Author's Note: I finally got around to writing the official continuation of this story. I may write a couple more chapters after this. This story won't be too long.

sss

Rudy fluttered his eyes open, letting out a soft groan. He looked around him. He could only see darkness and blurry shapes. He was aware of mostly white and some light grey, but not much else. He spent a few moments scanning everything around him, trying to figure out where he was. He tried to remember what happened, but it was all a blur. His head pounded and ached as he struggled to remember the recent events. Just what happened...?

He became aware of something soft all around him. He felt around with his left fingers. Soft and warm. A bed? Yeah, that was it. He was sitting on a bed. But..it didn't feel like his bed. It was too firm, and it didn't feel as though it was high enough. And the coloring was off, too, and it wasn't near a wall like his was. And this room felt chillier than his own. He was somewhere else. This fact registered in his mind, causing him to again look around. He knew he wasn't in Penny's house, so where could this be? And what was that smell?

He lifted up his head, blinked his eyes a few times and he looked around again. His vision was starting to clear at this point. He looked left and right, taking in the sight of everything. As the shapes become sharper and more defined, he began to realize what these various items where. Monitors, a television, a door that led into a bathroom. He soon noticed the door and realized there were numbers on there. He realized that he was in some kind of room. But just what kind of room? Another glance at the monitors made him realize the answer to that. He was in the hospital.

This realization struck him with the force of a train. His eyes bulged and he felt his heart rate quickening. He could hear the monitor start to beep with this realization sweeping through him. He looked down at himself and it was then he took notice of the IVs hooked up into his arm, his body patched up, stitches covering his left arm and right palm. It was also then he realized that he wasn't using both of his eyes; only one. The other had been lightly covered.

He tried his best to calm down. He tried to tell himself he was in a hospital and he was now safe. Whatever had happened to him, it wasn't going to happen again. The doctors would keep him safe. His family would be here soon and everything was going to be okay. Slowly, he could hear the beeping monitor slow down as he started to relax. He rested against the pillow, placed his hands on his chest, and he looked up towards the ceiling. He took in a deep breath and sighed.

He wondered where his parents were, and Penny. He couldn't read what time it was. The digital clock was too far away. Or maybe his eyes hadn't fully adjusted yet. Either way, he didn't know the time. For all he knew, his parents just couldn't come yet, and Penny may still be in school. No matter. He would see them soon enough. They should show up relatively soon. Maybe a couple hours at the latest. He wondered if he'll be awake then. He'll try to stay up. He would really love to speak to them. Even though he hadn't been awake long, he was starting to feel a bit lonely.

He also would like to see Snap. But the chances of that were quite slim. He knew the difficulties of bringing in a zoner from ChalkZone without figuring out a plan first. Not to mention Snap was still using his crutch. It would be hard to get him out of ChalkZone, let alone up a flight of stairs in a hospital. Well, he could always speak to him through the portable chalkboard whenever no one else was around. He could ask Penny for that. He was certain she would be able to provide something for him. He could always count on her whenever he needed something that he couldn't get at the moment.

He soon felt something against his side. Something kinda rough and cold. He grabbed onto it and he pulled it away. He winced as he raised his left arm up, the limb trembling in pain from the deep cuts. The sight of them made his blood run cold. He forced himself to look down at the thing he had pulled out. His eyes widened when he noticed that it was a piece of magic chalk.

But how was this possible? He wasn't even wearing anything with pockets, and this piece of magic chalk wouldn't have been in the bed before. It had to have been planted there. But why? And by whom? The boy could feel his heart clenching tightly as many thoughts rushed thorugh his head. He struggled to make sense of this. Maybe Penny was in here earlier? Maybe she gave him a piece? But then...where was the chalkboard? She wouldn't have forgotten that, would she?

As he scanned the piece of magic chalk, he soon realized something was different about it. It didn't seem like it was the proper shape. He leaned his head in a little closer, moving his eyes up and down it rapidly, taking in its details. It sparkled like any other chalk but...something was off about it. At first, he couldn't figure out what it was. That is until he looked at one end of it. He started to realize that this chalk was tapering in. Narrowing and narrowing until it ended in a point. Rudy focused his pupils on that point, and he also noticed that it was lightly stained with a pinkish color.

The sight of this made his eyes widen. Before he could fully register the meaning of this point, he could feel the magic chalk warping and twisting in his hand. He let out a scream and he threw it away. He watched as it rolled across the ground. He looked left and right, hoping to find a doctor standing there, rushing in to help him. But there was nothing. He turned his head and watched in horror as the magic chalk started to float into the air, a glow surrounding it.

"Hahahaha did you think you could get away from me that easily, you stupid little boy?!"

Rudy couldn't speak as the magic chalk spoke to him in that booming voice. It was distorted and twisted, but there was something familiar about it. He was certain that he had heard this voice somewhere before. He strained to listen to it, trying his best to decipher it. Why did this voice sound so familiar to him? Why was he so positive that he had heard this voice somewhere before?

Suddenly, all around him, it began to grow dark. Smoke pillowed in all around him, encircling and trapping him. He looked left and right again, trying to find a means of escape. But the clouds hardened, forming sharp, jagged ridges. Ones that looked all too familiar, and yet somehow he couldn't quite place where he had seen them. They wrapped around him, making it impossible for him to try to leave. He did not dare move, lest he scratch himself.

The magic chalk flew in towards him. Rudy was horrified when he saw that the chalk had distorted itself to create a mouth. It was the most surreal and horrifying thing he had ever seen. The chalk's mouth twisted up in a terrible grin. The teeth were crooked and yellow, and when it laughed, he could feel its hot breath against his face. The chalk then grew some blue eyes, which popped out at the sides and glared at him.

"You thought you could keep me out of ChalkZone? Think again, you little talentless brat!"

The sight of those blue eyes and that statement caused Rudy to gasp. He struggled to back away, spreading his arms out, ignoring the pain. His heart monitor was going crazy. "N-N-Newland...?"

The magic chalk suddenly thrust into his face. Rudy let out a scream as he pulled his head back, banging it in the process. "Ding ding! We have a winner! I'm surprised you're smart enough to remember that!" The magic chalk then flew back, its grin growing nastier. "I do wonder how our next encounter will be after this. I wonder how fast I can make you cry like a baby. It was so much fun playin with you, Rudy! I outta do it again!"

"N-No... Please..." Rudy shook his head. "Leave me alone.."

"Too late!" The magic chalk flew in closer. Rudy lowered his head downwards as the magic chalk moved in closer. "You brought this on yourself, you little brat! And now...you're going to have to pay the price..."

Rudy let out a series of frightened whimpers as the magic chalk began to grew large, long, lanky arms. They stretched outward, the hands terminating in long, pointed fingers. They wriggled with excitement as they lowerd down towards him. Rudy wasn't able to speak before the hands gripped him and started to squeeze him tightly.

"This is for kicking me out of ChalkZone, you little swine..." The magic chalk hissed. "I'm going to make sure you never interfere with my plans again!"

"No! Stop! Please! I..." Rudy pleaded. But soon he could speak no more as the magic chalk tightened its grip. He tried to speak again, but he could only gag. Then, to his horror, his oxygen supply was cut off.

The sound of the heart monitor went haywire as he struggled to get himself free. He jerked left to right, his legs kicking out. He opened his mouth wider, trying so hard to breathe. He couldn't even take in a single breath. He could feel his mind swirling, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest, his lungs on fire.

He stared up at the magic chalk, watching as it glared down at him. That stare was so cold and icy, so befitting of Newland. He remembered what he had done to Snap, and now he was after him. This time, there was nothing he could do to escape. He couldn't even cry out for help; his voice was taken from him. All he could do was continue pushing against this light-based hands, hoping that he could find a way to get free. He pushed and he pushed, unable to tear his eyes away from the magic chalk's.

Then everything began to darken. His vision started to cloud. He could feel his body weakening. The magic chalk's smile grew more twisted. Rudy struggled to stay awake, but the lack of oxygen was getting to him. He didn't know how long he could remain awake or how long he could continue fighting back. He stared up at the magic chalk, tears flowing down his face. He wanted so much ask it why it was doing this, why Newland had to go so far to get back at him. It wasn't fair. He was just a little kid. He...

Suddenly, everything went to white in a flash. A bright light shined in his eye. That horrid laughter rapidly faded into obscurity, and he became aware of another voice calling out to him. Something more warm and inviting.

"Rudy! It's okay! It's me!"

Penny...?

He let out a loud grunt and he jerked himself back when the white light spread all around him, and rapidly wrapped around him, bathing him in its warmth. Rudy shut his eyes tightly, struggling to deal with the sudden warmth. He pulled back his head and he began to let out a scream.

sss

"Rudy!" Penny cried out as she held onto her friend. "It's me! Penny!"

The girl watched in horror as Rudy continued to scream blindly, struggling against the stretcher's straps, his mind blinded by whatever it was he thinks was happening. The heart monitor was going crazy. If she didn't figure out a way to stop it soon, he could be in big trouble. She tried to calm him down through soothing words, but nothing was working. She grabbed onto him as his stretcher began to rattle a little. She did her best to hold it in place while the doctors were getting the proper equipment ready.

They hadn't been gone long. Only about a minute, but it felt so much longer. She wished they would hurry up. Rudy needed help desperately. She had been so frightened when he started to scream like that. He had been fine moments ago, but out of nowhere, he just started screaming. She realized the poor boy must be having nightmares. After what Newland had done to him, she was certain this was the case. It would only be natural for Rudy to have nightmares of how Newland had tried to murder him. Her blood heated up at that memory. But she did her best not to think about Newland.

"He's hyperventilating!" One of the doctors said as they rushed back over towards him. Penny moved out of the way as the doctors began to go to work. "Get me a tranquilizer! He's going to worsen his condition at this rate!"

Penny felt her heart clench as she watched the doctors struggle to help her friend. The only reason Rudy hadn't rolled off the bed at this point was because of the straps. But even with them on, he was putting up quite the fight. Two of the doctors had to grab onto him and hold him down while the third doctor got the shot ready. He placed his hand on Rudy's head for support and he pushed the needle into the boys neck. He did not remove it until all of the clear fluid was pumped up inside.

Penny held her breath as she watched, waiting for the drug to take effect. It seemed to take forever. In all that time, she could not look away from her friend. She watched, biting her lip, as Rudy continued to thrash on the stretcher. The heart monitor's sound kept on echoing in the air, ripping through her skull. It was beating so fast, she thought his heart was going to explode. It took a long, painful minute before Rudy's actions began to weaken. His wide eyes suddenly began to droop a little and his breathing started to slow down. Rapidly after that, his heart monitor returned to normal as his body relaxed. He soon went limp on the stretcher, his head turning to one side.

One of the doctors moved in and gently placed the breathing mask against his face to insure a constant flow of oxygen into the boy's body. Another doctor began to run through Rudy's vitals, making sure they were okay. Another doctor began to approach Penny, staring at her with sympathy and worry.

"Are you sure you are all right?" Asked the doctor.

Penny nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm fine." She looked over at Rudy, biting her lip. "How is he..?"

The doctor furrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Not good I'm afraid. We still need to check him, but from what we've seen so far, he needs to stay in the hospital for a while at least. And his reaction a few moments ago... Too many of those and he may offset his recovery."

Penny shuddered at the fresh memories of what happened. "That was terrifying.." She felt the doctor place his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, giving him a pleading expression. "Please...help him..."

The doctor smiled the best he could. "We will do what we can. Now just sit down and hang on tightly. The ambulance needs to get going, and it's going to be a bumpy ride."

Penny nodded her head. She grabbed onto the bars next to her and secured herself in place. She looked over at Rudy worriedly. She felt some relief when she saw them use some straps to hold the stretcher in place so Rudy wasn't jostled around so much. She could see the doctor that just spoke to her walk up in the front and hop into the driver's seat. She could hear the clicking of the key turning and the ambulance began to move. Penny gripped the bars more tightly as the ambulance took off.

She looked down at Rudy. She felt a sting in her chest as she watched the remaining doctors work on him. They didn't bother asking him questions as the tranquilizer left him too dazed and drowsy to speak. They worked on keeping an eye on his vitals, checking his IV fluids, whatever else to ensure that he remained stable for the rest of the trip.

Penny hoped that Rudy would be all right. She trusted that the doctors would be able to help him. But.. she had seen what that horrible man did to her friend. She had seen the way he had attacked him mercilessly. She saw part of it from within the tunnel. Even though she only saw the tail end of it, she had seen enough to know what kind of cruelty her friend had been forced to endure. Newland... Her teeth clenched against each other. She would find a way to make that man pay for what he had done.

But for now, she focused her attention on Rudy himself. She remembered how he had cried when he held onto her. She remembered how terrified and frightened he was. He was going to need her now more than ever. She had also told his parents about what happened. Rudy was going to be grateful for their company. She couldn't imagine how his parents were going to react, seeing Rudy, their only child, in a hospital bed with such horrific injuries. But they deserved to know, and Rudy deserved to be with his parents. He needed their comfort and reassurance.

She wished Snap could be here. But unfortunately, with his injuries, it would be too hard for him to come into the real world with her to visit Rudy. She would find a way to allow him to visit, though. She would think of something later that would allow Rudy and Snap to see each other. Rudy needed to be around as many loved ones as possible. Newland's actions would surely have caused a lot of mental damage. That would take a long time to heal.

She remained lost in her thoughts as the ambulance continued speeding down the street, heading straight for the hospital.

sss

Rudy didn't pay attention to the ticking clock above him or the monitors that beeped, hooked up to him. He didn't think about how much time had passed. He didn't think of how long he had been here. All he could think of was the fact that he was here, and he didn't recall exactly how he had gotten here.

He vaguely remembered that nightmare that he had. The one where he woke up in the hospital. Now it's happened again. A part of him wondered if this will be another dream. At least everything was normal so far. He wasn't seeing anything particularly strange. But his eyes continued to move back and forth, eyeing up everything in the hospital room he was placed in. He kept an eye out for anything that he needed to watch out for. Even the slightest movement was enough to make him turn his head and freeze.

He was aware of the shapes and size of the room. He was aware of the machines around him, the door that was closed, the bathroom nearby. He was aware that he was indeed in a hospital, which told him that something had happened to him. Yet despite being aware, he still felt...almost distant. As if his mind could not fully register everything. He could see everything, and yet the actual impact of what they were didn't strike him just yet. For him, it was almost routine, like waking up in a hospital had gotten to be normal and wasn't something to be startled about.

He could soon hear a rattling at the door. This broke him out of his thoughts. His previously calm mind began to kick into overdrive when he saw a figure start to walk into the room. Rudy kept his eyes on the figure, which appeared almost darkened in his mind. Tall, lanky, this figure looked awfully familiar. And when it struck him, his eyes bulged wide open. Unable to stop himself, he started to tremble uncontrollably.

"Rudy? What is it?"

At the sound of that voice, Rudy let out a scream. He pushed himself back into the bed, hearing his heart monitor start to go crazy. He tried to wave his left arm out, only to be stopped by the pain and by the wires hooked up to it. He hissed and dropped the limb down. He then used his right arm. But moving the wrist caused a powerful stinging pain to move through his hand, where he could see the bandage covering up the wound there. Despite the pain, he kept this up, hoping to keep the figure at bay.

"No! Stay away!" Rudy cried out, his eye wide, filled with panic. It got worse when he realized that his right eye erupted in pain whenever he tried to open it up. Something about this realization felt familiar, but he pushed that thought aside. "Please...don't hurt me!"

A horrified gasp. "Rudy...why would I hurt you?" The figure's voice sounded a little different now, and filled with hurt and sadness. "I'm your father."

Rudy stiffened up when the figure grabbed onto his shoulder. The man's words hadn't yet gotten through to him. In a blind panic, he struck out at the hand, knocking it clean away. The man let out a yelp of pain, and he reached out for him again. Terrified of getting hurt, Rudy started to toss and turn on his bed, trying to get away from the approaching figure. He looked at him in fear before turning his head away and burying it against the pillow. He shut his eyes and waited for the man to hurt him. But instead of hurting him, he again felt that light pressure on him. Cautiously, Rudy looked up with his good eye.

He could see the figure standing there. His shape was still slightly distorted and he was not able to recognize who it was. He felt the figure move his hand along his shoulder, rubbing and squeezing it. The first thing that Rudy began to realize was that..it didn't hurt. A nice, calm, gentle gesture. In fact, it felt pretty good. He soon could feel the hand travel up to his face and start rubbing and caressing it. The fingers began to travel through his hair.

These gestures helped Rudy to calm down. He found his body relaxing, leaning against the figure's hand. He let out a soft sigh and his eye closed. He could hear the sound of his heart monitor, finally reregistering in his mind, slowing down to a normal rate. He continued to lay like this for several moments, enjoying the feel of the hand caressing his hair, cheek, and shoulder. He did flinch a little when the hand rubbed a little too hard; dull aches were spread throughout his face as if it had been struck multiple times. But overall, he held still, and became quite relaxed in the hospital bed. After a while, he reopened up his left eye and he looked up at the figure again.

It was only then that he recognized who this person really was. It was his father. Rudy's left eye widened a little at this, staring up at his father who looked down at him with a worried expression. He could see the hint of tears in his eyes, and he could tell he was fighting back. Rudy felt a rush of guilt move through him when he realized how poorly he had reacted to his own father. He pressed his face against his dad's hand and stared up at him with a wide left eye.

"D-Daddy...?" He choked out.

"Yes, Rudy. Daddy's here now." His dad spoke to him gently. He gently stroked his son's hair. "And mommy's here too."

Rudy widened his eye and spoke in a hopeful voice. "M-Mommy..?"

His dad smiled and nodded. He withdrew his hand and stepped to the side. Rudy could see his mother walking in, followed closely by Mrs. Sanchez and Penny. The Sanchezes hung back, watching sadly as Rudy's mother walked over towards her son, her fingers fumbling against each other as her cheeks stained with tears. Rudy stared at her, unable to look away. He had never been so happy to see his mother before.

"Mama..." Rudy whispered. He looked over at his father. "Papa..."

He didn't care how childish he sounded there. He didn't care how small it made him feel. He didn't care that Penny and her mom heard it. Right now, all he cared about was being with his parents. His small voice was a cry for help, to trigger them to come over and comfort their son. He wanted them to come closer and be with them. He wanted to feel safe and secure. He felt so helpless and weak and in a lot of pain. They were his parents. They would try to make it all better.

His cries for them worked almost instantly. The sound of his squeaky, weak voice seemed to almost break something inside of them. They instantly rushed over to their son. They took position on either side of him. They looked as if they wanted to embrace him, but they were obviously worried about hurting him more with the injuries that wracked pain through his body. So they instead opted to touch his shoulder and stroke his hair. They moved as physically close as they could to him, allowing him to feel their warmth and know that he wasn't alone.

He could feel his mother brush her face against him. He could feel her cheek rubbing against his. He could feel her lips against his forehead as she kissed him to try to comfort him. He could feel the large hand of his father gently ruffling through his hair. He could feel his dad gripping his left hand, avoiding the gashes on his left arm. He gently squeezed his hand, an attempt to comfort him. With his parents so close, Rudy could feel himself relaxing, his heart monitor remaining at a steady rate. His parents' words of comfort also helped to keep his heart rate from speeding up.

That is, until his mother asked that fateful question.

"Who did this to you...?" His mom said with a shaky voice. Rudy looked up at her, his body frozen. "Rudy... Please tell us who hurt you..."

At this, Rudy's mind instantly began to flash white, flashbacks constantly bombarding him. His mind was assaulted with rapid moving memories of what had transpired earlier. The memory barrage came so suddenly, so out of nowhere, it terrified him even more.

He could see his face. Newland's face... It hung there in his mind, laughing cruelly at him. He could see the man running at him down a tunnel. He could see his fist coming at him again and again. He could feel the thud and the whacks and the avalanche of pain that tortured his body as Newland attacked him. He remembered those horrid words, how the man had planned to kill him. He remembered the piece of magic chalk coming down at him, slashing open his right eye and left arm. He remembered the blood, the pain, the fear.

In a matter of seconds his heart monitor began to beep rapidly, his heart threatening to burst open from his chest. His body began to quake violently and he let out a series of loud whimpers. He shook his head, his eyes gaining a wild look to them. He turned his head from left to right, trying to find that horrible man. Was in he in here? Was he going to strike again? These questions and more invaded his mind as his body quivered, tears of fear moving down his cheeks.

"Rudy! It's all right! You're safe!" His mother called out. She looped her hand around his head and cradled it against her face. "Shh.. It's all right... You're okay now..."

"That person who did this to you isn't here. It's okay, son. You're safe." His dad whispered gently.

Rudy couldn't relax right away. His mind continued to race with rapid thoughts, continuing to torment him with memories of Newland torturing him. He couldn't stop feeling the whacks and throws and punches. He couldn't stop feeling the man trying to beat him to death. He couldn't stop the man from entering his mind, his laughing filling his skull. No matter how hard he tried to calm himself down, it only seemed to get worse. It got to the point where he started to swat at his own parents, as if they were the ones who hurt him.

Then he felt a gentle hand on his forehead. Gentle pressure was applied. The effect almost almost instant. A sudden calming fell upon him as he turned his head and looked up. He could see not his mother or his father, buti nstead his best friend, Penny, staring down at him. Her eyes locked onto him, her face contorted in a gentle, thought worried, smile. Her hand gently moved back and forth on his forehead, her other touching his left shoulder, rubbing his upper arm lightly.

The sight of Penny immediately had a calming effect on him. New memories flashed in his head. He remembered how it was Penny who had saved him. She was the one who called out and stopped Newland. She was the one who got him away from him and made him stop delivering those attacks. She stopped him from hurting him more. She held onto him and cradled and comforted him while he had his emotional breakdown. She had helped him get help. She was the reason he was here, recovering in the hospital. She saved his life.

This realization caused him to smile at her. His breaths became slower and lighter. He breathed in and out quietly. He ignored the pain in his left arm as he lifted it up and placed his left hand against her arm. He grabbed it and gently squeezed it. He gave her a grateful expression and whispered, "Th-Thank you...for saving me.."

Penny smiled at him. The sight of it made a warm rush of feelings move through him, making his own smile broaden. "You're welcome, Rudy..." She whispered gently.

Rudy suddenly felt unusually tired. A rush of exhaustion swept through him and his left eye started to feel quite heavy and stingy. He relaxed in the bed, enjoying the sensation of his friend stroking his hair. He looked up at her, at her mother, and his own parents. He smiled at them as they looked down at him sadly, their facial expressions showing worry and comfort to him. These faces, they were all a welcome change from that terrifying, anger and hate-filled face he had been forced to endure. He pushed thoughts of that away as he gave one small whisper to them.

"Love you all..."

With that, he shut his eyes and allowed himself to drive off. The darkness came for him again. But this time, it was much warmer and more inviting than it had been in the past. The pain that he had been feeling rapidly went away as his senses of the world faded.

sss

"Oh my poor...poor little baby..." Mrs. Tabootie whispered as she stroked her son's hair. "What could have happened to you...?"

Penny looked at Rudy's parents sadly as they remained near their son. She had moved out of the way to give them room. Her mother hung back with her, watching with an equally sad expression. Penny had never seen such a heartbreaking sight before. It made her all that much angrier at Newland. But she fought against the thoughts about him to focus on the now.

She remembered how she had brought Rudy back in the real world and how she had carried him in her arms, calling out for help. She rushed down the stairs, shouting for her mom, shouting for help, and her mother soon arrived. Rudy's parents weren't far. She remembered the look of horror and shock in their eyes when they saw Rudy's condition. His parents were tempted to take him from her, but her mother took over instead. She carefully placed Rudy in her arms and told Penny to call 9-11.

The ambulance hadn't taken long to arrive, thank goodness. Her mom had been busy doing what she could for his bleeding wounds. She had managed to stop the bleeding for the most part, but warned so much more needed to be done. She feared internal bleeding due to the blood caking around his mouth and the massive bruises present on his stomach. His parents were mortified and they constantly tried to ask questions. But Penny couldn't answer them. She was too focused in trying to get her best friend into the hospital. She was glad that the paramedics let them right with them. She was hardly aware of his parents sitting on the other side as she watched Rudy sadly on the way to the hospital.

She was glad that, in spite of what happened on the way, they were able to get him here. Rudy was in the hospital, safe and sound, away from that madman. He could now begin to recover from his injuries. She knew it would take a long time. No doubt it would involve surgery. But at least Rudy would be able to survive and heal from this. At least physically. She was worried about his mental condition, but that was a fight they would get to later.

"Penita..." Penny could feel her mother's hand touching her on her shoulder. "What happened to Rudy...?"

At this, not only could Penny feel her mom's eyes on her, but also Rudy's parents. They all looked at her with similar expressions. Looks of worry, looks of fear, looks of morbid curiosity. It was worse in Rudy's parents, which made sense. After all, Rudy was their son.

Penny looked from them, to her mother, and back again. She bit her lip. A part of her wasn't sure if she would be able to relay the information to them. They were all so horrified and stunned right now. Would it be right to add onto that by telling them that a famous artist was the one who hurt Rudy? If she told them, would they get so angry that they would rush over and try to find the man and end up making things worse? Would they be able to control themselves and allow the police to handle it?

But no... She couldn't keep the information from them. They all deserved, especially Rudy's parents, to know what happened to their son. The feeling of burning anger rose up inside of her stomach. If she didn't talk about this, she may very well snap at someone. She had longed been wanting to tell someone about Newland's horrible deeds, only stopped because it all related to ChalkZone. But this time, things were going to be different.

"It was Bob Newland..." She said, her voice laced in bitterness.

At this, the three adults gasped in horror and shock. They stared at her, as if she had lost her mind.

"Bob Newland? That professional artist that was at your kids' school?" Her mother whispered. "He's the one who did...this..?" She looked over at Rudy as Penny nodded her head.

"B-But...why would he do that...?" Mr. Tabootie asked. He held up his hand in gesture. "Why would someone lke that want to hurt our little boy...?"

"How could anyone be so cruel..? I...I never knew that... that he would..." Mrs. Tabootie's voice trailed off as she looked down at her son. Fresh tears dripped from her face and landed on Rudy's right arm.

Penny was glad that Rudy was asleep for this. It would do him some good for his mental health. He was in a fragile state right now and he needed to relax. He didn't need to hear the story of what happened to him, even if some details were changed in order to prevent his parents from figuring anything out. Plus, this saved him the worry of having to retell the story. At least after she was done, his parents would already know and there was no need for him to relive that nightmare again by telling.

She turned her attention back to Rudy's parents. She took in a deep breath and sighed softly. She couldn't hold this back any longer. She opened her moutht and she began to tell them the story of how Rudy got injured. With some changes of course, to protect ChalkZone's actual existence.

"Bob Newland partnered up with Vinnie Raton and Terry Bouffant." Penny started to say.

"Those the nutcases that think this...this world of chalk is real..?" Mr. Tabootie asked.

Penny nodded her head. "He and those two were convinced that they could get the information out of us... We did manage to leave them alone, but Bob Newland...he didn't take his defeat well. So he separated Rudy from me and he chased him down in an alleyway. He...savagely beat him. I heard his screams and I rushed over. I saw some of the attacks.." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I-It was so horrible..."

"Oh my..." Mrs. Tabootie sniffled. "My poor, poor little Rudy..."

Her mom looked horrified for a few moments. Then she gently nudged her on the shoulder. "Please...continue..."

"He...He punched him and he kicked him and he slammed him into the ground and he cut him with something sharp... He just wouldn't stop..." Penny felt her own eyes water with tears as she remembered the screams. Even though she hadn't seen most of the attacks, it didn't take a genius to know what moves Newland used on him. "Newland said...he-he was going to kill him... And he would have, if I hadn't shown up..." Her eyes narrowed as bitter anger clawed its way through her throat. "He was such a coward... He ran when I came along. I guess he was hoping to finish Rudy off before anyone could find him."

Almost right away, she could see a change in demeanor in Rudy's parents. Where before, they were just sad and devastated from what happened to their son, now that they know the story of how this came about, she could see the anger begin plastering over their faces. She could see their eyes flicker and glow with anger, their teeth clenching tightly. She looked over at her mother. She could see that she, too, was getting a similar expression of disgust, her fist clenching tightly as she looked towards the ground.

"I never thought he would have done something like that..." Her mother whispered under her breath. "Of all the rotten, disgusting things..." Her voice trailed off, the anger rumbling through even through just the hiss of her voice.

"I'll...I'll kill him...!" Mr. Tabootie snarled through bared teeth. "I'll find that bastard and I'll kill him!"

Mrs. Tabootie nodded her head slowly, making no attempt to argue with her husband's comment. "He will not get away with this.."

Penny could not blame them for being so angry. What Newland did was horrific, disturbing, and disgusting. He had attacked a ten year old boy, for crying out loud. He not only attacked him, but he had tried to kill him. On top of that, he didn't just pull a gun and shoot him; no Newland deliberately made the process slow. He wanted Rudy to suffer so he had opted to torture Rudy. Beating and pounding him in the ground like he was some kind of rag doll. Penny knew that, if she hadn't shown up, Rudy's suffering would have continued. She felt her blood run cold at the thought of what else that horrible man would have done to her friend.

But despite the tempation of going after Newland and making him pay, she knew that the most important thing right now was making sure that Rudy was safe. It would be hard for Newland to target him in the hospital, but she still couldn't help but fear or his safety. And what of his sanity? The poor little boy was going to continue suffering from nightmares of this. Being here for Rudy was presently more important in her mind than going after Newland.

But she would find a way to make sure he got what he deserved. There was no way she was going to allow that man to continue roaming free after what he had done to Rudy. The boy hadn't done anything to deserve what Newland gave to him. Rudy had been the reason that man was even still alive. And this was how he repaid him? Just how low and revolting could Newland get? She didn't think she wanted to know the answer to that question. The next time she saw Newland, it would be too soon.

"Don't worry, Penny. We'll find a way to take care of that...that evil man..." Her mother spoke through clenched teeth. "Mark my words, he is going to regret what he has done."

Penny nodded at her mother. "I know he will..." She lowered her head. "I'm just not sure how we can convince anyone. Sure I'm certain a lot of people already know about his ass behavior, but I don't think they'll be convinced that he hurt Rudy. I...I don't know if there's any evidence for..."

"The police will find a link. Don't worry." Mrs. Tabootie said with a growl. "After you tell them where the attack happened, they will investigate and they will find evidence to link that bastard to the attack. He won't be a free man for long..."

"And if they don't convict him... I'll do something about it..." Mr. Tabootie growled. All eyes turned to him. "I'll grind him up! I'll pound him! I'll rip him to shreds!"

Mrs. Tabootie looked shocked at first, but then she narrowed her eyes and joined in, "He'll know the meaning of pain when we're done with him..."

Penny's eyes widened at this. She hoped that Rudy's parents really wouldn't do that. They would get themselves into huge trouble. If they went after Newland when he wasn't convicted of the crime, they could end up making things a lot worse for themselves. This was not what they needed right now.

Thankfully her mother, despite being just as furious, acted as the voice of reason. "Rudy needs you more right now. Don't throw all that away by going fater that man." Her mother looked at the parents sympathetically, taking a step forward even as they glared at her. "I understand your frustrations. I would be in your same position if my daughter had been attacked." She paused for a moment, biting her lip. "But please... think rationally. What will happen if you end up arrested and Rudy's all alone? He needs you right now."

Slowly, the two adults looked at each other and their expressions softened up. A look of shame crossed over, intermingling with the anger. "You..You are right." Mr. Tabootie whispered. "We...really were getting carried away, weren't we?"

Mrs. Tabootie lowered her gaze. "Our son is more important right now. We do need to be here for him. If weren't..." She looked over at Rudy. She bit her lip as a small stream of tears moved down her cheeks. "I-I don't know what we'd do..."

"It's understandable why you would feel so much anger. Your son had been horrifically wronged by someone who should have known better." Penny's mom comforted them the best she could. "Don't feel too upset about it. Bob Newland will get what he deserves soon enough. Just focus your attention on your son. He needs you."

"Yeah..." Penny started to say before she was suddenly cut off.

Without warning, Rudy's heart monitor began to speed up. His body began to tremble. A series of loud whimpers came from his throat. Tears stained his cheeks. He opened his mouth and he let out sobs and cries. He tossed and turned on the bed, his face contorting into a look of shock, fear, and panic. The change was so sudden that everyone in the room froze and watched the boy as he began to twitch and quiver on the bed. His legs kicked out in desperation, as if he were fighting something on top of him.

"N-No...please...don't hurt me..."

The sound of this made Penny's heart shatter. Another nightmare... Rudy must be dreaming he was being attacked by Newland again. She watched as her friend wriggled on the bed. EVen when his parents grabbed onto him to keep him from hurting himself, the boy continued to squirm against them. If anything, their touch seemed to provoke Rudy and make him struggle more. His eyes clinched shut tightly and he sucked in several shaky breaths.

"No...go away... leave me alone... Wh-Why are you doing this to me.. M-Mr. Newland...?" Rudy choked out that name. That alone would be enough to convince anyone of who the attacker was. "Please stop...Stop hurting me!"

"Rudy! It's okay! It's us!" Mrs. Tabootie cried as she tried to soothe her son. "It's okay!"

"We're here, Rudy! We won't let anything happen to you! We promise!" Mr. Tabootie gripped his son's left hand, careful not to irritate the gashes on that arm.

"Mommy! Daddy! Save me! Help me! Please!" Rudy called out, his voice's pitch reaching new levels. "H-Help me! Mommy! Daddy!"

The sound of these cries broke everyone's hearts. The boy sounded so frightened...so helpless... This made them all even angrier at Newland for what he had done to him. Because of him, Rudy was hurt and so scared. They all marked their words that Newland would not get away with this. He would not continue walking as a free man after he nearly killed this poor, innocent little boy, how he had tortured him and practically left him for dead.

But for now, they all focused on trying to calm Rudy down. Not just the boy's parents, but Penny and her mother joined in as well. They moved in close to the boy, taking position on either side of him. They looked down at him sadly and they gently stroked him and squeezed him. They whispered a series of calming words to him, hoping that they would help him relax. They watched as the boy continued to scream and cry and hyperventilate, the nightmare raging inside getting much worse. Now he was screaming for Newland to leave his parents alone. The poor boy.. Just what were all the things going on inside of his nightmare...?

It took a while, but eventually the boy began to calm down. His movements slowed, as did his breathing. He stared to relax a bit more on the bed, but he was still so frightened. Ocassionally he would whimper things like 'mama' and 'papa' and variations of that. He would call out for Penny, too, pleading with her to save him from Newland. All Penny could do was caress his cheek and whisper in his ear that she will keep him far away from him. His parents and her mom followed suit, each offering to protect the boy from the man's grasp. These promises, combined with their gentle gestured, appeared to calm the boy down further, and he soon became relaxed in the bed.

Penny looked down at him sadly as his mother nuzzled him against his face. She bit her lip, fighting back tears. Even with the gentle shoulder touch of her mother, she couldn't feel much better about what had happened. Oh poor, poor Rudy...

A few moments later, one of the doctors rushed in. "What's going on?" She asked.

Rudy's parents were clearly in no mood to talk, so Penny's mom turned her head towards the doctor and addressed her herself. "He had a panic attack. A nightmare of his attacker. He's fine now."

The doctor frowned slightly and nodded her head. "I see. Well it's good that he calmed down." She looked over the monitor. "If he got too worked up, there would have been severe complications."

Penny's mom nodded in understanding. "Yes, I am aware. It is lucky that we were able to calm him down before it lasted too long." She looked over at Rudy. Her brows lifted up as her eyes widened in concern. "That poor little boy..."

"What happened to him?" The doctor asked. "Was this an accident?"

"I wish..." The vet couldn't hide the bitterness from her voice. "My daughter told me she witnessed an evil man beat her friend up."

The doctor's eyes widened at this. "That is unfortunate. Well I am sure that will be taken care of. As for the boy, it is good he is here now. From what I've seen..." The doctor clenched her teeth nervously. "He is in for a long, bumpy road ahead of him."

Penny's mom stared at the female doctor. "Do you mind...telling me?" After a few moments, she added, "They gave me permission. I'm a good friend of theirs, and this is my daughter Penny." She motioned to the girl. "She is the one who saved Rudy's life."

The doctor stared at them for a few moments. Then she said, "Well..if they gave you permission..." She adjusted her glasses and closed her eyes for a few moments. She then straightened herself up and stared at Penny's mom right in the eyes. Penny moved in closer, eager to listen to what this doctor had to say about her friend. "Here's how it is..."

She began to relay the results.