The car pulls into a large town. The Honda rides through the business district and stops at McDonalds. He shakes Madison slightly and she wakes up. She gives him that annoyed look and places her head back on the seat to sleep. He shakes her again and she wakes up quickly.
“What?” she asked. “Time to eat Madison. Princess…” Natalia wakes up on that word and smiles immediately. Joseph taps on Annabelle’s leg and she opens her eyes. Joseph could tell that she was not at peace from the look in her eyes. She quickly recovered herself and regained control over herself.634Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuBVaADtkK
“Breakfast everyone…and might I add it is on me.” Joseph said. “I wasn’t going to pay anyhow.” Madison said getting out of the car. “So cold…so very cold Madison. All this for shoes…shoes…” “Don’t mess with a woman’s shoes Joseph.” Annabelle said smiling at him and walking after Madison.
“Duh Jas! So stupid!” Natalia said reaching her arms out. Joseph looked away and lifted her. They walked into the place of business. Joseph kept his sister in his arms after looking at the ruffians that occupied the fast food restaurant.
“1 Mcwrap please and a coffee…no sugar or cream.” Madison said. “Since when do you watch your figure?” Joseph asked knowingly. “You know you’re right. You know you’re going to get me fat right? Make that 2 McWraps…and an apple pie. Thanks.” Madison said.
Annabelle came up to order. “One…give me a breakfast combo please. No coffee, orange juice.” She told the lady. Joseph walks to the order. He orders he and his sister a biscuit and cup of apple juice.
They all sit down to eat. They sit in a corner away from the men that occupied the store. Joseph was on high alert. He could sense a fly settling down on a fork if it did. Motion made him twitchy.
Madison tapped on him. “Calm down. Nothing is going to happen.” She told him. Natalia was twitching just like him. Annabelle wondered if there was something wrong with the both of them.
A cup flies their way. Joseph catches it in his hand from it hitting Madison. He throws it on the floor and gets up. The men were brawling in the McDonald’s now.
“You were saying?!” Joseph said. “Time to grab…grab anything you want to eat on your way and go.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” One of the men said. He is smashed in the back by a chair. Joseph socks him back into the man that hit him with the chair. Joseph turns and sees the girls cornered.
Today? Really? Out of all the days and weeks? ...Joseph thought. Joseph runs at two of the men. He grabbed one of the men and yanks him to the ground. The other tries to punch him as he takes the other one down. Joseph’s foot came into his face as he swings and Joseph twists in the air. He looks at Natalia.
“RAM GIRL! RAM!” Joseph said ducking under a swing that he didn’t see. Joseph slides behind the man and kicks him forward. Natalia runs forward and runs into the gut of a man. He is sent flying out of the establishment. The man slides on the concrete unconscious.634Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6MBA55hBQ
Joseph looks at the little girl running headfirst into the men. Joseph spin kicks another man out of the window. Joseph leaps into the air as two men try to jump him. His feet lands on their heads. He pushes down on their heads and the men are smashed into the ground.
Joseph grabs the arms of Madison and Annabelle and yanks them after him. He pulls them out of the store and points to the car. Joseph looks back in and sees Natalia cornered. She was not afraid. She had her hands up ready to strike. She closed her eyes and started to swing. She opened her eyes and Joseph had the last man in his hands. He slams the man on the ground and he coughs. He holds his hand out to Natalia and bows to her.
“Coming Princess?” he asked. “Don’t mind if I do!” she said. Natalia is lifted over Joseph’s shoulder and they get in the car. Joseph looks at the destroyed establishment.
Huh…Maybe I should not have fought so hard. He said to himself. He cranks the car up and pulls away.
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The Accord flies down the road. The beautiful scenery of Virginia started to change as they entered the next state down. They stopped at a rest stop and all got out. Joseph took Natalia off the bathroom.
Madison and Annabelle walks on the pathways. The leaves fell from above to the ground below, crunched under the delicate feet that walk over them.634Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PMUeiweqQ
“Joseph seems…different, he and his sister.” Annabelle says. “They are, particularly Joseph. Natalia has a ways to go to be like her brother. She’s a little mean under the gills if you haven’t seen it yet.” Madison said.634Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc6FWUjtL7
“I have. She’s adored in her brother’s eyes though. I’ve never had a sibling, so I don’t know what it’s like to adore a sibling.” Annabelle says. “Neither have I. Joseph’s been practically my brother, for the longest time.” Madison says.
“I can see it. So tell me this, why are we going to Texas for brain scan if there is no medical condition suspected?” Annabelle said looking at Madison. “We all have our reasons for doing things don’t we? Joseph has a condition that affects him on an emotional level.”
“What emotional level?” “I’m not at liberty to discuss that. If you want to know for yourself, ask him. I’m sure that he won’t mind telling you.” Madison said.
“I think he’s very protective of many things. You did notice what I did right? While we were in the restaurant, somehow, he kept his eyes on us and his sister, who was strangely stronger than those men. I’ve never seen a soul keep up with two sets of people. Is that normal?”
“Um, even I don’t know that. I mean, sure, he and I have been in some scraps before. You’ll have never found a man who is able to find danger like Joseph Arlington. Still that is what he is able to do. There was this time, about two years ago; he and I thought it would be a good idea to visit Toys-R-Us. So uh, we went, with um, something in mind…I think it was a toy for Natalia or something like, but we went.
In the parking lot there men and women sitting outside. They were very unhappy. One of the managers there knew us. We asked him why everyone was waiting outside and why was everyone so unhappy. That did us a lot of good.
We came to find out that everyone was there for the same toy that we happened to decide to buy for little Natalia. It was that Wranger toy. It was ugly…but we guessed that she wanted it.
Twenty minutes later, we were in the store. People were pushing…shoving…doing all sorts of things to get the toy that seemed to be literally the only then marketable at the time. Well, I got my hands on one. That was a mistake.
I, a 14 year-old was holding the toy that all the adults were begging to have. They started grabbing at me and I could do nothing to keep them at bay. I was so scared. Then, Mr. Heroic appeared in the light and stood his ground in front of me.
He literally fought those adults off. He did it to protect me but most off all so his sister could have the toy that she wanted. To me…that was…something to watch.634Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJiHqSEuV7
So, what do you think about him so far?”
“I find him…dominating, perhaps peculiar, and protective.” Annabelle said keeping pace.
“Interesting point of view. I think you’ve hit on the mark by the way. So, what do you do?” Madison asked. “I, don’t do much. I read a lot, draw, do my schoolwork. I really don’t do much, but there isn’t much to do in town, not since…there’s just not that much to do.” She responded.
“Oh, come on, there are plenty of things to do in that town. I’m sure you know everything there is to know about New Heights.” Madison said. “I do. There are things I could do, but…it’s not the same without someone to do them with.” Annabelle said looking ahead. She was kind of blank until she heard a voice.
“HEY! Time to go. Princess is done. Hurry it up, I’m on a schedule here!” Joseph yelled out to the two. They both turned to him and hurried down the path.
They all got in the car. Joseph looked back to them both.
“You both better go use the bathroom now. I’m not stopping for the next 2 hours. I don’t want to hear I have to go to the bathroom. So, if you don’t mind?” Joseph said looking at them both.
“Fine boss.” Madison said socking him in the arm. She and Annabelle got out of the car. They finished and they were on the road once again.634Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aUDMWQibj
