7:32 PM
7:30 was the time for Strong Bad's therapy session, with one of his best friends, The Cheat, who had chosen to go to medical school instead of elemtary school like Strong Bad, Pom Pom and Homsar, because it finished quicker. He actually did really good in medical school, ended up with a Ph.D. in psycotherapy, and soon became a certified psycologist. He had, of course, agreed to step in to help Strong Bad after Strong Bad had his unfortunate incident. The Cheat being his shrink was the one thing about his treatment after the incident that he objected to the least.
The Cheat had managed to get the lease on a room at the local college, where Strong Bad and all of The Cheat's other patients met with him. Not much room for the sessions in The King of Town's grill.
After Strong Bad had gotten settled down on the couch, the session began.
"Meh, meh-meh meh meh meh meh meh-meh meh-meh-meh," said The Cheat, which, translated, meant, "Coach Z told me you've been skipping your medication."
"Well, if I can skip my medication and stay just like I was when I was taking it, I'm hoping it'll make him feel guilty for all of this…the medication, having to see you…no offence."
"S'alright," said The Cheat. "But, I have to tell you, Strong Bad, all of this isn't Coach Z's fault. Not in the least. You're going to have to accept that."
Strong Bad said nothing.
"Is there anything that's happened lately you'd like to tell me about?"
"I made a new friend," said Strong Bad quietly, stretching out his feet on the couch.
"Real or imaginary?" asked The Cheat.
"Imaginary," replied Strong Bad.
"Can you tell me about this friend?" asked The Cheat.
"His name's Homestar."
"Homestar? That's an odd name."
"Yeah…pretty much everything about him is odd…I'm not exactly sure if I like anything about him…"
"Why do you said he's your friend, then?"
"Well, he saved my life," said Strong Bad.
"How so?"
"Well, do you watch the news?"
"I don't have room for a television in the King of Town's grill."
"What about newspapers?"
"The postal service only counts the King of Town's castle, and everything on it, as one property, so they only deliver one paper, which the King usually eats before I can get it."
"Right, right…well, a jet engine fell on my house…it landed right on my room…I would've been crushed, but I was talking to Homestar on the golf course…he had led my there…he must've known the jet engine was coming."
The Cheat said nothing. He was reading Strong Bad's face, analyzing whether he was telling the truth.
"I wouldn't lie to you about something like this, man," said Strong Bad seriously.
"Homestar…told you to leave your bed and go to the golf course?"
"Well, he woke me up, andhe told he tofollow him, so I did."
"Follow him where? To the golf course?"
Strong Bad shook his head. The words Homestar had told him on the way to the golf course still echoed in his head.
"He told me to follow him into the future," said Strong Bad. He paused, then added, "He said the world was going to end."
Strong Bad turned over slightly on the couch, hiding the arm where the numbers were still written.
"Do you believe him?" asked The Cheat. "Do you believe the world is coming to an end?"
Strong Bad paused for a long time.
"No way," he said finally. "That's stupid."
October 4, 2003
2:10 AM
There was nothing but silence…it was as if the sound of silence itself was reverberating off the walls…of the lockers…of the doors that led into the classrooms…all around the school…nothing but silence.
Until…a noise…it came so gradually, bit by bit, that even when it was at its loudest, thundering through the halls, it still sounded perfectly quiet.
It was the sound of a tidal wave, rushing and crashing through the halls, filling the school with water.
It was amazing.
Strong Bad awoke with a start.
He was on the sofa in front of the TV in his house. He had been dreaming about the tidal wave.
His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. He was not alone in the room.
There was someone…something…standing in front of the window…silhouetted in the pale moonlight. The figure spoke to him.
"Yo, Strong Bad," said Homestar. "Yo."
Strong Bad squinted and leaned forward to get a better view. He leaned too far forward and fell off the couch.
"Homestar?" murmured Strong Bad tiredly.
"Yup! Cool dream, man. Flooding in the school and all…"
Strong Bad could now see Homestar was holding two cans of yella spray paint.
"Yeah, that'd be awesome," said Strong Bad with a grin. "I wish I could trash the school…"
"Go for it!" said Homestar. He thrust the cans of yella paint into Strong Bad's arms. "Here, you'll need these."
"Oh!" said Strong Bad.
"And, uh…good luck tonight," added Homestar. He winked and clicked his tongue, then turned around and rammed his shins into a coffee table.
"I'm thinking you're coming with me," said Strong Bad. "Children need parentral supervision."
2:31 AM
It didn't take him long to gather the other supplies: he got the flashlight from his bedroom and the axe in the garage.
A few minutes' walk, Homestar and Strong Bad found themselves at Free Country School Thing.
The front door was locked.
"How are we gonna get in here?" asked Strong Bad.
"I dunno…pick the lock?" said Homestar.
Ever since Strong Bad had received a pair of fake handcuffs when he was 10, he had known how to pick a lock. All you needed was something long, thin, hard, that would fit in through the keyhole and maneuver up to the tumbler—there was always just one tumbler that, when tumbled, would open the lock…just one, always at the back. With the plastic handcuffs, he had always used a pen…this time, he would need something better.
"Ya wouldn't happen to have a screwdriver on ya, would…um…ya?" said Strong Bad.
"Sure! I got one right here!" Homestar replied, pulling a screwdriver from a pocket in his bunny suit.
"Nothing weird about that," murmured Strong Bad. He took the screwdriver and…um… screwdrove…it into the lock. Just like every lock he ever picked, he rooted around for a few seconds, waiting for that click of the the tumbler sliding off the latch.
Click! The door swung open. Strong Bad heaved the axe over his shoulder with one boxing glove, clutched the can of paint in the other, and held the flashlight in his mouth. Him and Homestar walked in.
2:36 AM
They were inside the school, in the basement. A large furnace and all kinda watery pipes dominated the room.
Strong Bad crept up to the main pipe. He gripped the axe with both gloves, convident in knowing that his gloves would leave no fingerprints, and any other evidence would be washed away by the tidal wave.
The axe came into contact with the pipe. The sound of metal slicing through metal filled the room.