Chapter 3 - The Mall

It was morning, my least favorite time of day. I curled into a ball. Pleakley was trying to wake me up.



"Wakey wakey Stitch! Up and at 'em! Rise and shine, you little monster!" "Go wake Jumba." "I already did." "Wake him 'gain." "No." "Then go boil you head."



I heard Lilo's voice.



"Lemme try." Pleakley was fuming by now. "Fine."



Lilo crawled up on the bed (these dratted humans always want to wake up so early, Jumba's not the most fun to be around, but he at least has the sense to sleep 'til noon) and shook me gently. "C'mon Stitch, we're going someplace fun today..." "Naga fun. Sleep."



I was trying to get her mad too so she'd leave, but it didn't work. "C'mon Stitch, you'll like it once we get there..." "Naga!" "C'mon Stitch, the hotel has coffee..." "NAGA NAGA NAG- Coffee?" "Yep."



I sighed. Should I hold my ground or give in to the coffee? I decided on coffee.



"Okee-takka. Stitch up."



I got out of bed and looked around. Pleakley was still there, looking suprised that Lilo had made me wake up. Nani and Jumba were gone, probably getting coffee. I put on my "Kenny" disguise and pad downstairs. I see a place with a bunch of tables on the second floor.



Nani is getting coffee and Jumba is sitting at a table with his mouth packed full. I sidle up to Nani. "AHH! Oh, Sti- Kenny. It's just you."



She makes sure nobody's watching since in my disguise I'm supposed to be about six, then she hands me the coffee! I go over to where Jumba is sitting and slurp it down in one gulp. I glance at his plate. Waffles, pancakes, donuts, cereal, more donuts, syrup... Jumba notices my gaze. "Get your own." "Okay, okay..." I head for the place where the food comes from. While I'm there, I grab more coffee. I return to the table and gulp down my coffee, then my sugary breakfast. Then I head back to the room so Nani doesn't scold me about having sugar AND coffee. (Plus, all that stuff makes me so jittery I HAD to move.) Once there, I decide I might as well run around in a circle for a while. When Lilo comes out she sees me chasing my tail and scolds me for having too much coffee.



A while later we're in the rental car, heading for an unknown destination. I'm bored and complain loudly about it to Nani. She pops a CD into the CD player in the van. Jumba made the CD for Lilo on his computer, so who knows what's on it. It turns out to be Elvis music (thank goodness, I thought it might be weird).



While everyone's singing "Rockahula Baby," I'm wondering what the chances are that they'll let me destroy Minneapolis. Not very good, I think. It would probably be lots of fun, though, I've never wrecked a city before... While my mind dwells on this, a GIGANTIC mall comes into view. Pleakley turns around in his seat.



"Well, what do you think, guys?"



"We're going to a mall?"



"The second biggest mall in the world! And it has a theme park in it!"



"Wow!"



"Egalagoo!"



It ocurred to me that the next best thing to destroying a city would be to destroy a big mall. Then I thought... why destroy it? Why not... take over?



I pushed the idea from my head and sang along.



Later, we were inside the huge mall. I was thrilled! It was SO BIG! And there were people EVERYWHERE! I couldn't hold still. I didn't want to hold still. There was so much to do! So much to taste! I frolicked in a circle while Pleakley pushed the elevator button. Nani turned to me.



"Stitch, stop being so hyper! You're supposed to be a kid, not a dog!"



I pretended I couldn't hear her and chased an invisible monster.



The elevator came. We clambered in. I sat on the floor. We stopped a floor early and more people came in. Pleakley hissed "try to act like a human being" into my ear.



The elevator stopped. We got out. and went over to- WOW! RIDES! PEOPLE! NOISE! I laughed. Lilo took my paw in her hand and pointed to a roller coaster.



"Look at that!"



Nani led us into the ticket line. Pretty soon we were all wearing wristbands (except Jumba, whose wrists were too fat, so Nani took his and stuck it on his forehead).



We walked through the park. Lilo pointed to a ride that looked like a tree with a bunch of swings hanging from it. "I wanna do that!" "Ooooh! Meega too!"



Pleakley watched in trepidation as the swings rose and flew in a circle. "Oh, no. You'll have to do something safer." (Wuss.) Lilo looked disappointed.



"But all the rides are safe." Jumba stopped pawing at his forehead. "Yes, Pleakley, are hardly ever deaths on parking rides." Pleakley turns pale and I give Jumba a scorching look. He doesn't notice. "Deaths!"



Nani sighs. "Pleakley, the rides are safe. Ignore Jumba."



He looks unconvinced. We continue onward. Suddenly Pleakley points to a train ride. "What about that one?" The ride is slower than a snail trail and less exciting. "Blecch! Lame!"Okay, then, what about the carousel?" I wrinkle up my nose and shake my head. "Well, then I'll go by myself!" He turns to Jumba and smiles hopefully.



Jumba stares at him. Pleakley frowns.



"Jumba, do you want to go with me?" "No." "You're sure?" "Yes." "Oh. Okay." Pleakley looks at the ride. He looks back at Jumba. "B-but I don't wanna go by myself." "Ask little girl." I tune out and look around for a good ride. I spot a big yellow one that goes up and down and to the sides. I point. "Ooooohhh! Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!" Lilo looks at the ride. "Whoa! Cool!" Pleakley looks at the ride. "WAAH! No way are you going on that thing! This was a bad idea. Let's go shopping!" Nani gives Pleakley a Look. I've been given Looks so many times I know exactly what's coming. "Pleakley, I already paid for five wristbands. We are not going shopping until after we've gone on some rides." Some!



Pleakley cringes. "But I came here to study-" "Well, everyone else is here to have fun, so unless you want to go off into the biggest mall in America alone..." Pleakley looks unhappy. "No, I'll stay."



After a boring morning (Pleakley still refused to let me and Lilo go on anything good), I was about ready to give Pleakley another swirly. Or chew on him awhile. It was getting close to lunchtime. As if reading my thoughts (about lunch, not shoving Pleakley's head down a toilet), Nani said we were going to leave the park to eat and then come back. While she led us toward a funky-looking cafe, my mind began to whir. I had to get rid of Pleakley. But how? It was when Nani was picking out a table that it occured to me. Unless you want to go off into the biggest mall in America alone... Hmmmmm. Nani stood up. "Pleakley, I'm going to the bathroom. Can you go up to the counter and get menus?" She turned to Jumba. "You can watch them, can't you?" He nodded. My heartbeat quickened.



If I was going to do it, now would be the time. I wait until Nani and Pleakley are gone. I tap Jumba on the shoulder. "Um, Jumba?" No answer. I tap again. "Jumba!" He's asleep! Well, now or never, I tell myself. I grab Lilo's wrist and dash out of the cafe.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment