Abominable Movie Novelization

by Tracey West

Everest laid a final postcard on the stack Yi was holding. The postcard showed an image of a statue of a seated Buddha carved into the mountains. At two hundred thirty-three feet tall, it towered over the land like a skyscraper. Everest pointed to the sky. The clouds behind him parted, revealing the Leshan Buddha in the distance.

  “The Leshan Buddha,” Yi said. “This is the place my dad wanted me to see the most.” She stared out in disbelief at the statue in the distance. “This is incredible!” She slowly turned to look at Everest. “You brought me here, didn’t you?” she asked him quietly. Everest just smiled and looked back at the Buddha.

  Peng’s mouth dropped open. “Whoa.”

  “Impossible,” Jin said.

  But it was real. They walked to the Buddha, reaching it by late afternoon. When they arrived, they stood at its base and stared up at it in awe.

  The statue had been carved entirely from the stone of the mountains. The Buddha’s hands rested on his knees as he sat, staring calmly into the distance. Yi wanted to get a closer look at that face. One by one, they climbed up the Buddha’s leg. Yi stopped on the Buddha’s hand.

  “Wow, I wish my dad were here to see this,” she said, gazing up at the statue’s amazing face.

  Everest nudged her violin toward her. Yi took it out of its case and looked at the photo of her dad smiling, and a feeling of peace washed over her.

  She held her violin high and began to play the song her dad used to play for her. The song that let Yi know everything was going to be okay. Now, she played the song for her dad.

  The music rang through the air, beautiful and sweet. As she played, the strings began to glow with a bluish light. A single tear fell from Yi’s cheek, and when it hit the Buddha’s hand, a white flower bloomed from the stone.

  As Yi played, raindrops began to softly fall from the sky, streaming down from the Buddha’s face as if nature were grieving along with Yi. As each raindrop hit the ground, a white flower sprouted. The flowers bloomed along the Buddha’s shoulders and down his legs. They bloomed on the surrounding mountains nestling the statue, and they bloomed on the ground below.

  She finished the song, and the rain stopped. The clouds parted. She opened her eyes and looked around, stunned, at the white blanket of beauty that surrounded them all.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said. “Thank you, Everest.”

  Everest shook his head and snorted.

  “You did that!” Peng told Yi. “You!”

  “I did that?” Yi stared at the yeti strings on her violin. They still glowed with a faint blue light. “Whoa!”

  As Yi started down the path that would take her away from the Buddha, Jin came up behind her. “Yi!” he said sternly. Yi turned around. Now what? He handed her one of the flowers and grinned. “We are so going to the Himalayas.” Yi smiled and carefully tucked the flower into her violin case.

  They climbed down the Buddha statue. Yi looked back up at it before they left. The setting sun cast an orange halo around the Buddha’s head, and a heaviness inside her, one that had been there a long time, lifted.

  Her dad had heard her. She knew that he loved her. Nothing would ever be the same, but she would be okay.

  They began their journey to Mount Everest. Though they knew it was still a long way, they were all in a good mood. The sky grew dark and stars glittered overhead as they traveled across a grassy meadow.

  Yi lagged behind to gaze at the stars. She focused on the brightest star she could see. It pulsed with light, and Yi knew her father would always be there, watching over her.

  The temperature dropped as they got closer to the mountains. Eventually, they came to a grove of wisteria trees. A few months before, their drooping branches would have been covered with fragrant purple blossoms. But there was a light cover of snow on the ground, and the branches were bare.

  Yi was disappointed. She loved wisteria. Then she looked at her violin case, and grinned.

  She sat on a branch and began to pluck the strings.

  “Why are we stopping?” Jin asked, but Everest understood. He started to hum softly. Purple flowers popped up all over the branches as Yi strummed her violin and the yeti hummed along.

  “Hey!” Jin cried, as one of the branches picked him up. Another branch scooped up Peng. The branches carried Jin and Peng around the tree. Fireflies joined them, encircling the tree with a warm glow.

  The duet faded, and Yi climbed down from the tree and tucked her head into Everest’s warm fur. Peng did the same.

  “Come on,” Jin urged them. “If we keep going, we’ll get to the Himalayas by morning. Those guys are not going to stop until they get—”

  Everest yanked Jin over to the group and into the warmth of his fur.

  “Is that better?” Yi asked.

  “Maybe,” Jin admitted. “We still have to keep going, though.”

  “I know,” Yi said.

  “Will it be the same?” Peng asked. “You know, when Everest goes home? With us, I mean. Like, will you guys still want to hang out?”

  “Of course we will, Peng,” Yi said.

  Jin gazed up at the sky. “You know, I’ll sure miss seeing these stars.”

  “Yeah, but even though we can’t see them, we’ll still know they’re there,” Peng said. “So that’s kinda cool, isn’t it?”

  Yi smiled. “Yes Peng, that’s very cool.”

  The stars watched over them as they had a short rest. Then they walked all night, and finally they reached the foothills of the Himalayas. A light snow fell as they walked up a ridge.

  “It’s not funny,” Jin was saying. “Loch Ness monster? Chupacabra? What if they exist? Oh my gosh, my whole life has been a lie.”

  They reached the top of the ridge, and the snow-covered Himalayas came into view. Everest hooted with delight, and Peng fist-pumped the air.

  A wooden suspension bridge stretched out in front of them, connecting the ridge to the mountain range. The bridge crossed a dangerous, deep chasm.

  “Everest, look! Just across that bridge is home!” Yi told him.

  “What are we waiting for?” Peng asked. “Let’s go! Let’s go!”

  They headed into a tunnel that led down to the bridge. Everest emerged first, eagerly galloping across the bridge, excited to be almost home.

  “Everest, wait up!” Yi called out.

  Vrooooooooom! A loud, whirring sound filled the air as two Burnish Industries helicopters cut across the sky. They landed on the far side of the bridge, blocking the way.

  “Go back!” Yi yelled.

  Guards spilled out of the helicopters and came toward them, armed with stun guns. They turned to go back to the tunnel, but a fleet of SUVs and an armored transport vehicle poured out, blocking their way. Yi, Peng, and Jin stared at one another in terror. Everest looked worried.

  They were trapped!

  Chapter Thirteen

  No Escape

  Everest opened his arms, protecting his friends. But Yi pushed him toward the mountains.

  “Everest, run! Go to your mountain before it’s too late! You can get past those guys!” she yelled.

  Behind them, Mr. Burnish stood next to a yeti-size cage on the back of a truck.

  “Captain, hurry!” he barked. “Get my yeti! Get him now!”

  Everest turned to Mr. Burnish and growled. Then he ran back toward the tunnel. When he got close, he climbed up to the top of the bridge and hummed.

  Storm clouds swarmed in a circle above him. The wind howled, and the night sky flickered with a blue light. Lightning struck the bridge, and the wind pushed the guards backward.

  “Mr. Burnish, we’re missing our chance!” Dr. Zara warned.

  “Load the tranquilizer guns!” the security captain ordered.

  “Locked and loaded,” one of the guards reported.

  Mr. Burnish stared up at the yeti, amazed by his powers. He held up his hand.

  “Wait, hold your fire!” he ordered, and the puzzled guards obeyed.

  The lightning flashed, sparking
Mr. Burnish’s memory. He remembered a day forty-five years ago when he was a young explorer, full of curiosity and wonder. Climbing Mount Everest, he had stumbled upon a giant footprint in the snow. He reached down to touch it, and when he looked up, a giant yeti stood in front of him.

  Terrified, he had swiped his ice axe at the creature. The beast leaped back, revealing three smaller yetis cowering behind it.

  At that moment, Mr. Burnish realized how terrified those creatures were of him. He wanted to reassure them, reach out to them somehow. But then there was a hum and a flash of blue light. Snow whipped up all around him, and when it cleared, the yetis were gone. Even the footprint had disappeared.

  Kablam! Lightning struck nearby, rousing Mr. Burnish from his memory. He gazed up at Everest, and the three kids he was protecting.

  “Mr. Burnish,” Dr. Zara prodded, but he didn’t respond. Desperate, she turned to the guards.

  “Take the shot!” she demanded.

  Mr. Burnish looked up at Everest, then back toward the kids. “He’s defending them,” Mr. Burnish said. He turned to Dr. Zara. “Doctor, I was wrong, you were right. The yeti must be protected, and the best way to protect the yeti is to let him go.”

  He threw down his ice axe. “We must let him go,” he repeated, his voice rising. He turned to his captain. “Captain, order your men to stow their weapons! Do it now!”

  Unsure, the security captain looked to Dr. Zara. The wind whipped her hair around her face. She nodded to him.

  Zip! He shot Mr. Burnish with a dart from the tranquilizer gun. The man’s eyes closed. Dr. Zara rushed to him, removed the dart, and shoved it into her pocket.

  “Quick! Mr. Burnish needs help!” she cried.

  Guards swept in and carried Mr. Burnish to the SUV. Now Dr. Zara was in control.

  “Captain!” she commanded.

  The captain shot another dart at Everest. He stopped humming. The magical storm stopped.

  “Fire at will!” the captain shouted.

  “Fire!” the guards repeated.

  They bombarded Everest with tranquilizer darts.

  “No!” Yi yelled.

  The darts hit the yeti from all sides. He struggled to keep his eyes open, but the tranquilizers were too much for him. Losing his balance, he tumbled off the top of the bridge and landed hard on the deck.

  Yi, Jin, and Peng ran to Everest’s limp body, but the guards stopped them, grabbing them by the arms. They watched helplessly as more guards put Everest in chains and dragged him to the iron cage.

  “No!” Yi yelled, struggling to get away from the guard holding her.

  “Everest!” cried Peng, kicked his guard in the shin.

  “No, no, Everest!” Jin cried, but he couldn’t break away either.

  Dr. Zara grabbed a stun gun from the captain.

  “I’ll make sure the yeti’s out,” she said in her real voice. “He is never going to escape again!”

  She started to press the stun gun against Everest’s body. “STOP!” Yi shouted.

  She broke free from the guards holding her and lunged at Dr. Zara. She grabbed Dr. Zara’s arms, trying to wrestle the stun gun away. The woman pushed Yi hard, sending her teetering toward the edge of the bridge. Jin and Peng watched in horror as Yi fell over the railing and disappeared into the mist! Her backpack and violin remained behind on the deck of the bridge.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Yi’s Song

  “Nooooooooo! No! No!” Jin wailed.

  “Yi!” Peng had tears in his eyes.

  The guards pushed them both into the back seat of one of the SUVs, next to an unconscious Mr. Burnish. Dr. Zara turned to the security captain. “Well, that’s one down.” She climbed into the driver’s seat and gunned the engine.

  “No, go back! Stop the car!” Jin shouted. He pounded on the car window.

  But the vehicle moved into the dark tunnel, back toward the city.

  Jin stared out the window, frozen in shock. Everest was captured. Had he just lost Yi forever? The convoy drove away.

  Yi’s violin case was open on the deck of the bridge. Her postcards and photo of her dad fluttered away in the wind. All seemed lost when suddenly a voice could be heard, struggling. It was Yi. She’d managed to grab onto one of the bridge supports when she fell. She reached for a beam with one hand, but her other hand started to slip.

  Yi’s heart sank as postcards floated down all around her and disappeared into the chasm below. They had come all this way, and things were worse for Everest than ever before. And there was nothing more she could do.

  It’s hopeless, she thought.

  And then the white flower she had tucked into her violin case fluttered down from the sky and landed on her arm. It was a small thing, but it gave her hope.

  Using every bit of strength she had, she pulled herself up to the beam above her. Then she pulled herself up to the next, and the next, until she was back on the deck. She picked up her violin and locked her eyes on the path moving through the foothills, until she saw the convoy of Burnish Industries vehicles—and the cage holding Everest. They were on a road in the hills, bordered by a mountain on one side and a steep cliff on the other.

  She lifted the violin to her chin and began to play. The strings of yeti hair began to glow and spark. The sky flashed with blue light, just as it had when Everest hummed.

  This was no sweet song of love. She played with fierce intensity. As the notes became faster and louder, lightning flashed. The blue glow in the sky pulsated like the Northern Lights.

  Tweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Yi hit a high, piercing note, and sustained it. In response, a single blue ribbon of light whipped around her, as if it was absorbing the energy from her music. Then the light raced through the valley, aiming at one target—Everest!

  The blue light ribbon surrounded Everest’s cage. His body glowed, and it became so bright that everyone in the convoy had to shield their eyes. The yeti’s eyes flashed open.

  Rooooooooar! He burst through the iron bars of the cage. Huge stalagmites burst from the road in front of the vehicles, rising up like giant icicles. The drivers had to swerve and brake to avoid hitting them.

  Dr. Zara’s SUV screeched to a halt as a stalagmite erupted in front of it.

  “It’s Everest!” Peng cheered.

  Dr. Zara emerged from the vehicle. “No, this can’t be happening!”

  Everest stood tall, glowing brighter than ever before. More stalagmites burst from the ground. The guards began to run away, and Dr. Zara sprinted toward the transport vehicle.

  Jin gently shook Mr. Burnish.

  “Sir, wake up!” he urged. But the man was out cold.

  Duchess climbed out of Mr. Burnish’s pocket and hopped onto his chest. Her tiny, twitching nose tickled his face. Mr. Burnish’s eyes fluttered open, and the rodent squeaked.

  Jin and Peng helped pull Mr. Burnish out of the SUV just as Yi slid down a giant stalagmite to join them. Jin couldn’t believe his eyes.

  “Yi! You’re okay!”

  Yi smiled and turned toward Everest. They exchanged a knowing look. Yi felt strong and proud. With Everest’s powers and her violin, they were unstoppable!

  Then the roar of an engine interrupted them. The transport vehicle barreled toward them, with Dr. Zara behind the wheel and the security captain beside her. With its armored body and monster wheels, it pushed past the vehicles and mowed down the stalagmite. With wild eyes and hair whipping around her face, Dr. Zara stomped on the gas, aiming for Everest.

  “I thought we had to keep the yeti alive,” the captain said.

  “DEAD will have to do,” Dr. Zara replied.

  “No!” Yi yelled, and she jumped aside as the vehicle barreled toward them.

  Dr. Zara slammed into Everest, pushing the yeti into the mountain wall.

  “Yes!” she exclaimed.

  Cr-a-a-a-a-ck!

  A crack erupted in the ice covering the mountain’s face. It raced up toward an overhang of snow. The mountain rumbled, and an avalanch
e of snow swept down the mountain, carrying the transport vehicle—and the yeti—over the cliff.

  “Noooooooooo!” Dr. Zara wailed, and then the snow settled, and an eerie silence fell over the valley.

  Yi, Jin, Peng, and Mr. Burnish rushed to the edge of the cliff. Nobody could tell for certain what exactly had happened.

  “Everest?” Peng called out.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Flight

  Behind them, they heard a familiar coo. They turned to see Everest emerge from a snowbank and walk toward them. He had not gone over the cliff after all.

  “Everest?” Yi hugged him, and Peng joined in. Even Duchess gave a happy squeak.

  Mr. Burnish approached the yeti. “Everest? You are by far the most extraordinary creature I have ever seen. That is exactly why the world must never know you exist.” Everest looked at him curiously. “They would not understand. I didn’t,” he explained.

  Mr. Burnish turned to Yi. “Can I please help you to get back to the city? It would be my great pleasure.”

  “Thank you, but I promised to take Everest home, and he’s not home yet,” she replied.

  Mr. Burnish shook his head. “You’re not going to take Everest all the way to Everest? That is impossible.”

  “Sir, with all due respect, when Yi sets her mind on something, nothing is impossible,” Jin informed him.

  Mr. Burnish nodded. “I understand,” he said. “But there is something I have to insist that I give you.”

  He walked up to his security guards and got three of them to give up their winter gear. Soon Yi, Jin, and Peng were decked out in parkas, gloves, and hats.

  “Thank you! See you later!” they called to him, as they headed back to the tunnel.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be waiting right here,” Mr. Burnish promised.

  Peng stopped and looked up at the tallest mountain in the distance. “It sure is a long way up there.”

  “Everest?” Jin asked.

  Everest shut his eyes and started to hum. The clouds overhead began to join together, forming shapes resembling giant koi fish.

  “Cool!” Peng said.

  The clouds swooped down, ready to carry them to the mountaintop at Everest’s command. Yi looked at Jin. Would he take the leap this time?