakley. Besides, if she finds out, she'll be doubly pissed at me for not kicking you out."

He couldn't hear what Lena said but ____ moved out of the camera's view.

"You've seen it too. What do you know?" Lena's voice was suddenly stronger.

"I don't know what you're talking about Lena," ____ tried to sound non-shallot. He could hear the doubt in her voice. "Lena?"

"I know he's Webby's hero, Beakley's bff, and you're whatever, but why won't anyone believe me when I say there's something wrong with him!" Lena's voice echoed so loudly that Goldie stirred.

"Lena, you're gonna wake the whole house," ____ snapped back. "You need to head home."

"You don't even wanna know what happened?" the girl asked and ____ hesitated for too long. "He threatened to lock me in the Other Bin because I was too much like my aunt."

___ didn't respond. He was silently begging her to see that this wasn't him. He would never say that. He knew that Lena wouldn't turn out like her aunt and even if she did he would never lock her in the Other Bin. He knew the effect it would have on ___. Lena's claim should be more than enough evidence to convince ___ if there was any doubt that the impostor wasn't acting like he would.