Chapter 6: The Beginning Of The End
Almost colliding to the floor from slipping on the polished tiles, I sprinted down the passage towards the new recruits fraction of Monsters Incorporated. Like I said before, this is where ALL of the new employees of MI congregate to test out their abilities for scaring. This allows him or her to take a final exam… if passed; they work as an all time scarer. But of course, I proved it's not all it's cracked up to be… There it was, the bright red entry doors to the simulator, the introductory process of scaring. I was running with all of my strength and energy that I had managed to burn up before and I felt like a soggy lemon ready to collapse from exhaustion. Being warm blooded, I do have a constant body temperature if the room is fine, but my system of losing heat is complicated enough… I have to lose the warmth very slowly but I've found that using cool, fresh water helps. But still, you could see I almost looked like a human dog, my forked tongue drooling out of my mouth and my harsh panting. Lowering my head, I charged, almost rammed, through the steel entrance and into the utter confusion around me. There was Waternoose with the new ones with Phlegm trying his scare tactics out yet again… This was going to be a problem.
From the loud bang I had caused, they were now all staring at me with puzzled, beady eyes. Why was I interrupting an important training session? I decided to settle the matter by clearing my throat loud and focusing my gaze on crabby features. He instantly took the message and did a silent but noticeable nod in my direction.
"Would you please excuse me for a second?" He asked the main teacher, Flint, who was kind of reptilian like me but entirely different by size and body features.
"Yes, that's fine." She replied in an almost singsong voice. The monsters looked bored enough, since 'Mr Bile' probably was making his usual mistakes like leaving the closet door open, frightening himself during the process… Ok, the list is endless. He's not very good. So over came Waternoose, a little startled and confused.
"What's going on?" He asked in a stern voice. Is he a mind reader, because it seemed to me that he was certain that trouble was brewing? I began to twiddle my foot in circles, feeling very nervous about how he was going to react to my speech.
"They know…" I said simply, trying to hide the fear in my voice. Now I was frightened… I admit it. His best scare pair had been taking a peak on OUR, no more of MY work. His face suddenly squeezed together in fury.
"WHO?" He shouted and whispered at the same time with true insanity in his voice. I took a deep breath to slow my pulsating heart and spoke with some confidence:
"Wazowski and Sullivan… they both know." It was probably the most strangest reaction I had ever seen from my one and only boss… his mouth fell open wide, almost touching the floor and his once calm and digging eyes flung to their limits. I never expected that to happen… Suddenly, his features turned very cold. He started harshly at my form and spoke in a gritted voice due to the other monsters in the room. I was lucky… the monsters were giving me some kind of weird breakthrough through this usually shattering quarrel.
"How could you let this happen!? Its just typical with you isn't it… They are the best in the business and you ruined it!" I actually began to back down. I hate having fights and this was probably the worst conversation I'd had with this monster yet! His eyes were defiantly showing their true colour… endless black pits showing hell in its fiery glory. His heart was defiantly as cold as freezing ice. This thought actually scared me a little, even though I was already having my fits of fear washing over. "Get the door…" He answered finally with a rushed tone before jolting back towards the other people. I hung my head low. I actually felt ashamed of myself and it was all because he spoke to me like that. I don't think anybody deserves to be treated this way… like a slave. Yes, I've been lead into slavery, I admit it. This was all of his idea, the whole lot. He just needed somebody with qualities and somebody who didn't have too many 'friends and family' to come sniffing around the place. Although I'm not treated as WORSE as a slave, I still felt like one.
Giving one heavier grunt, I raced off towards the stack of files in the corner and grabbed the paper, which contained the code I needed for the 'special' door. This is a door for what I call the 'death door'. It's not really as bad as I call it, but this portal is his own special banishment door, which 'he' uses to dispose of monsters invading in 'his' privacy. I think he built this door himself… since it leads you right smack bang into the highest mountain of the Himalayas: Mt. Everest! A chill threw itself down my back, making me quiver at the thought of the searing freeze. Anyway, I hadn't much time… My thoughts clearly read that Wazowski and Sullivan were heading right this way to tell Waternoose all about my supposedly 'secret plot' to exterminate children. They must think that it's a killer… I already told you that it's NOT, I repeat, NOT a killer. I'm so damn sure of that. So off I went to the nearest scare floor, which to my surprise was kind of empty. Here, I began to punch the numbers into the control pad, carefully glancing across to the paper I held from time to time. The door finally appeared, trundling it's way down the track. The basic machinery principal lifted itself up to grab the door and lowered back down. I had known exactly what to do. I blended into the background of the door and placed myself upon the poorly constructed metal.
I waited… until the door moved, shocking me into focusing on holding on. So crabs had called the door now… Ok, this was it. I was banishing the monsters that worked on the same floor as me. I had never really wanted this to end with them being banished. I shook the thought off of my mind. I had to stop delving in the past and keep my concentration in the present. THIS was what was happening now and I could do nothing, but watch and even help with this dastardly crime. I almost felt a little… sad.
Finally, the door reached its destination and lowered itself down. I could see Waternoose holding the kid, Wazowski standing assured beside him and Sullivan hanging his head in some kind of dismay. I soundlessly hopped onto the floor and grasped the knob in my fingers. I knew my cue and it happened… NOW! A smile crept across my face while my body revealed itself across the area. I twisted the door handle to open the massive load. The snow from the door blew through and settled upon the flat areas of my body. My fronds and tail were blown to the side from the pressure of the draft. I just calmly held out my hands, still beaming, almost like I was inviting them to step inside!
"It's yours." I heard Waternoose speak in a small but strong voice. The shock finally came to Sullivan and Wazowski as a massive gaping hole made it's way to their mouths. I calmly stepped aside as old crabs gave a threatening heave, pushing both monsters through the door and onto the freezing, snow-covered floor. All I heard was the pitiful yowl of Sullivan's: "NO!" before the door slammed shut, leaving the cold where it belonged.
As soon as the deed was done, the smile that I had once across my face before turned into a wet blanket as my glum expression came back. I was pretty sure I wouldn't see the likes of them two monsters again… How tormenting is reality? Waternoose held out the child to me as if she was infected with disease. It made me feel disgusted that he thought that way. I gently took her in my four limbs, her squirming nearly upsetting their balance. She clearly didn't want to be with the monster that had scared her since she was born. I held onto her tightly, not wanting to drop such a fragile sort of creature.
"Get down there now and wait for me to come." Waternoose spat in a venomous speech. He didn't want to speak right now to the reptile he thought was 'responsible' for his best pal and scarer to be banished into the wilderness. I did, as he said, not wanting any more casualties to occur.
Once down in my secret lair, I laid down flat on the floor, still grasping the child but careful not to hurt her. She must be very uncomfterble lying on the floor with her all time nemesis. I don't blame her for feeling this way… in case you haven't noticed; it's in my job description to 'scare children'. Where else would we get our power? A little thing in their world is a big thing in ours. I admit I kind of liked this kid… She was one of those pretty little people whose face could melt any heart. Of course I don't like her personally, it's just she's kind of beautiful for a girl her age. I moved my head from staring perfectly upwards into her bright hazel eyes. They were actually beginning to well up with tears. Nothing I could do. Although the glimpses of twinkling in her eyes was to noticeable, making them the brightest and most interesting perspective of the room. After a few more minutes, I clambered to my feet, now pacing around the room. Where was that old bag? I knew I couldn't start without him THIS time. He wanted to see that I could get the job done right. I'd prove him… I suddenly grounded to a stop and began to flick my tail from side to side with impatience. The kid then started to whimper a little. I looked to her once again. She had that same look as a couple of minutes ago. To me it occurred that this time it actually didn't look like it was fear… but some kind of mourning. Did she really miss that overgrown furug? I wasn't too bad about it. Not glad, just a tinsy bit of grief. I breathed a massive sigh from the boredom and looked back to the stillness of the room. Again, nothing was out of place like usual. Hang on… was something missing? Ah yes! Fungus. Probably gone off to clear himself up. Must of lost his mind. I smirked at the thought. That's when I heard it. The familiar bang of the hideaway door and right on cue, walked in Fungus. He widened his eyes in surprise.
"Oh Randall… I didn't see you there. So you have her then?" DUH! I almost shouted it out. What the hell was I holding to him?!
"Of course?!" I finally fumed back.
"Oh well that's great! We can now clear this mess up and get on with your plan." Rolling my eyes, I noticed Fungus situate himself on the desk chair and roll over to the controls, ready for any new orders from the boss or me.
We both didn't say anything for a few more minutes after that. We just seemed to exist at that point and just stand there like a bunch of wax works. I was really getting past my limit waiting, until finally my call of the wild was answered from an abrupt entrance by your true favourite CEO. His angry glare startled me into flustering over to the holding chair. I carefully strapped the small figurine of the child into the holsters.
"No!" She screamed in a last plead. It made me wince with the resistance of her voice. It was actually torture for me to go through with this now. After finally swiftly strapping her into the cuffs I turned to Waternoose to here his reply.
"Finally… I never should have trusted you with this." He stared daggers at me and pointed a daring finger. "Because of YOU I have to banish MY TOP SCARER!" I grimly retorted back in his face:
"Ah, this machine won't need scarers. Besides, Sullivan got what he deserved." I puffed my chest out, hoping not to show my true colours in my voice. I don't think he deserved this much punishment.
"Sullivan was TWICE the scarer you have ever been!" He stated viciously. I was hurt by that last comment and hurt deep within. Here I am working my butte off and he doesn't think I'm worthy. That second was horrible to think about and my sadness quickly turned peeved. Although secretly I felt like bursting into tears at that point, I managed to turn around to face the monster emitting a growl from the pit of my stomach. It showed all of my fury in one sound. Now I just wanted to get this over and done with and claim the rewards for myself. I strolled over to the panels, not once glaring at crabs until I stood smack bang next to Fungus. He then began to jostler the controls like I had done previously that day, turning the great piece of work on. A hated smile began to creep across me and I regretted it instantly to show such a horrendous attitude to the situation. The girl began to squirm and beg as the nozzle slowly crept its way across the space between the two.
"Kitty!" She managed to squeak out. I clenched my hands into balls with a beam still plastered on my muzzle. As the centimetres closed in, she shrieked in absolute terror at what about was going to happen to her. Suddenly, a loud roar erupted into the room and broke the carefree pattern of the constant fanning machine. WHAT THE HECK! It was my arch enemy Sullivan! How in the hell of all matter did he get back here!? He seems to come out of thin air! Huh, I guess he probably made it to a nearby village or something… Waternoose doesn't take anything into accordance nowadays does he? Just typical… My face became a standard show of utter confusion and surprise. I watched in hatred as Sullivan ran forwards, grabbing the pipe of the machine, it almost seeming to bend in his mighty grasp. After snapping the heavy thing off of its bounding, he threw it towards us. Uh-oh. Instinct told me to get out of the way of falling equipment, so I flung onto the wall right next to me, watching as Waternoose and Fungus got caught behind the thing. My work… RUINED! I was fuming at the wreckage on the ground, but I still proceeded to watch as Sullivan leaned over and struck the chair apart, lifting the small figurine carefully out of the placement.
"Uh, STOP HIM!" was Waternoose's strained order. He wasn't even stuck that fast behind it. This was something I couldn't ignore, and now I was going to get my own revenge for the year of torment and the destruction of my capabilities. I gurgled a angry growl before disappearing into the environment. This was my time in the spotlight… I slid around the bending corners, mere inches ahead of the lumbering beast before giving him a vital struck on the head. I breathed hard at that. It was taking my strength away… but it had hit him hard, and he had even fallen back. Don't doubt my own abilities!
"FINISH HIM OFF!" Waternoose yelped. Huh, can't he get off his fat behind and see that I'm doing what I've been told! This was MY way of showing how I truly felt about seeing my backache being demolished in front of my own eyes! I delt a few more punches onto his back, side and belly. I noticed a normal shaded canister on the ground. Hmm, a weapon I suppose... I sprang round with such force onto the wall and suspended myself from the ceiling, wrapping my tail around the vast pipes. I lowered myself down to the floor and picked it up, holding it in all of my limbs before swinging round with all of my mite into the back of his neck. It knocked Sullivan flat out onto the floor. I quickly revealed myself in front of his eyes.
"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that SULLIVAN!" I spoke sarcastically and with arrogance. His face contorted back into a scowl and he swung his giant paw towards me. I dodged with my flexibility and blended straight back into the air. I let out a creepy and satisfying laugh. Still invisible to the naked eye, I jumped back down onto solid ground and flung my fists once again. At just the last second, I swang myself around in a tight circle, my long whip-like tail smacking Sullivan off of his footing and skimming him along the floor. I was still doing my trademark grin, but gosh, this was taking all of the energy out of me! Hmm, this wasn't over yet though. I needed to get him where it really hurts. I made my way over to his seemingly discarded body and watched him reach to his posture. There was that damned to hell Wazowski again… Where Sullivan goes, he goes which makes them very inseparable. True to the word that they are best friends in the whole of monster history and they live as roommates still. But that's not the point is it?
"Mike you don't understand!" He strained again, trying to release all of his words. Yeah, he'd got that right… he was practically as thick as a doorknob but Sullivan was desperately trying to hit the nail on the head this time.
"Yes I do. I was just mad that's all…" I continued to beat up the helpless monster, washing up all of my courage in each swing. "… I needed some time to think but you shouldn't have left me out there." There he goes, still babbling on about nothing. I grabbed Sullivan's arm bravely and slammed forwards, knocking him backwards into the metal cased wall. The loud BANG went right through my ribcage as I began to tie his hands around his back, acting like a big city cop who'd just done his debute of the week. This looked painful as he grimaced at the attack.
"I'm being attacked!" He cried out, cringing. That over puffed eyeball still didn't get it. I just held the laugh that began to well in the back of my throat and concentrated on my positions. His fists were getting pretty hard to dodge now. I needed to be more careful.
"No I'm not attacking you. I'm trying to be honest. Just hear it out. You and I am a team…" I struck him forcefully, watching him stumble around like a drunken fool. He tried to hit me as he swaggered along his now impossible path, but I was too quick for a half beaten idiot. I dodged easily in comparison to the giant fur ball. Wazowski did nothing but banger on about his relationships. "…Nothing is more important than our friendship." The kid suddenly released a strong whimper to try and ease the situation. "I know kid, he's too sensitive." This was too much to bear as I emitted a quiet giggle from the back of my vocal cords. Almost instinctively as Sullivan reached the corner, I started to coil my earnormous body around his fragile neck and squeeze with incredible force. A boa constrictor hunting his prey… The kid started to blubber once again as she saw her friend limited to a breathing in a few cubic centimetres. This was the big ending, the grand finale.
"Come on pal, if you start crying, I'm gonna cry and we'll never get through this. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, but I am now." Sullivan then began to wheeze as if enduring some type of sick torture. Well, who's to say he wasn't? He deserved it…
"Ow." The kid murmured with pity and despair, knowing in her heart she could do nothing but watch. Wazowski's face turned into a expression of disregard ness since his 'friend' looked like he didn't care less.
"Sulley, I am bearing my soul here, the least you can do, is pay attention!" He shouted in annoyance. Suddenly, a cold sensation was swept across my face, making me shiver in instant contact. What the heck was it? It felt horribly wet aswell. I didn't have time to analyse the situation, as I knew at once that I had been revealed from my secret hiding place. SMACK! A giant paw collided with my obscure head, knocking me back into the large base of the metal. My world faded away, ever spectrum of light disappearing from my eyes as I closed them shut, not realising that I was gently sliding down the belly of the beast that had punched me out of consciousness. All I remember after that small incident was the recognition of the piping around me. My head had started to throb in a rhythmic pattern, telling me that a bruise was going to appear there maybe sometime soon… I remembered everything that had happened then: the exposure, the banishment of two of my archenemies and the battle. That troublesome twosome was now getting away and I had to stop them!
"GET UP! There can't be any witnesses!" Was the hurrying and thrashing reply. Can't he ever talk nice to people besides his friends! My anger suddenly drained back to me and I leant to get up, my eyes rolling into a suitable position from the obscure condition they were in during my trip to sleep. I replied deeply, rough and full of certainty.
"THERE WON'T BE!"
I charged off with my over eccentric assistant by my side, intent on catching the persecutors of this mess! Its funny how everything seemingly fits in to place at the last minute and you can't help but think that you could have prevented the situation, but this of course was no time to be going into chortling fits. They were getting away. Later, I'd sort this mess out for sure, but now, headstrong methods were called for. Maybe in the future after all of this was cleared and done with, I would have things to look forward too, but now, at this stage in life, I had to establish the settings to adjust the preferences of my actions.
I had lost the battle, but I wasn't about to lose the war!
