The Turtle and the Bird

Chapter 9

The next morning, Turtle awoke earlier than everyone else. He quietly crept down the stairs, ate a small breakfast, and slipped out of the house. He decided to take a walk around the main street. As he walked past the aquarium, he noticed movement and looked through the window. The lights were out, making it difficult to see, so he took out his spare key. After unlocking the large glass doors, he entered the front room and looked out the windows into the main aquarium.

William stood at the top of the stairs with a large bucket. At the bottom there was a mint-colored cocker spaniel, carrying another bucket in its mouth. It was dripping water over the last few steps of the staircase. Then it carefully went back up.

Turtle went around the main desk and crouched behind it. The door creaked open, and footsteps could be heard. "You'd better go back to your hideout now." The voice sounded like William, but it didn't have the French accent.

"You said you were going to meet the girl again today," a low, gravelly voice replied. "Aren't I supposed to be there?"

'Not today, J.," William replied. I'm not sure the turtle likes me. They both have to be there and trust us for it to work. In the meantime, you have to be in your hideout. Boss' orders."

J. grumbled something and they left. Turtle stayed put for a moment and then slowly rose. They were gone. He heaved a sigh of relief, and then he crept back out onto the street. No one was in sight.

So that's why the stairs are always wet, Turtle thought. They've been sabotaging the aquarium! He clenched his fists. He'd been right about that mouse. If only Bluebell knew. She wouldn't believe him if he told her now.

Turtle thought. William had said both he and Bluebell needed to be there for "it" to work. SO if he didn't go anymore, they wouldn't be able to do whatever it was they were going to do.

Was William the one who Arianna and Ashley had talked to, the one who was going to be waiting for them? Turtle became worried. Bluebell could be in danger.

Turtle slunk back to the house. Bluebell passed him as he was going through the door, but they didn't make eye contact. Turtle hung his head and turned the other way while she walked past as if he wasn't there.

Turtle thought for a while. No, he couldn't leave Bluebell alone with a criminal. She was walking, so he would be able to keep up with her without being seen. He turned and crept back down the street.

Bluebell walked to the café. William was waiting for her at the gates. He said something and took her wing in his paw, and then led her over to a table. Turtle watched them talk, feeling his face grow warm with anger.

About twenty minutes later, they got up. Bluebell said something and left. Turtle hid behind a bush, then got up to follow her. As they passed the pet salon, he decided to go in. Barbie and Nikki were there, washing and grooming the animals. He stayed and talked for a few minutes, and then he left.

The same thing happened for the next few days. Two days later, William introduced Bluebell to J. The three of them met up every day for the rest of the week.

One day, instead of Bluebell leaving to go back to the house, William and J. said they wanted to take her somewhere. They walked in the opposite direction of the house. After a while, they got to a deserted part of town. William and J. led her into one of the small, dark buildings. Ten minutes later, they came back out. Without her.

Turtle waited for them to leave. Then he smashed in one of the windows and part of the wall around it. He pulled a box in front of it and climbed inside. Dust floated in around the light from the hole, but the rest of the room was dark. "Bluebell?" Turtle whispered. No reply.