Free The Missing Link by David Tysdale Page B

so wonderfully evolved, after all," Zack said.
    Lilly gave her brother a withering stare.
    "I didn't mean Carole. I was talking about... You know her parents, and those jerks at
school. Anyway, what's the big deal about any of this? She gets a ringside seat at some cosmic
two-for-one sale. So what? It doesn't change anything."
    "It can't be that simple," Lilly said. "Maybe you're the key to the future, Carole, just like
you were the key to ending the Conundrum."
    "I still don't see why it's such a big deal."
    Lilly gave Zack an incredulous look.
    "What?"
    "We're talking about war, Zack, a war that has obviously been going on for a very long
time. Whoever caused the Conundrum didn't care if people got hurt, and Carole stopped them. And
who helped her?"
    Zack looked thoughtful. "Do you think they know?"
    "Of course they know."
    "Not about us." He stabbed at the parchment with his finger. "About this stuff?"
    "Only if Philamount's one of them," Carole said.
    "Ya think?"
    "It would explain why he's keeping such a close eye on us."
    "At least we know his side didn't trigger the Conundrum," Lilly said. "Else why get you
to fix it?"
    "And the witches trust him." Carole glanced at the wall clock. "Is it really that late? I'd
better be going." She ripped the parchment it into pieces. "Could you take care of these?"
    "Hand 'em over," Zack said, taking the paper to the sink and reaching for a match. The
parchment burned fast.
    "Things any better at home?" Lilly said.
    "You should've seen my mother when Philamount told her about our trip. I thought she
was going to have a fit."
    "Well, at least you've still got your parents."
    Carole thought back to last spring and how, contrary to Professor Philamount's forecast,
her return to the Hub had been met mostly with indifference, and in her parent's case, suspicion. "I
miss Hal," was all she said.
    Zack washed the ashes down the drain. "Make an unscheduled visit. Use this place as
your jump-off point. No one will know."
    "Maybe." Carole went to the back door. "Let me know if you get any ideas about the
reading. See you in the morning."
    "First thing," Zack said with a sigh. "Wouldn't want to be late for nursery school."
    The porch light was not lit, nor was there any light coming from the front window.
Carole walked towards her house. She saw a small lump beside the door. "Runt? What are you doing
here? You're supposed to be hanging out with the rest of the herd."
    The tiny pig stretched, sat up and yawned. "Ret reet rit."
    "Of course I appreciate the welcome, but you know my parents. Are you sure?"
    Runt leaned against Carole's legs.
    "Come on then, assuming we're not locked out..." She opened the door.
    Inside it was quiet and dark. She walked past the stairway and into the kitchen, where
she found and lit a candle. She placed it on the counter and watched the shadows flicker before
sitting on the floor next to Runt.
    "So, what's the news from the herd?"
    "Rit ret riit reet!"
    "Again? Was anyone hurt?"
    "Rit."
    "The boars chase them off?"
    Runt nodded.
    "Who was it this time?"
    Runt shrugged his shoulders.
    "Probably Dalimar's gang. And you can bet Professor Hotspot will twist the story to
make it look like you guys started it."
    "Reet. Rit rit?"
    "Mostly more questions. The werewolves aren't a problem anymore, but Mariat's got a
bunch of bullies to deal with. In fact some of the witches believe the Conundrum created them.
We've certainly run into more than our share, here as well as on Earth."
    Carole yawned. "Anyway, I'm beat. I'll tell you the rest tomorrow." She picked up the
candle and started for the stairs. "Let's try and sleep-in. If we're lucky my parents will leave before
we get up."
    Runt snorted.

--9--
    Carole peered through the railing at the bottom of the stairway. Her parents were eating
breakfast in the kitchen. Her mother looked prim and proper as always, and her father looked
typically bookish. They were dressed for work, but seemed in no hurry to leave.
    "Guess we can't