TTR 10 - (In the line of danger)

After a while Mr Pinewood decided to leave the study to talk to his wife in the kitchen.

Mrs Pinewood: You don’t seem your usual self tonight, I presume Roxie spoke to you.
Mr Pinewood: Yes she did so when your daughter says she is a mermaid how else do you react.
Mrs Pinewood: I knew it is hard for anyone to understand.
Mr Pinewood: I don’t mean to seem judgemental but it is very hard to believe and is she really telling the truth.
Mrs Pinewood: Of course she is, she’s been moaning to tell you for ages, even though I didn’t think it was a good idea but what with recently moving house and your job moving, she really hasn’t had the time to talk and explain all the details.
Mr Pinewood: She completely had me fooled.
Mrs Pinewood: Believe me it wasn’t intentional but you know that we have to protect her whatever happens.
Mr Pinewood: It will be difficult, we will adjust to the new changes over time.
Mrs Pinewood: Aren’t you going to tell your daughter why you didn’t respond to her statement.
Mr Pinewood: I really haven’t the time to think about my daughter’s possibilities of growing a tail, you did say she’s well protected so there is really nothing to worry about.
Mrs Pinewood: That is extremely correct, the crystal will protect her unless it gets stolen.
Mr Pinewood: If everything is OK I will go back to my paper and to finish my drink and surely I need it.
Mrs Pinewood: Good luck and may you find out what has been happening in the world.

Mr Pinewood went back to the lounge whilst a knock on the door was heard by Mrs Pinewood who goes quiet when she answers it.
It was the pirates on the other side, they’d returned and this couldn’t be good.

Mrs Pinewood: I am surprised to see you lot here, I wonder how you ended up on our doorstep after so long.
Blackbeard: We’ve been searching for the last few months and here we finally are, believe me we haven’t rested until we knew where you were.
Mrs Pinewood: If you don’t mind me asking, why did you return?
Blackbeard: To finish off that unfinished business from when your family left.
Sabretooth: And we didn’t come all the way from Queensland not to get our own way or return back with what we came for.
Mrs Pinewood: I can’t think what it was you want.
Blackbeard: Why revenge for what happened for starters.
Sabretooth: And we know just how to get it.

Blackbeard and Sabretooth got out some long swords and stormed into the house, going up the stairs they were met by Roxie.
Roxie: I am not pleased to see you 2, how did you get here?
Blackbeard: It took a lot of travelling but we know why we’re here, you seriously damaged our reputation and we could slit your throat here and now.

Roxie is shaking and very nervous about what the pirates could do to her.

Roxie: I can’t believe you still remember, it was 9 years ago, I really don’t think we should dwell on the past.
Sabretooth: I don’t think we should but just to teach you not to cross us again I know just the thing to take.
Roxie: I know what you want but I seriously am not giving it to you.
Blackbeard: I wanted to strike up a deal to put the past behind us but if you won’t give it to us, we’ll have to take it by force.
Roxie: I seriously wouldn’t do that if I was you.
Blackbeard: Why because we’ll be cursed, you don’t scare us because you’re just a junior mermaid after all.
Roxie: Fine, in that case just kill me on the spot, if you steal the crystal then my time is up anyway and I’ll just have to suffer a slow death without it.
Sabretooth: If you are trying to put us off, don’t waste your time, we’re not opening a negotiation here, we’ll just take it because we’re bigger than you and then we’re out of here before you do something you’ll regret.

Blackbeard puts his hand around Roxie’s neck and lifts the chain from around her neck and over her head.
He picks up the necklace with the crystal still attached and puts it in his pocket.

Roxie: I really have to say that I’ll be sorry when you’re blamed for my death.
Blackbeard: We can hire the best lawyer over here and still we feel we have won justice for our reputation, goodbye until the next time we meet Roxie if we ever meet again that is.

The pirates head downstairs while Roxie burst into tears, was this the end of her existence?
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The pirates met Mrs Pinewood again at the front door.

Mrs Pinewood: Leaving so soon?
Sabretooth: Yes, we got what we came for and it should help us forget what your daughter did to us.

Mrs Pinewood sees the crystal necklace in Blackbeard’s pocket.

Mrs Pinewood: I really think you could take anything but that.
Blackbeard: I consider it an acceptable token to put our minds at risk for the damage she caused.
Mrs Pinewood: She was only 3, I really wouldn’t recommend destroying her bit by bit.
Sabretooth: I for 1 thought what she did was intentional, she was 3 but surely aware of what she did.
Mrs Pinewood: I doubt she remembers anything.
Blackbeard: Thank-you for letting us visit, goodbye.

The pirates left and Mr Pinewood entered the hallway.

Mr Pinewood: Why did you let them horrible people through the front door.
Mrs Pinewood: Purely because they gave me no choice and barged in waving sharp silver swords.
Mr Pinewood: Were they silver hallmarked?
Mrs Pinewood: Yes as a matter of a fact they were but we are not hunting antiques here, they stole Roxie’s crystal necklace which contains the elixir she needs to survive, without it she’ll die for sure.
Mr Pinewood: I apologise for joking but I had no idea things were as fatal as this.
Mrs Pinewood: I knew their arrival wasn’t going to be good, I thought they were left in Queensland so I never thought they’d find us when we moved to Canberra.

Roxie came down the stairs and assured her parents things were going to be fine.

Roxie: I managed to feed them false information because that wasn’t the real crystal, I knew if I lost the real thing I’d die so I managed to conjure up a replica and when I realised they were coming I switched it, it was a spur of the moment thing.
Mrs Pinewood: I have to admit that you are a very clever girl and this makes the whole situation so much better.
Roxie: I knew they were coming because I saw them out of the upstairs windows and quickly acted to stop them destroying me, I knew they were coming for me so I planned to have a replica crystal made in case of disaster.
Mrs Pinewood: You were fantastic and I say well done because you managed to save your own life.
Roxie: Now all I have to do is to reveal my secret to my best friend Dylan but how do I do that?
Mr Pinewood: You managed to tell me, now the whole world is your oyster.
Mrs Pinewood: And still he annoys me because he shouldn’t have taken you to the Aquarium.
Roxie: What about feeding the Dolphins that is far worse.
Mrs Pinewood: You did that, please tell me you didn’t.
Roxie: I did it and I don’t know why I did it.
Mrs Pinewood: I really wish you’d stop taking so many gambles with your life, you serious could have let everyone find out what you are.
Roxie: But I didn’t get wet, Dylan made sure that I didn’t.
Mrs Pinewood: When I admit it, he really is a nice boy after all, looking out for you and I think the time has come for him to know your secret before he works it out himself.
Mr Pinewood: But there is 1 rule, you must do it without scaring the boy for life.
Roxie: I know how to be tedious about the subject.
Mrs Pinewood: I think I’ll head to the kitchen now, I think this calls for a nicely brewed cup of coffee
Mr Pinewood: Brilliant idea, I could do with something to counteract the Brandy.
Roxie: 1 part of the plan I never though of is when the pirates realise the crystal is fake, don’t you think they’ll be back.
Mrs Pinewood: It took them 3 months to find us, trust me they are not very intelligent.
Roxie: Even so I outsmarted them and I feel a counter attack is on the cards.
Mrs Pinewood: You’re probably right so shall we go out and they’ll not find us.
Mr Pinewood: Brilliant idea, a meal out at Pizza Hut is always well deserved and it will prevent another pirate invasion.
Roxie: If we are going out I must change, I seriously don’t look smart enough for eating out so I’ll pop to my room and emerge in 10 minutes.
Mrs Pinewood: Please don’t take too long, they could be on their way back as we speak.
Mr Pinewood: Of course I’ll be wearing shirt and trousers it’s the only sensible thing a man can do, they will all know we are a well bided family by the way we dress.
Mrs Pinewood: Shall we book?
Mr Pinewood: No it’s Monday night, they won’t be busy.

Mr Pinewood and Roxie went to change where as Mrs Pinewood felt happy as she was and decided not to change.
They returned 10 minutes later and they looked like the perfect family, they made the way outside to Mr Pinewood’s car which was parked on the driveway.
The front door to the house was locked and so were the windows so they got in the car and re-assured each other that everything would work out for the best.

Mr Pinewood: We should be there in no time, it is really not that far.
Mrs Pinewood: It’s a good job it isn’t because it’s after 19:00pm already and we don’t want to stay out late as we all have busy schedules tomorrow.
Mr Pinewood: How come?
Mrs Pinewood: Roxie was invited to join the after school activities committee.
Mr Pinewood: How could I forgot that was happening, thank-you so much for reminding me.
Roxie: I was wondering being an excellent business man Dad, whether you had any ideas.
Mr Pinewood: As a matter of fact I do, I was thinking you could suggest Chemistry but that could be too heavy going for some people.
Roxie: If I get round to mentioning it I will do because it’s worth suggesting.
Mr Pinewood: See that dear, I can help our daughter push from being an unknown to being very popular.
Mrs Pinewood: She could push for popularity but she had far greater things to deal with.
Roxie: Trust me it’s all in hand and I can juggle what ever comes my way.
Mrs Pinewood: Before you try and impress others you should talk to Dylan and tell him everything before you can try and be in the league as Brittany.
Roxie: I would be afraid to tell him in school hours because of spies who stand around and pick up every little detail.
Mrs Pinewood: Then the best thing to do is find a quiet place and tell him because he’ll never give up trying to find out everything and you’d be much better in confessing now then having to explain it all when you least expect it.
Roxie: Can I ask a reasonable question?
Mr Pinewood: Of course you can.
Roxie: Does this hairstyle go with this outfit?
Mrs Pinewood: I suppose it does, you are wearing a different colour than your usual red and I definitely think that you always look good in pigtails, they certainly go with your image.
Roxie: Thank-you so much for answering because making independent decisions can be quite nerve racking.

The journey plodded along and they arrived eventually at Pizza Hut.
Back at their house a jeep had pulled in the driveway, it was the return of Blackbeard and the pirates but this time it was way more serious, there wasn’t 2 of them there was now 5, what were they planning, they started by knocking on the door.

Blackbeard: No one is here.
Sabretooth: Quite ironic isn’t it.
Red Lemur: Don’t you think they’re trying to give us the slip.
Blackbeard: Yes I believe they are, that Roxie completely took us for fools
Sabretooth: If it’s the real crystal necklace we are after we won’t get it now because she’ll have it with her so why are we here.
Red Lemur: We got out of the jeep to stretch our legs and if we ran into trouble we’d have the other 2 for backup.
Sabretooth: Do you think we shall leave now?
Blackbeard: I’m still searching to see if they left any clues behind to where they were because it is getting dark and we must go back to the hotel for the night.
Red Lemur: I am glad we didn’t get turned down by the hotel but maybe they only let us in because we were to threatening.
Blackbeard: But that’s what we are live for as pirates are meant to be scary, we only wanted a room but that scared many people and we do want to do our jobs but maybe keeping a low profile in public might be better.
Sabretooth: That could help but people will think we are going soft, if we don’t run into everything waving our swords we won’t look like we mean business.
Blackbeard: And still I have my doubts.
Sabretooth: Then it’s time to leave, Roxie will not returned until later and unless Blackbeard has picked up their scent we have no other choice.
Blackbeard: No I haven’t because it’s almost impossible, let’s give up until tomorrow but trust me, we will be back.
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The pinewood’s had a fantastic meal at Pizza Hut and returned at about 21:30pm.
Mr and Mrs Pinewood sat in the lounge whilst Roxie had gone to bed far much later than normal.

Mr Pinewood: I know the pirates were here and I knew they’d come back, they left tyre tracks right on the porch.
Mrs Pinewood: And I guess their staying local because they couldn’t have been back and forth to Queensland in only a couple of hours.
Mr Pinewood: Tell me about it, Canberra is full of hotels and with their in your face approach, I do not see them with a problem for getting a room.
Mrs Pinewood: It’s OK if they return for a 3rd time because Roxie will be out tomorrow if they come back I’ll be ready for them.
Mr Pinewood: I am not filled with total satisfaction that you have to deal with the pirates alone.
Mrs Pinewood: I planned to go out as well and I have a plan to put traps all around the outside of the house and it’ll capture them for certain.
Mr Pinewood: I am amazed because I never thought you’d be having a Macaulay Culpkin in Home Alone moment.
Mrs Pinewood: Precisely what I planned, I’ll make them wish they’d never travelled here and annoyed us after so many years.
Mr Pinewood: May I ask what happened?
Mrs Pinewood: I’d rather not say at this moment as it’ll just complicate things further than they are already.
Mr Pinewood: After 9 years it doesn’t seem important, if you can forget what had happened so should they but I agree with teaching them a lesson 1st.
I hope you’ve got blueprints for your trap.
Mrs Pinewood: I have some drawn up for months so I’ll go and get them.

Mrs Pinewood disappears to get the blueprints which show how she will safeguard her house from pirates and stop them returning.
She returned and made her husband smile and his eyes literally lit up.

Mr Pinewood: Being a business man I consider these ideas to be quite intriguing and I bet you’ve been planning these for a long time.
Mrs Pinewood: Yes I have, these have been under wraps for 5 years because I never knew when they’d strike.
Mr Pinewood: It’s always best to be ready for action.
Mrs Pinewood: And after all this excitement I am feeling really tired.
Mr Pinewood: Do you want a drink?
Mrs Pinewood: I’ll have a cup of tea.
Mr Pinewood: Good because that’s what I wanted.

Mr Pinewood went to the kitchen, put on the kettle and pulled down the mugs from a rack.
He put a teabag in the teapot and some milk in the mugs.
When the kettle had boiled he pour the hot water into the teapot.
Next he bashed the teabag with a spoon and left for 5 minutes, he picked up the teapot and poured the tea into the mugs, he picked up the spoon and stirred the tea.
He took the spoon out and took the mugs through to the lounge.

Mrs Pinewood: This looks like nice tea perhaps I should drink some.

She picks up her mug and drinks some tea.

Mrs Pinewood: And my opinions never proved me wrong yet.

Mr Pinewood tries the tea.

Mr Pinewood: I do make an impressive drink and boy do I need it, I find out my daughter is different and then her life is almost put in danger and I thought this evening was going to be quiet after the busy day I had but it just goes to show that nothing is predictable here.

Drinking the tea took 20 minutes and then Mr and Mrs Pinewood went up the stairs to bed.
Roxie awoke in the middle of the nigh and Mrs Pinewood came in to see her.

Mrs Pinewood: What happened?
Roxie: I had a nightmare.
Mrs Pinewood: Oh dear, what was it about?
Roxie: I dreamed I was being kidnapped by pirates.
Mrs Pinewood: That won’t happen in the real world because we are here to protect you and no pirates will ever harm my daughter.
Roxie: It may just be nerves about something else causing these visions.
Mrs Pinewood: Maybe, you did almost risk a slow death but you prevented if from happening.
Roxie: I still am so sure that they will return for the real crystal necklace.
Mrs Pinewood; And that is why I made blueprints to capture them by setting a trap while you’re out hopefully enjoying staying after school.
Roxie: They can be ruthless, are you sure they can be stopped?
Mrs Pinewood: If it doesn’t, you can always try out your power and drench them.
Roxie: I think that might work.
Mrs Pinewood: You won’t know until you try.
Roxie: If the worse comes to the worse I’ll give it a go.

Mrs Pinewood left and Roxie went back to sleep but she was worried because in her dream the pirates had gone and she was worried they’d entered her room.
She awoke again and Mr Pinewood came in.

Mr Pinewood: What happened this time?
Roxie: The pirates somehow managed to leave the dream and who know where they could have ended up, they could even be in this very room.
Mr Pinewood: I’m certain that they can’t escape from dreams and into reality, the real pirates are in a hotel and they won’t leave there until morning, they need their sleep like you and even if they leave the dream they still mean no threat.
Roxie: Everything that’s happened still leaves me with unanswered questions.
Mr Pinewood: Try to forget you ever had a nightmare and forget about the pirates, if we come across them we can rid them ourselves.
Roxie: I will try my hardest but thank-you anyway for reassuring me.
Mr Pinewood: Please go to sleep again or you’ll be really tired and not be able to shine at school later in the morning.

Mr Pinewood left and Roxie managed to sleep for the rest of the night, she was very happy that nightmares do not escape into reality.
Roxie awoke later and was fully aware of yesterday’s events and the honest truth that she had to tell Dylan that very morning.
She went down to the dinning room for breakfast.

Mrs Pinewood: Good morning, did we get back to sleep.
Roxie: Eventually but I did wake up again but this time Dad managed to reassure me.
Mrs Pinewood: That’s nice, all that is behind us now, it’s time to eat not what would you like?
Roxie: Do we have any cornflakes.
Mrs Pinewood: Yes, they’re on the table, shall I pour you some?
Roxie: Yes, thank-you that would be most grateful.

Mrs Pinewood poured some cornflakes and then some milk into Roxie’s bowl as she didn’t want to find out her daughter was allergic to other liquids besides water.

Mrs Pinewood: Would you like me to get you a drink?
Roxie: I’ll have apple juice please.

Mrs Pinewood left for the kitchen whilst Roxie eat her cornflakes, Mrs Pinewood returned from the kitchen carrying a class of apple juice.

Roxie: Thank-you
Mrs Pinewood: I was preparing some boiled egg, do you want 1?
Roxie: Yes, that would be nice.

Mrs Pinewood returned to the kitchen to check on the eggs and put some toast in the toaster, a few minutes later a egg was placed in an egg cup and the toast was cut into soldiers.
Mrs Pinewood returned to the dinning room.

Roxie: Do you know where Dad is?
Mrs Pinewood: He left 5 minutes before you go up, he had an important meeting, after last night I hope it was with a physiatrist.
Roxie: I kinda scared him didn’t I?
Mrs Pinewood: He needed telling and that’s what you did.
Roxie: I have Dylan to tell and that won’t be easy.
Mrs Pinewood: You never know, he may be more understanding than you think.

Roxie started eating the rest of her breakfast.

Roxie: What are you doing today Mum?
Mrs Pinewood: Safe proofing the house in case the pirates return, if they come for the locket they won’t get it as it will be with you at school.
Roxie: You make sure you’re out when they come.
Mrs Pinewood: Of course I will, I don’t want to fight them off single handed.
Roxie: I don’t have to worry because Dylan said he’d protect me, even if he had no idea what he was getting himself into.
Mrs Pinewood: Now run along and get dressed then you can get the bus to school or would you like to walk.
Roxie: It must be at least a mile and I don’t feel I have the energy for that so I’ll catch the bus.
Mrs Pinewood: Don’t take too long, the school bus comes in 20 minutes.
Roxie: I’ll catch it in time, I wouldn’t want to miss seeing Dylan.

Roxie went to get dressed and she came down and her mother walked her to the bus stop 2 minutes down the road, she got on and immediately saw Dylan and she went to sit next to him.

Roxie: Hello Dylan.
Dylan: Hello Roxie.
Roxie: Our house was attacked by pirates last night and they nearly stole the crystal.
Dylan: That’s terrible, how did you prevent it from happening?
Roxie: I conjured up a fake crystal because I knew they were coming sometime and I gave them that.
Dylan: And they feel for it.
Roxie: For a while they did but just to make sure, we decided to go out for a meal in case they returned, they must have realised because there was tyre marks so we knew they had come back.
Dylan: Will they return for a 2nd time?
Roxie: Mum consider they’ll be back today and that I’m better of staying well away so she was pleased that I was staying at school after class.
Dylan: And she has a plan to rid you of them?
Roxie: Yes she does and it’s quite a detailed affair.
Dylan: Good luck to her in ridding you of your nightmares.
Roxie: Funny you should say that because I had a nightmare about pirates last night.
Dylan: That’s awful I hope you are happier now.
Roxie: Thank-you for asking, yes I am.
Dylan: Then we’re ready to start the day.
Roxie: The vision is probably caused by something I did, I did go swimming when I was younger but that all changed when I became allergy to water and become a mermaid so things can be difficult these days.
Dylan: That makes no sense so how can it be possible?
Roxie: When water touches my skin I grow a tail and I transform into a water creature.
Dylan: I should have guessed that was what you were hiding but I am glad you told me because I am not the sort of person to treat you differently, as a friend I am glad you told me before you got in real danger.
Roxie: After the pirate attack I felt I had no choice.
Dylan: I am glad everything is out in the open so we can enjoy our day at school with nothing to worry about.
Roxie: I have special powers too, I can control water so if I every get the chance to show you I will.
Dylan: The bus has arrived now so off we get.
Roxie: I am ready to get off because I feel ready to conquer anything.

Dylan and Roxie got off the bus and were ready for what Tuesday was to throw at them.