Fix The Cracks

Part 3 of a series about Rudy dealing with a more cunning Terry.





Rudy looked out of the car's window. He watched the police car, the one that Terry had been pushed into, drive off in a different direction. But despite Terry being taken further and further away from him, Rudy still felt unsafe and shaken up by what happened. He knew, as soon as he got home, he was going to have to relive the events of what happened.

His parents were going to want to know what that woman did to him, outside of what they already saw. They knew how frightened he was. They could see how much he was trembling. As their parents, they would want to know everything, as much as possible. They wanted to know what their son had gone through, so they can try their best to make it better. They cared deeply for him, and Rudy could tell just how much this affected them.

He hadn't been the only one to get into his parents' car. Sitting next to him were Penny and Snap. He was glad his parents didn't ask too many questions on Snap. He and Penny came up with the story of Snap becoming pen pals with Rudy after the foreign exchange student thing. His parents accepted this pretty easily, and had allowed Snap to come with them. They probably would have asked why Snap was wearing the costume, but there was obviously more pressing matters at hand.

Rudy had asked Penny and Snap if they could stay in his room for the night. He really didn't want to be alone. Terry had freaked him out with her behavior today. All that touching and sweet talking and then the slapping and when she almost punched him... It sent chills down his back. It didn't help that he still had the tracking chip in him, and how he was strapped down to a chair when she first abducted him. Everything that happened left a deep mark in his mind, one that he feels would not go away any time soon.

He would feel safer if his friends stayed with him overnight. After that ordeal, he would be too scared to go to sleep alone. He feared that Terry would break free and come get him like she promised. The way she looked at him...it was bone chilling. She had looked at him with absolute malice. He could see the intent to harm written all over her face. She...she almost punched him, and right in front of everyone. She had snapped, gone off the deep end, and he almost was on the recieving end of her malice. Her threat of getting her revenge on him for her arrest stuck strongly to his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about it.

It was going to be nice to be home soon, where he could try to relax. Yet he still wouldn't be able to relax that much. Terry knows where he lives. And even if she didn't, he still had the tracking chip inside his neck. Though Penny said she knows of a trick to block the signal until it can be surgically removed, Rudy still felt very unsafe. Who is to say Terry won't break free and come after him in the middle of the night?

That was a reason why he wanted Penny and Snap to be with him. He wanted their comfort and support, and he felt safe with them around. He knew that, if he were in trouble and couldn't fight back, they would defend him. And then he had his parents. They promised him they won't allow Terry anywhere near him again. His mother, who normally isn't that violent, had stated that she would rearrange Terry's face if she dared get within ten feet of Rudy. His dad settled her down, reminding her that Terry has been arrested and will not longer be of any harm to anyone anymore.

Rudy knew, however, this wasn't the case. Terry had been arrested, yes, but she would have to be convicted before she's tossed in jail. That meant appearing in court. Rudy wasn't sure if he could do it. Being in the same room as Terry, even if she's restrained...he wasn't sure if he could go through with it. He didn't know if he'd be able to talk right with her glaring at him like she wanted to shoot him with fireballs or something. What if she pulled another trick and prevented him from properly testifying?

A comforting thing about this is that he wouldn't be testifying against Ms. Bouffant alone. Penny agreed to speak up for him. And Snap was going to as well. He had been kidnapped himself once by the crazy woman. So his testimony would help 'seal the deal' in getting Terry found guilty and sent to prison. All that stalking evidence helps, too. There was so much stuff Terry had in regards to him and his two friends that they would definitely identify it as stalking, which is illegal.

And his parents would help any way they could. They were going to go with him on the day of the trial, which was in a few days. Rudy felt some comfort in knowing that he wouldn't have to see Terry again for a while. A few days without seeing her face or hearing her voice or...feeling her touch... he shuddered at that thought... That would definitely do him some good. Maybe by the time the trial comes, he'll have worked up at least a tiny amount of courage to face her during the trial.

The nightmare wasn't over yet. But it was coming to a close. Although still afraid of what could happen, he remained hopeful that, maybe, this time, Terry will be stopped for good. And he would finally be safe from her.

sss

Monday Evening:

"Okay, Rudy...tell us what happened." Mr. Tabootie asked in a gentle voice.

"What did that woman do to you?" Mrs. Tabootie inquired gently, trying her best not to make Rudy more afraid than he already was.

Rudy sat down on the couch, his head low. Sitting next to him were his parents. Penny and Snap sat on the ground in front of the couch, as close to Rudy as they could get without getting in his parents' way. They looked at him sympathetically and tried their best to reassure him that he was safe.

His parents put their hands on his shoulders. Though it caused Rudy's mind to flash back to what Terry did to him, he quickly relaxed, telling himself it was his parents and not Terry doing it. Plus, there was real comfort in his parents' touch, unlike Terry's where there was only fear.

"You can talk to us, Bucko." Snap said, placing a hand on Rudy's knee to try to comfort him. "We're here for ya."

Penny put her hand on Rudy's other knee reassuringly. "Yes. We're in this together. We'll help you. Just please, tell us what happened so we can make it better."

Rudy rested his head on his hands. He gave a little sniffle and wiped his nose. "I...I don't want to talk about it..."

"Rudy, the longer you don't talk, the worse it's going to get." Mr. Tabootie said, rubbing his son's shoulder a little. "Please, talk to us."

"Ms. Bouffant isn't watching you anymore, Rudy." Penny said softly. "You can speak to us."

Rudy took in a deep breath. He knew that his friends and family weren't going to give up until he spoke to them. Just like he predicted, they asked him what happened to him not long after they got home. They wanted to know so they'd be able to help him better in his recovery. Talking about it was the last thing he wanted to do, yet he didn't think he'd be able to convince them to let it go.

He was scared to talk about the events. He was scared that Terry was still, somehow, watching him. The tracking device was still in his neck. Still active... He was paranoid that, at any minute, that crazy woman would jump through the window and grab him. Yeah, a silly thing to think since she's been arrested, and now that his friends and family know, as well as many other people, it would be unlikely Terry could get close to him without sending an alarm. Still, he was afraid, and he hated feeling like this. The event left him traumatized. He wanted to return to his old self, and he knew his family and friends would love to see him happy again as well.

He looked at his parents. Then he looked at his friends. They were looking at him worriedly and expectantly. Their expressions also held reassurance. They weren't asking him to tell of his experience to hurt him. He knew that it was just so they could help him better. And if the memories became too painful, they would help him through it.

Rudy knew he had to start speaking soon. His dad was right. This was going to get harder for him if he kept quiet. No matter how painful it was, he had to tell them everything that she did. They were his loved ones. They deserved to know what happened to him.

So he began his story, explaining everything that she had done to him.

"Ms. Bouffant...she kidnapped me... She knocked me out with chloroform and dragged me away somewhere. When I woke up, she had..." Rudy paused for a moment, licking his lips nervously. "..strapped me down to a chair. She told me how she had been stalking me for months."

Mrs. Tabootie gasped in horror. "For months?"

Rudy nodded his head numbly. "Yeah... As well as Penny and Snap." He looked over at his two friends sadly. They were horrified by this news. "She said that she wanted me to help her regain what she lost. She blames me for her drop in fame."

"That's ridiculous!" Mr. Tabootie cried. "Why would she blame a child?"

Rudy couldn't tell his parents about ChalkZone. But he knew of a way he could tell the truth without giving too many lies. He had a feeling they were going to question the blame game thing, so he had thought ahead.

"You see, she has been tailing me and Penny at school a lot for a time. She...thinks we know about this 'world of chalk' and she has been trying to get us to talk about it. I knew she was obsessed with it, but...I had no idea she'd take it this far.." Rudy bit his lip, which quivered slightly. "She said she had so much dirt that she could force me to do whatever she wanted. She...she threatened to ruin Penny's life if I dared speak to anyone about what happened...and she wanted me to kidnap my own friend, Snap..."

His friends and family were horrified by this, just like he thought they would be.

"How...how could she ruin my life?" Penny asked in a hushed whisper.

Rudy shook his head. "I don't know. She just said that she knew something that would make your life a lot harder. And that she would make sure the blame would be pinned on me."

Penny gasped. "What? Why?"

"Because...she..." Rudy's eyes welled up with tears. "She wanted me to suffer. She told me how she was going to tear me down, how she was going to break me and enjoy it." He stopped for a moment and looked at his friends and family. They looked disgusted and horrified by what he said, and he couldn't blame them. He continued, "She wanted to destroy the friendship I have with you and Snap..." Rudy looked down towards Snap. "She was not only going to have me capture you, but she said how she was going to enjoy it when...when you started to hate me for betraying you..."

Snap's grip on Rudy's knee tightened as his mouth droped open in shock. "I would never hate you, Bucko!"

Rudy nodded. "Yeah...I know..."

Although she looked horrified by what Rudy said so far, Mrs. Tabootie asked, "Wh-what else did she do...?"

Rudy sucked in a shuddering breath. More tears flowed down his face as the horrible memories were forced to the surface of his mind. He glanced at his mother for a few seconds. Then he returned his gaze towards the ground.

Rudy said, "She put a tracking chip in my neck."

"What?! She did what?!" Mr. Tabootie snapped his head back in shock.

Mrs. Tabootie trembled a little with emotion. "Oh, Rudy..."

Penny and Snap looked at each other, their expressions filled with surprise and anger. They looked back at Rudy, waiting for him to explain more.

"She put it in there while I was knocked out... She told me that I had nowhere to hide..." Rudy said. His body shook once with emotion. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Then...then she forced me to meet her twice...and both times, she...she started to mess with me. She wanted to break my mind, so she..started to touch me..."

His parents, Penny, and Snap looked horrified by this.

"She touched you...?" Mrs. Tabootie asked, her eyes wide in horror.

"You...you mean she..." Penny started to say.

Rudy realized he should have been more specific. The way he had said it, he made it sound like Terry had...done something even worse than what she already did. He quickly cleared up that misunderstanding.

Rudy shook his head. "No, it wasn't that kind of touching...but it was still bad..." More tears escaped his eyes. He gave a few small whimpers, his head downcast again. He could feel his parents and friends rubbing him gently, reassuring him and encouraging him, without words, to continue talking. "She was...treating me like a pet..one she had tamed. She kept rubbing my arms, my shoulders, my face, my hair. She wouldn't stop."

"Oh Rudy..." Penny said, biting her lip. "That must have been horrible..."

"I can't believe she did that to you..." Snap said, voice filled with disbelief.

Rudy nodded his head. "Yeah...it was horrible." He closed his eyes. He could vividly remember what happened to him. What a horrible memory... "She just...kept touching me. She knew I hated it, and she kept doing it to mess with my mind, and to show how much control she had over me. And if I tried to resist...she'd slap me."

A collection of gasps form his friends and family. Although they hadn't said anything, Rudy could tell their hatred for Ms. Bouffant was rising greatly. After what she did, he wasn't surprised. He himself had started to hate her. Before, though she was a threat to ChalkZone, he didn't hate her. But now he did. After what she did...

"I can't believe she would strike a child..." Mr. Tabootie said in a soft voice.

"She won't be doing that again." Mrs. Tabootie said, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

Rudy wanted to smile in gratitude, but he was still too distraught to feel much happiness. So instead, he focused on continuing his story. There wasn't much left to tell anyway. "She told me how she controls me now, that I belong to her...She said I wasn't allowed to do anything without her permission and that I must do whatever she asks of me. And when I tried to resist again, she slapped me three times, the third one you guys saw." Rudy said. He was crying by now, clearly traumatized by what happened. "She...she hates me...she was going to hurt me even more. She tried to punch me...I can't believe she almost.."

Rudy was unable to speak anymore. He leaned against his mother and started to cry into her. Mrs. Tabootie put her arm around her son and pulled him close. Mr. Tabootie placed his hand on Rudy's head, stroking it gently. Penny and Snap looked at him sympathetically.

"Don't worry, Bucko..." Snap said quietly. "It's over now. She can't hurt you anymore."

"Yes. She has been arrested and she will soon be serving her time. You'll be safe." Penny said.

Although Rudy tried to take comfort in this, he found it hard to stop crying. His body shook as he continued to sob. The tears just wouldn't stop coming. All the terrible things Terry did to him, the threats she had made to him, they had affected him deeply and now, since he was now safe from her, he was finally able to let it all out in one go. But he knew that, even after his emotional breakdown, he was still going to need time to recover.

His parents looked at each other worriedly, and then back down to Rudy. They tried their best to calm their son down, to reassure him. But nothing seemed to help him. His body trembled as his cries filled the room. The whole thing was heartbreaking for them, as parents, to witness. To see their only son so distraught and broken down like this...their hatred for Ms. Bouffant surely wouldn't go away any time soon. She had caused a lot of emotional damage to their son. They would be glad to see her locked up for a long time.

Penny and Snap were just as worried. It was horrible seeing their friend like this. They got closer to Rudy, laying their chins on his lap in an attempt to comfort him. They remained quiet and looked up at him sympathetically. It may had been because they believed that he needed to cry this out before he could start feeling better. Like his parents, they were going to be there for him. Rudy knew they would do whatever it took to help him.

The court...it was going to be frightening. He really didn't want to go there. He didn't want to sit in front of all those people and testify..not while Ms. Bouffant was in the room. He was not looking forward to getting questioned on what happened, or cross examined. He wished that Ms. Bouffant being arrested was the last time he'd ever have to see her. But unfortunately, that isn't the way the justice system works. In order for her to be convicted, a testimony was required.

He did understand the need of it. If it wasn't required to show up in court to have someone convicted, there would be a lot of problematic cases, many of which done out of vice. So, Rudy understood why it was important for him to show up in court to testify against Terry. He still wished he didn't have to go, though. It was in a few days, but he didn't know if he'd be mentally prepared by that time.

"I...I don't want to go to court..." Rudy whimpered, crying into his mother's shoulder. "I really don't want to..."

"Oh honey..." Mrs. Tabootie repositioned herself so she could cup her son's chin. She looked down at him with tear-filled eyes. "I know it's scary. I know how you feel about...her...but we will be there for you. We won't let anything bad happen to you."

Mr. Tabootie, Snap, and Penny all nodded in agreement, offering their full support. To further show their point, they moved in a little closer to Rudy, allowing him to feel their warmth and comfort, to try to help him feel safe. His father placed his hand on his shoulder and gently rubbed it. He looked down at his son sympathetically. While he didn't cry like his wife, he still looked very emotional about what had happened to his son.

"Son, I understand it's hard. But you still have to go through with it. You must work up the courage and speak out against that woman who kidnapped you. It won't be easy, but once it's all done, she will be sent to jail and you'll never have to see her again." Mr. Tabootie said, his voice reassuring. He gave the best smile he could to Rudy, given the circumstances. "It is okay to be afraid. No one is going to fault you if you find it hard to speak in court. But I believe in you, son. I know you can do this."

"Th-Thanks, dad..." Rudy whispered under his breath.

"We'll all be there for you." Penny said in a comforting tone of voice. "We will keep you safe."

Snap nodded in agreement. "That's right. And if Ms. Bouffant tries to hurt you, well..."

Mrs. Tabootie formed a fist with her free hand. "..Let's just say she won't be able to walk straight for a week if she dares lay a hand on you."

Rudy looked around at his friends and family. It did feel good finally being able to tell them what happened. And without risking exposing ChalkZone, as well. It felt nice being able to talk about what was wrong with him, and why he had been acting so distant and different. Talking really did make things better. He was starting to feel a little better since he was able to confess to them what was going on.

And he appreciated the fact that they were so supportive of him. And how willing they were to protect him from Terry during the trial. He had no doubts that she would try to get at him during the trial. He wasn't sure just how far she was willing to go. And that frightened him. The fact that she was about to punch him out of spite...it made him scared to know what she might do in court. Would she go as far as...try to kill him? The thought chilled his blood.

Still, he did feel safer knowing that his friends and family would be there with him. The moment Terry tries to get at him, they would spring into action and protect him from her wrath. They would make sure that vile woman never goes near him again.

"Thanks...guys..." Rudy murmured. He started to cry again, still shaken up by what happened. His parents and two best friends let him cry it out, remaining close to him throughout the whole thing, helping him feel safe and secure.

sss

Monday Night:

"No..please...don't do it...please..no..."

Rudy tossed and turned in his bed, his face covered in sweat beads. He let out a few moans and whimpers, his eyes clenched tightly in fear. Tears streamed down his face. Trembling, he was unable to hold still. Soon he shot straight up, his eyes widened in horror, his mouth open in heavy panting. His heart pounded against his chest. He looked around the room, and, slowly, calmed down.

He had another nightmare, similar to the one when he was first kidnapped by Bouffant. Images of her distorted laughing face in obscure darkness...seeing Penny and Snap abandon him...seeing ChalkZone invaded by complete strangers and he himself branded as a traitor. This dream, plus variations of it have been plaguing him the past few days. He hardly had a good night's sleep. Almost every dream he had, it had been about Terry. All horrific dreams...

And whenever he woke up from these nightmares, he had to remind himself that it didn't happen. Yet a part of him was always paranoid, because Terry really had kidnapped him, really had blackmailed him into submission. And that made the nightmares that much harder to endure. While the dreams didn't happen, the nightmare itself was real. And all the stuff he dreamed about regarding Terry could have happened.

"Rudy?"

He heard Penny calling out to him. He looked down over his bed. He could see Penny laying on the ground, laying in the ground with a blanket over her. Snap was next to her, curled up in a ball, covered partially with a chalk blanket. Snap appeared to be still asleep, but Penny was clearly wide awake.

Penny looked up at Rudy worriedly. Although she didn't ask Rudy what was wrong, she looked like she understood what was going on. "Another nightmare?"

Rudy widened his eyes a little. "How..how did you know?"

Penny replied, "When Snap and I visited you the other night to try to talk to you, I saw you were having a nightmare. You were mumbling the same things in your sleep."

"Oh..." Rudy said in an understanding tone. "Yeah..it was another nightmare. Terrible one...about Terry Bouffant..." Even just saying her name made him shudder in fear.

"It's understandable, Rudy. You've been through a lot." Penny said sympathetically.

Rudy looked down towards his pillow. Although he would have loved to go back to sleep right now, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He was afraid another nightmare would grip him. He didn't want to lose sleep over this again. He had hardly gotten much sleep the last couple days because of Terry. He wanted to, for once in these past few days, get a decent amount of sleep.

He glanced back down briefly at Penny. Then he looked back at his pillow. He was getting tired, oh so very tired. Yet he couldn't stop looking down at Penny. His eyes held some yearning in them. There was something he wanted. Yet he couldn't ask for it. He was afraid to. Even though he knew his friends would be supportive, he just couldn't bring himself to lay down the question.

But Penny could tell what he wanted. She picked up the message from his eyes and his behavior. There was a reason why her nickname was 'genius girl'. It amazed Rudy how well she was able to pick these things up.

"Rudy...do you want to lay down here with us?" Penny asked. She patted the ground, a gesture for Rudy to come down. "Come on. We'll make room."

Rudy was a little reluctant to come down. But he didn't offer much resistance. He did feel a spark of happiness inside of him. This is what he had wanted, to sleep with his friends. Not just in the same room, but actually beside them. He smiled down at Penny and started to climb down his ladder. He dragged his pillow and blanket with him.

As he did so, Penny reached over and grabbed Snap by his shoulder. She shook the sleeping zoner until he woke up. Snap looked up at Penny and grumbled softly under his breath. His eyes were halfway open and it looked like he had a hard time keeping them that way.

"What is it, Buckette? Is it morning already?" Snap said groggily, smacking his lips.

Penny shook her head. "No. Rudy had a nightmare. He's going to sleep with us."

At this, Snap looked a little more awake, though still pretty groggy. He looked over and saw Rudy coming towards them, holding his blanket and pillow in hand. Snap smiled at him. "Come on, Bucko." He moved aside, giving Rudy some room. He patted the ground.

Penny made some room for him as well. "You can sleep between us."

Rudy looked down at the space his friends provided for him. He smiled gratefully at them before laying laying his pillow down between them. He then settled on the ground, pulling the blanket over him. He tried to go back to sleep, but memories of Terry came back to him. His body started to shake in fear. His friends realized that he was in distress, and they acted immediately.

Penny laid on her side and slung her arm over Rudy, pulling him against her. She rested her head above his, pressing her chin against the top of his head. Snap cuddled closer to Rudy. He slung his arm across his body, just like Penny. He pressed the side of his face against his chest.

Feeling their bodies pressed against him like this, a physical attempt to reassure him, Rudy did start feeling better. Their warmth and presence helped him feel feel more secure. Although he was still afraid to go to sleep, having his friends beside him like this did comfort him. He smiled at his friends, grateful for their support. He closed his eyes and, slowly, he want to sleep.

sss

Tuesday At 2:30 AM:

Rudy opened up his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling. He wasn't sure why he woke up. Something just felt different, somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He closed his eyes and attempted to go back to sleep. He shifted himself a little on the ground. He usually didn't wake up in the middle of the night like this. It was still dark out. He must have only been a sleep for a few hours.

He then realized that something was definitely different. He felt his heart start to clench. He looked left, then right. His breathing started to quicken. Penny...Snap..where did they go? Why did they leave him alone? They were here just a moment ago, weren't they? They were with him when he fell asleep. Why weren't they here?

Rudy's heart began racing. He sat up and looked around frantically for his friends. Horrible thoughts came to his mind. What if Terry had broken free and got his friends? She knows where he lives.. She could have done that without being noticed. If she was able to spy on him for months without him realizing it...then surely she would know how to sneak into his home without anyone fnding out, and taking his friends away.

He whimpered, remaining frozen on the ground. He wasn't sure what to do. He was so scared. He felt vulnerable and alone. He had been alone when he was attacked by Terry. He was alone now... He kept looking over his shoulder, fearful that Terry was going to be right behind him. He couldn't let go of the cold chill running up and down his spine. He kept looking around for any sign of his friends. They were nowhere to be found.

"Penny?" Rudy whispered. "Snap?" No answer. "Where...where are you guys?"

The only thing that answered back was the cold silence of his room. Tears forming in his eyes, he remained where he was, fearful that if he tried to move, Terry would jump from a corner and grab him. He wrapped his blanket around himself, trying in vain to find comfort and protection. He covered his head underneath and pulled his knees to his chest. He shook and whimpered, murmuring his friends' names over and over again.

"Rudy?"

That voice...it had to be Terry...

Rudy's eyes widened in fear. His breathing became more ragged. She could practically feel that woman's hand on him again, treating him like a pet. He had to get away... He had to run before she had a chance to get at him.

"Why won't you answer me?"

Rudy let out a scream, whipping his body around to face Terry. He backed up really fast, staring at the silhouhette in the doorway. On the ground, moving away on his back using his hands, his eyes shot open wide, his pupils dilating into mere dots. Tears of fear streamed down his face. He kept moving back until he pressed himself against the wall, shivering violently.

The shadow started to move closer to him. Rudy cringed back, letting out a cry of fear.

"No...please don't come any closer!" Rudy pleaded.

The shadow just kept coming towards him. There was a bit more of a cautious locomotion in the shadow now after he had begged like that. But Rudy hardly noticed it. He turned his head away, putting his hands out in front of him in an attempt to protect himself. He trembled harder, giving a few soft whines and whimpers. His eyes shut tightly, stained with tears.

Then he felt the woman's hand on him. He tensed up, nearly jumping in the air. He wanted to push back. He wanted punch her and run away. He felt like a cornered aimal, and he knows what happens with animals who are backed into a corner. They fight back. Yet he couldn't do it. He was too afraid...too cowardly.

Instead, he just lowered his head in defeat. He cried harder, waiting for Terry to do whatever she wanted to him. But surpringly, the hand didn't move; it just rested on his shoulder. Then the fingers gripped him very gently and started to shake his shoulder, like the person who came in just wanted him to give them attention. Rudy opened up his eyes and got a better look at the silhoutte.

"T-Terry?"

He heard a sharp gasp. And then the person spoke. "No...Rudy it's me!"

Rudy now realized who it was. It was Penny... How did he think she was Terry? His imagination and fear...it must have been messing with him, warping his mind into believing Penny was Terry. His mind was playing tricks on him. Terry wasn't here. She never broke in. She never kidnapped his friends. She hadn't come here to threaten him. He reminded himself that she was still locked up. She couldn't come after him. He had to keep telling himself that.

The realization that Penny was still here with him caused relief to hit him like a ton of bricks. She...she hadn't been kidnapped..she hadn't abandoned him...she was still here. And behind her, he could see Snap coming in. Snap was still here, too.

His heart started to race more, a horrible feeling covering it. He was still shaken up from waking up alone. He was still shaken up from how Terry kidnapped him when he was all alone... Being alone is what landed him in trouble in the first place. He...he didn't want to be alone anymore.

Without a second thought, Rudy jumped forward and latched onto Penny. He pulled her into a tight hug. His body shook, wracked with sobs that he let out as he expressed immense relief that she was there with him now. Penny returned the hug, gently rubbing his back. She looked at him worriedly. Snap ran up to the two and stared at Rudy, his eyes filled with worry much like Penny's.

"Bucko? What's wrong?" Snap asked in a soft voice.

"P-Please don't leave me..." Rudy whispered. "Don't leave me alone again..."

"Rudy... I was only gone a few minutes to use the bathroom..." Penny whispered.

"And I had to go, too... We were only gone maybe five minutes." Snap said, reaching over and placing his hand on Rudy's arm. "We were coming right back..."

Rudy opened his eyes and looked down at Snap. Snap took a step back in shock when he saw the look in the boy's eyes. Rudy's eyes looked almost wild. They were wide, pupils tiny, filled with absolute fear and terror. He didn't bother talking. He just whimpered and clung onto Penny like it was a life or death situation. Tears continued to stream down his face. Penny rubbed his back gently to calm him down, but Rudy still continued to cry.

"Rudy...shhh...it's okay.." Penny pulled her hand up to stroke his hair gently. "It's okay..we're here now..."

Slowly, she got Rudy on the ground, onto his knees. He leaned against her, pressing his head against her shoulder. He was still crying, but they grew a tad softer.

"Don't leave me alone..." Rudy managed to say through his choked sobs. "I don't want to be alone... I don't want to be alone..."

Penny and Snap looked at Rudy sympathetically. Penny rubbed Rudy's back some more while Snap gripped the top of Rudy's hand gently in an attempt to comfort him. They both had tears in their eyes. It hurt them seeing their best friend like this.

"I was...I was alone when Terry grabbed me..." Rudy sobbed harder, gripping Penny tighter. "I'm afraid...that if I'm alone...she'll get me again..."

"Oh Bucko..." Snap said, looking at Rudy sadly. "You're not alone now..."

"Yeah..." Penny whispered. "We're sorry if we scared you by leaving without telling you..We won't do that again." She rubbed the side of her face against Rudy's. "We promise..."

She wrapped her arms further around Rudy, creating a more secure hug, and pulled him close. Snap joined in. He moved behind Rudy. He put his arms around Rudy, putting his arms across his stomach. He laid his head against Rudy's back, between his shoulders. Slowly, ever so slowly, Rudy started to calm down. As Penny and Snap hugged him like this, Rudy's sobs slowed into whimpers, and the whimpers started to get quieter, until all that was left was a few sniffles.

Feeling safe and secure with his friends hugging him like this, the tiredness started to come back to Rudy. His eyes started to flutter. Then, slowly, he fell asleep in his friends' arms.

sss

Thursday afternoon:

"Well...tomorrow's the day." Penny said in a hushed voice. She looked over at Rudy. "Are you ready for this?"

Rudy looked at her for a moment, then turned away. His response was hesitant and forced. "Yeah...I think so."

Tomorrow was the big day. It was the day of Terry Bouffant's trial. The day he would have to appear in court and testify against her to get her convicted. It was the day he had been dreading all week. Even now, he was not fully prepared. He really didn't want to go through with it. He wished that he could just write a letter or something or draw a simple stick figure comic illustrating what happened and send that. But Penny said that would never fly, and that he must appear in person.

Rudy knew, of course, that a letter or comic wouldn't work. He was just being desperate. He had tried a few times to worm his way out of going to the trial. But each time, his friends and family kept telling him that he still had to go. They knew he was scared. But they assured him that once he went through with it, he would feel better and Terry would be locked up for good. No way she was getting off easy with all the charges against her.

And he didn't get support only from his friends and family. Some students at school also showed their support, offering some advice and get well soon kind of messages. Reggie had laid off him all week, never once threatening him. He didn't say too much to him, although the look in his eyes suggested Reggie was also hoping Rudy would be fine. Mr. Wilter didn't raise his voice at Rudy and, before exiting school, he would approach Rudy and wish him good luck on the trial. The principal did the same thing the other day.

Rudy's behavior started to improve a little. At first, he couldn't stand even just one second alone. So stuff like going to the bathroom was terrifying for him unless it was a public one, which usually had at least one other person in it anyway. Sometimes he would cling to his friends' or parents' arms as they walked, afraid that Terry would pop up any second and take him away. His loved ones didn't seem to mind this behavior as they knew he had been through a lot. They didn't blame him for being so terrified.

As time went on, he did get braver and started to allow himself some time alone. Not long periods, just a few minutes, before he extended to a half hour, then an hour. He wanted to relearn that being alone isn't always a bad thing. He didn't mind some periods of being by himself. He didn't want to be scared to be alone for the rest of his life. He understood that there won't always be someone with him 24/7. He knew that he wasn't going to be attacked every time he was alone. So he did what he could to be more comfortable being on his own.

And it worked. He stopped being as clingy as he was with his loved ones. He still preferred being in their company, and still walked a little closer to them than he did before the kidnapping. But overall, his mentality was improving, much to the delight of his friends and parents.

For the past few days, he tried to have Penny or Snap, or even both of them, spend the night, or him going over to their place. He was still uncomfortable with sleeping by himself. He admitted to still having nightmares unless at least one of them was by his side. Sleeping with his friends is what drives away the nightmares for him and helps him feel better. He does hope that he soon gets brave enough to sleep on his own, though. He felt guilty for having them constantly sleep over.

Snap and Penny said they didn't mind coming over. They assured Rudy that, until he felt safe on his own, they wouldn't hesitate to be with him if it helped him feel secure. Rudy wanted to take comfort in this. And for the most part, he did. But he couldn't help but be paranoid that his friends and family would eventually get annoyed by his 'cowardly' behavior. He knew such a thought was absurd; they would never hate him. But he couldn't help but think it anyway.

And throughout the days, he had been trying to prepare himself for Friday, when the trial took place. His folks and friends did whatever they could to help him and reassure him. They kept telling him how it'll be all right in the end, that all he had to do was tell the court what Terry did to him, and that Terry would not be able to hurt him.

Oh how Rudy wanted to believe them. But he was still afraid. He knew Terry was capable of doing a lot. He was afraid that she would find away to get free and go after him. He was afraid that she would bring a hidden weapon to the court and kill him if he dared speak out. He was told how ridiculous this was, how it would be very hard to do such a thing. They kept telling him how Terry would have to be insane to try to land herself in more hot water than she was already in.

But that was exactly Rudy's point. Terry was insane. She was completely out of her mind. He knew that something was wrong with her. But it took until she kidnapped him and treated him like some animal for him to realize just how out of she was. And she did try to punch him in front of everyone. She clearly had no qualms about hurting a child in front of their parents. He found it hard to believe that she would refrain from hurting him just because she was 'afraid of making it worse for herself'. She tried to punch him in front of everyone. He doubted that 'landing in more hot water' was something Terry was concerned about.

And now here he was, sitting in the living room with Penny. Snap had to go back to ChalkZone to get something to eat and drink, since he couldn't consume anything in the real world. He could hear clanging sounds. His parents were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. His stomach growled a little. He was clearly hungry. But he wasn't sure if he could eat. He felt a little nauseous, his stomach in knots just thinking about having to be in front of so many people to testify.

He and Penny saw on the couch together. Penny was leaning against him to try to comfort him. She rested her head on his shoulder and put her arm around him in a partial hug. He looked down at her. He was grateful for her support and comfort. But, as much as he wanted to smile at her, he could not. He stared at the TV screen front of them. Some old show was playing. He was barely paying attention to it. He coudln't hear their voices. The only thing he could think of was the trial...and Terry...

He had enjoyed the past few days not hearing Terry's sickeningly fake sweet voice speaking to him, without feeling her touch his hair, or his shoulder or face or whatever else she decided to touch. But by tomorrow, he will have to face her again. He would have to stare into those hate-filled eyes once more. It wasn't something he was looking forward to. She frightened him. She knew this, and he was certain she would use it to her advantage during court.

Constantly, his mind would go back to how she was 'petting' him. He didn't know why it was affecting him this much. Maybe it was because of how lowly she was treating him, how she was belittling him to keep him in line. She never went too far. She didn't touch him inappropriately. Yet he still shuddered at the thought of her touching him again. He couldn't do anything to stop her. She would hurt him if he tried to pull away.

She was claiming dominance over him. She was doing whatever she could to keep him submissive. And it worked. He only briefly tried to resist her. And both times he had been hurt by her. He hated to think how far she would have gone if all those people hadn't witnessed what she did and had her arrested on the spot. He shivered to think how much damage she would have done if his mother had failed to stop her from punching him.

"Rudy..." Penny whispered, breaking him from his thoughts. "I know you're still scared. You're not a very good liar."

Rudy looked down at her in surprise. Had she really seen through his little white lie? Wow, Penny must really know him to a T.

Penny moved her head away and smiled at him. "It's okay to be afraid, Rudy. Just understand that you won't be alone. You have me, Snap, and your parents. We will back you up. We will protect you. You don't have to be afraid of going it alone. Because you won't."

Rudy, slowly, smiled at her. "I know Penny. I know..." He paused for a moment. "Thanks."

Penny replied, "And it won't just be us. The other witnesses, including Reggie, will be there. Trust me. There's no way Terry will be let off. And after this, she will never be able to hurt you again."

Rudy really wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe that this nightmare would be over after the trial was finished. But Terry...she was unpredictable. He could not shake off the feeling that she might still pull something in court that would let her walk free. He had no proof of this. She might not even be able to do anything. She was locked up somewhere and it wasn't like she had all the access she wanted to tools. Still, he learned not to underestimate her.

He learned, the hard way, just how resourceful she could be, and how she can force him to do whatever she wanted. Even without the evidence of ChalkZone, she had shown how much she had control over him physically. Rudy had a feeling that, even with all her evidence destroyed by a fire or something, he would still act submissive around her due to how she treated him, how she had slapped him if he had tried to resist, forcing him to be compliant with her touching.

If there was one positive thing about the touching, it was that it would definitely ensure, along with the tracking chip, that she would be sent to jail. Touching a child who didn't like it or want it was frowned upon. No one could just go up to any child and start touching him. And by doing so, Terry had landed herself in hot water.

He was glad that the tracking chip was gone. On Wednesday, that was taken care of. His father managed to book an emergency minor surgery to get it taken out. He didn't care about the expenses. He just wanted it out. Rudy went over Wednesday noon and his neck was shot with some local anesthesia, numbing his neck. His neck was cut open carefully and it didn't take long for them to find the tracking chip. It was pulled out of his neck and the wound sealed up tightly.

The tracking chip was immediately destroyed after that, crushed into small pieces on the ground by his mother. She wanted to make sure that Terry could never use it against her son ever again. She then scooped up the dust of the chip and tossed it in the trash can with contempt written on her face.

Rudy was glad the chip couldn't be used by Terry anymore. He was glad that he could visit ChalkZone without having to worry about Terry watching over his shoulders. He was glad that the tracking chip no longer could be used against him. He did feel safer knowing that the tracking chip was gone for good; Terry couldn't use it to scare him into doing things for her anymore.

He heard footsteps approaching him and Penny. He looked over and saw that it was Snap. He was already back from eating his own dinner. He looked very satisfied. He must have cooked himself a really good meal to look that happy. He had found a way through the front door so it looked like he was coming over for a visit, which was the case, but his parents didn't know he came from ChalkZone through a portal on his chalkboard. And with all that was going on, having his parents talk about the 'world of chalk' was the last thing he needed.

Snap waved hello to Rudy's parents. They didn't mind that he was coming over again. The more people that comforted their son, the better, he was certain. The blue boy headed in the living room to join his two friends. Snap went over to the couch and sat down on the other end, where there was a little bit of space left for him to occupy.

Snap's smile faded and he stared at Rudy. "Tomorrow is Terry's trial."

"Yeah I know that." Rudy said, his voice soft.

Snap nodded quietly. "Are you ready to face her, Bucko?"

"I..."

Rudy stopped himself. He looked at Snap. Then to Penny, then his parents in the kitchen. They all supported him. They all wanted him to feel better. They all believed he could do this. And if they belieeved in him, well why shouldn't he? They were right. If he just went through with this, then he would be safe.

He was still afraid. He was still nervous. But, slowly, he was realizing that he was ready. He was as ready as he would ever be. And he had support from his friends, family, even some people from school and down at the station. Anyone who witnessed Terry do anything to him, they would be there and give their support to him. It still wasn't going to be easy, but with their support, he thinks that he might be able to manage.

"Yeah...I think I can do it." Rudy said, forcing a smile on his face.

"Are you scared?" Snap asked. That wasn't meant as an insult. It was a genuine question. He looked at Rudy with a worried expression.

Rudy narrowed his eyes slightly. He slowly nodded his head once. "A little... I'm still afraid of Terry."

"Afraid? More like terrified of her." Snap said, looking at him sympathetically. "She traumatized you. We understand if you're afraid. But remember, after it's all said and done, you won't have to worry about her again."

Rudy smiled at his little blue friend. "I know. Thanks, Snap."

"No problem, Bucko." Snap said, smiling.

Rudy turned his head back towards the television screen. He wasn't really that interested in what was playing. But he wanted to pretend he was watching it instead of staring off into space, because he wanted to do some thinking, but didn't want to look like he was staring off into space.

Their encouragements did help him feel better. It did make him believe he could go to court and face Terry. Yet he still felt nervous. Something could still go wrong. He tried to fight off these negative feelings, but they kept persisting with him. He wasn't sure why, exactly, he couldn't fight them off. He had been told more than once that Terry's actions would get her convicted, that there was no way around it.

He guessed that, somehow, he thought that she would find a loophole somewhere that would get her aquitted. That was something he was dreading these past few days. It was something he had a nightmare about once. The idea of Terry being let off. If that happened, then she could, and likely would, come after him again, to try to make him 'hers' once more. And this time, she would make sure not to let him go. She might go as far as kidnap him again and take him away so that he would constantly be supervised by her, constantly under her control.

She was an intelligent woman. She would figure out a way to capture him and keep him without anyone knowing where he was, or leaving behind any evidence. She may decide against a tracking chip as that could be used to locate him. She might keep him locked up somewhere, probably in her van. Or maybe she'd get a new one and keep him in there.

Or maybe she would take it a step further. His heart filled with dread as he thought about something else Terry might do. He had thought about this before. What if she tried to kill him? What if she simply went off her rocker and tried to murder him for what he had done to her? The look in her eyes before she attempted to punch him. The look of intense hatred...all directed at him. There was nothing to suggest she wouldn't try such a horrible thing, especially if she knew how to get away with it.

His mind was interrupted from its thoughts when he heard his parents call out to them that dinner was ready. Rudy didn't really feel hungry, but he didn't want to worry his folks. He got up from the couch along with Penny and they headed into the kitchen. Snap came in, too, but he had to tell Mrs. Tabootie that he had already eaten before he arrived and was too full to eat anything else.

Rudy took a seat. Penny sat down next to him. And Snap sat down at his other side. Rudy watched as his mother got plates for everyone, except for Snap of course. She sat down the bowls of food along with silverware in front of Rudy, Penny, and Mr. Tabootie, and she got herself something afterwards. Once she sat down, everyone, minus Snap, started to eat.

About ten minutes later, and Rudy realized he had hardly touched his food. He had been playing with it mostly. He used his fork to push around the food. Once in a while, he did take a bite. But only small ones and he chewed very slowly. He had wanted to eat so that his parents didn't get even more worried about him. But it was clear, he was not going to be able to hide his anxiety from them.

And sure enough, his friends and family were eyeing him worriedly. They had taken notice to the fact that he was hardly eating. Rudy wasn't the heaviest eater around, but he sure usually ate more than this. Seeing him hardly eat anything, they instantly knew something was wrong. And they had a pretty good idea on what was bothering him.

"Son, I know you're nervous about the trial tomorrow." Mr. Tabootie said. "But remember, we will be there for you."

"Yeah and it's not like you'll be testifying alone." Snap said, putting a hand on Rudy's shoulder. "I'll be on that stand as well. And so will your parents, Penny, Reggie, anyone who had seen what Terry has done to you."

"Yes, Rudy." Penny said, puttin her hand over his. "We'll be in this together."

"And after it's all over, you'll never have to worry about that...vile woman ever again." Mrs. Tabootie said. She took a bite of her food, swallowed, and pointed her fork in Rudy's direction. "Rest assured she will get what she deserves."

Rudy looked at each of his parents and friends. They smiled reassuringly at him. They let him know, without saying a word, just using their eyes and their expressions, that everything was going to be okay. He wasn't going to be in this alone. He was going to have help. They were there to support him. They were there to help convict Ms. Bouffant.

They were right. After this trial was done and over with, Terry Bouffant was going to get locked up. Rudy felt all sense of doubt leave his system. Hope and relief replaced his fears. He was feeling a lot better with the support of his family and friends. Slowly, he smiled back at them, looking happier than he has been in the past week. Pretty soon, it would all be over with. Soon, Terry would get the punishment she deserves.

"Thanks, guys." Rudy finally said, before he went back to eating.

sss

Friday Afternoon:

This was it. This was the day Rudy had been anticipating all week. The day he had been dreading. The day he had hoped would be over with soon.

It was the day of Terry's trial, when she would be convicted and sent to jail based on the charges put against her.

He felt his body being filled with all kinds of emotions. Fear, happiness, anxiety, nervousness, all just swimming inside of him, making one confusing emotional mess. He found it hard to keep still. He kept wanting to get up and walk around. He found it hard to just stay in one place. Every minute that passed by felt like an hour.

He and his family were walking down the hallways of the local justice building, where the trial would take place. He had never been in here before. He looked all around, taking in the design of the place. Pretty modern-looking, with a few hints of old-fashionedness. He looked out ahead. He could see two large doors that he and his friends and family were being led to. The doors slowly opened as they approached, revealing the huge room the trial would take place in.

Rudy was amazed at the size of the courtroom. He had never been in one before. He couldn't believe how large it was. So many rows of chairs for people to sit in and pay witness to the trial. He could see the stand that he would be called to, and he noticed how tall it was. Then he took notice of the tables in front of the rows of seats, many of which already had people seated in them. He knew that he would be sitting at one of these desks, while Terry, the other one...

The people in the 'audience' watched as Rudy and his family headed towards the front. Rudy took a seat in one of the desks in front of the rows of chairs. His family sat just behind him, except for Snap. Since he, too, was a victim, he sat down next to Rudy. This did make him feel safer, having one of his friends by his side for when the trial started. He would have felt exposed and vulnerable if he had been alone up front with Terry.

He looked up and he could see the judge. A middle-aged man holding the mallet in his hand. He stared down at him with intense, brown eyes. He surveyed the courtroom, looking around. Rudy guessed he was trying to find Terry. It was almost time for the trial to start.

Then he heard footsteps. He looked around and he finally found the source. Walking down another pathway were two policemen. They weren't the same as the ones who arrested Terry. They looked larger and more muscular. They walked on either side of someone else, whom Rudy recognized as Terry herself.

From what Rudy heard, Terry didn't bother with any lawyer. She was going to try to defend herself. How she was going to do that, he wasn't certain. He guessed the policemen were there to make sure she didn't try to do anything. Even as she came close to the desk, they never left her side. For a moment, she locked eyes onto him. His heart skipped a beat and he froze. Terry glared straight at him for a second, before she shifted her gaze away. She sat down, the two policemen still by her side.

Rudy turned his head away, trying to look anywhere except at Terry. He felt his heart start to race. This was it. It was almost time. The trial would start any minute. He took in a shuddering breath. He had to be ready. Any minute now, the trial would start.

And this nightmare would finally be over.

The pounding of the hammer came, and Rudy knew that it signified the court was now in session. Everyone turned their attention to the judge. After he sat down the mallet at his side. He gazed down at everyone below him.

"The court is now in session." He spoke, his voice booming and authoritive. "The case of Tabootie VS Bouffant will now begin."

sss

Rudy was glad when he realized he wasn't the first one to be called to the stand. Instead, it was Reggie. He was a little surprised, but he didn't complain. He didn't mind waiting a little longer before he said anything against Terry. He didn't like the looks she was giving him from the other desk. She looked like she was about to pounce on him, and he felt very scared.

He watched as Reggie went up to the stand, made the promise that everything he would say was the truth, and then sat down. He made himself comfortable and stared at the audience in front of him. The judge looked down at the large boy, then he turned away.

Another man, the one managing the court case, came up to Reggie to ask him a question. "Reggie Bullnerd. Can you explain to the court what you had seen?"

Reggie nodded his head. "I sure can." He took a moment to look at Rudy before he continued, "I was on garbage duty last week, on the day of the festival. I heard a noise coming from Mr. Smittington's yard. I went over to investigate. I hid behind the house, and I saw Ms. Bouffant knocking Rudy out with some strange smelling stuff and dragging him away."

Rudy gave a small smile. He was glad that someone had seen what happened. He was glad that Reggie, instead of being a jerk about it, was willing to help him through this. It was a side of Reggie he rarely ever saw.

"After she knocked him out, she picked him up in her arms and ran off with him. I tried to tell my dad about it, but he didn't believe me. He said that Ms. Bouffant wouldn't risk kidnapping a child."

"Why haven't you tried telling anyone else about what happened?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"My dad wouldn't let me. He said he didn't want me spreading rumors about Ms. Bouffant." Reggie said regretfully. "So I had to wait until Monday before I could tell anyone. I told Penny Sanchez about what I had seen, then I told the principal."

At this, Rudy spotted Reggie's father. He had a saddened look on his face. It was obvious he felt guilty about the whole thing. Rudy didn't blame him, though. He had no reason to think Terry was a kidnapper. To him, she was just a reporter.

As Reggie continued to talk, Rudy wondered if he would be ready for when he was called up to the stand. He was dreading the moment. He tried his best to remain brave. He had been so hopeful the other day. Why was he getting so nervous now? Because it was happening for real now. It was one thing to mentally prepare himself, to imagine what the trial might be like and act accordingly. But it was a whole other ballpark actually being here and experiencing it for himself.

He just hoped he was able to keep his cool for when it was his turn to talk at the stand.

sss

Snap was the next one to be called up. He gave Rudy a reassurring smile before walking up to the stand, doing what Reggie did before and promising to tell the truth. He sat down, and waited for the man in front of him to ask the question.

The man said, "Snap White...that's your name right?"

Snap nodded his head. "That's correct."

"Okay, Snap White. You claim that Rudy is not the only person Terry Bouffant kidnapped. Is that right?" The man asked.

Snap narrowed his eyes. "That is right. He wasn't. She had kidnapped someone before."

The man nodded his head. "Who is the other person?"

Snap made a gesture towards myself. "It was me."

"Oh?" The man said. He took a step back. "Then would you mind explaining to the court what happened?"

"Gladly." Snap said.

He straightened himself up and looked at the people in the courtroom. If this wasn't a serious event, Rudy had a feeling that Snap would want to put on a show for everyone. But he didn't, because he knew that Snap knew that this wasn't the time or place for it.

Snap started to explain what happened to him.

"I was visiting Rudy Tabootie at school. Since the student exchange program, he and I have become close friends. I wanted to stop by and say hello to him. While we were talking, Ms. Bouffant had come in. She wanted me for some reason. I didn't know why. She ripped off the school's map and tossed it at Rudy before she came after me."

Rudy knew that part of what Snap said was a lie. But he had to lie. If he told the truth, it would mean exposing ChalkZone. He was glad that Snap was able to come up with a story on the fly, without pause for breath or to think about what he was going to say. That made his story seem all the more convincing.

He turned his head to the side to look at Terry. She had her teeth clenched. She looked visibly unhappy at what Snap was saying. It was because she knew that he was lying. But after the court finds out exactly what she had done to him, would they even believe anything she tried to say?

"I tried to leave, but she had her thug grab me. They dragged me out of the school and took off in a van. I was taken to a news studio where they wanted to force me to go on stage and talk about this fabled 'world of chalk' nonsense she continues to blab about."

"Objection!" Terry hissed, slamming her hands on the desk. "It's not a fable! You're from that world, you walking chalk drawing! And I can prove it too!"

"Order!" The judge slammed his mallet down. "Ms. Bouffant, you will have your turn to speak. I don't want to hear another outburst from you, or I will put a strike against you. Do you understand?"

Terry grumbled. "Yes, your honor..."

"Now then...continue." The judge said, making a gesture towards Snap to continue his story.

sss

Rudy was now at the stand. He was nervous. His heart was racing. He wasn't sure if he was ready. He couldn't stop his body from shaking, his breathing quickening.

His parents and friend Penny, as well as Mr. Wilter and Principal Stringet, had all got to say something. They all told the court pretty much the same thing. They told them about how they had seen Terry slap Rudy into the ground. They told the court how they had seen Terry try to punch Rudy while he was on the ground, and how Rudy had pleaded for mercy when she attempted to do so.

Now it all came to this. He was the main victim of this 'story'. He was the one who had been the most tormented by this woman. He was not the only one who had been stalked by her, but he was the one she had focused her attention on. He swallowed hard, preparing himself for this moment. Soon, he would spill out everything that happened to him, and soon the conviction would come.

The man walked up in front of him. Rudy swallowed again. It was almost time. As the man's mouth opened to speak, Rudy felt his heart clench tightly. It was time.

"Rudy Tabootie. Would you care to explain to the court what you are accusing Terry Bouffant of doing to you?"

Rudy stared at the courtroom. All eyes were on him. The random people he didn't know where watching him curiously, waiting for him to continue. His eyes slowly moved to where Terry was sitting. He stifted a whimper when he saw her staring at him in hatred, a look that told him she was going to get him for this. He then looked down at his friends and family. They smiled at him and nodded their heads slowly. And he knew, they were going to be there for him.

Rudy sucked in a breath. Yes, he was ready to speak now. He could do this.

"I was taking a walk around my neighborhood on the day of the city festival. I was passing Mr. Smittington's yard when someone grabbed me from behind. They put something over my mouth and I realized it was chloroform. Before I could get free, I succumbed to the chloroform. When I woke up, I was in some building I didn't recognize and I was strapped down in a chair. Ms. Bouffant came in and started to tell me about how she had been stalking me for months, how she had so much information on me, Penny, and Snap that she could make me do anything she wanted."

He paused to take a breather. He looked around at the 'audience'. Some people were staring at him in surprise. Others were whispering to each other. Rudy didn't pause for long. He continued the story.

"She began to threaten me. She told me that if I didn't do exactly what she said, she would ruin Penny's life. She also tried to force me to kidnap my friend Snap, and she said how she would delight in ruining the friendship I had with him and Penny. She wanted me to suffer. She hates me for ruining her career and she wants me to pay the price for that. She assumed control over me, even going as far as putting in a tracking device in my neck so she could see exactly where I would go."

This caused a few people to glare at Terry and shake their heads disapprovingly.

"She had forced me to meet with her twice, and both times, she started to touch me. She treated me like some pet, like a dog or cat. She would run her hands all over my hair, my face, my shoulders, and my arms. She wouldn't stop doing it. She did it to mess with me, and to show me how much control she had over me. If I tried to resist, she would slap me. She...hit me three times, and then tried to punch me. If my mom hadn't intervened, she would have done so."

The man and judge both looked visibly disturbed by this. And so did the audience. Striking a child was frowned upon. And just like Rudy thought, it was causing a reaction among the audience. Many of them were glaring at the woman. Terry glared back at them, but said not a word. She instead glared at him, her dark brown eyes boring into his green eyes.

"When she was being dragged away, she threatened me again. She said she was going to get me. She would have hurt me again if the policemen didn't have a grip on her." Rudy said, his voice growing softer as he spoke. He still spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.

After a few moments of silence, the man said, "Thank you, Tabootie. You may sit down."

sss

It was getting to the homestretch now. The court was soon coming to a close, Rudy knew. Terry Bouffant already had her chance to testify. But she was unable to come up with a sensible explanation for her actions. She kept trying to convince the audience about the 'world of chalk' and how she had only been trying to get him to help her reveal it to the world.

But of course, no one believed her. A few people in the 'audience' called her crazy. Terry was visibly miffed that no one was taking her seriously. And it was no wonder they didn't believe her. Not only did the idea of a 'world of chalk' sound crazy to everyone, but her horrific actions against him, a little boy, already swayed them to his side. Anyone who hurt a child was immediately shunned and frowned upon. To the audience, Terry was nothing more than a child abuser and control freak. No way would they believe anything she said.

And now the court was going to be finished soon. The judge had called the jurors in the back so they could decide on Terry's fate, using the evidence presented for them. They stayed in the back for a while. Rudy looked at the clock on the wall with great anticipation. He wanted to hear what was going to happen. He had to know. His friends and family had to know. And when the jurors finally came back, they all stared at them intently, waiting for them to speak.

"What is your verdict?" The judge asked.

One of the jurors, a tall thin man with blonde hair, stood up. "Your honor, we find Terry Bouffant..."

There was a dramatic pause. Everyone stared at the man, waiting for him to finish. Rudy's heart started to race. He hoped, he prayed, that Terry was going to get what she deserved.

"..guilty of all charges."

A smile never spread across Rudy's face this fast before. He turned to Snap and gave him a hug, a few tears of happiness flowing down his face. He looked over at his family. They smiled at him, too, looking as immensively relieved as him. His parents put their hands on his shoulders reassuringly, and Penny gave him a thumbs up.

Terry, on the other hand, was a different story. Rudy could see her out of the corner of his eye. She clenched her teeth so tightly he thought they would pop out of her jaws. Her eyes were filled with anger. She stared at the jury and the judge with hatred. She looked like she had been wronged. And when the police came over to grab her, she started to resist.

"Terry Bouffant, you will be sent to the city prison, where you will serve your time. There will be a restraining order placed on you. You are not to come within ten feet of Rudy Tabootie. Doing so will violate the order and you will be fined. You will also be stripped of your title and you will not be allowed to work in the news again. All this 'evidence' you gathered during your stalking of this boy and his friends will be destroyed."

"No!" Terry shouted. She ripped herself away from the policemen. "You can't do this to me! You can't!" Her voice rose in volume, emotion swallowing it up. Her eyes were wide, almost glowing with hate. "You are not going to destroy all my hard-earned work! I am not finished! If you just listen to me, then you would..."

"Order!" The judge slammed his mallet down. "That's quite enough, Ms. Bouffant. Case dismissed!"

Terry struggled as the policemen grabbed her. They started to drag her away. "No! Let me go!"

Rudy watched as Terry was being dragged away. His friends and family watched as well. They glared hatefully at the woman. He could sense that they were all satisfied that she was being taken away, where she won't be able to hurt him ever again. As Terry continued to be dragged away, he started to feel a little safe again. Soon, Terry would disappear out of the doors, and he wouldn't see her again for a very long time.

Rudy spoke in a soft voice, glaring in Terry's direction. "Ms. Bouffant, I hate you. I hate what you did to me. You are a despicable woman. But I also feel sorry for you. Because you were so insecure and caught up in your delusions that you resorted to kidnapping and blackmailing. And now you are going to pay the price for that."

His voice was so low, he thought only Snap would hear him. He looked down at his friend, who gave him a nod of agreement. The two of them looked back towards Terry to watch her get dragged away where she will get what she deserved. But to Rudy's surprise, Terry was now looking at him. His eyes widened a little. Had she heard what he said?

Terry's eyes narrowed, her teeth bared menacingly. The boy shuddered. Her glare was like ice. His muscles froze, unable to move. The way she was looking at him...he could see the intent behind her eyes. She looked like she was about to explode. Her pupils were so tiny, her eyes so intense. Her face turned red from anger.

"You...! You are going to pay for this, Tabootie!" Terry shouted threateningly. She started to struggle harder against the policemen. And soon, she got free. She made her way towards Rudy, uncaring of his friends and family being there. "This is all your fault!"

"Someone grab her!" The judge ordered.

"I will make sure you regret ever turning me in!" With that, Terry grabbed Snap and threw him aside. Then she grabbed Rudy and threw him in the opposite direction.

By now, more policemen were running up to Terry, but she ignored them. She moved swiftly towards Rudy. She knew she didn't have much time to do what she wanted. So she was not going to waste any time. Rudy got back to his feet and looked at Terry in fear. What was she going to do? Punch him?

He saw Terry reach for something she had hidden in her pocket. A creepy smile spread across her face. She looked so evil, so insane. Her eyes...the way they looked, Terry had truly snapped.

"Goodbye, you little brat!" Terry said, laughing insanely.

Rudy's eyes widened in horror when Terry pulled a handgun out. Before the policemen could get to her, before Snap could yank her back, Terry pulled the trigger.

Rudy let out a bloodcurdling scream as the bullet struck through his chest. Blood squirted everywhere, pouring rapidly from the gaping wound. Pain shot through every part of his body. His eyes widened in pain, tears dripping from his face. He started to cough up blood. He fell to the ground, a pool of the red liquid forming around him.

He was barely aware of Terry being dragged away. He was hardly aware of his friends and family rushing towards him, crying out his name, pleading that he would be okay. He barely felt his mother stroking his hair, begging him to get up. Penny, Snap, they both tried to shake him to get him to stand up. Rudy looked at his loved ones. His eyes began to gloss over. He wasn't going to be able to stay awake for much longer.

The world around him started to blur. He heard the panicked cries of the people in the courtroom. Many of them shouted to call 911. But after that, he could barely understand anything. The world then started to darken. The pain was getting more and more intense, making it hard for him to move or breathe.

His dad was holding his hand. He could barely register that. Then, as darkness overcame him, Rudy felt his hand slip from his father's and hit the ground in a thud. Rudy closed his eyes, losing all touch of reality.

sss

All there was around Rudy was darkness. He couldn't see or hear anything. It was just blackness, and he was floating in it. A great void, with a lot of nothingness. It felt peaceful here. He didn't know how he got here. He said nothing, did nothing, just kept still.

"Rudy.."

A voice caught his attention. He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Something about it seemed familiar to him.

"Rudy..please...wake up..."

The voice sounded distressed. Was that sobbing he heard? Rudy soon saw a light. It started out small, then it grew much larger. Soon his whole field of vision was enveloped by it. He shielded his eyes, clenching his teeth at the intense light. Soon, everything was white instead of black. Then, suddenly, he became aware of much more than just a void.

Rudy's eyes fluttered open. He looked around at his surroundings. Everything was a blur at first. Soon everything came into focus. He didn't remember how he got here. Just where was he? He could see his friends and family but..why were they looking at him all sad like that? What had happened to him?

Rudy let out a soft groan. He tried to move, but he found that it hurt too much. His eyes widened just a tad. Why was he in so much pain? His chest felt like it was on fire. He let out another groan as he turned his head from left to right, trying to make sense of where he was. This...this wasn't his room. It was too white, too clean. This didn't feel like his bed either. It was too low to the ground.

Soon, he became aware of something clinging to his face. He tried shake it off, but he soon found it was attached to his face. It looked like a sunction cup at first. Then, as his groggy mind came more into focus, he realized it was a breathing mask, pumping oxygen into him.

"Oh Rudy...!" He heard his mother cry. She rushed over to him and looked like she was about to hug him. Instead, as if she knew what kind of pain he was in, she opted instead to stroke his hair lightly. Rudy tried to move his arm, and this was when he became aware of the IV tubes. "I'm so glad you're awake!"

"H-How long was I out..?" Rudy groaned painfully. Oh how much it hurt to talk.

Penny bit her lip. "For five days."

Rudy's eyes widened. "F-Five days..? What..what happened...?"

"Ms. Bouffant shot you." Snap said, his voice filled with anger. "She just pulled out a gun and shot you...like it was nothing..."

Rudy's eyes widened weakly at this. Terry had shot him? Suddenly his mind was flooded with flashback images. Yes, now he remembered. The court had just convicted Terry, declaring her guilty. She was being dragged off. Then she broke free. She threw him to the side, pulled out a gun and shot him.

All of a sudden, he felt a sharp pain in his chest where he was shot. He started to squirm, whimpering helplessly as he tried to get away from the pain. There was no escaping it. He shook his head from side to side, his eyes shut tightly, teeth clenched. He could hear the heart monitor beeping rapidly, indicating that he was panicking.

"Rudy no..." His father said. "Please calm down. Your heart is in no condition to race like that."

"Please calm down." His mother said, stroking his hear some more.

He could feel Penny and Snap take his hands and hold them gently. They all looked at him worriedly, tears filling their eyes. Rudy, slowly, began to calm down. The pain slowly subsided and he began to relax. Soon his heart rate returned to normal. He just laid there for a few minutes before he turned to his father.

"How long will I be here?" Rudy managed to ask, his voice sounding scratchy.

"They don't know. It could be another month or so before they will let you go." His father said regretfully.

"The important thing is you woke up." Penny said, giving him a tear-filled smile. "They were worried you were going to slip into a coma for a long time. Now that you're awake, your prognosis should be much better."

"Yeah. Before you know it, you'll be back at home, romping around and having a great time." Snap said. He was trying to sound happy, but Rudy could detect a crack in his voice. Snap was clearly upset about what had happened to him. "Just..just hang in there, okay?"

Rudy smiled weakly at his friend. "I..I will try.." He winced in pain before looking back up towards the ceiling. "What happened to Ms. Bouffant?"

Mrs. Tabootie answered, her voice laced in venom. "That witch got an even tougher sentence for shooting you. Serves her right. She will be in jail for a much longer time now."

"Yeah. Don't worry, Bucko. She got what she deserved." Snap said.

Mr. Tabootie gently patted Rudy on the head. "You don't have to worry about her anymore, son. She won't be able to get at you ever again. You're safe now."

Penny's grip on Rudy's hand tightened a little. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. She's going to be locked up for a very long time. And we will be here to support you." At this, Snap and Rudy's parents nodded in affirmative agreement. "Now just relax. You need plenty of rest. It will take a while for you to recover. You were lucky to have survived that bullet."

At the mention of the bullet, Rudy felt another pang in his chest. An uncomfortable sensation. The bullet had hit square on his chest, right where his heart was. He could see why he had been so lucky. At the moment, his chest was heavily bandaged up. He could feel the thick cloth through his hospital gown. A part of him was a tad curious and wanted to see the bandages, but another part didn't want to, afraid to see what kind of damage had been dealt to him.

Rudy wondered just how much damage there was. He knew he was shot in the heart, and heart injuries take a long time to heal, or so he's heard. But he wondered what the full extent of the damage was. He wanted to know if there was a chance he would indeed fully heal. He wondered if there would be possible complications after this. After all, he is a small boy; a bullet through the heart would do more damage to him compared to an adult. Smaller space means more room for massive damage.

Maybe the doctor would tell him. Yeah, he'd act him, or her, whenever they came in to get him his prognosis. He didn't know when that would be, and honestly, he could wait. Right now, he just wanted to be with his family. Being shot in the chest was a very scary and painful ordeal. Some time with his loved ones would help him feel better. Feeling his friends' and parents' hands on him, whether it be his hands or his hair, helped keep his heart rate steady. He dreaded what it would be like when they would have to leave. He didn't want them to go away. He didn't want to be all alone...

Just then, another thought came to his mind. One that filled his damaged heart with dread. What about the magic chalk? He had given Ms. Bouffant a piece of it. And it was never recovered, far as he could tell. It didn't roll out of her pocket when she was arrested. And he could have sworn she had it with her when she was at the trial. Ms. Bouffant still had the magic chalk. In a way, she still won.

Of course, in jail, there wasn't really any place she could use the magic chalk. So for the moment she wasn't a threat. But then, what if she breaks out? She could do so at any time if she was clever enough. Or what if she loses the magic chalk and some other prisoner finds it? What if this prisoner was worse than Terry, and they get into ChalkZone and cause all sorts of problems? What if she told the story of ChalkZone to everyone in prison and got some of them to believe her, and work with her to expose ChalkZone?

This was a very real concern. He needed a way to get that magic chalk back as soon as possible. But now? He could feel his heart start to race again, but this time he caught it and did his best to calm down before his parents and friends could say anything. They looked at him worriedly. As much as he hated to, he would have to worry about the magic chalk thing later. There was nothing he could do about it now. In his state, he couldn't afford to let his heart work too hard. He had to relax, both physically and mentally.

A few minutes later, the door to the hospital room opened up. They all turned their heads to see Dr. Starla walking in. A dark-skinned tall woman who was holding a clipboard. Rudy guessed that she was going to tell him about his condition.

Dr. Starla stopped next to Rudy. She glanced down at him for a moment, and then fumbled through her paperwork. "Rudy Tabootie, am I right?" Rudy nodded weakly as a response. "I see you are finally awake. That's good. We were worried you wouldn't wake up for a long time. You took quite a hit."

"How is he going to be, now that he is awake?" Mrs. Tabootie asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Is he going to be okay?" Penny asked.

Dr. Starla glanced over the papers. Rudy guessed that they held data gathered form his heart monitor and whatever else they used on him. She frowned slightly. "At the moment, it is hard to tell." She turned to Rudy. "The bullet ripped through your sternum and sliced right through the center of your heart. When you were brought in, you were in critical condition. We weren't sure if we could save you. But by some miracle you survived. We were able to close the holes left behind by the bullet."

"D-Did anything else..." Rudy tried to say. But he felt a pain in his chest, forcing him to stop.

"It would be best not to talk to much, kid." Dr. Starla said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You had a major heart surgery. Best not to move around too much or try to talk a lot." Rudy gave a nod of understanding. "Now, there was some damage to other areas besides your heart. A cut in your lung, which caused you to cough up some blood. That's been taken care of. There were some broken bones. A rib in the back where the bullet exited, and your sternum, where the bullet entered. But the other damage is mostly torn vessels and muscle, thankfully none that would cause a lot of bleeding. No hitting the aorta, which is good. So the healing in these areas should be fine. The only big concern we have with you is your heart."

Rudy did feel relieved that there wasn't much more major damage done to him. Heart damage was frightening and not something he would want or ever wish upon anyone. But knowing that only his heart suffered this much damage meant that the doctors could focus on that one area. They could treat it and he would be all better. Eventually. It would take time.

...unless there was something else he wasn't thinking of. He realized he couldn't get his hopes up yet. There was still that chance that something else would or had gone wrong. He stared the doctor expectantly, waiting for her to continue.

"I will say that your prognosis will be better now that you're awake. Had you been asleep still, we would be worried about a coma, which could have lasted for who knows how long." Dr. Starla said. Then a concerned expression came onto her face. Rudy knew that wasn't a good sign. "However, there are still some concerns..."

"Concerns?" Snap said, gulping. "Wh-what concerns?"

Dr. Starla gave a regretful sigh. Rudy looked at her, his expression becoming more horrified by the second. His parents and friends looked at the doctor, all with pleading expressions. They wanted her to say everything will be fine. But the doctor, judging from the way she looked at them, was not able to provide such a happy answer.

She flipped to another page. She quickly read what it said. Probably data gathered from another doctor regarding his condition. And whatever data it was, it wasn't anything too promising.

Dr. Starla said, "Due to his small size, a lot more damage was done to him compared to what would have happened to an adult shot in the same area. As I said, we were able to close the holes. But the damage is still there. The holes are patched up, but that doesn't change the fact that Rudy's heart is much weaker now. It is possible it might regain its strength as time goes on. But there is also a chance that his natural pacemaker has been damaged. We must keep him here under careful observation and see how he progresses. If his heart recovers just fine, we won't have to do anything."

"And what if...what if it doesn't?" Mr. Tabootie asked hesitantly.

"What would happen if his heart doesn't recover at an acceptable rate?" Penny asked, her voice shaky. "Would he...would he..." Tears flowed. She couldn't ask the question.

"No...he'll be fine...won't he?" Mrs. Tabootie asked. Her eyes were watery as she stared at Dr. Starla, silently begging her to assure her and the others that Rudy had a chance at a full recovery.

"If his heart is unable to recover, if it shows clear signs of..." Dr. Starla paused, biting her lip. "...permanent damage..." The way she said it, she really regretted having to let those words out of her mouth. She stared at Rudy for a moment, then she looked at his worried loved ones. It looked like she was having a hard time coming up with the words. A minute later, she responded. "If his heart shows signs of permanent damage, if his heart is unable to beat regularly because of the damage caused by the bullet, then the only thing I can recommend is installing a pacemaker."

Rudy's eyes widened at that. "A...a p-pacemaker...?"

Dr. Starla nodded, looking at Rudy sadly. "We are hoping we won't have to resort to that. It all depends on you, kid. We need to monitor you for a month. If your heart's condition improves well enough, we won't have to use a pacemaker. But if we find your heart has trouble pumping due to the damage, then...we have no choice."

Rudy couldn't believe it. He felt the doctor's words crash in all around him like heavy bricks. It wasn't possible. No... this couldn't be happening to him...

He was only 10 years old. He hadn't reached his teen years yet. He couldn't be made to wear a pacemaker... Pacemakers were something he most often seen with adults, usually the elderly. Not that he had anything against the elderly but, he was just too young for a pacemaker. He would feel very old if he wore one. A 10 year old with an artificial pacemaker...

Rudy would feel very vulnerable with a pacemaker. With one installed, he knew that he would have to rely on it soley for a healthy life. If it malfunctioned, if something went wrong...he would be in big trouble. He could even die from it. And what if there was some kind of electrical interference? What if it screwed with the pacemaker? No, he couldn't wear one. Not at such a young age. No...he would get better. He had to get better. This couldn't be happening to him. No..it couldn't...

He looked over at his parents and friends His vision of them was blurred by the tears that now streamed down his face. Emotion began to overwhelm him. His body shook, sobs escaping his mouth. He couldn't stop. The idea of his heart being permanently damaged all because of...her...that evil woman, Terry...it was too much to bear. He was so young...he had always helped others... He didn't nothing to deserve this kind of fate. Why did this have to happen to him? Why?

His parents and friends looked down at him sadly. They were feeling the same thing as him. They were devastated that he might never fully recover from this. They knew it was serious, but hearing that it might be permanent from the doctor's own mouth...it sent them all into a depression. They were crying as well. Not bothering holding back, they showed Rudy exactly how they were feeling.

"I'm sorry to bring you such horrible news." Dr. Starla said regretfully.

"Is there anything else that can be done?" Mrs. Tabootie asked. "Anything else that can help him?"

Dr. Starla shook her head. "I'm sorry, there isn't. I know a pacemaker isn't the most ideal solution, but if his heart doesn't recover, it's a better option than just letting it go. Without the pacemaker, if your son's heart doesn't get much better, then he could suffer a cardiac arrest."

Mr. Tabootie's eyes widened in horror. "Y-You mean he could..." He paused. The word he spoke next, it was a word that he never wanted to say. "...die..?"

Dr. Starla stared at Mr. Tabootie. She glanced at Mrs. Tabootie, Snap, and Penny, noting their worried expressions. She looked down at Rudy. He stared at her with wide eyes, silently begging her to tell him it wouldn't be so. She let out a sigh and, much to everyone's horror, she nodded. "Yes. If his heart is unable to recover effectively, then if he is not given a pacemaker, then yes, he could die. Any activity he does that requires extra work from the heart would be fatal. Even something like being scared by a sudden sound, anything that causes his heart to pump faster, without that pacemaker to control it, he would go into cardiac arrest and die."

The woman closed her eyes, a grim expression covering her face. She glanced down at her paperwork. She looked back at the group. "I wish I could have given you better news." She looked down at Rudy and then back at his parents. "Right now it is too early to tell if he'll need a pacemaker or not. Only time will tell. Your son will be kept here for a month, maybe longer, to monitor his heart's recovery. If all goes well, and if his heart heals just fine, then we won't need a pacemaker. However..." She frowned a little. "..even if he does recover, he will still need to come and get several checkups to make sure everything is fine. This will go on for at least a year to make sure everything is fine."

Rudy let that all sink in. The idea of permanent damage... He didn't want to think about it. This one day, it may have changed the rest of his life forever. All because of Terry... It was because of her that he was like this. It was because of her that he was in this hospital bed. It was because of her that his heart was so horribly damaged. And it was she who had made his life a living hell the past few days. It was her who had made him afraid of being alone, terrified of his own shadow. She had done this to him.

Yet, despite his hatred for the woman, he would not seek revenge. No, he would be the bigger person here. He wouldn't go after her. He wouldn't try to make her pay for what she did. She was already serving her time in jail. That was good enough for him. If he tried to do more harm to her, then he would be just as bad as her.

For now, all he wanted was just to spend time with his family and friends. He was in for a long road to recovery. The last thing he needed on his mind was anger and hate. He flushed those thoughts out of his mind. What mattered now was that she was locked up, he was alive, and he was with his loved ones. And they would do what they could to help him feel better.

He tried his best to remain hopeful. Though there was still a chance that his heart suffered permanent damage, there was still hope that he would recover. He held onto that hope and believed that, in time, he would truly return to normal.

He just had to believe.

He heard the doctor take her leave, having said all she could. She was giving them time to let what she said sink in. His parents came in closer to him, putting an arm around him while being very gentle. Penny and Snap held onto his hands, squeezing them gently. They were going to be here for him. He could tell. They were going to be with him all the way.

"Don't worry, son. We'll..get through this." Mr. Tabootie said.

"Yeah you'll see..." Snap's shaky voice came. "Everything will be okay.."

Rudy nodded his head. "I'm sure it will..." He turned his gaze upwards for a moment. Then he looked back at his parents and friends. "I love you guys..."

At this, tears filled their eyes, strolling down their faces.

"And we love you too..." Mrs. Tabootie whispered, stroking her son's hair gently.

"Get better soon." Penny pleaded with him, wiping away a tear.

Rudy gave the best smile he could to his parents and friends. A smile that he was sure would give them some kind of hope. "Don't worry...I will..." He closed his eyes. He was getting so very tired. He needed his rest. Before he drifted off into sleep, he whispered one more thing. "I promise..."