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 Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:05 pm
Scrambling up behind Polly, Galleai grinned. She didn't have callouses, but one of the benefits of being a dreamwalker was that terrain like this didn't hurt her. "Hey!" She called out, "I'll race you!" With a shout of joyful laughter, she began to sprint up the path, passing Polly before the other girl could have a chance to realize she was being raced.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:09 pm
"Hey! No fair!" Polly called after her, giving chase.
At the top there was a gigantic gator man standing there in a green loincloth, much like the one that Polly wore. His eyes seemed to gleam unnaturally, his huge arms crossed over his chest as if he had been waiting for them--or more importantly, for Polly.
Polly stopped, her grin fading from her face. She knew this part of the dream all too well.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:13 pm
Galleai, who had been passed by Polly about halfway up the slope, stopped suddenly but not suddenly enough to keep from bumping into the other girl's back. She stared up at the huge gator with wide eyes and her little hand sought out Polly's. But she stayed silent. No sense in saying anything until she knew what was happening.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:17 pm
"Get your stuff," "Tock" said gruffly.
"No," Polly said, her hand tightening on Galleai's. "I won't."
"Don't back talk me, little girl. I said to get your stuff. You're going back--"
"I won't!" Polly yelled. The hand holding Galleai's started to get warm, almost scalding. "I won't go back! You're not my Daddy! You're--you're just a dream!"
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:23 pm
Galleai squeezed Polly's hand tightly in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture. "She doesn't have to go anywhere!" Galleai chimed in, sounding far more brave than she necessarily felt. "You can't make her!" She wasn't sure where the big gator man wanted to send Polly, but it was clear that this could quickly devolve into a nightmare if Galleai didn't help her bright new friend stand up for herself.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:26 pm
The gator man, looming over them in a dangerous manner, finally looked at Galleai and snorted. "Who's the brat, brat?" he asked Polly. "Not that it matters. She can go back with you--"
Polly let go of Galleai's hand and stepped forward. "You love me," she told him. "You're not like Mommy. Mommy sent me back, but you promised you'd never, ever send me back!"
"Things change," he said. "I'm a pirate. I lie--"
And she shoved him off the cliff.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:32 pm
"Oh!" Galleai leaned over the cliff to watch the man fall. It seemed that he was falling for a very long time. She turned back to Polly. "Are you okay?" She wasn't entirely sure what had just happened, but she thought she had a decent idea.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:47 pm
Polly was watching the imitation Tock fall. She even sat down on the cliff, her legs dangling over the side. "He promised," she said quietly. "He promised I'd never have to go back. And I haven't had to. That's just a liar."
She took a deep breath, smiling up at the other girl slightly. "He's gone now. Wanna jump again?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:50 pm
She wanted to ask, 'back where?' But she wasn't sure wether or not Polly would get upset. Instead, Galleai grabbed the other girl's hand again. "Well, he lied but you took care of him good. Lets jump together!" She wanted to reassure Polly that she'd never have to go back to wherever it was. But she didn't know if it was true or not. She hoped it was true. She'd seen the lonely dreams of orphaned children, and Polly shone too brightly to be one of them.
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:52 pm
"Okay!" Polly said as she stood. "Let's jump together!"
Then she tugged Galleai with her, three long steps, took a breath, and raced forward for that brief moment of flight before she fell into the water. She kept ahold of the other girl's hand the entire time.
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