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STRESS
PROLOGUE:
Marlene continued cleaning, even as the thunder rolled overhead and she felt her stomach jump. She looked out as the rain fell, soaking her fur.
"When are you going to be back, Skipper?" Marlene asked the sky.
The thunder boomed back.
"Oh well…" She said, turning back to cleaning.
Skipper had left to get some Intel on Dr. Blowhole a couple of days ago. He thought Blowhole had developed a new type of weapon. Skipper and the penguins had some kind of imagination. C'mon. Dr. Blowhole? A super evil dolphin? Suddenly a loud crack of lightening erupted and she flew under her covers and peered out. The lightening silhouetted a penguin-like figure in the cave-opening.
"Skipper?" She said.
The lightening flashed again and it was Skipper she saw. He flipped on the light, a vacant kind of look in his eyes. He stood there for a moment, slouching over instead of standing up right like he always did. His face twitched and his beak open, as though he was trying to say something but nothing would come out. He stepped forward awkwardly, tripping about and almost falling.
"Skipper?" Marlene said. "Are you alright?"
He twisted his head a little, as though some way of saying no but she couldn't be sure. He tripped again and stumbled in front of her. Now she could see the deep grooved scars across his flippers and body, pink and shining, freshly made, maybe a few days ago. There was blood dripping from some cuts and his feathers looked slightly singed at closer examination.
"Skipper," she said, staring at his beaten body. "What's happened to you?"
"Marlene," he managed to say through gulps of air. "You've gotta run…"
"I don't understand, why?" She touched his chest and he shrunk back and then stood up again.
"It's- it's almost twelve' o' clock." He gasped, as the first bell rang.
He shrank, gripping his head and letting out a moan as the bells chimed. He spun his head a little, shivering as they rang.
"Skipper," Marlene said. "What's wrong?"
"Run!" He shouted, looking up, his eyes wild, the pupils were raging like a supernova. Fire was burning in them and he let out a scream as he wrapped his flippers around her throat and squeezed…
You'll find out what's happening in the chapters to come.