Streaks of Purple Saga Volume Four - Heather Ray (little red riding hood ebook txt) 📗

Monday, October 30th

He heard it.

The extended tone continued to run, it's steady, shrill ring speaking utter finality.

So much was packed into that tone. Horror. Sorrow. Loss. Death...

A chill stung his heart at the thought that hers would never beat again. That chill spread throughout his body, causing him to leap from his bed.

He panted heavily, fists clenching the corner of his plaid blue sheets. "Mom..."

It always happened without warning. Once in a while, his peaceful slumber would be interrupted by the shrill tone of Rebecca Cranston's heart monitor going dead. The sound would always bring back the agony he suffered at the tender age of nine, when he and his father stood vigil over the dying patient. After days of struggling for her life after the horrific car accident, she simply couldn't fight the inevitable any longer.

He could still feel his father's cold hand gripping his arm as his high school sweetheart passed. He could still feel ice settle in his own heart, freezing it in time with the final beat of his mother's. He could still feel the cold wetness of tears streaking down his pale face.

No... as his fingers grazed his cheek, he realized the tears were fresh.

"Desist," he reprimanded, throwing off the bed sheets, "Such a morbid reverie is counter-productive."

Billy blindly reached for his glasses, which sat beside his digital clock in their usual location. Once the lenses were firmly in place, the vibrant red blur that was the time gave way to legible numbers.

The genius nearly squealed. "I'm tardy!"

He jumped from his bed, bounding across his room to where his custom-assembled laptop stood in wait. After a few keystrokes, an electronic calendar program booted.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thankfully I have no pertinent exams or activities scheduled. In fact, considering the special assembly on World Peace to be held this morning, this ought to be an academically-unchallenging day."

He then rose to his feet, and hurried to the bathroom.

It took precisely fourteen minutes for Billy to finish bathing and dressing. He bounded down the stairs of his family's colonial, and blinked in surprise when he saw James Cranston seated at the kitchen counter, tapping his chin as he perused the large graph sheets spread out before him.

"Dad... you're still here?"

The middle-aged chemical engineer offered his son an absent wave, his green eyes not rising from the diagram. As if he were suddenly struck with lightning, he grabbed a red pencil, and began tracing on the sheet. "My limousine will be arriving in twelve minutes. If I don't finalize this process flow diagram..."

"Limousine?"

"To the airport."

Billy suppressed the urge to blink again. "You're going on a trip?"

"To Singapore," Mr. Cranston elaborated, "to evaluate the proposed job site." His elbow flexed as he drew a long line across the page, bringing his arm in contact with a Styrofoam cup. He didn't even notice the black coffee had spilled until the warm liquid touched the corner of his graph.

An embarrassed grin crossed his face. "It was a wise decision to utilize disposable cups."

His son watched, both angry and perplexed, as James inefficiently mopped up the spill with a handful of napkins. Shaking his head in atypical exasperation, Billy took the sponge from the sink and helped clean up.

"Did you have any intention of informing me of this agenda prior to your departure?" he demanded.

James folded the graphs quickly, oblivious to his son's tone. "I'm certain I mentioned it earlier."

"Not that I recall."

The engineer frowned, skimming through his disorganized memory. "I know I sent you an e-mail with my itinerary."

Billy stared at his father for a long moment, but the senior man paid no attention. Finally, the doorbell interrupted the unnerving quiet.

"I'm off," James noted, snatching his briefcase and hurrying to the door where his suitcase waited. "If you need anything, all my contact information is on the itinerary I sent you."

Billy nodded absently as his father followed the driver to the waiting car.

"...and she had the nerve

to ground me!" Alexis groaned, tiredly stuffing unneeded textbooks into her locker.

Zack grimaced. "That bites, Lex. Zedd's been really rough on us the past week... with those lipstick and purse monsters, then the magnet guy just days later... it's exhausting!"

Kim sighed. "Too bad Zedd couldn't be more accommodating, you know? He keeps making Alexis miss her curfew!"

Zack grinned as an idea struck him. "Hey! Wouldn't be cool if Zedd only attacked during the afternoon. You know, right after school, but before dinner!"

Jason smirked. "Somehow, I doubt Zedd's willing to conform to our schedules."

Alexis watched her teammates' amused expressions. "Guys, this isn't funny. I'm grounded! What if Lord Zedd does attack? And even if he doesn't, my plans for tonight are done

. I won't be able to help out with the Trick or Treating preparations!"

Jason frowned. "We've still got to sort candy, schedule chaperons for all the kids, and coordinate Trick or Treating routes. It'll be a lot of work... but the rest of us should be able to handle it."

"But you will be able to chaperon tomorrow, right?" Kimberly urged. "I've posted flyers in the Youth Center, but we really will need all the help we can get."

"My Mom's giving me a 'trial' today. If I'm home by four today, hopefully she'll let me out for Halloween." She sighed deeply "Just how do you guys deal with your

parents? I've been a Ranger for less than two weeks, and my mother's on my case!"

"My parents never give me a hard time with curfews," the Trini reported, "I always get my homework and chores done, and since I've been pretty active in the Clean-Up Club and other after school projects, they never found my absence unusual."

Alexis settled an astonished gaze on her. "Oookay... how do the Rangers who aren't

candidates for America's Most Perfect Teenagers handle their parents?"

If Trini hadn't been so amused by the Purple Ranger's predicament, she might've been offended.

Tommy shrugged. "My parents know I've got the worst memory in human history, so they've gotten used to me not calling in."

Kim giggled, lacing her arm through her boyfriend's. "That excuse only works for you. Probably won't do Alexis much good."

"One thing that really takes the heat off is that our parents know all of us," Jason contributed. "Maybe if we all make a point of meeting your mom, she'll trust that you're not doing anything illegal when you're hanging out with us."

Zack smiled with inspiration. "I got it! We should make the preparations at Alexis' house! Then we can meet your mom, and get some extra help at the same time!"

Alexis shook her head. "That definitely won't fly. She's way

to steamed to let me bring friends over tonight."

"Maybe we can hang out over the weekend?" Kim piped up. "Rent a movie or something?"

Billy leaned against the neighboring locker, absently wiping the lens of his glasses with a cloth. "Rather than allow yourself to grow irate over your mother's attention, you should appreciate that she invests the effort to discipline you. Although it may not seem as such, discipline is one of the foremost acts of concern parents display to their children."

Everyone turned surprised stares to the Blue Ranger. The genius glanced up, noticing the sudden attention of his teammates. He managed a small, self-conscious grin.

Trini settled a comforting hand on his shoulder, offering her support without a word. As she turned her head, she just happened to notice a pair of unfamiliar teens exit Mr. Caplan's office.

Her eyes widened as she recognized one of them. "I don't believe it..."

"So this is Angel Grove High," Aisha said quietly, stepping out of the main office into the bustling hallway, "It's small."

"Angel Grove is a small town compared to Stone Canyon," Adam contributed, "Look on the bright side- at least we won't get lost on our first day."

Aisha rolled her large brown eyes. "Well, somebody managed to get lost. What the heck could be taking Rocky so long?"

"I think he still has to take Carmen to school. Usually, it's no big