"Are you sure there isn't anything else she did or said?" Lock asked. "I've told you guys everything I remember." "Lock, you've asked him a million times. It's starting to get annoying." said Barrel, "I mean, technically we only have Lini's word that he was even back." "What are you saying...?" Lock said with a dangerous look in his eye. "All I'm saying is that maybe we shouldn't be so worried. This could just be one of Lini's 'jokes.'" "Lini would never lie about something like this!!" "Oh yeah, up until this morning she acted like we didn't even exist to her anymore." I interrupted saying, "Barrel how can you say that! You didn't see how afraid she looked when she told me what happened. She couldn't have faked that." "Hmph" "Shut the !@#$ up Barrel!" Shock yelled. I haven't heard her swear since they started going to school. "LINI'S MISSING AND YOU THINK THIS IS JUST A JOKE! HOW CAN YOU ACT LIKE THIS! SHE IS OUR FRIEND!" He yelled back equally hard. "COULD HAVE FOOLED ME SISTER SEEING AS SHE INGNORED US FOR WEEKS!" "Barrel," Said Lock with a very authoritative voice, "Shut up, I don’t care what you may think, but Lini wouldn't do something like this for a joke." "Do you really believe that or do you just want to because you love her?" At that moment Lock's face turned as red as his hair. "I…you…how…" "Oh please, to live with you and not know; you'd have to be an idiot." I was shocked. I mean, how could I not be? I just found out my best friend is in love with my sister. I wondered what Lini would have thought about this. However, I was snapped back from my thoughts at the sound of fighting. Barrel had apparently said something that set off Lock. It took a minute but Shock and I eventually pulled them off each other. "What's wrong with you two!!!?" Shock screamed, "Lini's missing and now you're fighting…" She burst into tears again. Lock apologized, "I'm sorry Shock." Then Barrel, "I'm sorry too, to the both of you. I know Lini wouldn’t do something like this, but he can’t be back. It’s not possible…" "But it's true."
At that moment Mom and Dad entered the room. Lock asked the question we were all thinking, "Have you found her?" Dad answered. "I'm afraid not. But we think we know where he's taken her. His old lair under the tree house. I’m going to go get her." "I'm coming too" we all said at once. "No," said Dad, "I'm going alone." "No way" I said. "Junior, Lock, Shock, Barrel, please, stay here. Where it's safe." "You can't stop us from going" said Shock. "We're legally adults; we can make our own decisions." Said Lock. "Yeah" said Barrel. "I don't care if 'legally' you're adults; you're still children and you're not going." I don’t have to tell you an argument ensued. Lock, Shock, and Barrel argued that they could make their own decisions and they could be helpful as they knew his lair inside and out. I argued that he couldn't go alone, and that there was no way I was not coming. Mom finally settled the argument saying, "You four are staying here, I'm already missing one child," tears came to her eyes at this point, "I'm not losing another. Lock, Shock, Barrel, you may not be my children, but you're as good as, and you're not going either." Dad kissed Mom good bye, and told us to take care of each other. He left alone. Mom, still with tears in her eyes, went up to check on Butter.
As soon as she was gone I turned to the others and said, "I don’t know about you three, but I'm going to help Dad and Lini." "Right behind you." They all said at once. I hated to leave Mom, but Dad wasn't going to face him alone. We went to leave but were temporarily stopped by Andy. "You're all going aren’t you?" He said with a curious look in his eyes. "Yes" I answered simply. "Here then," he said giving me a metal lighter. "For luck." He explained. Andy's a pyromaniac. He likes to watch things burn. I put it in my pocket. "Thanks, and tell Mom not to worry." Then we left, making only one stop at their place to get a few weapons. Just in case. Barrel grabbed a gun. Shock took a dagger. Lock got a sword, which I though kind of a strange choice though I didn’t say anything. As for me I grabbed a bow and arrow remembering when Lini begged Mom and Dad to let us take archery. Now we were ready. The battle was on.
