Lana The Lost

Lana The Lost is the twelfth episode of the first season of The Hardy Boys And The Loud Girls.

Summary
While accompanying Frank to the mall to buy a new record player for Joey, Lana gets lost.

Story
One day, Lynn and Luna were playing catch in the backyard with Lynn's football.

"Go long, Luna," Lynn said as she threw the ball.

"I got it," said Luna as she caught the ball.

She then threw the ball a little too hard and it went flying into Frank and Joey's room. A loud crash soon followed.

"Uh-oh," Lynn and Luna said as they looked at each other.

"I think we broke something," said Luna.

They went upstairs and found that they had broken Joey's record player.

"Oh no," cried Lynn, "we broke Joey's record player!"

"We," asked Luna, "I was the one who threw the ball, so if anyone's taking the blame, it's me."

"What's going on," asked Joey. He had heard the crash and had come upstairs to investigate, followed by Frank and Lana.

"We're sorry, Joey," said Luna, "Lynn and I were playing football in the backyard and I threw the ball too hard and it flew through the window and broke the record player."

"It's okay," said Joey with a smile, "it was an accident."

"Besides," added Frank, "our Aunt Gertrude's been wanting to get rid of that old hunk of junk anyway."

"Why," asked Lynn.

"Because," said Joey, "the needle was a little crooked and the turntable was starting to get rusty."

"That makes sense," said Lynn.

"Anyways," said Joey, "I think it's time I got a new one."

"You know," said Frank, "I think I remember seeing a sale of them in the home goods stop at the mall."

"Perhaps you can run there and get a new one," said Joey.

"Yeah," agreed Frank, "plus, I think there are a few things I wanted to get at the mall."

"Can I come too," asked Lana.

"Sure," said Frank, "we'll go together and make this like an adventure!"

"Yeah," said Lynn.

Frank pulled out a small notepad and a pen from his pocket.

"Anything you girls want," he asked Luna and Lynn.

"Well," said Lynn, "I guess I could use some more tennis balls."

"OK," said Frank, "what about you, Luna?"

"A Boston CD would be nice," said Luna.

"OK," said Frank, "I guess we're off then."

He and Lana got in the Pacer and drove of for the mall. On the way, Frank talked to Lana.

"Now, Lana," said Frank, "this is a very big mall, so please try to stay close to me at all times."

"OK, Frankie," said Lana.

Soon, they arrived at the mall and went inside. The home goods spot was up on the third floor, so they had to take the escalator.

"I love the escalator," said Lana.

Soon, they arrived at the home goods store and went inside. While Frank searched for the record players, Lana heard a bell.

"What's that," Lana asked herself.

She later found out. Across the way, she found a man with a cart selling balloons for only 5 cents apiece.

"I still have the nickel I earned from helping Joey clip the hedges," thought Lana, "maybe I can use it to buy a balloon!"

Lana then saw the man leave his current position and move to a different part of the mall, prompting Lana to follow him. Inside the home goods store, Frank was paying for the record player.

"Lana," Frank called, "I'm ready!"

But Lana wasn't there.

"Lana", Frank called again, "where are you?"

Again, there was no response.

"Meh," Frank thought to himself, "maybe she just went to the bathroom or something."

Meanwhile, Lana had followed the man selling the balloons as far as the food court. It was then that she suddenly remembered what Frank had told her about staying close to him.

"I guess I better find my way back to Frank," said Lana.

Lana tried to find her way back to Frank, but couldn't remember where the home goods store was.

"I think I'm lost," Lana said as her eyes begin to fill up with tears.

Meanwhile, Frank was waiting outside the ladies' room for Lana.

"Gosh," Frank thought to himself, "Lana's been in there for a while now. I do hope she's okay."

Just then, Frank heard the door open. He thought it was Lana, but it turned out to be a completely different girl.

"Well," thought Frank, "maybe she's in the toy store."

Frank went to the toy store, but didn't find her. Then he checked the candy store, but he didn't find her there either.

"Oh no," Frank said, "I've lost her!"

Meanwhile, Lana was sitting on a bench next to the mall fountain crying. A security guard heard her crying and approached her.

"What's wrong, sweetie," he asked, "are you lost?"

Lana nodded and cried harder.

"Oh, come here," said the guard as he picked Lana up. He then took out his walkie-talkie.

"I've got a lost child here," he said, "and I'm proceeding to take her to the Lost Child Station."

"10/4," said another voice, "you may proceed."

Meanwhile, Frank was racing around the mall, trying to find Lana. An employee noticed this and approached Frank.

"Sir," asked the employee, "is there a problem?"

"Have you seen a little girl around here," Frank asked.

"I think that's something to ask the people at the security desk," replied the employee, "it's over there next to the arcade."

"Thank you," said Frank.

Frank sprinted to the security office and collapsed into a chair, all out of breath.

"Are you alright, sir," asked the lady behind the desk.

"I need your help," Frank said as he gasped for air.

The lady got Frank a cup of water and gave it to him.

"Thank you," said Frank as he took a sip.

"Now," asked the lady, "what's the problem?"

"I've lost someone," said Frank.

"Can you describe this person," asked the lady.

"She has a green shirt, a red cap, blue overalls, and white sneakers," explained Frank.

"Are you related to this person by any chance," asked the lady.

"Well," said Frank, "I'm not a blood relative, but the kid's older sister is my brother's girlfriend."

"I see," said the lady.

Meanwhile, the guard had taken Lana to the Lost Child Station, which was brightly painted with a mural of a jungle and had a shelf of books, a box of toys, a table with crayons, paper, and coloring pages, and even a TV with a VCR hooked up to it, along with some VHS tapes of Bear In The Big Blue House, The Koala Brothers, and The Wubbulous World Of Dr. Seuss.

"There you go," said the guard, "you can stay here until we find the person you're with."

"OK," said Lana as she rushed inside.

WIP