The bears sat in a diner finishing up lunch, they were going over a plan to rescue Charlie without getting caught. Panda drew out a very convincing plan using a table mat and a red crayon.
"Okay so were clear on the plan"? Panda asked.
"Totally, we sneak in, find Charlie and escape, no one will know we were there". Grizz said.
"What if he finds us"? Panda asked.
"Ice Bear will tear kidnapper apart". Ice Bear said.
"Bro don't worry about it I'll make sure we're quiet as a mouse". Grizz said.
"Ice Bear will be like a soft cloud". Ice Bear said.
"Okay I'm ready let's do it"! Panda said confident.
"Let's finish eating first". Grizz said.
"Ice Bear doesn't waste food". Ice Bear said.
"Good point". Panda said.
Once they finished and left a tip, they changed into there ninja costumes and headed down to the stadium to rescue their best bud. On the way Panda dozed off, he began to dream. In his dream Panda is walking threw a long black hallway he didn't know where he was walking to, he just knows he must get there.
"Hello? Is anyone here? Can anyone hear me"?! Panda called out.
Panda kept calling out until something caught his attention, it was a spot light. The light shined on a glass box with airholes and inside was Charlie. The bigfoot looked far from his usual cheerful attitude, his mustache drooped, and he had a look of melancholy. On a closer inspection there were chains attached to his ankles.
"Charlie! It's me Panda can you hear me"?! Panda asked.
Charlie just sat looking depressed, he couldn't hear him the glass must be very thick. Panda tried calling to him a few more times but nothing happened. The bigfoot was like a statue, the fact that Charlie sat in silence not even blinking gave a very unpleasant chill down Panda's spine. He would never think he'd miss Charlie's loud obnoxious voice invading his personal space…his hugs…his kisses…his soft touch.
Panda couldn't take this anymore, he needed to hear Charlie's voice again. He pounded his fists on the glass in any hopes that Charlie could hear him but no prevail. Panda burst into tears and felt like screaming his head off.
"Charlie don't just sit there! Look at me! Please say something!Anything…just please". Panda cried.
Panda held his head down and cried a river, he cried until he saw a hand being placed on the glass. He wiped away his tears and looked up. Panda saw Charlie looking at him with his big adorable eyes, the bigfoot opened his mouth to say something which lit up Panda's face.
"Panda wake up". Charlie said.
"What"? Panda asked confused.
"Wake up". Charlie said again.
Everything faded Panda opened his eyes to find Grizz shaking his shoulders. Panda blinked a few times to wake himself up making sure that this wasn't a dream. He rubbed his eyes to make sure, no it wasn't a dream it was real.
"Come on sleeping beauty let's go rescue Charlie". Grizz said helping his brother to his feet.
"Don't tell Ice Bear was it another nightmare"? Ice Bear asked.
"Sort of but this one wasn't scary or anything, I saw Charlie sitting in the glass box I was trapped in and he looked really sad". Panda said.
"Don't worry pan-pan once we free Charlie you'll sleep peacefully tonight". Grizz said.
"You'll sleep like a baby". Ice Bear said.
"Thanks, you guys I really don't know what I'd do without you". Panda smiled.
"That's what brothers are for". Grizz smiled.
Panda hugged his brothers, he's happy to have such loving and protective bears looking out for him even if they do tease him from time to time.
"Ice Bear hates to break up heartfelt moment, but we really need to focus". Ice Bear said.
"Oh, right sorry bro". Panda said.
They snuck in through the back door once the coast was clear they split up to find Charlie. They looked in almost every corner and every space but no luck. Ice Bear was looking behind some large boxes until he heard a voice that wasn't Panda or Grizz.
Little girl, little girl don't lie to me tell me where did you sleep last night?
Ice Bear's ears perked up and followed the noise, he kept following until the sound got closer and then that's when Ice Bear saw Charlie. He ran to get his brothers, he's glad they showed up when they did or else they wouldn't have been so lucky.
"What's up little bro"? Grizz asked.
"Did you find Charlie"? Panda asked.
"Ice Bear did but Ice Bear must warn you it's not a pretty sight". Ice Bear said.
Grizz and Panda didn't like the sound of that, they followed their youngest brother to where Charlie was being held but they didn't know where Ice Bear was leading them.
"You sure you know where your going"? Grizz asked.
"Just follow the voice". Ice Bear said.
"What voice"? Panda asked.
In the pines, in the pines where the sun never shines will shiver the whole night through
They recognize the voice and followed until they found it. Once they saw where the voice was coming from it stopped them in their tracks. Charlie looked even worse then in Panda's dream, his once olive-green fur was now a pale milky green color. He had multiple small cuts over his body and his left eye was bruised and black. On a closer inspection there was also a large metal collar he wore around his neck with a red button on the front and it look liked he had dried up blood on his mustache. His appearance was too much to take in. All Panda wanted to do was run over to him and break him out of that glass box and hold him in his arms. Charlie opened his mouth to speak but instead he sang.
My daddy was a railroad man, killed a mile and a half from here
His head was found in a driver's wheel, his body was never found
In the pines, in the pines where the sun never shines
Will shiver the whole night through
You've caused me to weep
You've caused me to mourn
You've caused me to lose my home
Little girl, little girl where did you sleep last night
Not even your mother knows
In the pines, in the pines where the sun never shines
Will shiver when the cold winds blow
Charlie burst into tears and he placed his right hand over his mouth, his voice didn't sound like it's usual loud and happy demeaner. It was dry, raspy and full of distraught, Charlie was very dehydrated, and he hadn't eaten in a few days. When he cried his mouth and throat felt like they were on fire. Watching the once friendly and ditzy cryptic in this famine state singing depressing folk music was like watching a wounded animal stand up, hard to watch and heartbreaking.
"Charlie what has he done to you"? Panda asked with tears streaming down his face.
"Once Ice Bear finds that homophobe, Ice Bear will show no mercy". Ice Bear said whipping away his tears.
"What do we do Grizz"? Panda asked.
Grizz was crying a storm even more then his brothers, he wanted to find the man responsible for hurting Charlie and tear him limb from limb.
"Grizz"? Panda asked.
Grizz wiped away his tears and opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. They ducked behind the large boxes they were hiding behind.
"*bangs on the glass box* Stop crying faggot men don't cry"! The homophobe sneered.
"You don't know what men do". Charlie said weakly.
"Watch your mouth unless you want an electric sleep". The homophobe smirked holding out a remote.
The remote controlled the shock collar Charlie wore had three buttons, a blue one, a green one and a yellow one. The blue one only gave him a little shock, it hurt a little but not a whole lot. The green one gave a more painful shock but not enough to knock him out, but it was enough to knock the wind out of him. The yellow one however is much more painful, so painful it fact it could potentially put Charlie in a coma like state for days on end.
Charlie fearfully shook his head no, If Charlie tried to take off the shock collar, he'd get a shock, if he'd try to escape he'd get a shock. Sometimes for the kidnapper's personal amusement he would shock the bigfoot just to see his face light up with fear and pain.
"If you be good I'll maybe give you food, we'll see how it goes". The kidnapper said.
"Thank you, could I also get some water? I'm thirsty as a cactus in a desert". Charlie said.
"Don't make me use this". He sneered holding the control which made Charlie cringe in fear.
"Right I'm sorry". Charlie said.
"Better be freak". The kidnapper said leaving.
The bears ducked their heads out to see if the coast was clear. Once they knew for sure that the homophobic kidnapper was gone they took the opportunity to move in. They were quiet so that Charlie is unaware of their presence, they got closer and closer until they could touch the glass. Charlie turned his head and his eyes lit up. He couldn't believe it they were here, he got up and excitedly moved to the side of the glass we're they stood.
"Fellas"? Charlie smiled weakly.
"We're here Charlie and we're going to get you out of here". Grizz said.
"Ice Bear will make sure nothing bad happens to Charlie". Ice Bear said.
"You guys came all this way for me"? Charlie asked with happy tears streaming down his face.
"Of course, you're our best friend". Grizz smiled.
"I've been so worried about you, all I want is for you to be out of there and here with us, especially me". Panda blushed.
Charlie was overjoyed with how much they cared, he wants to be with them and out of this hell hole. When he opened his mouth to say something he coughed, a very hard cough. Charlie crouched down and coughed until he was finished.
"Sorry amigos just a little under the weather". Charlie said weakly.
"Once we get you out of there we'll make sure you get in better shape than you are right now". Grizz said.
"Do I look that bad"? Charlie asked.
"I'm guessing you haven't seen yourself lately"? Panda asked.
"Not that I can recall". Charlie said.
"Ice Bear thinks Charlie looks like a post apocalypse movie survivor, Charlie should see for himself". Ice Bear said pulling out a blue hand mirror.
"Where did you get that mirror"? Panda asked.
"Ice Bear brought it just in case we needed it". Ice Bear said showing Charlie's reflection.
Once Charlie caught a glimpse of his current look he didn't recognize himself in fact he let out a small scream in surprise. The bigfoot touched his face to make sure the scars he had were real and they were. He looked down at his fur, it was no longer it's usual color instead he was pale. He touched his mustache to see if that was alright but sure enough he felt dried crusty blood caked all over.
"Woah, I really do look horrible". Charlie said.
"Don't worry we'll get you out of there, the question is how". Grizz wondered.
"Ya'll better hurry that mean man will be back any second". Charlie said worriedly.
"Ice Bear has an idea". Ice Bear said.
Ice Bear went over to the 'In case of emergency break glass' case, he broke the glass with a small hammer and took the axe. He approached the lock and smashed it, the glass box on top opened. Charlie climbed out and gave all three of them a hug.
"I thought I'd never see you guys again, I missed you so much". Charlie said.
"We missed you too man especially Panda". Grizz grinned.
"Grizz"! Panda snapped.
"Really"? Charlie asked putting them down.
"Panda has been having nightmares about you, if I had a dollar for how many times he's not been able to sleep, I'd be a millionaire". Grizz said.
"Ice Bear has seen the whole thing, Panda worries about his lover". Ice Bear said.
Charlie turned to Panda, the bigfoot never knew how much the Asian bear cared for him until now. His heart felt like it was soaring all Charlie wanted to do now was pick up his sweet pan-pan and kiss him like never before.
"Pan-pan is this true"? Charlie asked almost happy crying.
"It is, almost every night since he took you, I couldn't stop thinking about the horrible things he was doing to you. Every time you've been here in this prison and not with us, apart of me dies". Panda said crying.
Charlie picked him up and hugged him like a stuffed animal, Panda felt this wonderful sense of warmth and love. It was the same feeling he had in his dream when Charlie saved him from getting beat up but this time it was the other way around.
"Pumpkin I never knew how much you cared". Charlie said with happy tears running down his face.
"I always have". Panda smiled giving Charlie a peck on the cheek.
"Ice Bear hates to break up romantic moment but it's time to go". Ice Bear said.
"Your right little bro come on pan-pan we have to leave before Norman Bates comes back". Grizz said.
They snuck out through the back and were super careful not to get caught. Charlie held onto Panda's paw, it almost felt like a parent making sure their child doesn't get lost or run off. That was the attitude the black and white bear had at this very moment, making sure that his sweet lovable bigfoot doesn't run off.
"We made it"! Grizz cheered as they reached daylight.
"Man, it feels good to see the sun again". Charlie smiled weakly.
"Come on let's go home". Panda smiled.
"Sounds great pan man". Charlie smiled.
"When we get home, we'll be happy to take that thing off your neck". Grizz said.
"Ice Bear will destroy it". Ice Bear said.
Charlie opened his mouth to say something back, but he was interrupted by a large electrical shock, he was engulfed in large blue sparks that danced and attacked him. The bigfoot fell to the ground with his body jerked around, it looked like a scene from 'The Exorcist'. The bears looked in horror as they watched their best friend being subjected to the most intense pain imaginable. Panda tried to run over to him, but his brothers held him back, they didn't want him getting shocked to. Charlie's limbs calmed but his body was still twitching and there were little sparks jumping from place to place. Panda ran over to him with a horrified distraught expression on his face.
"Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Charlie please speak to me"! Panda cried.
The bigfoot laid there like a tree had just fallen, Panda placed his ears to his chest and hoped for a heartbeat, to his luck and relief there was one.
"What do we do now"?! Grizz asked panicked.
"Ice Bear suggests we take Charlie somewhere safe". Ice Bear said.
"You're not going anywhere"! A loud familiar voiced boomed.
End of chapter 7, sorry this took a while. I kept thinking about how I should finish this chapter, but I decided just to cut out a few parts. This sure was a hard one to stomach but like I said before something good will come out of this.
