Categories > Cartoons > Delilah and Julius > The Last Night
It was the mother of all storms. Winds ripped branches off trees. Rain battered shrubs to the ground. Hail pounded onto the sides of the Academy. Al sat in the lounge, watching the tempest unfold. He sighed; yesterday had been such a nice day, and now ... this!
"Man, I hate the rain," he muttered. "Stupid weather,"
A lightning flash lit up the surrounding area, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. Al squinted out the window. Odd. He could have sworn he saw something in the distance ... almost like a person, stumbling. But no. Only an idiot would be out in this weather - in a forest, no less! Come on, man! Al thought, slapping his brow. Get a grip! You're, like, seeing things!
However, when another lightning bolt lit up the outside, he found himself squinting into the dense forest, searching for the figure. And again, he could swear he caught a glimpse of something - or someone - staggering towards the building.
That's it. I'll go insane if I don't, like, get the 4-1-1 on this. Right. Time for a suicidal mission. As Al pulled on his rain poncho and Wellington boots, he had another thought. Well, actually, this baby can't compare to the time I had to fight off twenty of Professor Vole's goons during Hurricane Jason on the Guatemala Islands. Haha, good times.
Opening up the door, he was blown back by the powerful gales. He slammed it shut immediately, and tried to put his hair back in proper position. Okay, that didn't work. Time for try number two! Al grabbed an umbrella, put it in front of him like a shield and opened the door again. This time, he was actually able to get outside. As he allowed himself a smug smile, the wind changed direction, taking his umbrella with it. Elements - one, Al - zippo.
Still, a lousy little storm wasn't going to stop Al. He pushed forward, searching again for the struggling figure. All he needed was a flash--a bolt lit up the sky, almost at the same time the thunder cracked. Al jumped in shock, and thanked the Heavens that no one was around to see it. However, in the split second that there was light, Al was able to once again catch sight of the mysterious silhouette. Whatever it was, it was close. Too close to the Academy for his liking, especially if it was an unwanted guest. Al wished he had brought a flashlight - for a light source, and a weapon.
His old spy instincts took over. Dropping to his knees, Al shuffled through the tall grass, making for the direction he had last seen the figure. Reaching around, his hand came across a fairly thick branch. As another lightning bolt flashed, Al saw the outline was barely a pace from him. He could also tell that whoever it was - for it was a person - was injured, or acting like they were. Slowly getting to his feet, Al crept up behind the stranger, and raised his stick. Just before he brought it down, he trod on a twig.
The person whirled around just as the sky lit up again. This time, Al could see their face clearly. It was a man - a familiar man.
"Al?" he gasped. "Is it really you?"
The voice opened up the floodgates. Memories from his past came rushing out with such force, it made his head spin. It couldn't really be ...? "Phineas?" Al croaked.
The man laughed in relief. "Oh, thank God! Al, I thought I'd never see you again!" Suddenly, his mood changed to one of desperation. "Did she make it, Al? Did Cassie make it back?"
"Cassandra?" Al asked. "What are you talking about?"
Phineas sank to his knees. "She didn't make it, then. Lord, I prayed she would ..."
Al helped his friend up. "Let's, like, get you inside, man. You're hurt."
Draping one arm over Al's shoulder, Phineas allowed himself to be led back to the Academy, where more reunions would be made.
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Inside, Al was able to see the full existent of Phineas' injuries. He was bleeding from multiple wounds, which could have been made by a knife, and upon examination of his chest, he concluded that two of the man's ribs were cracked. Al paged Scarlett.
Scarlett arrived three minutes later with her medical kit. Al met her in the hallway. "Now, like, before you go in there, try not to freak, 'kay?"
She gave him a quizzical look, but nodded. When she entered the lobby, she nearly dropped her kit. "Phineas?" she gasped. "Oh my God."
He grinned weakly at her. "Hello, Scarlett. It's been a while."
"Eleven years is hardly a while, Phin. Now, let's look at those nasty scars."
Just then, the door opened. Delilah and Julius walked in, laughing with each other. Without looking over at Al, Julius stated, "Hey, Big Man, the storm's keeping us up. Mind if we watch a -" He didn't get to finish, because both Delilah and Phineas yelled out at the same time.
"Holy shit!" he cried.
"Oh my God!" she screamed. "Dad!"
"Man, I hate the rain," he muttered. "Stupid weather,"
A lightning flash lit up the surrounding area, followed by a deafening clap of thunder. Al squinted out the window. Odd. He could have sworn he saw something in the distance ... almost like a person, stumbling. But no. Only an idiot would be out in this weather - in a forest, no less! Come on, man! Al thought, slapping his brow. Get a grip! You're, like, seeing things!
However, when another lightning bolt lit up the outside, he found himself squinting into the dense forest, searching for the figure. And again, he could swear he caught a glimpse of something - or someone - staggering towards the building.
That's it. I'll go insane if I don't, like, get the 4-1-1 on this. Right. Time for a suicidal mission. As Al pulled on his rain poncho and Wellington boots, he had another thought. Well, actually, this baby can't compare to the time I had to fight off twenty of Professor Vole's goons during Hurricane Jason on the Guatemala Islands. Haha, good times.
Opening up the door, he was blown back by the powerful gales. He slammed it shut immediately, and tried to put his hair back in proper position. Okay, that didn't work. Time for try number two! Al grabbed an umbrella, put it in front of him like a shield and opened the door again. This time, he was actually able to get outside. As he allowed himself a smug smile, the wind changed direction, taking his umbrella with it. Elements - one, Al - zippo.
Still, a lousy little storm wasn't going to stop Al. He pushed forward, searching again for the struggling figure. All he needed was a flash--a bolt lit up the sky, almost at the same time the thunder cracked. Al jumped in shock, and thanked the Heavens that no one was around to see it. However, in the split second that there was light, Al was able to once again catch sight of the mysterious silhouette. Whatever it was, it was close. Too close to the Academy for his liking, especially if it was an unwanted guest. Al wished he had brought a flashlight - for a light source, and a weapon.
His old spy instincts took over. Dropping to his knees, Al shuffled through the tall grass, making for the direction he had last seen the figure. Reaching around, his hand came across a fairly thick branch. As another lightning bolt flashed, Al saw the outline was barely a pace from him. He could also tell that whoever it was - for it was a person - was injured, or acting like they were. Slowly getting to his feet, Al crept up behind the stranger, and raised his stick. Just before he brought it down, he trod on a twig.
The person whirled around just as the sky lit up again. This time, Al could see their face clearly. It was a man - a familiar man.
"Al?" he gasped. "Is it really you?"
The voice opened up the floodgates. Memories from his past came rushing out with such force, it made his head spin. It couldn't really be ...? "Phineas?" Al croaked.
The man laughed in relief. "Oh, thank God! Al, I thought I'd never see you again!" Suddenly, his mood changed to one of desperation. "Did she make it, Al? Did Cassie make it back?"
"Cassandra?" Al asked. "What are you talking about?"
Phineas sank to his knees. "She didn't make it, then. Lord, I prayed she would ..."
Al helped his friend up. "Let's, like, get you inside, man. You're hurt."
Draping one arm over Al's shoulder, Phineas allowed himself to be led back to the Academy, where more reunions would be made.
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Inside, Al was able to see the full existent of Phineas' injuries. He was bleeding from multiple wounds, which could have been made by a knife, and upon examination of his chest, he concluded that two of the man's ribs were cracked. Al paged Scarlett.
Scarlett arrived three minutes later with her medical kit. Al met her in the hallway. "Now, like, before you go in there, try not to freak, 'kay?"
She gave him a quizzical look, but nodded. When she entered the lobby, she nearly dropped her kit. "Phineas?" she gasped. "Oh my God."
He grinned weakly at her. "Hello, Scarlett. It's been a while."
"Eleven years is hardly a while, Phin. Now, let's look at those nasty scars."
Just then, the door opened. Delilah and Julius walked in, laughing with each other. Without looking over at Al, Julius stated, "Hey, Big Man, the storm's keeping us up. Mind if we watch a -" He didn't get to finish, because both Delilah and Phineas yelled out at the same time.
"Holy shit!" he cried.
"Oh my God!" she screamed. "Dad!"
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