Garfield and Rapunzel turned away from the house, and made their way
through the woods. Dusk was falling when they found themselves on the edge
of a large parking lot. At the very far end of the lot a huge plastic sign
on a building declared that they had made it to Wal-Mart.
They started across the parking lot, weaving through the parked cars until only a strip of pavement stood between them and the sidewalk. They started across it, and were about halfway when a buick turned a nearby corner and bore down on them. Garfield dashed forward, but Rapunzel hesitated and tried to go back.
There was a dull thud, the driver slammed on the brakes, and the car stopped over the Siamese's still form.
A boy in ragged jeans and a white cut-off tee-shirt dashed out of the store and knelt beside the car, pulling Rapunzel out from under it. The driver had gotten out and stood helplessly beside him. "Is it going to be all right?"
The boy glanced up, angry hazel eyes taking in the woman's business suit and made-up face at a glance. "What do you care? If you cared about anything you wouldn't be driving that environment-butchering car!" He pointed at her accusingly. "We're all dying because of you, corporate America! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
He scooped up Rapunzel, grabbed Garfield by the scruff of the neck and tucked him under his arm, staggered up, and took off running.
He ran around Wal-Mart and up onto the highway shoulder. He followed the highway for some time before dashing away through the underbrush. Finally he came to a big white house with flaking paint and dropped Garfield to frantically pump the doorbell. Garfield had just started to clean himself when he was grabbed again and carried into a white, sterile room. It looked suspiciously like a veterinarian's clinic. There was a tall, bald man there who was dressed suspiciously like a veterinarian. The boy flopped Rapunzel onto a metallic table that looked suspiciously familiar. Garfield was, thankfully, left alone. He sat in the corner, cleaning himself and looking around to see if there was any food here. There didn't seem to be.
The tall man examined Rapunzel, making lots of concerned noises. The boy was explaining how he found her. "...And then this businesswoman comes out of nowhere in a big ugly CAR and BAM! One down, but you could see she was kind of dissappointed she missed the other one. Then she tries to act concerned. Concerned! Like I couldn't see what she was! So then I..."
The man sighed and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hush, Rob. The cats need rest. They do not need you to disturb them with your anger, justified as it is."
Rob hung his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother her, but they make me so mad!"
"I know, and that is as it should be, but now get things for the cats to stay the night in here. I will see to the wounded one."
Rob nodded and left the room. The man turned back to Rapunzel, tears forming in his eyes. Garfield finished cleaning himself and went to sleep.
They started across the parking lot, weaving through the parked cars until only a strip of pavement stood between them and the sidewalk. They started across it, and were about halfway when a buick turned a nearby corner and bore down on them. Garfield dashed forward, but Rapunzel hesitated and tried to go back.
There was a dull thud, the driver slammed on the brakes, and the car stopped over the Siamese's still form.
A boy in ragged jeans and a white cut-off tee-shirt dashed out of the store and knelt beside the car, pulling Rapunzel out from under it. The driver had gotten out and stood helplessly beside him. "Is it going to be all right?"
The boy glanced up, angry hazel eyes taking in the woman's business suit and made-up face at a glance. "What do you care? If you cared about anything you wouldn't be driving that environment-butchering car!" He pointed at her accusingly. "We're all dying because of you, corporate America! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
He scooped up Rapunzel, grabbed Garfield by the scruff of the neck and tucked him under his arm, staggered up, and took off running.
He ran around Wal-Mart and up onto the highway shoulder. He followed the highway for some time before dashing away through the underbrush. Finally he came to a big white house with flaking paint and dropped Garfield to frantically pump the doorbell. Garfield had just started to clean himself when he was grabbed again and carried into a white, sterile room. It looked suspiciously like a veterinarian's clinic. There was a tall, bald man there who was dressed suspiciously like a veterinarian. The boy flopped Rapunzel onto a metallic table that looked suspiciously familiar. Garfield was, thankfully, left alone. He sat in the corner, cleaning himself and looking around to see if there was any food here. There didn't seem to be.
The tall man examined Rapunzel, making lots of concerned noises. The boy was explaining how he found her. "...And then this businesswoman comes out of nowhere in a big ugly CAR and BAM! One down, but you could see she was kind of dissappointed she missed the other one. Then she tries to act concerned. Concerned! Like I couldn't see what she was! So then I..."
The man sighed and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hush, Rob. The cats need rest. They do not need you to disturb them with your anger, justified as it is."
Rob hung his head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother her, but they make me so mad!"
"I know, and that is as it should be, but now get things for the cats to stay the night in here. I will see to the wounded one."
Rob nodded and left the room. The man turned back to Rapunzel, tears forming in his eyes. Garfield finished cleaning himself and went to sleep.