STITCH VI

Wonder went over and hugged his other persona.

"My Mom killed you, didn't she?"

Wonder nodded.

Tears fell down Nate's eyes.

"I'm sorry about your mom. We couldn't stop the wrath inside us."

"It's alright. She may have deserved what happened to her. My Dad was innocent though." said Nate his voice trembling.

"Your father wasn't with you at that time."

Nate stood up.

"How can that be?! Is he alive?! But—but, they found a body!"

"We don't know. There are many very curious things in this world. But, we don't have time to think about that right now. We must put an end to this."

Nate looked up the mountain.

"But, how are we going to get up there?!"

Wonder laughed.

"Kids these days don't have imagination!"

He whistled using his fingers.

A loud distant chug of metal and whistle chooed towards them.

The train flew and wormed towards them. It whistled twice then, came to a halt, its side facing them.

Wonder went in front the engine and softly rubbed its face.

"Boys, this is Gary. Gary these are my friends, Nate, and Despair."

The train's face was glossy pearly white. Its nose was pointy and sharp and its roulette eyes were spinning and whirling in red and black.

It laughed in a deep metallic voice.

"Are—are—we going to rrr—ride him up to—to Wra—Wrath!" Despair said shivering.

"Oh, come on Despair where's your sense of adventure?!"

Wonder hopped inside Gary's engine room. It was too small for two people to fit.

"I sense I'm gonna ff—fall dd—ddown from the sky! I--I—I—I'm afraid of h—heights!"

"Since when are we afraid of heights? Come on, let's go!"

"Don't be afraid. Take my hand. You can trust me." Nate calmly said extending his arm at Despair with his palm open.

Despair looked at Nate's hand.

"W—why should I—I trust you?!"

Nate looked at Despair eye to eye.

"Because, I'm not my mom." answered Nate.

Despair reluctantly took Nate's hand. Nate placed his other hand on top of Despair's.

Nate nodded at him.

Despair grimaced but, he nodded.

Nate helped Despair up the first car. The car was so small that only one child could fit in it. It was restrictive. Nate climbed and sat in the second one. He can feel his legs was really uncomfortable, his knees and muscle were in tension.

"All aboard!" said Gary.

Gary breathed two loud whistles. They zoomed up into the air. Nate felt his stomach was left below the ground. He remembered his fun day with his brother, his favorite time was riding the roller coaster, it was exhilarating. It was different this time tough: there were no seatbelts, no tracks, and Henry wasn't there to help. Henry would wash his clothes, cook him his favorite spaghetti, he like it a bit sour, he ties his shoes and help him put on his clothes. He bought him a cool Nike rubbers shoes on his first salary. Henry puts Nate needs first before himself. Nate's stomach lurched when Gary made the "loop the loop."

"Brace yourselves, we're entering "The Smiting Clouds!" said Wonder.

Sure enough the sounds of thunder rumbled louder and louder. A streak of lightning suddenly went past them overhead.

"This—this is dd—dangerous!"

Despair gulped.

BAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMM!

The front of the train. Smoke dissipated from Gary's now dirty face.

KAAAAABBBBRRRRAAAAAAAAMMMMMM!

The last car was hit and was completely destroyed, its pieces scattered everywhere.

"Hang on boys!" said Wonder.

"Hang on to what?!"

They were swallowed in the dark sea of clouds. Lightning streaks were blasted at them. Gary dodged them all. The cloud rumbled in dismay.

"Come on, come on!"

Wonder patted Gary's engine.

Finally, light slowly showed itself. Then, they whooshed out of the clouds.

KAAABBBBAAAAAAAMMMMMM!

Nate's car was hit.

Everything felt silent except for a deafening ringing sound. He realized, he shouldn't have done this alone. All his life he thought he knows everything that he can stand alone, fight alone, be independent in everything. He was wrong. He needed...

"HENRY!" Nate shouted at the top of his lungs.

He closed his eyes. His mind started to get dark and blank. No one was coming to save him. It was over.

Someone grabbed his arm.

Nate opened his eyes.

"Ho—hold on!"

"Despair?!"

Despair looked down. His knees became wiggly and soft and his body started to shake. Everything was spinning, He was getting nauseous. Nate's arm was slipping from Despair's grip.

"DON'T LOOK DOWN! JUST LOOK AT ME! YOU'RE DOING GOOD DESPAIR!"

Nate looked down. He was really up high in the air. They were getting farther away from the clouds. He felt dizzy and his heart was horribly thumping fast.

"OH NO! I LOOKED DOWN! I LOOKED DOWN! BAD IDEA! BAD IDEA!" Nate said closing his eyes.

"We're here!"

"JUMP! JUMP!" Grunted Gary.

Despair pulled and jumped off the car. Both he and Nate landed on yellow brick pavement hard. Nate was lying there rubbing his hip in slight pain.

"Wonder!"

Despair elongated his left arm and grabbed Wonder by the back of his coat and pulled him and slowly landed him on the floor.

PATTHHHOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!

Gary Exploded.

His pieces scattered everywhere.

Wonder rushed to the edge and watched Gary's face falling.

"NN—NOOOO!"

Gary smiled and winked at him. He fell and vanished into the clouds.

Nate hugged Despair.

"Thank you so much! You saved me!"

Despair nodded. Wonder was still quietly looking down by the edge.

"I'm sorry." Said Nate tapping Wonder's shoulder.

Despair cried and sobbed.

Wonder looked at them and smiled.

"Imagination and friends never really leave. They always haunt you in the most awesome way." He said.

Nate suddenly felt a powerful jolt seeping through his skin. His breathing became fast and shallow. He coughed three times. The atmosphere was a bit suffocating. He felt weak and sick the same feeling when he got a terrible flu. They turned and were surprised to what they saw.

At first glance a giant skull with horns swirling upward was floating in midair. On each side of it where ten balloons with strings punctured on the ground. Blood was gushing slowly from where its eyes used to be. The stream flowing towards them made a foul carpet.

"There's no turning back." Said Wonder who led the way.