"Has anyone seen Gene?"
"Why do ya wanna see HIM, Mary?" Norwood scoffed, his eyes focused on a magazine "I'd think of all people, you'd want ta avoid him."
"Now why would you say a thing like that Nory?" the pink teenage Nicelander said, huffing.
"Heh, good ol' Mary…" the red head snickered "Ya tryin' ta turn over a new leaf but ya can't hide it. Ya can't hide tha inner brat!"
The little figure marched right up to Norwood, her eyes cutting into him.
"Norwood."
"Yes?"
"Do you miss that part of me THAT much?" the girl smiled, her catty grin enough to make Norwood shiver "Shall I bring her back? Shall she have an extended stay for your enjoyment?"
The red-headed HATED it when Mary played that card but he knew better. He knew better than to let her win, not this time.
"Ho ho ho, Merry-Berry." Norwood chuckled, pushing the girl back "We already have one person who huffs an' puffs 'round here. We don't need two!"
"And who would be the other one?" Mary smiled, her eye-lashes fluttering.
"Your love of course." said Norwood "He's in the apartment by tha way. Doin' his usual thing 'round this time…"
"You mean raiding the fridge?" Mary tittered.
"That…" Norwood nodded "But somethin' else as well."
"So….if Z is to the power of 3, I have to divide Y with X and the answer will be…."
As usual, the Mayor's son was sitting at the dinner table, stacks upon stacks of books in front of him, his brain turning and whirling with his studies. He had to keep up, he had keep his mind sharp. His father had set a path out for the young Nicelander that he HAD to live up to and if either of his parents noticed so much as a chip in the work they had poured their time molding….
More arguments.
More yelling.
More anger.
More frustration.
Gene didn't want to do it, but he knew he had to. For all purposes, the boy would have preferred to spend his time lounging about, perhaps taking in a movie, driving aimlessly, just doing anything with the other kids in the apartments.
But he had his own duties and responsibilities.
This was the Mayor's son and this was his role.
The young man nibbled the end of his eraser, his mind stumped.
"C'mon, c'mon…." he growled to himself, his face turning red the more frustrated he became "I can solve this. I am not stupid, Gene! You are not useless! Your brain can figure this out!"
Maybe if he shut his eyes, he could get ahead, he could finally visualize what he was supposed to do. Things slowly went dark all around, the boy starting to feel as if he were drifting away. All he could see were numbers; so many, MANY numbers. He could see numbers….and his father.
WHY CAN'T YOU DO THIS?!
Dad, I'm trying!
YOU'RE NOT TRYING HARD ENOUGH, BOY!
W-Wait! I'll get it right!
YOU CAN'T GET IT, GENE!
No! No, I can do it!
YOU ARE A DISAPPOINTMENT!
If you would please just give me a chance!
YOU'RE A DISAPPOINTMENT, GENE! AND THAT'S ALL YOU'LL EVER BE!
That voice, those words.
They were always thrown at him.
You're just this. You're just that.
And that's all you'll ever be.
Over and over and over and over.
They echoed in Gene's mind, the boy forgetting about his math and now finding himself swamped by the images and words of his father.
They made his head hurt, they made his heart race, but he said nothing towards them.
He took it.
He took those words and-!
"Gene?"
Eyes opened.
Gene realized he was still in the apartment, still alone. Still alone with the exception of the voice behind him.
"Gene, are you okay?"
Mary?
Why was she here?
The young man scowled, Mary seeing his face scrunch up but the sight was more humorous than anything resembling a threat. How could she feel threatened at a pudgy young man like him? Fluffy blue cardigan, nerdy looking frames on his nose, a mustaches BARELY sprouting on his lip?
And those cheeks! Those big puffy, pouty blushed cheeks!
She chortled to herself, the sound only annoying Gene even further.
"Is there a reason you're hear or….?" He moaned.
"Well, someone is in a sweet mood." The young woman in pink cooed as she approached the Mayor's son, the boy groaning loudly "Studying up as usual, I see Mr. Nicelander POINT-DEXTER."
"I have to…" the boy said in a gruff voice, his writing so rough on the paper Mary was certain he would rip right through it "I have my priorities to keep, Mary. You know that."
Priorities?
That was understandable but what Gene was doing?
He might not have said it out loud but Mary could see it. Mary could see that Gene was stretching himself thin and on the verge of snapping at any moment.
He needed a break.
And she had just the thing he needed.
"Sooooo….how long have you been at this?"
"Does it matter?"
"Have you eaten?"
Gene went silent again, scowling; was Mary teasing him again? She was ALWAYS teasing him, especially about his appetite, going much further than the other kids in the apartment did at times. It stung. It stung a lot but he had to let it pass, just like his father said.
He couldn't let a silly girl get to him.
"Did you hear me?"
"Yes, I did."
"Then why didn't you say anything?"
"Because it's none of your business, that's why!"
What a bitter reply.
"Gene."
"WHAT?!"
"I have some pie for you."
The boy gripped the pencil harder, his cheeks burring redder.
"Haha, you're so funny you know that." He chuckled "Are you and Norwood joining together to get a rise out of me because-!"
"Genie."
The young man bit his lip, turning towards his neighbor but upon seeing her.
Her eyes.
Most of the time the young man in blue was used to seeing her acting so cheeky, but this time? This time she seemed WORRIED.
Worried about HIM.
The boy cleared his throat, keeping up appearances "Yes?"
"You need a break. I can see it in your eyes." the girl said, putting her hand on top of his. She felt him twitch under her hold and it surprised her a bit "How long have you been at this?"
"S-Since….since I got up." Gene meeped, looking away.
"And you haven't stopped? Not one rest?"
The boy shook his head, cheeks still rose.
"I told you, I have pie." Mary smiled "PLENTY of pie for you to try."
"I would love to…." The boy began "But I don't want to fall behind."
"What is a little pie going to do?" the girl smiled "And you'll feel so much better once you've givem your brain a chance to rest!"
"I appreciate the thought, but-!"
Before another word could be uttered Mary pulled Gene off his chair, leading him out of the apartment "C'mon! I promise you'll love it!"
Being yanked so suddenly, Gene nearly fell forward but he caught himself "U-Um, I'm not sure this is a good idea?"
"Why? It's just pie, silly!"
"W-Well, I still have to finish my studies!" the boy stammered "And besides that, are your parents even home?!"
"Nope!" the girl said merrily "I've had the whole apartment to myself the entire day!"
"MARY!" Gene gasped in alarm "You're taking me to your place when your parents cannot supervise?!"
"You act as if we've never been alone in a room together before." Mary said as she turned to face Gene "What's the problem now?"
Oh, there was a problem but Gene wasn't sure if Mary was aware of what it was.
"I-I-!"
What could he say, what could he say?
"Th-the last thing I would want to do is get you into trouble because our parents thought we were….*ahem*, UP to something."
It took a second of thought but Mary realized what the boy was talking about. Her jaw dropped, her eyes widened but then?
Then she began to laugh.
"Gracious, Blueberry!" the girl continued "Shall I fetch some 'SPECIAL RECORDS' for your pie if you're thinking like THAT?!"
"Mary! SHHHHH!" the boy scrambled, beet-red in the face "I-I just don't want you to-!"
"Gene, there is nothing to worry about." The girl reassured, pinching her friend on the cheek "Just come over and try these pies, please? You're the only one I wanted to do this with!"
"W-Why?" the boy asked nervously.
"Because…."
Mary laughed again, twiddling her fingers.
"L-Look, I know I get on you a lot for sneaking snacks on me but you do have taste, you big blueberry. Taste I respect."
Gene had never felt so embarrassed!
Though at the same time….Mary had RESPECT for him?
"If there is anyone here that I trust with tasting what I make, it's you." The girl said "You LOVE trying new dishes and you're always the first to say how they could be improved, what needs to stay! All that stuff! You really know you way around the kitchen!"
"W-Well, I-!"
"So come on! I want you to try these pies before they get cold!"
Gene would have eaten Mary's pie no matter what condition they were in. He would have dug through the GARBAGE to get a taste of them, his love for them that great.
But was it just the pie?
Or was it something else, something bigger?
The two went to the apartment, Gene hit with the blast of fresh baked sweets all around. In the past, Gene had always been given a treat by the girl's mother, the older Nicelander dotting on the tiny chubby boy to no end, something that annoyed Mary so much when she was but a wee Nicelander tot herself and giving her plenty of ammunition to go after him when she thought the other adults were not looking.
But that was in the past. The Mary that people were seeing now was much different than the one they had grown up alongside with.
As his neighbor was aging, she was showing signs of inheriting the talents of her beloved mother, her skills with baking unmatched but Mary hadn't exactly possessed the same sweet demeanor as that of her mother, at least in the beginning. As she began her experiments in cookig, Gene would try to get a bite in but Mary never let him. She would always push him away, always smack his head or hands with a mixing spoon. She would yell and screech and cry, doing anything to get the chubby little boy away from her so in retaliation, Gene would sneak in and run off with a pie or two, anything he could get his hands and mouth around, Mary chasing him in fury once she spied him shoveling her food in his maw.
It was always a sight to see, Gene and Mary rolling in the grass as they fought over pie, the other Nicelander children watching with glee.
Time was bringing about a change in both young Nicelanders though. As Gene had grown out of his runt phase he was becoming more and more cold, everyone saw it. He had always been the one who was underfoot, the one who had a hard time keeping up because he was so small but as he aged, anger was replacing what fear he had, most of it brought on by the constant pushing of his father.
Mary was starting to blossom into the complete opposite. The other young Nicelanders could remember when the pink-loving girl would boss them around, push them around, yell, scream and throw tantrums whenever she didn't get her way, whenever they went against what she wanted but she would go after Gene the most, the girl unable to stand his presence and the attention of the boy whom she had believed robbed her of her much earned spotlight when he was born.
She was starting to mature, becoming calm, collected and realizing how much she needed to do as she grew older. No more did she cry or fight and she had found quickly began to realize that her own life had more happiness if she shared the same with others, a stark difference in her past goals of bossing the other children around.
She wanted to make the others happy and she wanted to do the same for Gene but as they both got older, she saw how much he was beginning to distance himself from the others, how he would lose his temper around them at even the smallest of things. She wanted to get closer to him, to help him because she knew that despite the act he put on in front of the others, the true Nicelander inside just wanted to get out. He just wanted to actually have fun like his neighbors.
"Here, this is peach…" the girl said, sitting the boy down at the table and cutting him a large slice of pie "I know Pearly usually is the one who handles peach but I wanted to try something different with it."
"O-oh, you did?" Gene asked, Mary pouring a large glass of milk for him "W-Well, in that case. Maybe I should tell Pearl the results once I am done with this? I would LOVE to see her face once she is aware that YOU of all people are trying to rob her of her place."
Mary knew Gene was playing, a smile appearing on her face "Just eat the pie, Chubby-Chunks!"
Gene took the first bite and he was launched right into bliss. He could bake; he LOVED to bake. He LOVED to cook.
But what Mary did?
He couldn't explain it but it was MAGIC.
She had made a cookie-crumble top and it had absorbed the peach juice perfectly, the entire concoction melting in his mouth delicately.
She was right; he did need this. He needed all the pie he could get.
"Mmmmm…."
This was why Gene loved Mary's pie. There was none other like it.
"You like it?"
Gene snapped to, looking at Mary as he took another bite "Y-yes, yes I do, miss."
"You don't have to be so formal, Genie…."
"I-I'm just trying to be polite." The boy said, sitting up straight.
"If you want to do that…" Mary said "Take another bite."
And another bite the boy did take. He finished off the first slice and then a second, resisting a third as to not appear to play the role of PIG.
Pie had never been so satisfying.
"I take it you enjoyed it." Mary smiled "But not another bite?"
"Oh, goodness no." the boy said, remembering his manners as he made a little bow of the head "But the pie was superb. Another fine creation from you."
"Then have some more!" Mary smiled, putting another plate before the boy "This time? Raspberry!"
"Raspberry?"
"Is there an echo here?" the girl laughed "Yes, try it next to blackberry. Which do you prefer?"
Gene tried both, the two slices disappearing from the plate.
"Is that it? Or do you need a second helping of both to make up your mind?"
Gene cocked his head to the left "Hmmmm."
"Yes?"
He then cocked his head to the right "Mmmmmm."
"Ah-huh?"
"The raspberry…" the boy said "It….it needs…..needs something?"
"Something?" asked Mary.
Gene got up, walking over to the kitchen "It is missing something key. Something to bring out the tangy tart notes that the berries have."
It was starting.
The inner cook of Gene was coming out.
"Gene?"
The boy, whether he knew it or not, began to go through the cupboards looking thoroughly in them before he pulled out a jar of honey.
"Ah-ha!" the boy said, taking a good spoonful and pouring in into the fruit mixture that was on the counter "Just mix in a bit like this….."
He then reached for a lemon, cutting it and squeezing just a tiny amount of juice into the bowl. He gave the blend a few more stirs.
"Over here, Mary."
"What?"
"I want you to taste this."
"Me?" the girl said as she pointed to herself "But what could-?"
Before Mary could continue, a spoonful of berries were pushed into her mouth.
"How's that taste?"
It was wonderful.
Mary had found her missing ingredients! It was just what she needed, just what she was looking for!
"Mmmmm! GENE!" the girl purred, light in her eyes "Mmmmm! This is so wonderful!"
A bit of a smirk formed on the boy's face "Heh, ol' pink-britches thinks so?"
The girl gave the Mayor's son a good slug in the arm "Okay, keep talking like that and I won't give you any more pie!"
Gene snorted a laugh "Don't go back to Brat-mode! We were making such progress!"
"Progress?" Mary huffed, bumping the boy with her hip as she took up spot next to him "I will show you PROGRESS, you overgrown blueberry!"
"Do I hear a challenge thrown my way?" Gene sneered, a glint in his eyes "My dear, you are not the only one who can handle a pie!"
My dear?
Had Gene heard what he had said?
Mary sure did.
And she was blushing like there was no tomorrow.
"Oooh, you-!"
She huffed, cheeks puffing out.
"You're on, Blueberry!"
Before they knew it, pies were being baked, pies of all flavors and styles.
Mary had made a peanut butter cream pie but Gene countered with a lemon mousse. She then made an apple cobbler but he made one that was cherry.
All day, the two made pies, and during it all, who was getting the most of it?
Try some, Genie!
You'll like this, Blueberry!
Gene? Don't you think this is so good?
GENE; OF COURSE.
He was in pie heaven but over time, he found that Mary was moving faster than he, the woman always having a hand out with a slice of pie ready to shove in mouth.
Boy, what the others would have said if they had only gotten a glimpse of what was going on! The laughed, the cackles, the rumors. It would fill the apartment for days on end, Gene making such a fool of himself by letting Mary get the best of him and stuffing him to the gills with pie.
He could have said NO, of course but just like so many occasions in the past the young Nicelander let his stomach do the thinking for him.
"MARY!"
"Yes?" the girl smiled, putting another forkful of pie in Gene's mouth, this time pecan "What is it?"
"Um, if you don't mind. I do believe I have had enough, thank you." He grinned nervously "I'm…I'm full…."
The girl nearly dropped the dish on the ground as she heard those words.
Gene was FULL?!
IMPOSSIBLE!
"FULL?!"
"Yes, yes I am!" Gene grimaced "While it was fun, I do think I've had more than enough sweets for one night. Or several for that matter."
Mary began to think back to the session; there had been a lot of pie shared and there were quite a few empty plates in the sink.
MANY empty plates.
"Ooooh, look at me." The girl pouted, sitting at the table "Sorry Genie. I know you like pie, but I never had the intent to feeding you until you EXPLODED."
"I-It's okay, it's alright!" the boy said, a small bit of laughter in his throat "I appreciate everything and…and I enjoyed myself."
Mary looked up and smiled "Thank you. I'm glad that you decided to enjoy my company making everything."
Gene's eyes lit up as he turned towards his neighbor "….Really? You mean to tell me you didn't mind me being here?"
"If I wouldn't, why would I INVITE you here?" laughed Mary "If I had known that you were this skilled with pastries, I would have invited you over sooner."
"You….you like my cooking?"
"Yes, I do!" Mary nodded.
Gene's stomach was now filled with pie and BUTTERFLIES. His feet were carrying him closer to the girl, his eyes wide.
"Y-You like it?! REALLY?!"
Mary's eyes darted about, laughing nervously "I-I said that I did."
This was what Gene wanted to hear. This was something he had ALWAYS wanted to hear.
Someone liked his cooking! Someone thought it was good!
It was so different from the words he had often heard from his father, his father who thought what he liked was so disappointing, so embarrassing.
Mary loved it.
Someone had told him he was GOOD at something, something that he loved.
"So, I hope I was able to add something to your day, Blueberry" Mary laughed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face "When I saw you sitting in your apartment like that, I knew I couldn't just leave without-!"
KISS
Gene leaned forward and planted his lips on Mary, the girl turning bright red but they pulled away.
"OH!"
"OH MY GOSH!"
What had he done?
He was just caught up in everything, the words of Mary breaking him out of his usual gloom. He didn't mean to kiss her, not in such a fashion as that!
Mary walked towards the wall, her hands on her lips.
Had Gene actually kissed her?
The Mayor's kid?
Baby Blueberry?
The RUNT?
GENE?
"Mary!"
She said nothing.
"Mary! I-I-I'm sorry!" the boy stammered, nearly dropping to his knees "Th-that was uncalled for! It was HORRENDOUS behavior from me! I-I would never-!"
Mary just looked; she looked at Gene, face red and full of fear.
She just looked.
But then threw herself forward and kissed him again, her arms wrapping around him.
"MMPH! MARY!"
Don't say a word, not a word.
She kissed him again. Again!
Gene's head began to swim, his entire face feeling hot. He couldn't let go, he couldn't!
He held her, pulled her close, wrapped her tighter. He nearly lifted her off the ground, the two still kissing.
How far, how far?
The bedroom?
Was this really happening?
It was going so fast, hands were going everywhere. Lips moved everywhere.
Weren't they talking about something else before? Didn't they have other plans, something to do with pie? Both young Nicelanders had forgotten by this point as they were far busy with something else.
"G-GENE!" gasped Mary but Gene didn't say anything.
His mouth was much too full.
*KA-CLICK.*
"Mary?"
Who was that?
"Mary, are you home?"
They both froze, terror on their faces.
The girl paled as she looked down at Gene "DAD!"
Now it was Gene's turn to play the role of the petrified teenager.
"DAD?!"
Without another second wasted, Mary got up and shoved Gene towards the closet "HIDE!"
"H-HIDE?! How do you EXPECT me to-?!"
The boy tripped, falling face first on the wall of the small closet, the door slamming on his butt. He was uncomfortably scrunched in the space but he could hear Mary running about, trying to clean herself up before-!
"Daddy!"
"Dear?"
"Y-yes?"
"Um, I saw all the pie in the kitchen. Is something going on?"
"O-oh ,no! I mean YES! I mean-!" the girl lied "I-I was making certain that my pies were PERFECT for Mr. Fix-It! I-I had a few of the guys-! GIRLS! Girls over! A-and we just made some pie and-! Y-You know! Girl stuff!"
Gene could see the man's figure, just not his face. Granted though, if Gene were to look upon the face of Mary's father in THAT moment….
"That's fine, sweetie…." The older male Nicelander said "But I'm pretty sure Mr. Fix-It doesn't need THAT much pie. From the looks of things, you made enough for an army to eat!"
An army?
No wonder Gene felt so full, his belt digging into his sides a bit.
"Why couldn't I just say no?!"
"Y-Yes, that is true daddy!" the girl went on "B-Better safe than sorry! You always say that!"
There was a pause between father and daughter but Gene couldn't see it as well as he wanted. He squinted, remembering that his glasses had fallen off when he and Mary had entered the bedroom, the spectacles lost somewhere on the floor.
"Aw, BLAST IT."
"Mary, you looked EXHAUSTED." The older Nicelander said "Are you certain that nothing is wrong, that you are feeling okay?"
"I-I was just working so hard!" Mary stammered "And-and I spilled flour on myself! Th-that's why I was about to clean up when you got here!"
Gene fidgeted, doing so as carefully as he could not to make a sound, but he was still pressed from all sides, feeling like he was in a BOX more than anything.
"Urf, hurry Mary!" he moaned "I don't think I can-!"
The tightness of the closet was proving to be trouble brewing, Gene gulping hard as something started to well in his chest.
How much pie had he eaten again?
His stomach growled loudly, the boy putting his hands on the surface and praying to ever deity he could think of that no one had heard it.
"Urgh! QUIET!
"Do you need any help?" Mary's father said, Gene peering through the crack in the door "I can lend a hand if-!"
"NOPE! Nope, I got it daddy!"
The pink girl was acting well enough but she couldn't hold off for long. If only she could convince her father to leave, then maybe Gene could make his escape before his stomach gave him away.
Why did he have to indulge himself?!
Gene inhaled as best he could, hoping to the heavens that would put a hush on his noisy belly. He didn't know WHY he thought holding his breath would work but if anything worked, he welcomed it!
"Young lady…."
"Dad, I am fine! I promise you!" the girl sweated through her smile "Wh-Why don't I get started on cleaning up the kitchen! You don't have to help me! I GOT IT MYSELF!"
Yes, good idea.
"Oh….oh, okay."
Yes! Good job, Mary!
"D-Don't look so upset, daddy! I'm a big girl! I can do it!"
A pressure began to well in Gene's chest, the boy feeling the wad travel upwards.
The revenge of the pie!
"URF!" the boy choked "NOT NOW!"
Mary's father turned to leave the room.
"Just remember, no boys sweetie. Not while your mother and I are-!"
"*HEEP!*"
Mary felt her spine shake, a feeling of doom coming over her. It was as in that moment, the two teenagers connected.
Because they were both aware of the trouble they were about to find themselves in.
*BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARP!*
Yes.
THAT HAD HAPPENED.
Mary and her father stood in the room, the daughter mortified, the father still as a statue but the girl could see it in his eyes.
They darkened.
They narrowed.
THEY SLID TOWARDS THE CLOSET.
Mary just wanted to throw herself out the window, her father MARCHING over to the closet and throwing it open.
And there was Gene, the boy huddled on the floor with his hands over his mouth, his entire face as red as a strawberry. And that's when Gene looked up to see Mary's father standing before him.
Or better put, Mary's father glaring fire at him as he hid in his precious daughter's closet.
THIS WASN'T GOOD.
The boy smiled nervously, wagging his fingers at the fuming man, shrinking down further to the floor.
"H-Hello, sir. *HIC!*"
And then a hand reached for the boy's collar.
"An'…..an' THEN what happened?"
Gene rubbed his temple "Felix? Young man? I got the butt-kicking of a life time"
"WOW." Said Calhoun, shaking her head as she held her drink in her hand "Ya know, I never thought games from that long ago had….had implanted such vivid memories in ya guys. Were your childhoods REALLY this eventful, Ms. Mary?"
The marine looked over, expecting an answer but she got nothing.
"Ms. Mary?"
The pink Nicelander said nothing, her face buried in her hands.
Why did Gene have to tell THAT story?!
"So let that be a lesson to you. Never, I mean, NEVER cross the line with a father concerning his daughter." The Mayor grimaced "Not only did Mary's dear father teach me a lesson, the lesson I got from MY father AFTER it all? The nightmare only continued…"
"I wanted to die…." Mary finally said "I just wanted to crawl into the nearest hole and DIE. That's how bad it was!"
"I guess that explains that week ya two didn't talk ta each other…." Felix said sheepishly "All this time. I thought it was because ya had a fight or somethin'. Never thought it had ta do with….with THAT!"
"You asked." Nodded the Mayor "And the story has been told."
"ASKED?!" Mary cried, shaking Gene "You rolly-polly, caterpillar-stashed fat-head! YOU COULD HAVE SAID NO! DOES THE WORD 'NO' MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?!"
"…NO." smirked the Mayor as he poked his wife on the nose, the woman crying out in frustration as she let him go.
"You know? I'm starting to understand WHY I rolled you around when we were children! If I knew you'd turn out like THIS, I WOULD HAVE DONE IT MORE OFTEN!"
"Oh, but honey-pie!"
"Wait…I remember that!" Ralph said, a smile forming on his face "Ha-HAAAAAAA! I was wonderin' why tha whole thing felt familiar!"
Gene quickly turned towards Ralph, looking shocked "What do you mean 'I REMEMBER'?"
"Well, maybe not what happened IN Nicelander, but-!"
A young wrecker walked on the outskirts of his village, carrying a massive log on his shoulder.
"Man, are these things gettin' heavier or is it jus-?"
nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYUGH!
Ralph stopped, dropping the enormous tree and looking about the forest. Birds flew from their perches in panic, animals ran as fast as they could to evade the horrific sound.
"Tha heck-?!"
"OH MY LORD! OH GOD! NO SIR, NO! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOUR DAUGHTER! JUST PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"
Where was that cry for help coming from? As far as Ralph knew, the only other people who were remotely close were….
The NICELANDERS?
But it was such a distance away from the village of the Forest People! How could such a voice travel far?
"NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"
Ralph whistled and shook his head "WOW. Someone sounds like they just got into trouble."
The big boy then got back to work, the screaming still going through the night.