Author's Note: I do apologize for not being here to get this chapter/Episode posted at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Central, but I was out, celebrating my dad's birthday. But hey, this week, you get it at 8:00 p.m. Mountain, 7:00 p.m. Pacific instead. Just think of it this way. Think of it like it was back in the days when Rugrats had new episodes at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Central in Snick between 1997 and 2000, but your family drug you away from the TV to go out to dinner, so you had to tape it on the VCR, and watch the new episode on tape, two hours later after it aired Live, after returning home from the restaurant. Or at least, that's something that use to happen to me a lot. I know it happened the first Saturday Baby Dil was in a new episode during Snick back in January of 1999. It was the first time I ever had salmon with dill sauce, and in fact, I thought of what ended up being the episode, Planting Dil the next year. Interesting how great minds think alike, isn't it? Ok, enough trips from me down Memory Lane, let's get on with this week's episode! Shall we?
Episode 3, The Carpet Monster
Run Time: 22 minutes
Story Release Date: September 20, 2014
Nicktoon Release Date: September 21, 2041, in the Snickel-O-Zone at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Central, as according to Siri on my iPhone, September 21, 2041, will be falling on a Saturday.
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1, as it remains the same throughout this entire story, thank you. I will point out though that the song lyrics that are in this chapter/episode, are from a song called Rubber Blubber Whale by John Mccutcheon, and the song lyrics are italicized and centered, as suggested by TCKing12.
Location: Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in late September of 2039
Nicole was opening a package she had received in the mail, and was removing this white round contraption with several buttons on top, and a big red button in the middle. Just then, Chuckie walked into the room.
"I give you, the Roomba!" Said Nicole, as she set the contraption down on the floor, and started glancing at a set of instructions that came with the unit in the box.
"What do we need this for?" Chuckie asked.
"This Roomba will help us to keep our house clean." Replied Nicole.
"But I thought we kept our house clean already." Said Chuckie.
"We do, but between our busy work schedules and getting Melenda to and from daycare, our lives are so busy, that keeping the house clean to keep you from having allergy attacks is getting to be a bit much! But with this Roomba, it will automatically vacuum the house on its own when we're not home, lifting a bit of weight off of our shoulders." Said Nicole, as she buried her face in the instruction manual.
"Oh, ok. I personally don't think automatic vacuum cleaners are all that safe, but anything's worth a try." Replied Chuckie.
"That's the spirit." Said Nicole with a smile.
Later that night, everyone was sleeping peacefully in the Finster household, when all of the sudden, some musical beeps were heard, and a motor started up. It was the Roomba, getting off of its charging dock in the living room, and starting to make its way around the entire house. It then went up the stairs, and made its way into Melenda's room. This caused the poor little 3-year-old to wake up in fright, as the Roomba made its way around her room, making lots of noise, and showing its little lights that blink on and off in the pitch dark. Melenda sat up in her bed, shivering at the site of this machine, which in her mind, was a terrible monster. A few minutes later, the Roomba went back out into the hall, but while Melenda was relieved that the monster had left her room, as hard as she tried, she could not get back to sleep. She lay awake the rest of the night, tossing and turning.
The Roomba continued to do its business, until it got to the last room it needed to clean, Nicole and Chuckie's room. This in turn caused Chuckie to wake up.
"AAAHHH! Carpet monster!" Chuckie screamed.
"Relax honey, it's just the Roomba. Though I don't understand why it would be doing its job in the middle of the night." Said Nicole, as she put an arm around Chuckie's shoulder, trying to calm him back down.
A few minutes later, the Roomba finished its job in their room, went back out into the hall, back down the stairs, and made its way back to the charging dock, where it shut itself off. At this point, while poor Melenda kept rolling around in bed, unable to get back to sleep, especially after she heard her daddy scream carpet monster down the hall, while Chuckie and Nicole, managed to get back to sleep.
The next day at Saltwater Daycare, the kids were enjoying some music on the boombox. They were enjoying one of their favorite songs!
Mommy bought me a rubber blubber whale.
Mommy bought me a rubber blubber whale.
Oh how I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale.
Sister she wanted my rubber blubber whale.
Sister she wanted my rubber blubber whale.
Oh how I love her but she cannot have my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale.
Mommy went and bought another rubber blubber whale.
Mommy went and bought another rubber blubber whale.
Oh how I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale.
While the song was playing, Amanda, Cortney, Rosemary, Darin, Abbie and Casey were all dancing, while Keenan sat in one of those pillows to help him sit up, and he was clapping his hands and giggling to the music. But Melenda was sitting on the floor, constantly yawning and rubbing her eyes. Darin noticed, and stopped dancing to go see what was up.
"Is something bugging you Melenda? You usually like this song." Said Darin.
"Oh nothing, I'm just tired." Melenda replied.
It was then that Abbie and Casey walked over.
"Tired?" Abbie asked.
Melenda nodded.
"How come?" Casey asked.
"Because… Carpet monsters." Said Melenda with a hint of terror in her voice.
Everyone gasped.
"They're the scariest things in the world. They make lots of noise, and roll around your house in the middle of the night, trying to eat the carpet!" Explained Melenda.
"Awe, come on Melenda, there's no such things as carpet monsters, it's probably all in your imagination." Said Darin, putting a hand on Melenda's shoulder.
"Are you sure about this?" Melenda asked.
"Of course I'm sure. Or else there'd probably be carpet monsters at all of our houses, right?" Darin asked.
Abbie and Casey nodded.
It was then that Rosemary walked over and added to the conversation.
"There are such things as carpet monsters, and do you know what? If they can't find enough carpet to satisfy them, they're gonna eat you! Ha ha ha ha ha!" Said Rosemary, sticking a fist in Melenda's face and smiling with an evil glare in her eyes.
Melenda gulped.
"Don't worry Melenda, Rosemary's just faking. There's no such thing as a carpet monster, and even if there is, I'm not gonna let my bestest friend get eaten by one." Darin protested.
"Are you sure?" Melenda asked, about ready to cry.
"Absolutely." Said Darin with a smile.
But the Roomba continued to do its business in the middle of the night, causing Melenda to wake up, and after a week of this activity, the constantly being awakened by this contraption caught up to Nicole and Chuckie as well. It was such, that the following Friday, they overslept, having to rush around to get dressed and head out the door, eating Reptar cerial bars in the car on their way to take Melenda to daycare. When they got there, they ran into Tommy and Silvia, dropping Darin and Keenan off. Chuckie and Nicole headed inside, dropped Melenda off and stopped to say hello to Tommy and Silvia before they headed off to work.
"Morning Tommy." Said Chuckie, letting out a huge yawn.
"Morning Chuckeroo, you seem awfully tired!" Said Tommy.
"Yeah, I am." Replied Chuckie.
"How come?" Tommy asked.
"Carpet monsters, or at least that's what Melenda is calling them." Replied Chuckie.
"Oh, don't be silly. We just got a new vacuum cleaner called a Roomba, which is designed to vacuum the house on its own, but it keeps going off in the middle of the night, waking everybody up, and giving Melenda nightmares." Said Nicole.
"I would think there'd be a way to reprogram that thing." Said Silvia.
"Oh I'm sure there is Silvia, but by the time we get home from work, and pick up Melenda from daycare, we barely have enough energy to eat dinner and get what little sleep we can, before that contraption starts up again." Replied Nicole, as the four of them walked towards the parking lot.
"Well, if you're up for it, Tommy and I need a favor." Said Silvia.
"Yeah, I have a business trip this weekend, which Silvia is coming with me for, and we need someone to watch Darin and Keenan over the weekend." Said Tommy.
"We could look after them." Replied Chuckie with a smile.
"Are you sure you're up for it?" Silvia asked.
"It's no problem. After all, Darin and Melenda seem to be best friends, just like Tommy and myself. Maybe Darin can help Melenda feel safe at night, just like you use to do when I was little Tommy." Said Chuckie.
"Well, it's worth a shot, and thank you." Said Silvia, reaching into her and Tommy's driverless mini van, and pulling out two duffle bags, and handing them to Nicole.
"Here's everything Darin and Keenan will need over the weekend. We already let Amanda and Cortney know that either you or Zack and Kimi would be picking up our kids at the end of the day, and bringing them in on Monday morning, as Tommy and I are heading out of town as soon as we get off of work, and we won't be back in town until late on Sunday night, so it would make the most sense, for us to wait and pick up our kids after daycare on Monday." Said Silvia.
"Works for me." Replied Chuckie.
"Then it's settled then. Thank you so very much!" Said Silvia, as she and Tommy got into their car.
"It's no problem." Said Nicole, as she smiled, and waved, as the car pulled away from the parking lot.
That night, Nicole put Keenan into one of those napper, playpen, changing table compound units that they use to use for Melenda when she was a tiny infant, and they reset up in the corner of her room for Keenan to use over the weekend, while Chuckie tucked Darin and Melenda into Melenda's big girl bed, and gave them a kiss.
"Goodnight Melenda, goodnight Darin, and goodnight Keenan, pleasant dreams." Said Chuckie, as he headed to the door and turned out the light.
"And remember kids, there's no such thing as a carpet monster." Added Nicole, as she walked out of the room.
Melenda turned over to face Darin.
"Darin? Do you think my parents are right? That there's no such thing as a carpet monster?" Melenda asked.
"Of course I'm sure, but if I'm not, no worries, I won't let any carpet monster who's not satisfied eat you, me, or my little brother." Replied Darin with a smile, as he snuggled up with his Reptar Junior doll, and went to sleep.
"Ok, if you say so. Well, night Darin." Replied Melenda, as she snuggled up with her Cynthia plush doll, and drifted off to sleep.
"Night Melenda." Said Darin, as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Everybody slept peacefully for a few hours, until the Roomba started up again. It did its business downstairs, but when it came upstairs and into Melenda's room, Keenan was the first to wake up, and started crying. His crying and the motor of the Roomba, awoke Melenda and Darin, causing them to sit straight up in bed, staring at the floor.
"Oh no! It's the carpet monster!" Shouted Darin and Melenda simultaneously.
Keenan was still lying in the napper, crying.
"Don't cry Keenan, I won't let that monster eat you." Said Darin, as he hopped down on the floor.
"Darin what are you doing?" Melenda asked.
"We've got to stop that monster, come on!" Darin demanded, as he grabbed Melenda's arm, and drug her out of bed.
Darin and Melenda ran through the upstairs of the house, chasing after the carpet monster. When the monster went into Chuckie and Nicole's room, it stopped, and a red light started flashing continuously.
"Oh no Darin, I think it's evil eyes are looking right at us." Said Melenda, shaking in fear.
"I think you're right." Said Darin.
"Oh no, what do we do now?" Melenda asked.
"Do you have to ask?" Darin replied.
They let out a loud scream, causing Chuckie and Nicole to wake up. Nicole turned on a lamp on the bedside table, while Chuckie sat up and put on his glasses, noticing Darin and Melenda on the floor, next to the motionless Roomba.
"Oh dear, it appears that Melenda and our guests, were once again, awakened by the carpet mmonster." Said Chuckie.
"You mean the Roomba sweetheart." Said Nicole.
"But why did the Roomba stop in the middle of our bedroom floor?" Chuckie asked, as he got out of bed and went to examine the contraption.
"I have no idea." Said Nicole, as she followed Chuckie to the Roomba, and took a look for herself. She noticed the red flashing light that read, Bag Full on the display.
"It looks like we need to empty it." Said Nicole, as she fumbled with some buttons on the unit, trying to figure out which button ejected the compartment on the bottom, where it collected the dirt. Meanwhile, Darin and Melenda were giving Chuckie a hug.
"Don't worry you two. The carpet monster isn't going to eat you, because it's not a monster. It's just a vacuum cleaner, that operates by itself, so mommy and I can keep the house clean, while we're gone at work all day." Explained Chuckie.
Melenda and Darin smiled up at Chuckie, being pleased that this monster wouldn't hurt them. Nicole continued to look through the menu on the display of the Roomba.
"Apparently, I'm an idiot!" Said Nicole.
"What do you mean?" Chuckie asked.
"I meant to schedule this unit to vacuum our house at four PM in the afternoon, and I scheduled it to vacuum our house at 4 AM in the morning instead." Said Nicole, looking embarrassed.
"Woops?" Muttered Chuckie.
Nicole fittled with the buttons on the unit, rescheduling the time for it to auto vacuum the house, so it wouldn't do it in the middle of the night anymore.
"There. Now it should vacuum our house at 4 in the afternoon, no longer waking us up during the night." Said Nicole, as she took the unit into the bathroom and emptied the dirt into the trash can, and put the Roomba back on its charging dock downstairs.
Everybody then climbed back into bed, and got a few more hours of sleep, since it was Saturday, and they had nowhere to go that day.
Later that day, Darin, Keenan and Melenda were all playing in Melenda's living room with Abbie and Casey, who had come over, while Rosemary was on the couch, watching Miss Stephanie's Happy House on TV. Meanwhile, the Roomba started up, to do its daily afternoon cleaning of the house. It rolled off its charging dock and rolled all over the living room.
"AAAHHH!" Screamed Abbie and Casey.
"Don't worry you guys, it's just a vacuum cleaner. Right?" Said Melenda with a smile.
"That's right Melenda." Said Darin.
"Hey! What's going on here?" Snapped Rosemary, who got up from her seat on the couch, to come and see what was going on.
"Nasty! Nasty!" Said Keenan, grabbing at Rosemary's hand, and drooling on it.
"Yuck!" Said Rosemary, glancing at the Roomba.
"So, you babies ready to become a snack for the carpet monster? I hear it doing its business!" Said Rosemary.
"Sorry Rosemary, but the monster isn't gonna eat us." Said Darin.
"Because it's not a monster." Said Melenda.
"Nope, it's a vacuum cleaner." Said Abbie.
"And only eats dirt." Said Casey.
"Grrr. Well it sure likes to make a lot of noise and disturb my TV show." Griped Rosemary, who had her arms folded across her chest at this point.
"Sorry, but we're not disappearing today." Said Darin, as he picked up a ball, and started to roll it to Melenda.
"Well in that case, you stupid babies can go into the kitchen and get me some more Reptar Junior bars, and chocolate cheese bars." Said Rosemary.
"I know where mommy hides that stuff." Said Melenda.
"Then let's go get Rosemary her snacks so she'll leave us alone." Said Darin, as he headed off towards the kitchen, Abbie, Casey, and Melenda following close behind.
While in the kitchen, the Roomba came into the room, and the offspring ran around the room, chasing after it, knocking several things off of shelves as they ran by some shelves in the kitchen. Melenda reached in the cubbord and grabbed out the candy that Rosemary wanted, and caught up to her friends, as they continued to run through the house, chasing after the Roomba. By the time it finished vacuuming the house, and returned to its charging dock in the living room, the offspring were tired. Everyone collapsed, and Melenda threw the Reptar Junior bars and chocolate cheese bars in Rosemary's direction, causing the bars to hit her on the head, and smash on to the carpet.
"Ow! You stupid babies!" Rosemary shouted, as she glanced down to see the candy she asked for had dropped on the ground. She picked up a Reptar Junior bar, unwrapped it, and started chewing it up in her mouth.
"Thank you!" Rosemary said with her mouth full.
"No problem." Said Melenda, who was lying on the floor, trying to catch her breath. Darin, Abbie and Casey, were all doing the same.
"Chasing after the vacuum cleahner is fun!" Said Darin with a smile.
"Yeah, it is!" Said Abbie.
"And I'm glad it's not gonna eat us!" Said Melenda.
"Me too Melenda." Said Darin with a smile, as the offspring curled up on the floor, to take a nap.
The End
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this week's episode of The Offspring. Come back next Saturday night at 8, 7 Central, for another new episode of The Offspring, on the one and only website for the imagination, Fan Fiction! And hopefully, I'll be home next Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, to post the chapter/episode, on time!