Legend of the Seven Lights

4. An Unpleasant Surprise

Guess who started school.

Chapter 4: An Unpleasant Surprise

Virginian Forest

Chad had driven all the way back to the precise spot he dropped Rupert. He began to wander the forest in search of his son. "HELLOOOO? RUPERT? I'm here to pick you uuuuuup. It's not a trick this time, your mom's threatening me to bring you baaaaack. 'Cause as you will grow up to see, women have very different views on parenting."

The only sounds were the winds rustling the leaves and echoing chirps of birds. He skimmed the ground for possible footprints, but all he found was a series of peculiar tiny paths, probably meant for ants. He wondered what could've carved such convenient roadways. He heard light footsteps and looked ahead, seeing a loan deer wandering a small, round area, walking nonstop in many loops. He approached the deer and asked, "Looking for something?"

The deer looked at him quickly before running away. Chad examined the trees around the area, and found a set of three of them had tiny paths spiraling around them. He really wanted to look more into these... but he supposed Rupert came first. His cellphone rang, so he answered his wife. "Hello?"

"So did you find him?"

"I can't find him anywhere."

"What?!"

"Relax, Em, he probably ended up finding his way home after all, you're such a worry-wart."

"Or MAYBE he wandered into a bear's stomach or some maniac's secret CABIN! 'CAUSE I DON'T SEE HIM HERE!"

"Well, there's always the chance he decided to wander off to Cleveland. He'd definitely choose playing with Timmy and Hikari than working out."

"Ugh, fine, drive down there to see if he is. I'm gonna be down there soon with Vi and Scar, they'll be able to help track him just in case. You BETTER hope he's alright, Chad." She hung up.

Chad sighed and returned to his car. Even if Rupert was in some kind of danger... he would want him to handle it himself.

Goofy Goober's

'Twas a joyous time at Goofy Goober's, the ice creamy restaurant where no kid could be sad. Adults, maybe, since they had to drag their kids here and put up with the obnoxious noise, but that's mainly why they took the dark bar in the corner. A more peaceful area where kids would deem too boring to hang out. But as it turned, one kid chose to sit there.

Jessie Sidney guzzled down another shake, the strawberry substance spread around his mouth. There were bags under his dizzy dark eyes, and his hair was a mess. "'ey, MAC, gimme another'n... BUUUURP."

"Err, Dear Boy, I zink you've had too much."

"MMmmm..." he waved an arm, "I think I know my own damn body."

"THERE you are, Jessie!" his sister yelled, walking in to sit by him. "I thought I'd find you here."

"Er, and will you be paying his bill, Miss?" Mac asked.

"I'm too young to carry such an allowance." she said with adorable eyes.

"Oui-oui." And he proceeded to get more shake.

"Jessie, I don't think drowning yourself in ice cream is going to solve anything. So Shelly beat you again, what's the big deal?"

"Shelly always *** beats me, tha'sa problem... her and her lousy fourth-graders... how'm I suppose to be the First Grade President if I, mmmm-BUURP can't even stack a few, eh, blocks." He mumbled drunkly.