Great things together, ha, if I live through them, that is… she's not going to let Judy or anybody go, I know that, I'm just trying to buy time here so that I can come up with a plan to get us all out of here. Oh, and I'm now Assistant Mayor Nicholas Hopps. How wonderful and charming, I even get my own office down by the boilers. Two weeks have gone by since I told Bellwether I would go along with what she's up to, and each and every single night I've been woken up by nightmares, nightmares that my family is dead and that it's all my dam fault (which, if they are dead [and I'm going to bet my hide on it that they are] I'm not going to be surprised).
It's either that or screams, screams from the predators that Madam Mayor (she insists I call her that now) keeps locked up down here in the basement. There's one particular predator, though, who I feel the most sorry for (and believe me, I feel awful for all of them, hearing them scream like they do), and that's a cheetah, Clawhauser, he works in the records department. From the clothes he always has on (and always the same clothes), he used to be a lot rounder, and I mean a lot rounder, but not any longer. I think he's been working in records for about twenty years, that's what I've heard the guards say.
I need to get out of here, need to escape, need to find my family alive and well.
The well part of that's just wishful thinking, but I've always had an overactive imagination, so Mom used to tell me. Right now it's nighttime, which means I'm wide awake, because I just haven't been able to sleep. Probably why my brain is so shot..
...On the other paw, it's probably the guilt talking…
On the other paw, it's definitely the guilt talking. I haven't seen any of the rest of my family, which basically means that I never will again, as far as I can tell…
...and that thought brings tears to my eyes, buckets and buckets of tears, more than I ever did when I got into my Junior Ranger Scout troop (which was a lot, let me just say that), tears that dimple my sheet and just leave me feeling drained…
And yet, at the same time, I'm feeling rather determined. I know that I'll get them back, and there's nothing that's going to stop me…
...other than the fact that the collar laws are back in full force, signed into law via executive order (at gunpoint, let me just clarify that) by yours truly. I'm the only predator in the entire nation that doesn't have to wear one, but everyone else with fangs and teeth like mine (or at least how mine used to be) has to.
And I signed it! It's my dam fault all of these mammals are going to suffer! Who am I any more, who? I have no idea, and realizing that…
It really flocking stings.
Alright, what's the best thing for me to do? I'm up, and it's quiet down here… maybe that means that I can start planning to get out of here? I can actually think straight for once, and really, that's kind of nice…
Okay, I need to get up and get to work here… and fight my heavy heart while I'm at it.
There are a few predators down in the basement who I've gotten to know over the course of the last few weeks, and none of them- not a single flocking one of them- look like they could ever be the so-called 'vicious beasts' that would attack and maim and maul anyone… especially not the cheetah who works in records, Clawhauser, I think his name is. That guy, all he wants is a doughnut, not to eat somebody.
If I'm being entirely honest, the guy's a big softie, and that's why I've come down to see him, and he is where he has been for forever, locked in a cell, unmuzzled but chained to the wall. He's so thin that I can see his ribs, and it makes me wretch.
The fact that it smells like mold down here, and that the whole basement, stone walls that are dripping water through the mortar and all, is lit by just one single 20-watt bulb that's being swarmed by flies, is just the icing on the cake.
Darn, cake, now I'm really hungry…
"Hi, Ben," I say, holding my paws up so that he can see that I'm not going to hurt him, "I'm Nick, you probably know that, sorry, anyways, how are you?"
"Awful," the cheetah croaks out, his voice barely a whisper that even I have to strain to hear…
"Yeah, I know the feeling," I say. "Is there any way out of here?"
"Only t- through the way you came in…"
"I've got to break you out of here…"
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, he's a dangerous predator, he could go savage at any minute…"
A thumping of hooves shakes me away from our conversation, and I turn around to see Mayor Bellwether standing above me, and well, she doesn't look like the happiest of mammals…
"Nicholas, I thought I told you to stay in bed all night, at all times, did I not?"
"Y- yes, Mayor Bellwether, yo- you- y- you did, yes, ma'am," I stammer out. "I- I'm sorry, I won't come down here again…"
"Get in a cell."
"What?" I ask, shocked. This can't be, this can't be, no no no no no no no…
"You heard me, get in a cell. If you're a good fox and you keep doing the work I send down for you, I'll let you out. Otherwise," she says, drawing a hoof-finger across her throat, "you get the picture?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Good," she says, and I do what I'm told, the cell being locked behind me, and for good measure, the door down to the cellar gets shut as well, and I can hear the clanking of the lock behind us, and Clawhauser looks over to me, fear in his eyes.
"What now, Nick? What now?"
"To be completely honest, I have no idea…"