User blog:MrFreeman22286/Train Grave Forest Part 2

Part 2...

"The next morning at the cabin, Lincoln groans and slowly opens his eyes to see Cherry still sleeping next to him, her head resting on his chest and her arms wrapped around him. Lincoln clears his throat and said...

"Uh, Cherry?"

"Hmm?" Cherry mumbled in her sleep.

"You're clutching me real tight." Lincoln responded.

"Oh. Sorry, i always do that whenever i'm scared. It's a bad habit." Cherry apologized.

"It's okay," Lincoln assured. "My sister Lori and I share taking care of the other siblings when they're asleep."

"Aren't you a LITTLE brother, though? You seem so young." Cherry countered.

"Yeah, but I'm strong!" Lincoln said as he puffed out his chest.

"Sure you are," said Cherry, skeptical.

"You're never gonna believe me, are you?" Lincoln asked.

"Nope." Cherry replied.

"Breakfast!" called a voice. "We're having eggs!"

"'Egg-cellent!" Lincoln exclaimed.

Cherry giggled and said...

"Hey, that was pretty funny." said Cherry.

"I got them from my sister Luan." said Lincoln.

"Yeah, of course you do." Cherry said sarcastically. "Come on, let's eat."

Cherry hops out of bed and races to the kitchen, while Lincoln stands up and stretches and yawns a bit before joining the family for breakfast. Meanwhile, at the motel, the loud girls, after they took their showers, went to the office to check out. But the office was empty once the girls entered, except for one customer who is reading a newspaper. Lori placed their room key on the front desk and said to her sisters...

"Look, girls, i'm really sorry for snapping at you last night, but we need to be more careful here. We can't take anymore risks."

"We were just taking some edge, but it's okay, we understand." said Lynn Jr. "Can we get breakfast now? I'm starving."

"No time for that, siblings." said Lisa. "We need to find our brother hastily."

Lisa's stomach begins growling, which the young genius said with a smile...

"Well, i'm sure there are some edible flora in the woods we can forage."

"I rather eat at a diner." Lynn Jr murmured.

"I'm afraid i have to go with Lisa on this one, guys." said Lori. "We barely have any money left."

The other girls groaned, suddenly...

"Forgive the interruption, ladies." said a man's voice.

The girls turned abruptly at the sound of the voice.

They saw a short and clean brown haired man in a blue sailor's suit on complete with a red anchor on. The man then said...

"Forgive me for eavesdropping, but I perhaps I can be of some assistance."

"No offense, old man, but i think we can handle ourselves." Lynn Jr. rudely told the man.

"Lynn!" Lori angrily shouted at Lynn Jr, she turned to the man and said... "Please forgive my sister, sir."

"It's alright. I understand you girls don't trust strangers, and i shouldn't get involved in your situation." The man told the girls. "But i really would like to help."

"Oh, thank you, sir, we really appreciate it. and we literally need all the help we can get." Said Lori. She turned to her sisters and said... "What do you say, girls?"

"I don't do well with strangers, but i got a good feeling about him." Lucy replied.

"Me too." said Lana.

"Well, honestly, i don't like the guy." said Lynn Jr.

"Yes, I have trouble trusting him, too, but getting adequate shelter is what we all need, right now." Lisa pointed out.

"Just what's your name anyway, Boat Boy?" Lynn rudely asked again.

"Lynn!" Lori cried.

"It's alright, i forgot my manners." the man laughed. "My name is Joseph Baldur Mandrake."

"Uh, Joey Boulder Rake?" Lynn asked.

"Lynn! Say his name, right!" Lori said, getting mad.

"I thought I did!" Lynn complained.

"Anyway, pleased to meet you, sir. My name is Lori Loud." Lori introduced herself, and then her sisters. "And this is Lynn Jr., Lucy, Lana and Lisa."

"Pleasure to meet you, ladies." Said Mr. Mandrake. "Well, let's get some breakfast then, shall we? We can have it at my house."

Mr. Mandrake takes the girls outside the motel and into the parking lot to reveals his vehicle to the loud girls: A luxurious recreational vehicle with a large yacht attached on a trailer.

"Whoa." Lori and Lynn Jr. said together as they gazed on the vehicle.

"Wow, is that a Road Wanderer 3000?!" Lana asked excitedly. "And is that a yacht?!"

Mr. Mandrake chuckles and said...

"You sure know your vehicles, sweetie. But it's even better on the inside. Well, we better hustle back to my island or else I'll have to sleep on my boat for the night, there being six of us and all."

"You have an island?" asked Lucy.

"I have a small island in the middle of Loner Lake which is west of here, a few miles from the town's tourist attraction." Mr. Mandrake answered.

"Which is?" Lucy asked again.

"It's a train graveyard." Mr. Mandrake answered again.

"Ugh, a train yard? Really?" Lynn Jr. said with disgust.

"Young lady, that "train yard" you called it is full of century old trains that got derailed into the forest, so please show a little respect." said Mr. Mandrake. "In fact most of the trains belonged to my family."

Mr. Mandrake and the loud girls went inside the luxury RV. The girls were awestruck with delight to see the interior, the RV has a couch bed near the driver and passenger seat, a kitchen/living room combo with a couch and two recliners with tables next to them. a wall mounted screen tv was seen next to the refrigerator, and in the back were two bunk beds and a bathroom with a shower.

"Pretty nice RV you got here, gramps." said Lynn Jr.

"I'll say!" said Lana. "I bet it gets a whole lotta horsepower!"

Soon enough, the entire group were on the road to Loner Lake, during the trip, Mr. Mandrake began to tell a story...

"So ladies, i think it's time you know a little history about Iron Trail. You see, many years ago, my great-grandfather found a iron deposit here and helped established this town. Of course, running a successful steel industry was no cake walk when you got train robbers and saboteurs trying to bring you down. They started derailing the trains off the Rickety Rail Route and sent them crashing into the forest, and sometimes there's a forest fire or two. The situation gotten so bad, the U.S. government was forced to shut down the route until the whole ordeal is resolved."

"How did you know all that?" asked Lori.

"I read it all from his diary." Mr. Mandrake answered. "Anyway, the iron mines ran out of ore eventually and the town began falling through hard times."

"I think I'm starting to like this place." Lucy said with an eerie smile.

A few minutes later, they arrived at Loner Lake. It was a large lake and in the middle of the lake is a small island. Mr. Mandrake's yacht was soon placed into the water, allowing him and the loud girls to board it. While en route to Mr. Mandrake's island, the loud girls took the opportunity to see what the yacht has to offer. Along with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, the yacht had a living room with a big wall mounted tv and a few games like foosball, a pinball machine, a basketball arcade machine, a gaming console and a dartboard. The kitchen had a long table with chairs and a buffet, next to the dining room is the kitchen.

"I must say, i'm literally impressed." said Lori.

"I normally care less for luxuries." said Lisa. "But this yacht is really delightful."

"I take back what i said about Mangrove." said Lynn Jr. "he's got the good stuff here."

"it's Mandrake, sis, as in the plant." said Lucy. "But i agree, he sure is living a comfortable life."

A few minutes later, the yacht arrived at the island's dock which beside the yacht has a small ferry, a fishing boat and two row boats. Mr. Mandrake leads the girls out of the yacht and into a path surrounded by wheat fields leading toward his home... Mr. Mandrake's home was a small mansion with a concrete foundation with a metal roof full of solar panels. A few apple trees and several flowers decorate the mansion grounds and behind the mansion was a watermill used to turn wheat into flour and two large vegetable gardens. Near the mansion's backyard was a outdoor fire pit, BBQ grill and a brick wood fired pizza oven along with three patio tables with chairs and a few benches.

"Look at that, Lucy, this place is amazing." Lynn Jr. said with astonishment.

"That's nice, but does this place have a basement or something?" Lucy asked.

"I thought you were afraid of places like that like the rest of us." Lynn reminded.

"Yes, but you'll get used to it... in due time." Lisa admitted.

"Carrie, i'm home and i brought some guests." Mr. Mandrake called out on a intercom by the front door.

"Ah, good morning, Monsieur. One moment, i will unlock the door for you." a woman's voice replied. Within a few seconds, the front door is unlocked and Mr. Mandrake and the loud girls went inside and what the girls saw inside was beyond words as Mr. Mandrake shows the girls around his mansion.

The interior of the mansion is elegant, windows with curtains, paintings and family portraits graced the mansion's walls, the hall had a grandfather clock and a couple of vases full of flowers and roses. The living room had a comfortable couch, a few recliners, living chairs, a coffee table with a fruit bowl, silver plate, and a tea set, and a big wall mounted screen TV. The dining room was furnished with a long maple dining table and the finest chinaware, crystal glass cups and silverware. The kitchen is really large with enough room for a long table with a chair at each end, and besides a refrigerator, stove, microwave, blender, sink, coffee maker, and a couple of kitchen counters, the kitchen has a huge, well stocked pantry, lastly, there was a pass-through window between the kitchen and the dining where the residents can see the cook work.

Mr. Mandrake leads the girls upstairs, the lounge had a billiard table in the center of the room along with a few couches and chairs, there is also a alcohol-free bar with a soda fountain, filtered water dispenser, espresso machine, a milk dispenser that serves regular milk, along with vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and banana milk, a coffee pot and a tea kettle, along with a three cabinets full of cups of all sizes, as well as a shelf full of coffee mugs. Lana eagerly makes a beeline for the bar to get a glass of milk, the other girls followed suit as they are feeling thirsty themselves, after quenching their thirst, the tour continued on and the loud girls got to see the 12 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms of the mansion. Once the tour was over, Mr. Mandrake and the loud girls went downstairs for breakfast. Downstairs, Lori takes her phone out of her pocket and tries to call her boyfriend Bobby while saying...

"Bobby's really gotta hear about this place."

"Uh, Lori?" Lisa tried to stop her.

"Wait, no bars?!" Lori said in surprise. "Noooooooooo!"

The other loud girls heard her scream at the dining room.

"So, she's at it, AGAIN, huh? Didn't this same thing happen the last time we went to Scratchy Bottom Campground?" Lynn Jr. asked.

"Yeah, she's nearly thick headed as Leni." said Lana.

"I heard that!" Lori shouted.

Meanwhile, we find Lincoln eating breakfast with Catalina, Jackie and Cherry at their cabin, they were having eggs with a side of toast. After a few minutes of eating in silence, Jackie asked Lincoln some questions...

"So, Linc... May I call you "Linc?"

"Uh, yeah." Lincoln answered, unassured.

"Do you usually eat with your family every morning?" Jackie asked further.

"Yep". But he couldn't hide his uneasiness.

"What was it like with them at meal times?" A curious Cherry asked Lincoln.

Lincoln at once remembered eating breakfast at home. His mood totally changed.

"Well, everyday we start running to the table, and then all my sisters scarfs down the food like a pack of hungry wolves. Before our dad started to change up the menu, they'd feed the food to the pets under the table."

"Um. That sounds nice." said Catalina.

"Anything else to share about your sisters?" asked Jackie.

"Other than the fact that my sisters are rude, impolite and ungrateful, they always been dependent on me, and sometimes my oldest sister Lori." Lincoln answered in a lightly bitter tone.

"Don't your parents ever help you kids out with your problems?" asked Catalina.

"Yeah they try their best, but from time to time they're always too busy or sometimes too afraid whenever my sisters is having an off day." Lincoln answered once again. "What's with all the questions?"

"Oh, we were just curious about you, right, Catalina?" said Jackie.

"Oh yes, your family's life sure is chaotic.' said Catalina.

"You don't know the half of it." Lincoln said with a bit of sarcasm.

"Just how many sisters do you actually have?" Cherry curiously asked.

"Ten." Lincoln replied.

Without warning, Catalina spits the juice she was drinking on Lincoln.

"Ten sisters?!" Jackie exclaims as she dropped her fork.

"Wow..." said Cherry.

"Oh, terribly sorry." Catalina apologized as she goes to clean Lincoln up.

"Jeez, kid, how does a big family like yours managed to stay afloat?" asked Jackie. "It must have taken both of your parents and your older sisters to meet ends meet."

"Well, you're half right about that." said Lincoln. "Both my parents work, Lori and Leni has part time jobs, Luan performs at kids' birthday parties, and Lisa at times teaches at a local university."

Catalina and Jackie starting whispering to each other. Lincoln then asked Cherry...

"What about your moms, what do they do?"

"They work on the wheat fields and vegetable gardens of Mr. Mandrake's estate." Cherry answered.

"Yes, and we have to take Cherry along since Audric isn't around to watch over her." said Catalina.

"Mr. Mandrake?" asked Lincoln.

"He's a rich old man who owns a small island on Loner Lake." Jackie replied.

"He's really nice. He even gives us food and extra money sometimes, if we did a good job." said Cherry.

"Anyway, i think you owe us an explanation, about why you were in our cabin last night." Jackie kindly told Lincoln.

"Yeah, about that..." Lincoln said as he tries his best to explain. "I was trying to find a way back home, but there was this big kid blocking the bridge to the campgrounds."

"Why do you need to go to the campgrounds?" asked Catalina.

"To find the driver of the bus that brought me here and ask him to take me back home." Lincoln answered.

"Oh, i see, you must have ended up here by accident, right?" asked Jackie.

"Yeah.. Wait, how did you know?" Lincoln asked.

"I had that same experience once back home when i was your age." Jackie replied. "Though, you probably wouldn't want to hear it, it's too painful for me."

Maybe I can help," said Lincoln in a caring tone. "My friend, Clyde knows a lot about therapy. I even went to his appointments a couple of times."

"I'm sorry," said Catalina. "But it's just too-"

But Jackie cut her off.

"It seems like the boy knows what he's talking about. So, I will, too."

Back at the loud house, Leni, Luna, Luan, Lola were watching tv after doing a bit of cleaning around the house and fixing the broken windows (Thanks to Luan's rubber fake window glasses), Lily however was taking a nap on the playpen their parents bought at a yard sale. The front door opened and entering was their parents Lynn Sr. and Rita.

"Kids, we're home." said Rita.

Lynn Sr. began walking toward the bedroom with Rita until he stopped to look at the girls and said...

"Uh, girls? Where is Lori and the others?"

"Lori said she needed some time off from babysitting, so she went to Dairyland with the others." Luna lied. "She insisted it and left me in charge."

"Well, this is a first for Lori." said Lynn Sr.

"Looks like things are all right here. But I'm gonna have a word with that young lady when she gets back." Rita grumbled. She then pushes the play button on the answering machine before going to the kitchen to make some coffee. Lynn Sr. went upstairs to use the bathroom.

The first message began playing...

"Lynn, Rita, this is Howard. Me and Harold are concerned about Clyde, your son Lincoln hasn't called him all day and he's getting worried. If you see Lincoln, can you let him know? Thank you so much."

The machine began playing the next message, the voices of Bobby and Ronnie Anne Santiago can be heard arguing and struggling to call their friends until Bobby subdued his sister and said...

"Babe, it's Bobby. Are you doing alright? You haven't called all day and i'm starting to worry. If you get this message, please call..."

More sounds of struggling can be heard as Ronnie Anne shouted...

"Give me that!"

"Just a few more seconds, Niní." Bobby told his sister.

"I told you not to call..." Ronnie tried to finish but a crashing noise was heard instead. (She and Bobby fell off of Bobby's bed)

It was silent for a few seconds before Ronnie Anne shouted...

"I know you're there, Lame-o! If you think you can hang me up to dry like laundry, you got another thing coming! You better call me back right now before i come over there and shove my foot up your...!"

Leni quickly pushed the next button on the answering machine. And the next message began playing...

"Hi Rita, it's Jancey. Is everything alright in your house? The reason i asked is... I'll be honest, i got a call from a old friend of mine back in college, her name is Leilani and she lives in a small town called Iron Trail. Well, at least we used to be friends, we had a falling out near our graduation and..."

Rita Loud walked into the living room holding a coffee mug full of coffee and listens in on the answering machine.

"Well, i'm getting off topic here. Anyway, Leilani told me she came across your son and apparently he ran off into the woods..."

Rita gasped as she dropped her coffee mug. Lynn Sr. heard the glass break and runs downstairs and said...

"Rita? Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Poor dear, i hope he's alright... Listen, you might want to go down there to Iron Trail and look for him. I... I'm sorry, i gotta go, i... need to sit down."

The last message ended. Rita stood there shocked until Luna called to her...

"Mom?" Rita turned to her girls.

"We were gonna explain this to you and dad when you got home." said Luan.

"We did?" asked Leni

"Girls, what is going on here and where is Lincoln and the rest of your sisters?!" Lynn Sr. demanded while attempting to control himself.

To Be Continued...