The Daisy Garden

Chapter 18 - The Taking

"So what's gonna happen about Octavia Ohwell, is she gone now, and how are we gonna tell my parents, I should have gone with Rex, we need to save the people of the Willow Garden... If Rex went up that path with Maisy, that's probably where he's keeping our friends. We need to go and investigate." Barny looked at Daisy "agreed. They're as important as anything." Barny and Daisy made their way slowly and cautiously down the route that Rex had gone. "But doesn't that risk us getting caught?" Barny sneered at Daisy.

"That's really selfish of you." Daisy stood in the clearing on her own. Whilst Barny walked down the path; on her own. Daisy pulled the walkie talkie out of her pocket. "Sorry?"

"S'more like it." Barny beckoned Daisy forward. "Come on." Daisy smiled and walked forward,

"Time to kick some ratbutt."

They made it to a small dimly lit clearing. In the corner were a few cages. Padlocked, but inside, were the Willow Garden creatures, they didn't looked panicked, they looked asleep, drugged. Barny ran over and rattled on the bars. There was no sign of anyone from the shadow garden. Barny looked over at Daisy. "Remember that time we were at your Grandpa's house and we wanted those gummy bears so bad we broke into his secret cupboard?" Daisy nodded. "How did you pick that lock?"

"Hairpin." Daisy pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and walked briskly over to the cage to open the lock. The door creaked as they released E. They dragged him out, he looked almost dead, but he was still breathing. "Just a few more to go." All the cages were in catagories, all the Rarams were in one and all the flying creatures were in another and so on. They then unlocked the bugs and beetles. Then the birds, then the snakes. Then they were done, but all the creatures were drugged up and sleeping. One by one they dragged the bigger creatures out. Then the birds.

Daisy and Barny were each carrying two huge armfuls of crows, when Daisy stopped. Barny turned around "what's the matter?" Daisy looked panicked.

"I don't know... I can't move." It seemed that there was some sort of forcefield in front of her, she banged against it. "Barny I can't move!" Barny dropped his crows. In front of him, down by his feet. They started wriggling, they were waking up. "Okay, just... Just calm down, I'm sure it's nothing." Daisy banged against the wall and screaming. Barny had never seen her like this in all the years he's known her. There was a dark shadow approaching Daisy from behind. "Daisy watch out!"

"It's finally the end. I can't believe it." Daisy kicked the forcefield. "We have to say goodbye after all."

"No no no! We don't say goodbye! We just say.... Aloha!" They both laughed. The shadow came nearer, and it became clear that it was Rex. "Haha, you infants thought you could fool me. I'm taking Daisy and you can't stop me," Barny accepted that this was it.

"Just give us a minute... Please?" Rex backed off into the distance.

"Barny how did this happen? I thought our plan was foolproof."

"Obviously not. He's not gonna give up until he beats me up inside." Barny sighed. "I need you to stay strong. I don't have a plan this time, but if I know you... You'll make it." They put their hands against the shield. Daisy wept a single tear "I love you."