Azalea Zoo and the Great Escape

Chapter Two - Diablo

Azalea could already feel the heat on the back of her neck as Ms. Zappa shoved her outside and locked the door behind her. She winced up at the bright yellow sun, then turned her gaze back to the garden and its’ weed filled rows.

It was days like this that she wished she could run away and someday, she was planning to do just that. Thirty minutes later there was a scuffle at the back door, Azalea looked up. A gray skinny rail of a boy was being pushed out. As she focused more closely she realized it was Drew her best friend at the orphanage. 

As long as she could remember every time she was in trouble Drew managed to get the same punishment, they soon looked forward to getting in trouble so they could spend time together, and they both enjoyed each other’s company.

Azalea or Drew knew nothing of where they came from and they both fantasized about their parents showing up someday and taking them home. They would jokingly say they were brother and sister even though they were distinctly different. Drew had brown curly hair that looked like a brillo pad and his oversized glasses always fell off his short nose.

His eyes were round and hazel and he was very dark skinned. Azalea had jet black hair and almost velvet purple eyes, angelic yet ghostly and her skin was very pale, as if snow had kissed it yet she did have a touch of tan from all of the working days Ms. Zappa would task her with.  

Azalea stood up and waved Drew over. She knew he would find a way outside.

“Took you long enough!” she joked. “Yeah well it took the girls a little longer to tell me you were out here. What did the ‘Maldita’ (damned one) Ms Zappa do to you this time?” Drew was now standing directly in front and down at her in the garden row.

He had had a growth spurt at Christmas and was now a towering foot taller than her.

“It was that cow Beatrice!” Azalea spit out as she through the weeds she had just angrily pulled from the tomato plant underneath her.

Drew scoffed as well. She looked up at him and smiled crookedly as she asked, “What did you do?”  Drew returned the mischievous smile back. He proudly put his thumbs under his armpits and laughed.

“I put a mouse on Chon’s back, and he ran out of the room screaming! It was hilarious!” Tears were in his eyes from laughing.

Azalea frowned. “You know you should be picking on smaller kids. Eres un abusador (you’re a bully).

 Drew looked down as if in trouble and said, “I know…pero te huvieras caido de risa!” ( you would have fallen down laughing),  and started laughing again.

This time Azalea’s velvet eyes blazed as she threw the weeds at Drew, and at that moment he knew to be quiet. Even though Azalea did think that the prank was funny, she wasn’t going to let Drew know. She knew how Beatrice made her and the other girls feel and she certainly didn’t want Drew to think bullying was okay. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of putting a mouse on Beatrice’s back.

Weeding the garden in silence for the rest of the afternoon was punishment enough for Drew.  Hours later she scoffed at all of the dirt that had collected under her finger nails and she tried to stop from wincing at the big blisters that had developed on her hands. Drew on the other hand was ready to pop his blisters.

“Cochino!” (Pig!)  she giggled as she watched Drew pick at his blisters.

She sighed  as she looked farther up the rows in the garden, the weeds looked as if they were multiplying! Drew caught her eye and nodded as if know what she was thinking. No one had brought water or food to them all afternoon, they were so thirsty and hungry, but they knew better than to stand up from the garden or they would be in bigger trouble.

Azalea stretched her back as much as she could, Drew copied, both of them had so many kinks in their back that they felt like hunchbacks. Drew imitated the hunchback for a moment and Azalea laughed, their break was short lived as they heard footsteps and quickly began pulling weeds again. A loud gruff came from the end of the row.

Both Azalea and Drew knew the sound too well. At the end of the row was a husky figure with two piercing red eyes!

 “Wh-ho, l-let th-at thing out!” Drew whispered in a panic. “I know who!” Azalea was fuming once again. “Wh-what are we g-gonna d-do?” Drew spit out in a panic. 

“Don’t move.” Azalea warned, “Maybe he’ll go away..” she tried to whisper consolingly. The two friends were both staring at Diablo wide eyed and petrified. Ms. Zappa’s pit-bull’s eyes were already fixed on them and began charging full speed down the row!

“Levantate! (Get Up!)  and RUUUUUUNNNNN!” Azalea yelled.

Drew tripped over his feet but managed to run past Azalea and down the next row. Just as they thought Diablo might tear off their legs, they heard a squeal. It was Diablo. They both stopped in their tracks and turned around. There standing in the middle of the row, as a true guardian was Angelica! Azalea smiled happily as she saw the big broom in Angelica’s hand.

She had hit Diablo with it and was pushing him back into his pen. As she locked the door to the pen, she turned around and smiled at Azalea. As she smiled Azalea mouthed the words ‘Thank you’. Just then the back door swung open. Angelica ducked behind the pen.

Beatrice’s shrilly voiced echoed outside. “They opened the door to the pen Ms. Zappa! Diablo is out!” She turned to look at the cage and her mouth fell open.

“What are you talking about Beatrice!” Ms. Zappa yelled angrily. Beatrice looked dumbfounded, whatever plan she had created back fired. Azalea cracked a tiny smile. “Es cierto! (It’s true), they must have put him back!” Beatrice insisted.

“Ms. Zappa,” Azalea sweetly called out. “Beatrice must have been dreaming in one of her long naps. Drew and I have been working all day.” Ms. Zappa still glared at her, but confused she grabbed Beatrice by the arm and shoved her back inside.

The door slammed behind them and they could still hear Beatrice insisting that Diablo had been out. Azalea and Drew began laughing and they were laughing so hard, they didn’t hear Ms. Zappa return.

Drew gasped as he turned around and found Ms. Zappa towering over the both of them. Azalea immediately stopped laughing. “Think you’re so funny eh?” Ms Zappa said venomously. “I know Azalea you two were lying! I can’t prove it, but I just know!” She grabbed both of them by the ear and

Azalea started protesting. “We didn’t do it!” she yelled. “Mentirosa! (Liar!) The headmistress had a good grip on their ears. “Because of this neither of you are going to eat tonight!”

“WHAT!” Azalea and Drew yelled in unison. “That’s not fair!” Drew argued.

“Not another word, or I’ll make it two nights!” Ms. Zappa ordered. “Now go get washed up and get into bed! Anymore from you or Azalea and you’ll get a spanking!” she threatened. Azalea and Drew walked up the steps defeated and too tired to cry.

“Sorry Drew”, Azalea whispered. “It’s okay Zale” he caught her eye and smiled through a dirt smeared face.