Island 4

John Stark will be glad he helped me.  Gerald probably would have done nothing except yell, but any help, any respite from the assaults and taunts of all the nasty, foul-mouthed children at that school was more than welcome.  Someday, I will repay his kindness, I thought to myself.  That day wasn't today.  Today I had Dagmar to deal with.  Ever since my ass was kicked, she was on a manhunt; hardly sleeping, and getting home late.  Frantically calling people, recalling, hoping.  Most nights Dagmar's sister was at our house.  Helga she was called.  She would plop me in front of the TV in the guest bedroom, and bring me food.  She didn't speak English, so she always seemed to just keep me safe, there wasn't much interaction.  After she knew I was settled in for the night, watching cartoons and the like, she would head straight for the living room to catch up on the German soap operas she so loved.  They were beamed in straight from Berlin via satellite for quite a price.  I was getting tired of this routine.  I felt like a prisoner.  Why should I have to suffer twice for losing a fight to ten older kids?  Dagmar was no closer to finding these kids than I was to freedom.  Something had to be done.  It was near the middle of the night, and I was "asleep", or so Helga thought, when Dagmar got home that night.  All I could hear was loud German chatter, yelling and screaming back and forth.  It sounded like two burly elephant seals barking at each other right before battling for a mate.  I slid the sheets and covers off of me and landed as quietly as I could on the creaky hardwood floor in my bedroom.  I knew Dagmar couldn't be reasoned with, I knew she wasn't going to find these kids.  She didn't know what they looked like, only descriptions given to her by a five year old.  Dagmar, though she wanted it so badly, would not be the one to avenge me.  I would have to find these bastards myself.  I knew what they looked like, and I knew their minds.  They were booze thirsty and pretty dumb.  They weren't foolish enough to return to the fast and sleazy, but there was another liquor store a few blocks from there.  I could picture them standing out back in the rear parking lot with their paper bag covered prize, passing the bottle, laughing and smiling, thinking they were all in the clear for what they had done.  I slowly and silently shuffled the soles of my footsie pajamas along my enemies of the moment, the floorboards, and went to the bookshelf.  I pulled down as many of the bulkier volumes in my collection as I could.  The collection ranged from one-fish two-fish, to goodnight moon, so I was going to have to grab quite a few books to accomplish what I had planned for these fools.  I tucked and jammed as many books as I could into my pajamas.  When I was fully stuffed, and just about ready to head for door, the barking from the living room suddenly died.  Oh poopy!  Dagmar is going to come check on me.  I shuffled as quickly as I could and made a whole-hearted dive toward my bed.  Plunk... I misjudged that one.  My knee smashed into the bed-frame, and I clenched my teeth as hard as I could to keep from screaming.  Luckily, I had two handfuls of sheet.  I grasped with all of my might, and hoisted my body back on top of the bed, and slid the covers back over me just as I heard the gentle click of the doorknob.  Dagmar's version of stealth was not as graceful as mine, and every time the floorboards creaked and moaned, so did my heart.  "CRRREEEAAAKK" She will foil my plans if she sees the books, I just know it.  "SQQUUEEAAAKK" I had been holding my breath, I realized, and I was running out of air.  "CREEEEAAAAAKKK"  Let this air out slowly, she is about to lean in for the kiss!!!  "SQQUUEEAAAKK" I pursed my lips together and leaked the air out of my lungs as quickly but quietly as possible.  I felt the bed shake as Dagmar's massive hand pressed on the edge of the bed.  It felt like twenty earthquakes were rumbling through me all at once.  The wet slobbery kiss landed softly on my cheek, and I could hear her faintly whisper, "Süße Träume!"  and then, "CRREEAAKK"
Whew, what a relief.  "SQQUUEEAAKK"  The panic was subsiding.  "CRREEEAAAKK"  My heart was slowing back down.  "SQQUUEEAAAKKKK"  My muscles were relaxing. "CLICK"  She shut the door softly, and all was calm again.  Too calm, my eyes shut at the shut of the door, and I was struggling to open them again.  I felt my body rolling uncontrollably, seeking comfort.  My body thought it had won, sleep it would have.  Those bastards had won too I dreamily thought, until Dr. Seuss salvaged my redemption, the corner of one fish, two fish jabbed sharply into my ribs.  "YOOOWWWZZAAA" I bellowed as I woke with a start, but fortune was on my side.  Helga, wasn't finished with her soaps, and just as I screamed in pain, one of the characters shrieked in anger.  Perhaps, they knew my cause was just...


to be continued