Author's Note: And here's the next chapter. I also want to thank SaturdaySurpris for reviewing. Enjoy!
Private and I walked back to the zoo. “So,” asked Private, “how was it?”
I grinned at him. “Amazingly delicious.”
He beamed. “See, everybody likes snow cones.”
I laughed. “You were right, Private. Race you back to the zoo.”
I took off sliding. He ran a little before launching himself. “Not fair!” yelled Private. “You got a head start!”
We arrived, laughing, at the penguin habitat. “Uh oh,” said Private, sliding to a stop.
I followed his glance to see a very angry looking Skipper. “I agree,” I whispered back.
“Where have you been? You missed training!”
As I opened my beak to defend myself, Private lowered his eyes. “Sorry, Skipper.”
I realized that the words were directed at the young penguin. Without thinking, I defended Private. “It wasn’t his fault,” I said.
Skipper turned to me. “Yes it was,” he answered.
“I asked him to go,” I replied evenly.
Skipper glanced at Private. “Is it true?”
The boy looked at me, fear in his eyes. I nodded once. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled.
Skipper glanced between us and sighed. “Ten laps around the zoo,” he finally said.
With that, he jumped back into the HQ. Private looked at me. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Defend me? It was my fault. I asked you if you wanted to get snow cones with me. I should have looked at the time,” he said.
The penguin was nearly in tears. I waddled over to him and patted his back. “Instinct, Private. You reminded me of someone.”
He looked up at me. “Thanks.”
I smiled back. “Come on. I’ll do the laps with you.”
Ten laps later…
“That was refreshing,” I noted.
“Nothing like a swim after a long run,” agreed Private.
He glanced at me. “Nathan? Can I ask you a question?”
“You already did,” I said, smiling.
“I mean another one.”
“Sure, Private. What do you want to know?”
“You said I reminded you of somebody. Who?”
I looked toward the horizon. “You’re a lot like my brother, Private. A lot like him.”
Without waiting for an answer, I climbed down to the HQ.
Private and I walked back to the zoo. “So,” asked Private, “how was it?”
I grinned at him. “Amazingly delicious.”
He beamed. “See, everybody likes snow cones.”
I laughed. “You were right, Private. Race you back to the zoo.”
I took off sliding. He ran a little before launching himself. “Not fair!” yelled Private. “You got a head start!”
We arrived, laughing, at the penguin habitat. “Uh oh,” said Private, sliding to a stop.
I followed his glance to see a very angry looking Skipper. “I agree,” I whispered back.
“Where have you been? You missed training!”
As I opened my beak to defend myself, Private lowered his eyes. “Sorry, Skipper.”
I realized that the words were directed at the young penguin. Without thinking, I defended Private. “It wasn’t his fault,” I said.
Skipper turned to me. “Yes it was,” he answered.
“I asked him to go,” I replied evenly.
Skipper glanced at Private. “Is it true?”
The boy looked at me, fear in his eyes. I nodded once. “Yes, sir,” he mumbled.
Skipper glanced between us and sighed. “Ten laps around the zoo,” he finally said.
With that, he jumped back into the HQ. Private looked at me. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Defend me? It was my fault. I asked you if you wanted to get snow cones with me. I should have looked at the time,” he said.
The penguin was nearly in tears. I waddled over to him and patted his back. “Instinct, Private. You reminded me of someone.”
He looked up at me. “Thanks.”
I smiled back. “Come on. I’ll do the laps with you.”
Ten laps later…
“That was refreshing,” I noted.
“Nothing like a swim after a long run,” agreed Private.
He glanced at me. “Nathan? Can I ask you a question?”
“You already did,” I said, smiling.
“I mean another one.”
“Sure, Private. What do you want to know?”
“You said I reminded you of somebody. Who?”
I looked toward the horizon. “You’re a lot like my brother, Private. A lot like him.”
Without waiting for an answer, I climbed down to the HQ.
They walked up to the house. The old grey porch creaked. They opened the door. A faint light cast shadows on the stone walls. It smelled of dirt and mothballs. Or maybe dirty mothballs.
"Ow!" Yelled Skipper.
Kowalski glanced over Skipper. He had stepped on a board that flipped up and hit him in the face.
"Ssshh." Said Kowalski.
"Ow." Wispered Skipper.
They heard footsteps. They ran out the door and back to the base.
"How about we Just knock." Suggested Privete, "or Email him."
***
Bang,bang,bang. The door didn't open. Bang,bang,bang. Still .didn't.
"Rico, rope." ordered Skipper.
"Here Skipper." said Rico handing him a rope.
"Perfect."
Skipper made a lasso and lassoed the weathervane.
"Skippah," said Privete "couldn't we try something a little less… well, dangerous."
"Sure Privete. Got any ideas?" said Skipper.
The door creaked open. A peice of papper blew in front of Skippers face. It said: TO BE CONTIUED. XD
"Ow!" Yelled Skipper.
Kowalski glanced over Skipper. He had stepped on a board that flipped up and hit him in the face.
"Ssshh." Said Kowalski.
"Ow." Wispered Skipper.
They heard footsteps. They ran out the door and back to the base.
"How about we Just knock." Suggested Privete, "or Email him."
***
Bang,bang,bang. The door didn't open. Bang,bang,bang. Still .didn't.
"Rico, rope." ordered Skipper.
"Here Skipper." said Rico handing him a rope.
"Perfect."
Skipper made a lasso and lassoed the weathervane.
"Skippah," said Privete "couldn't we try something a little less… well, dangerous."
"Sure Privete. Got any ideas?" said Skipper.
The door creaked open. A peice of papper blew in front of Skippers face. It said: TO BE CONTIUED. XD