The Frog and The Beast

The Frog Chapter 7

"Now what?" I muttered to myself, pacing the floor. "I can't just sit here and wait for a princess to come knocking on my door."

Just then, I heard my parents talking outside to someone, their voices drifting in through the open window. I sprang onto the window ledge—man, could I really hop! I leaped from the bed to the window in one bound.

Peering down, I saw Mom and Dad engaged in conversation with a police officer. Unfortunately, I was too high up to catch any of the words. I needed to get closer. But how?

I glanced down at my webbed hands and recalled something I had seen in a nature documentary about frogs. They could climb walls thanks to their feet, which acted like suction cups or something similar.

With a surge of determination, I took a deep breath and focused on my webbed hands. It was time to put my newfound skills to the test. I shuffled to the corner of my room, where the wall met the ceiling, and positioned myself for my first attempt.

I pressed my palms against the cool surface of the wall, feeling the texture beneath my fingers. Concentrating intently, I channeled all the energy I could muster into my grip. Slowly, I began to climb. My heart raced with excitement as I felt the suction take hold, allowing me to ascend with surprising ease.

As I reached the edge of the window, I peeked down once more. The police officer was gesturing animatedly, while my parents looked on, their faces etched with concern. I strained to hear their conversation, but the words remained muffled.

"Come on, just a little closer," I whispered to myself, inching my way along the ledge. I leaned out, desperate to catch every syllable. Suddenly, the officer's voice rang clear.

"And you're certain he didn't come home last night?"

"No," my mother replied, her voice trembling. "We didn't hear him come in, he wasn't in his room this morning, and he wasn't at school."

"He hasn't called once, and that's not like him at all," my dad added. "Natsu always calls if he's going to be late."

"You mentioned he went to a dance last night?" the officer inquired.

"Yes," my parents confirmed.

"Did he have a date?"

"Yes."

"And how old is he?"

"Fifteen."

"Forgive me for asking, Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel, but is there any chance your son might have just spent the night with a girl after the dance?"

"Not our son." My mother replied, her voice firm but laced with worry. "He's not that kind of boy."

The officer nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. "I understand, but it's important to consider all possibilities. We'll need to file a missing person report if he doesn't show up soon."

My heart sank at the thought of my parents having to file a missing person report. The mere idea of them worrying about me was unbearable, especially when I was just a few feet away. I wanted to shout, to let them know I was okay, but I was trapped in this frog body, unable to communicate.

As I listened to their conversation, a mix of guilt and frustration washed over me. They had no idea of my predicament, and I couldn't blame them for fearing the worst. I had to find a way to reach them, to assure them that I was safe and needed their help.

"Maybe I could try one of those green spheres Erza gave me," I thought, glancing back at my room. "If I can get one into their drinks, they might be able to hear me!"

With determination, I climbed back up to the window and hopped down to the floor with a soft thud. I made my way to the bed and grabbed one of the green spheres.