Ch. 2: Pukey's First Victim

Note: OOooohh, who IS Pukey's first victim? Read to find out! BTW, this chapter has lots more Wild Thing sneezes in it, so stand back! - CarolJudithFan

With Judith's sneezing problem taken care of, Rina and the Wild Things set about doing what they did best: whatever came to mind. Douglas came up with the idea of showing Rina a section of their island that she'd never seen before. Everyone thought this was a great idea, and they all wanted to come.

"But I want to ride on Judith on the way to where we're going," Rina conditioned. Not expecting Rina to announce her preference so frankly, everyone agreed. Even Carol, who liked carrying children on top of his head.

As for Judith, she was flattered and pleasantly surprised. When Rina's father had stayed with them, he had avoided Judith to the best of his ability. And on the one-and-only exchange that the two of them did have, it had quickly degenerated into a harsh laughter fight in which Judith had been left in tears. And as if that was not enough, Max made her be one of the "bad guys" in the dirt clod fight he'd organized not long afterward.

Where did Max get this little cub from? Judith wondered as she looked at Rina. Well, she supposed it didn't really matter now. She finally had a little girl-friend to do things with and talk to. Heck, that was all she had ever wanted.

"You want to ride on me? Okay," Judith said to Rina as she crouched down on all fours. "Now just climb onto my neck, swing your legs over -and try not to get your shoes in my mane, sweet pea- and hold on TIGHTLY to my horns as I stand up."

Rina followed all these instructions and was soon up on top of Judith's head. At this new height, Rina could see far more than she could on the ground.

………………..

As the Wild Things processed to this new area that Douglas was leading them to, Judith purposely lagged behind in the back so she could talk privately with Rina.

"So, Rina, what made you decide to ride with me in particular?" Judith asked. "Usually, you ride with Carol or KW."

"I wanted to make sure you're okay," Rina explained. "I want to be able to help you if you start sneezing again."

"Oh, you don't have to worry," Judith nickered. "It was probably just a little hay fever. Douglas gets it all the time. Alex, too. I feel fine now."

"You promise?" Rina asked anxiously.

"I promise. I don't even have a nose tickle," Judith replied.

"Oh, I'm glad," Rina answered gratefully. "I don't like it when my friends feel bad."

Would Max have felt the same way about me? Judith wondered to herself as Rina snuggled into her mane.

…………….

Pukey had been following the creatures and their human friend in secret. Since all the fun had gone out of preying upon Judith, Pukey had turned his attentions to Carol.

Pukey watched as Carol sniffed at some wild mistletoe and sneezed as the fuzzy, feathery pollen tickled his nose.

KW snickered flirtingly. "Gee, Carol, if mistletoe makes you sneeze, then I'll have to find something else to lure you under during Christmastime."

Pukey was delighted. "He's got an even more sensitive nose than Horn- Schnozz back there! No way am I passing this up!"

And he skittered over to a tree trunk that Carol was about to brush up against. As soon as Carol's furry arm made contact with the tree, Pukey leaped on and materialized into a vapor that Carol innocently sniffed up.

"Carol, be careful of what you touch out here," Douglas warned his friend. "Rina has been telling me, Alexander, and Ira about the flu that the humans in her world are getting. Folks are dropping like owls hit with rocks from it"- (KW glared at him for this) - "and one of the ways that people catch it are from touching things! Dirty things, especially- like trees!"

"Does this mean I can't put holes in trees anymore?" Ira asked disappointedly.

"You could if you wanted to, Ira, but just wash your hands afterward!" Rina advised him. Judith rolled her eyes. Ira and his holes; oh, brother.

"This flu virus that we have in my world is really serious, gang," Rina continued. "It's so terrible, and it's spreading so quickly, that even schools are closing. My school hasn't closed, but whenever someone there coughs or sneezes, everyone around starts yelling, "Oh, no!! Swine flu! Go home!!!" I'm glad it isn't like that over here!"

Ira gave Rina a strange look. "No, no, we don't do that here," he replied.

Judith spoke up. "How about that thing I do when I say that I see something on your face, and you lean forward, and then I lick you? That's one of the only tricks you fall for! I'm not giving that up!"

Rina laughed. "I think we can still allow licking, Judy," she answered, patting Judith on the head.

Suddenly, everyone heard something that sounded like, "AAAaaaahhhh…..AAAAaaaaahhhhh….."

"Oh, no! Judith, are you going to sneeze again?" Rina asked the Wild Thing she was riding on.

"Oh, Judy, what are we going to do with you?" Ira asked.

Judith stared at them all. "Uuuuhhh…that's not me."

"Then who…" Douglas began, and then gasped. "Oh, no! Carol!"

"AAAAAHHH – CHHOOOO!" Carol sneezed, shaking some cherry blossoms loose from a tree.

"Bless YOU," KW said, raising her eyebrows and shaking flowers out of her long hair.

"Gee, thanks, KW," Carol sniffed. "All of a sudden, I'm feeling rotten."

"Uh oh," Rina said.

"Come here," Douglas said to his friend, and put his paw on Carol's forehead. He sucked his breath in and jerked his paw away.

"Carol, you're burning up!" Douglas gasped.

"AAAAHH-CHOOO! AH-CHOO, AH-CHOO, AHH-CHOOO!" Carol went off into a sneezing fit that caused him to lose his balance and fall into a pile of autumn leaves.

"I'b sdeezig, too," Carol added.

Rina jumped off of Judith and ran over to Carol. She tried unsuccessfully to pull him to his feet.

"Don't worry, Carol! We'll take you home!" Rina assured him, grabbing one of his paws.

Just then, Carol's eyes opened wide, he slapped his free paw over his mouth; then rolled over quickly on his side.

"BBLLLLEEEEAAAAUUUUGHHH!!!"

"EEEEEEeeeeeeeeeWWWwwwww," said all the Wild Things in unison.

Carol rolled over to face Rina again. "I don't wanna go anywhere, Rina," he whined, like a little cub. "I'm feeling even worse."

"Ohhh, poor, poor Carol," Rina moaned sympathetically, hugging his face.

KW stepped forward. She knew how to improve this situation. Her mother had taught her everything about medicines and curatives that she needed to know.

"All right, everybody, let's make Carol as comfortable as we can. It looks like we're going to be staying here for awhile. I've got some ideas on how to make him feel better."

Rina started rubbing Carol's belly to calm him down.

"It's gonna be okay, Carol, you'll see," she said. "All your friends are here." She handed him a tissue.