~ Randy's Story ~
Graduation had been fun.
Randy performed well in the subsequent Scare Games. Over the years he'd been reminded of his fall a lot by some more immature students. He let the embarrassment get to him more than he liked to admit. But his team managed to convince him that it didn't matter what those rude guys thought. He was just a monster, like everyone else, and he made mistakes. Because of Johnny and Rita's support, he could deal with failure a little better. Now he held a higher reputation than he had before. Many monsters clapped for him when he was handed his diploma. The applause wasn't as loud as it had been for Johnny, but he was still proud of himself. Besides, who needed to be on top when you had friends like this…?
Johnny had moved out of the dorms about a year ago, and was now living with Rita's family. He'd gotten a job at Fear Co. Randy wished him the best, even though he knew he would miss him terribly. Now with Rita's family moving away, Randy was more and more nervous about his future. Why was he always the one who couldn't keep a single friend...?
Before the ceremonies, the students had slipped into their robes. Rita and Randy helped each other fit into theirs in a room next to the auditorium where the diplomas were handed out.
"If only Mike hadn't been expelled, we could have all graduated together," Randy mused.
"Mm-hm." Ever since his friend got expelled, Randy had felt disappointed that he didn't get to apologize to him. Quite frankly it was getting boring always hearing Randy talk about him. "Now hold still," she said, tightening his robe. It was specially tailored to be small with four arms.
"Eeep!" he squeaked as the air was pulled out of him. He breathed in. She loosened the robe so he could breathe normally. "Okay… okay… that's good."
She tied it up. He turned around to look at himself in the mirror. His purple colouring matched the black robe very nicely. He put his glasses on and his eyes enlarged. He usually went without them, but decided to wear them for the ceremonies. Holding his graduation cap in his hand, he straightened his fronds and placed the cap over them. He was all set.
He turned around, gazing at Rita sadly.
"I wish you didn't have to leave…"
She looked at his beautiful sad face and sighed. Stepping closer, she put her arms around his waist and pulled him into an embrace.
"Me, too, Randy. Me too… I need to support my family though. My mom and my dad both got jobs overseas and, well," she muttered. "I kind of did too..."
"You did?" he beamed. "Well, good luck." He suddenly remembered something. "But what about Johnny? Isn't he living with you guys?"
"Yes, he is. My grandparents still own the house and they're doing fine." She assured him. "Don't worry. Everything will be as it was when I get back."
"I'll be waiting for you here in Monstropolis when you return."
"Are you sure?" She smirked. "I don't want to be stood up, now, you hear?"
"Hey, if I'm out of town, I'll tell you about it."
He'd already given her his e-mail address. That way they didn't have to be truly separated. It wasn't as good as talking face-to-face. You couldn't see the other monster's facial expressions, hear their tone of voice, or inquire what they were really feeling. But it was better than nothing.
He returned the hug, wrapping all four arms around her. Tears fell down his face.
"Don't take too long, okay, Rita?"
She nodded, even though she had no idea how long it would actually take.
"Alright, graduates. Line up!" A female voice called. The other monsters were already out and did as she said. The scaly reptile-like creatures straightened out their robes and joined them.
"Ready?" Rita asked. She offered him her hand.
"As I'll ever be…" Randy smiled nervously.
Together they walked into the auditorium. Randy made sure to enjoy these moments, as he knew this would be the last he'd see of her for a long time.
She was gone. His only other friend was gone.
Randall sighed, looking out over the city streets from his apartment building. He wondered how he was going to live without her. She'd made college fun. He'd thought his reputation was done for after his slip-up, but she helped him recover. She held his hand, and told him to ignore the rude monsters' mean words. She always made him feel better with her kind smile and gentle words. How he would miss her... It wasn't fair how they were separated so soon.
As he gazed into the streets, he spotted something of interest to him.
The big blue "M" had first caught his eye, and then he remembered. Monsters, Incorporated. The company he'd walked through as a kid when he first decided he wanted to scare… If he could get a job there, he'd have lots more friends in no time!
Grinning determinedly, he put his hands together. He knew it would take a real good scarer - someone who not only had natural ability, but practice - to make it in that company.
He slid into his computer chair and began typing up his resume. He had a long way to go, but his goal was clear. He had his degree, and he would become a great scarer. He thought of his greatest dream. Breaking the scare record was so far out of his reach, but he knew he could do it if he tried hard enough. The best had to start somewhere.
Besides, if everything works out, I'll have something to make my family proud. They've always had confidence in me, and I want to show them what a great monster their son can be.
I sure hope I can do it. I'm so nervous I'm getting jitters. Hopefully someone trustworthy will help me out and show me how things work in the company.
This is where I'll find success, and get the adoration and respect I've longed for most of my life.
The irony of it all hit him hard as he fell to the floor.
It had been so perfect. When he'd first come to the workplace, the others were friendly towards him and offered to show him around. He'd been good to the other employees too, even though his fraternity taught him that 'nice' wasn't cool. He talked in a bit of a hushed tone when he showed others kindness.
That didn't last for long, though, when Waternoose informed everyone they'd have to start working harder. He acted as though scaring was a competition, and only the best scarer would receive praise for their efforts. Randall intended to receive that praise. He was the kind who needed attention in order to be satisfied in his life. Over time he grew more and more jealous of Sullivan. The same guy who'd cheated and made him look bad at the final event of the Scare Games.
One day, Waternoose approached him.
"Randall," he'd said. "Our company needs someone with your skill to help us in these desperate times. We're going under and unless we find some new ways to harvest scream energy, we may as well throw in the towel."
"The company can't shut down! Surely there's got to be a way to save it!"
"That's why I need your help. You see, you have something the other scarers don't have. You don't give up easily. You have persistence, and… what's the other word I'm looking for…?"
"Dedication? Intelligence?"
"I was going to say basic competence, but yes." Waternoose looked into the distance. "Trust me, we are going to go far in this organization."
"You mean the other monsters will think I'm awesome…?"
"More than that. They'll plaster your face over billboards! If this works, you'll be known as the monster who not only saved Monstropolis, but our entire world!"
"Wow…"
Randall had no idea what he was getting into.
"Wait, so you mean this is technically illegal?"
"Just follow my instructions and we won't get caught."
The lizard monster gulped. It wasn't what he intended, but he supposed he'd better go along. Besides, he didn't want to get fired, or worse, thrown into a freezing cold wasteland. There were advantages to following through with the plan. This was a way he could finally get more scream energy than that big hairy jerk Sullivan and finally get the love only showered upon first place.
He soon found out his boss' true personality. The kind grandfatherly attitude was just a guise. He was in actuality a cold, unfriendly being who never thanked Randall for his contributions, and even threatened him with banishment. The lizard guy had to work triple shifts. He was tired in the mornings, the workplace was a constant disappointment for him in the day, and at night he had to spend time working on the machine with his boss. No friends, no source of comfort. He was alone.
Randall's personality started changing for the worse. He'd spent too much time with an unloving person and he developed a cold heart. He didn't like being controlled. Too often he snapped at Fungus to try to regain some control of his life. It never worked, and he still felt trapped as he had before. Unfortunately, his new attitude drove away potential fans and made former fans dislike him. The other employees were still polite though, and congratulated him on good news. Celia, the receptionist, convinced Mike to give Randall another chance. He tried his best, but it was hard to keep forgiving someone when they acted like they hardly recognized you anymore and scared you for fun. Randall became more and more unpredictable over time. Finally, even Celia stopped believing he could change. None of them had any idea of the kind of plan he was involved in, and he was too distrustful of anyone to reach out for help.
Now he was about to be punished for his actions. Thoughts of what had just occurred flashed through his mind. He didn't know why, but for some reason it had felt good when he was about to push Sullivan off the door's edge. He shuddered at the cold feeling inside of him as he realized what he was about to do. He didn't mean to become so corrupt. Sullivan was his competition, that was all. He really shouldn't have felt so threatened by him. The door clicked into its station on the platform. As they were about to throw Randall into banishment, he begged them to listen to reason. They didn't, of course. But he supposed when one tries to murder someone three times, it wasn't really a sign that he was mentally stable.
They told him if he ever decides to become good again, he can come back when he finds a civilization. Mike had picked out a place that reminded him of one of his favourite stories: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. (Except the door was in Louisiana, not Missouri.) They'd said it was merciful. It had a warm, temperate climate, unlike the place he'd sent them to. Yeah, except that they forgot humans tended to be more afraid of reptilian creatures than they were of furry and furless monsters.
He'd been thrown through the door, some humans had spotted him, and now he was being assaulted for no reason.
She hit him five times and more. He fell to the ground. Flinching, he tried not to move too much.
"Wait a second, Ma. That ain't no gator!" the boy noticed. The woman stopped. "Look at its colouring!"
Randall knew he'd probably taken on a crazy pattern. There was a pause before his assaulter spoke up.
"You're right, boy." She stepped closer, peering over the strange creature. "I don't recognize the species. Could be poisonous." She poked him testily with the shovel's handle and he groaned. "Looks mighty sick too. Shame…"
He heard heavy footsteps pacing on the floor. His heart beat fast as the woman stepped closer.
"Alright. Help me move this thing outside," she said.
"Aw, ma…" the boy groaned as he obliged.
Randall was left in the mud as the two Cajuns walked away. The light from the trailer door disappeared and the thump thump of human feet got softer.
From the ground, his vision blurry, he noticed the strange truck beside him. It was white with some letters on it that were hard to make out. On top there was a model spaceship. Inside the house, the mother spoke to the boy about his delivery job.
"Well, well! Did you bring home some extra pizza and not tell me about 'em…?" The mother said in a loving tone. "Thanks, boy. You're a great kid."
Sure, she was kind now... The monster rolled his eyes. He knew the extent certain folks would go to to protect their children. He didn't mean to look like he posed a threat to her boy. The last thing he would want to do was upset a 'momma bear,' but he didn't really have much choice.
From his spot on the ground, he peered inside the house.
Through the light of the window, he saw the humans gobble up the pizza. Great. The horrible humans got to eat, and he was left here to starve.
Pushing with his hand, he attempted to get up. It was very painful. Suddenly, he slipped and fell face-first into the mud. Pain shot up his spine.
Come on… Get up… You can't die like this… He willed himself.
One of his legs tried to find its footing. He felt a dry spot on the ground and lifted himself up.
Okay… That's good.
Now all you have to do is find some medical supplies. Then food. And then shelter.
He looked around for other houses. There weren't many out in this place…
Groaning, he slowly inched his way through the swamp. Every joint ached as he tried to move. He willed himself to even as every part of his being screamed not to. He took a step forward. Then another. Then another. He kept on going like that - slowly but surely, if only for a desperate need to survive. Finally, he could move no more. Dizzy and defeated he felt a splash of mud on his face as he collapsed. He lay there in the cold swamp, desperately fighting the urge to let sleep take him. But he grew weaker and weaker. The last thing he saw before he slipped into unconsciousness was a spark of light, as if someone was shining a lantern at him, and then darkness.
When he awoke he was in a warm room. It was morning. The early light of day seeped in through the window.
Blinking, he gazed at his surroundings. He'd been placed on a table in a log cabin. Looking down at his arms, he saw that they'd been bandaged. Moving, he looked at his tail, which was also wrapped up. Feeling his face, he felt bandages where cuts had been. His first frond, which had been damaged in the assault, had also been repaired. It was wrapped three times with a cloth.
Who did this? he wondered.
Suddenly, the door creaked open and a human came in. Randall recoiled and tried to run. He jumped off the table and tried to head for the exit, fearing for his life. Unfortunately he was clumsy, and got stuck under the wooden chair on the right side of the table. He tried to turn invisible, as he should have done before, but his injuries made it difficult. He was already in a lot of pain. Panting and fully visible, he realized he couldn't get away. The human spoke.
"Woah. Careful, there." She held a tray of food and water. She placed it down on the table and kneeled down to the mysterious creature. "It's alright. It's alright. Shh… I'm not going to hurt you."
She reached out her hand.
In self-defense, the creature snapped at it.
"Hey!" She drew back her hand. Looking at him sternly, she said, "Now, I can help you out of this chair. But you're gonna to have to trust me. I think I know who did this to you. Mrs. Mann, lives about a mile down from my place. Intelligent woman, but she don't know a thing about treatin' animals properly. I can assure you, I am nothing like her." She wore a long white labcoat, like a doctor would wear. She was tall and young. She had dark skin and long black hair. A shine of sympathy was in her eyes. "Now I've never seen an animal like you before. I'm glad I was able to save you. You looked so beat up back there, I didn't know if you'd make it." She smiled. "You sure are one tough cookie."
Randall looked at the human confused. She had wrapped his wounds? She had saved him back there in the swamp? He didn't understand. He thought all humans were evil, and no more intelligent than savage beasts.
She reached out her hand again. He blinked, unmoving. She stroked his cheek, where he had the least damage inflicted. He was at her mercy, and yet… she had mercy?
"Alright. Now, slowly move back a little. That's it… Make sure your head don't hit the top of the chair… Careful, now. Step over the bar… "
Randall followed her instructions.
"Good. Move a little to the right. You got it! Now move back some more… There!" She finished. "Look at you, you did it!"
He was out of the chair.
"Now, doesn't that feel better?"
He was astonished. The woman had helped him, and she did it without asking for anything in return. He blinked up at her, still wondering if it was a trick. Surely a human couldn't genuinely care. After being taught all of his life that humans were bad, and having two violent examples lash out at him, he was still pretty wary of them.
"Oh! And I almost forgot. This is for you." She pointed to the food she'd left.
He crawled back up onto the table, sniffing the food. He wished he could test it somehow, to see if it was poisoned. His stomach grumbled. Ouch. He couldn't stand it. He carefully took a bite. Strangely, it tasted pretty good. Almost like the monster birds he liked so much at home.
"That's chicken. I already separated the bones." She said.
She didn't know what he ate, so she laid out three dishes for him. Chicken, vegetable gumbo, and a nice salad. She thought he looked lizard-like in appearance, so he might have been vegetarian. It wasn't until he'd snapped at her hand that she noticed his sharp teeth. Though to her surprise and delight, the creature gobbled up all three dishes.
"Eat up. And if you need anythin', don't hesitate to call me." She blinked. "Your species does have a certain call, don't it?"
He nodded shyly. Baring his teeth slightly, he demonstrated a growl. It came out weak and gargled.
"Right," the woman went with it. "If you need anything, just growl." She smiled reassuringly as she left the room. The last thing he noticed about her was the name tag on her jacket, which read: Caitlyn LaBlanche.
A month passed.
The woman had cleaned his wounds, fed him, and taken care of him in the days it took for him to heal.
He had warmed up to her gradually, opening up to the kindness he'd long since been deprived of. He'd told himself he wouldn't ever trust a human, but here he was. After an encounter with a hunter who lived close by, who'd threatened him with his shotgun, the woman had come to his aid. She promptly defended him, saying he was a rare specimen. And if the hunter shot an endangered species, he'd be in big trouble. Randall didn't think she'd have the guts to do that. The fact was, Caitlyn LaBlanche was a rather bold twenty-seven year old. When Mrs. Mann, the woman who'd assaulted him, tried to get Caitlyn to abandon him, she'd just laughed.
"You think you can just barge in here and tell me what I should do with the animals I rescue?" She wondered. When she saw Mrs. Mann was serious she continued. "Fact is, I rescued them, and I healed them, and they stay with me until further notice. And people like you ain't got no say in it."
She'd stated it so simply and matter-of-factly that the older woman could do nothing but turn around and leave the premises.
"Don't worry, Randy. She's smart. She knows when to quit." Caitlyn assured him. She'd called him Randy after her old boyfriend. It had been a strange co-incidence that "Randy" also happened to be the lizard monster's nickname.
Randall couldn't believe she'd risked talking back to the violent woman. But seeing as no one got hurt, he was relieved. He couldn't say anything to Caitlyn without risking exposing his world to the humans. Sometimes he wished he could speak up, though, to tell her how proud he was of his heroine.
There were so many things on his mind. The fact that she'd stood up for him triggered a certain memory. Faint voices were heard in the distance. His head suddenly ached. He wished he could remember. The pain in his head was too much right now, and the memory slipped away.
At night, sometimes, the lizard could have sworn he heard someone calling his name faintly in the distance. Could it be his imagination? Or an echo of his past? He tossed around, trying to rid himself of the haunting voices.
He slept on the same bed as Caitlyn. She slept under the covers, and he curled up on top of them like a cat. He tossed and turned violently when he heard the voices, awful memories coming to him. In fact, he tossed so much he woke up the human. She was always there when he had these experiences, stroking him, reminding him that he was dreaming. He tried to convince himself of that. Deep down he felt there was something eerie about them that just felt so real…
Two more months passed, and during that time, the voices had gone away. He felt calmer, more relaxed in his sleep now. He'd recovered well, the last of his scars was now faded. He could smile again. Not a devious or sarcastic smile, but a real one. One that showed true delight and joy. (Of course, even a genuine smile looked devious when he was squinting.)
He was happier now. Caitlyn was happier too. But something still felt amiss. He longed for something he couldn't have here. One night, he heard a voice he'd thought long forgotten from his memories calling his name. It was a female voice, quite unlike the two male voices he'd thought he'd heard two months before. Who was it? His head still ached, though not as much as before. It was a girl. A monster girl. She'd been his pal throughout college and was on his side when practically no one else was. She'd helped him feel more self-confident. The crowd jeered at him after he messed up at the simulator, covered from head to toe in hearts and through his shame and humiliation, he finally broke down after the team kicked him out. But she comforted him. Her name came to him at last. Rita.
He wanted to call out to her, tell her that he was okay. He tried, but his voice was too tired, too weary to make any sound. Was she even really there? Surely she missed him, wherever she was. She'd been away for so long. Not to mention the three months he'd been banished where he couldn't even contact her. What would she think of him not responding to his e-mails? Ugh, and about all the lies he'd had to tell her to keep from being fired. Surely she'd still like him after that, right...? He sighed drearily. How could she forgive him? He knew he hadn't been in the right state of mind, forced to deceive those he loved. But even he had a hard time forgiving himself.
The day came when Caitlyn had to let him go. She drove out into the swamp in her pickup. She drove far, much past Mrs. Mann and son's place. Finally, they were out in the wilderness, far away from any humans.
Crickets chirped in the empty air.
"Randy, baby. It's time to go home now."
His eyes pleaded at her. Don't leave me. Please… I don't know where home is…
"Wish I could keep you. But I know you have a family too. They love you, and they probably miss you by now."
His heart ached. She had no idea.
'Please don't leave me!' He wanted to shout. He fought every instinct inside him to not expose his world to her. Why, he didn't even know. When he was involved in the illegal plan with his boss to try and save the company, he would have exploited the lives of many others for his own personal gain in a heartbeat. But spending time with Caitlyn, he'd learned of his true nature once again. He even learned some… humanity? Was that what they called it? He never thought he'd find it in him to even feel sorry for a human, much less empathize with one. If he said anything at all, if only to get out of here, too many innocents would be harmed in the process. He just couldn't find it in him to speak.
The woman pulled him into a hug. Tears streamed down their cheeks as they said goodbye. As she pulled away, she stroked his healed fronds. On the way to her truck, Caitlyn looked back at the creature, wishing she could have helped him more. If only she knew how. He watched her get in her vehicle, more tears threatening to fall from his eyes. It wasn't that she was cruel, she just didn't understand. She'd tried looking up his species in many books, but she couldn't find anything, so she assumed he was a rare undiscovered creature. He knew she had tried her best.
She was the good human. The noble human. He raised his left hand and reached out to her as she put her truck into gear. As she drove away, her eyes never left him. Through the rear view mirror, she kept him in her sight until the horizon broke off and she could see him no more.
She was gone.
Randall was lost now. His friend had left him in a place which she thought was his home. But his heart ached for his real home. He turned back and forth frantically, wondering which direction could possibly lead to a village. A human village with an active door in a child's room. That was how he'd get home, if only he knew the way.
There were trees all around, covered in moss. Crickets chirped and birds squawked. The sun was at the edge of the horizon. Once the sun went down, all the dangerous animals would come out to feast. How was he to know which direction the humans were? His heart sped up. No, don't panic. Don't panic. His chest rose up and down with each breath. This was not good for his heart condition. Alright, breathe, Randall. He willed himself. He took a few deep breaths, his fast heartbeat slowing to a normal pace.
Alright, think. How are we going to get to a human village from here? His eyes looked to the bottom of the hill he was on. Down the road, he noticed something embedded in the mud. Tracks! Caitlyn's truck had left tracks for him to follow! Getting down on all eights, he followed the trail.
He scurried as fast as he could. Squinting, he made sure his eyes didn't lose sight of the tracks.
He must have been following the path for hours. The mud was thicker here. He had to go slower now to catch his breath. Looking around, he realized Louisiana was quite a beautiful place actually, and he might have enjoyed it more if he wasn't lost in it. Seeing bolder tracks, he leaped forward and started to walk faster. He was a little too hasty and slipped in the mud. He felt his face and realized a sharp stone had hit him right between the eyes.
"Ahhh…" he groaned, legs wobbling as he helped himself up. He dislodged the stone, feeling the spot where it left a gash. He winced as his finger made contact with his wound, cursing as the bacteria stung it. Never again. He thought.
It was dark now.
He gulped, realizing how much alive the swamp was at night. He saw an alligator grin at him from the shadows.
"Yipe!" Randall ran as fast as he could away from the wild animal. He tried to turn invisible, although with his injuries it was more difficult. He decided to give up that idea and instead focus more on getting out of here.
He tripped over many stones, getting up and not stopping to check over his injuries. Only the will to survive drove him forward. He didn't hear anything for a long time, but he kept running nonetheless.
He ran as fast as he could, finally stepping onto a pathway that looked like it was used by humans.
"A trail?!" he cried. "I'm saved!"
He followed the trail, slithering on the ground, even though the hardened mud of the path was littered with twigs, bugs and leaves. He could finally get out of here! And he'd use the fastest method he could.
He must have been on the path for over two hours. Squinting in the dark, and hardly being able to see two feet ahead, he panted, finally out of breath. But wait, there was something up ahead. Randall crawled some more and suddenly he was out of the swamp.
In the clearing, he saw a large log cabin. In one of the windows, a light flickered. And to add on to his final moment of relief, a young voice inside the cabin protested about bedtime.
"But mom, you don't understand! I'm having fun!" the little girl whined.
A child. Her closet was his ticket home. Gasping with delight, he quickly made his way over there, trying to ignore the pain shooting up his arm. He'd fallen really hard on a rock and it still hurt.
He heard a voice.
"Randall? Randall!"
He couldn't believe it. Could it be her?
The female monster saw him as a shadow in the distance. He saw her silhouette as the light shone out from the window. He came closer, squinting harder. From what he could make out she had messy hair, a body shape similar to his, and a large tuft of fur at the end of her tail.
"Rita…?" He tried to say. His voice didn't make any sound though, since he was so exhausted from the long crawl. She looked at him kind of strange, as if wondering what she thought she was seeing was really there.
He blinked at her, not quite believing his eyes himself.
This woman, whom he hadn't seen for years, was here looking for him?! His heart beat in his chest rapidly. A spark of hope lit up inside of him. He wanted to reach out, hold her in his arms again. But right now, he was too bruised and hurt from his long crawl to pay her much heed. His only concern now was to get home safe and alive. He knew Rita was smart and she wouldn't wander too far into human territory. Love fueling him, he made his way past her, crawling into the house where he knew there was an active door waiting. Being a little too hasty, he slipped and fell on the wood floor, making a thud. Quickly he got up and slid through the closet door.
Everyone gasped as he made his entrance. They were not expecting a former employee, long thought dead, to suddenly come back through another door.
Panting, he grabbed at the door frame. But since he was so tired and weak from everything that had happened, he collapsed on the floor.
"Randall!" Fungus cried. He rushed over. Flailing his arms, he grabbed his cellphone from a nearby desk and called 911 immediately. His voice was panicked as he made the call.
Everyone gathered around the former employee and mumbled worriedly. A couple of employees pushed through the crowd. They stared down at the broken creature.
"Oh, my gosh. What have we done?" the bigger one breathed.
"Move away, move away, give him some air!" the small one nagged, pushing the crowd away.
Mike and Sulley hadn't expected him to just come back the way he did. In the time of three months it would have been a lie to say they hadn't been at all worried. They had searched for him long and hard through various swampy areas, but had ultimately given up. They'd thought he was done for.
Sulley was devastated, burying his face in his hands as he cried about getting carried away. Mike too felt bad for his former friend. They'd both thought that Randall would escape the trailer not soon after he'd been thrown in. It would take a while to get to a civilization, and by that time they'd hope he'd have mellowed out. Now they saw what a horrible mistake they'd made. He'd probably never forgive them now...
They stared in shock for what seemed like forever, (but what was in reality, only a few seconds), before the Paramedics came and took the lizard away.
Roz approached them from behind.
"You know after he's finished healing, he has to account for his actions…"
Sullivan assumed she meant a fair trial. He nodded. "Yes. It's okay… I'll… I'll take care of the paperwork."
Randall awoke after being treated. He'd made it.
He squinted at his surroundings. On the desk next to his bed he saw some food, which he immediately dug into. After he was finished, he noticed a card on the table which had been hidden by the tray of food. There was also a vase of flowers. He picked up the card, squinting suspiciously at it.
"Get well soon, Randall."
The card was unsigned, but he recognized the handwriting. He wished he didn't, though. That big fuzzy jerk actually had the nerve to… After what he'd done to him, he actually tried to apologize…? Was this some sort of a publicity stunt? Sullivan obviously didn't mean it…
Staring ahead blankly, he placed the card back onto the table.
He examined the table some more, and there he found an item he'd thought he'd never see again. His old glasses. Picking them up, he wondered if they still worked. He ran his finger along the rim. It was a little dusty, but still smooth. He noticed the magenta rim contrasted nicely with his purple scales, even though his own magenta tint had faded as his scales darkened with age.
He put the specs on. His eyes widened, and miraculously he could see again. The world suddenly became clear again.
He felt joy overwhelm him as he remembered who he once used to be. Then, as he realized what he could have done with his life, it was replaced with longing and melancholy. He wished it didn't have to be like this. He wished he'd never been manipulated, that he'd never turned into a bitter monster. That he'd have been able to stay with his best friends from University. They could have supported him when times were tough and made sure he wasn't lead down that road. How he longed to see them again… Well, except for Wazowski.
He stared at the door to his room, wishing it would open. Wishing that for once, life would throw him a bone, and have her come through that door… But he knew that was unrealistic. He rubbed his aching head. Was it really Rita he'd seen in that swamp? He could have sworn… He didn't like clinging to false hope. But if it was, he hoped she still loved him, and could cope with his mistakes… Sighing, he realized forgiveness would be a long, hard road for anyone right now. The overstress he'd felt when he was working with his boss was no excuse for his behaviour and he knew it. The sick satisfaction Randall felt when he was about to push his rival off the door frame frightened him, and he never wanted to go back there again.
He closed his eyes and breathed deep. Now that was all over. He was free.
He took the glasses off and placed them back on the table. He felt more and more drowsy and felt sleep overtake him. Whether it was the morphine injected into his arm, or exhaustion from braving the swamp, he didn't know. He was glad to finally have some rest.
When he woke up again, there was a surprise waiting for him, and it made him happier than he'd felt in months.
She'd come back. And she'd worked hard in order to be able to save him.
She'd listened to his story with an unreadable expression. Even though she knew what he did was wrong, she was still willing to forgive him? So early? She must have figured out something was up sooner than he'd thought. How long had it been, anyways?
She was glad the negativity in his heart had seeped away. Due to the love he'd been shown in the swamp, he'd had time to remember his true character. He remembered how much he despised it when other monsters tried to manipulate him, too. She liked his attitude to committing to change for the better.
As he hugged her, he felt tears stream down his face.
He was lucky. He had someone who was loyal, perseverant, kind, compassionate, and forgiving.
She was funny, too, as he soon found out.
Monsters, Inc? A laugh business?! He chuckled. She looked away uncomfortably.
She was joking, right?
...
Right…?
The End.
