Chapter Two
Camden Town, London – Circa 2020
The sun was midway between the horizon and its highest point, providing ample light and a cerulean sky to the visitors of the park, human and animal alike. The wind gently blew through the green treetops and the vibrant flowerbeds, creating both a cooling breeze and delightful aromas for all to enjoy. A serene fountain attracted pigeons looking for baths and children looking to make wishes. Along the main path, merchants sold refreshments while pedestrians walked with their canine companions. In the grass field, some had picnics while others contorted their bodies on yoga mats. On the surface, an ordinary day at the park, no different than the one before…but beneath this façade, something truly extraordinary had happened.
Behind a row of bushes, a pair of spotted dogs slept peacefully, the sides of their muzzles gently lying against one another. The male was the first to stir, his eyelids flickering as he yawned and stretched out his forelegs. He raised his head as he opened his eyes. After a moment of oblivious drowsiness, his eyes widened as he jerked his head around, confused at the unfamiliar surroundings.
Looking down at his companion, he said, "Perdy, Perdy, wake up!" The female stirred in a similar fashion, focusing her bleary eyes on the male dog above her. "Mmm, Pongo, what is it?" she said drowsily. Pongo was still looking in all directions, struggling to get his bearings. "I don't know where we are." Still partly asleep, Perdita chuckled lightly at her mate's response. "We're home, dear, where else would we be?" she said through a yawn. As she finished the yawn, her sleepiness faded and she began to notice the unfamiliar foliage surrounding them. Her eyes widened, and she nervously placed her head against her mate's neck.
"Pongo, how did we get here?" Perdita said, her voice shaking slightly.
Pongo continued to try and get his bearings, but his confusion had been tempered by a desire to protect the one he loved. "Not a clue, Perdy, but we won't find out by just standing here." Pongo took several steps forward, poking his head through the bushes. On the other side, he saw a paved pathway, currently devoid of any pedestrians. Having confirmed that the area was safe, Pongo backed up slightly and turned his head back towards Perdita. "It's ok, Perdy. Come on, let's see what's going on." Perdita took a quick breath to regain her confidence, and then followed her mate through the shrubbery.
Pongo and Perdita emerged onto the path, relieved that it was currently unoccupied. The quiet was then broken by a series of bongs, echoing throughout the park and startling the Dalmatians. Both dogs jerked their heads in multiple directions in search of the noise's origin, and soon spotted a familiar-looking clock tower in the distance. "Pongo, look! It's Big Ben!" Perdita said in both surprise and relief at the sight of recognizable landmark. "Well, that proves were back in London, but how on Earth did we manage to get here?" Pongo puzzled out loud, "Sleepwalking? Another dog napping?!"
Perdita shuddered slightly at Pongo's latter suggestion. "You don't think that... that devil woman is behind this, do you?" Pongo shook his head, "Doesn't seem like her to just leave us out in the open like this. No cages, no guards, what's to stop us from getting away?" Perdita nodded in agreement, "That's true. I think we should talk to someone, don't you?" Pongo nodded back, "Mhmm, maybe they saw what happened to us."
The Dalmatian couple hurriedly walked down the path in the direction of the fountain, drawn to the signs of human and animal activity from that area. Upon arriving at the park's main hub, they began searching for someone to ask for assistance.
The first contender they noticed was a corgi, with tan fur and dark brown eyes. Her human had a snooty air about him, with his nose high in the air and an odd delicateness to his hurried steps, mannerisms shared by his dog. If Pongo didn't know any better, he'd have sworn that the corgi had a leash on her human, not the other way around. "Excuse me, miss," he said politely but urgently, "but we need help." The corgi stopped and glared at the couple for a moment before scoffing, "One help ruff raff like you? Impertinence!" The stubby-legged canine stuck her nose back in the air before continuing on with her human.
Pongo was visibly taken aback by the corgi's uncalled-for rudeness, but soon shook it off and looked for another dog to ask for help. The next canines the Dalmatians encountered were a female poodle and a male sausage dog resting on the fountain's edge. The pair struck Pongo as very unusual. The poodle's face was striking in its lack of emotion, while her fur was a curious blend of pink and black. On the other hand, the sausage dog wore a blazer and collared undershirt that wouldn't be out of place on a human, with a perpetual look of sass on his face. Pongo approached them in spite of their strangeness, "Excuse me, but have you seen anything out of the ordinary around here lately?"
The sausage dog was the first to answer, his eye half-lidded and his mouth forming a smug smirk. "Oh dear, Portia, I think we've got some tourists in our midst," he said to his female companion with a slight chuckle. The poodle rolled her eyes, the rest of her face remaining expressionless. "Ugh," the poodle sighed in a deadpan tone, "the ocean of triviality grows deeper by the minute. When will it end, Spence?" Pongo momentarily stared at the pair out of both annoyance and confusion, and then proceeded to back away and continue his search.
Meanwhile, Perdita had been taking note of their surroundings. "Pongo, do you notice anything strange about this place?" she asked of her mate. "What do you mean dear?" Pongo replied, distracted by her search for help. "I mean everything, but especially the humans. Just look around!" Pongo broke off his somewhat frantic scanning and started to look more closely at his surroundings, finally starting to notice some peculiarities he'd previously missed.
Right away, Pongo noticed the clothes on the humans. One woman's black-and-white skirt didn't even cover her thighs, with high-heeled boots that went up to her knees and her hair in a curious bun atop her head. Another woman had half her head shaved, with the other half being a pink and black ponytail that reached below her shoulders. One man wore a black trench coat with a burgundy top hat, with white makeup contrasting greatly with his jet-black lipstick. Pongo couldn't help but blink his eyes and tilt his head in bewilderment.
"Perdy, what's gotten into these humans? Have you ever seen such clothing?" Pongo asked while still staring at the baffling two-legged animals surrounding them. "Never in all my life, even those beatnik types weren't THIS bizarre!" Perdita said shaking her head in disbelief. At that point, Perdita noticed something equally strange. The majority of the humans were focusing on what looked like little metal blocks in their hands. They were constantly tapping their fingers on them in a manner that vaguely reminded Perdita of someone using a typewriter. Most perplexing of all, the woman in black-and-white was holding her block at arm's length away from her, making weird faces as little flashes and clicks came from the object.
"Pongo, what are those little things they're carrying around?" Perdita asked her mate. Pongo, having noticed the little blocks himself, responded, "I haven't the faintest idea, Perdy. It's almost like they've been hypnotized by them!" Perdita then noticed a human on a nearby bench, an orange-haired man with a goatee and a black sweater. He had fallen asleep where he sat, with his metal block sticking about halfway out of his pocket. Seeing a chance to slate her curiosity, Perdita moved toward the bench and motioned for Pongo to follow her.
Sneaking up from behind, the Dalmatian couple quietly approached the sleeping redhead. Pongo sniffed at the metal block for moment, checking for any dangers. Finding none, he grabbed the item with his teeth and pulled it out, dropping it on the grass in front of them. Perdita sniffed at it herself, and then tapped it with her paw. The block lit up, briefly displaying the time on a blue background before going dark again. Still curious, the Dalmatians both looked closer, when all of a sudden the device lit up and began emitting a strange ringing sound. Startled and feeling threatened, the dogs started growling and swatting at the block, with Pongo soon biting and shaking the gadget. Suddenly, they heard a high-pitched cry from the bench, and turned to see the redheaded man wide-awake and looking at them. "Hey, that's mine! Give it back!"
Pongo and Perdita looked up from their attack, both staring at him in surprise and Pongo dropping the device from his mouth. From nearby, they heard a female voice shout, "STOP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!" The pair turned their heads and saw a large, gray police horse racing their way, a look of determination on her face. The couple exchanged glances for a second, and then ran off back down the pathway. The horse chased after them, even as the human riding on her back obliviously fiddled with his metal block. Despite the spotted couple's head start, the horse was able to leap over their heads and land in front of them. "I SAID STOP!" the equine exclaimed. The Dalmatians skidded to a halt and, in a desperate move, ducked into the bushes where they had first awoken a short time earlier and disappeared from view.
The horse was caught off guard by their sudden evasion, and rushed into the foliage after them. She scanned the area and trawled through the brush with her hooves, but after several minutes her search remained fruitless. "Nothing, they must've made a break for it!" she said in exasperation before rushing off, imitating the sound of a police siren as she galloped away. Beneath a nearby bush, Pongo and Perdita held their breath until the sound of hooves and fake sirens faded, and then finally let out sighs of relief.
While still lying on the ground, Perdita nuzzled her mate, crying softly, "Pongo, what on Earth's happened to us?" Pongo licked her cheek compassionately, "I don't know Perdy, I just don't know." Pongo did his best to sound comforting, but his own uncertainty was clear from his tone of voice. Just then, there was a rattling sound from the nearby pathway, coupled with a female voice giggling. Pongo's ears perked up at the noise, and he curiously poked his head out of the shrubbery.
On the path, he saw a teenage Dalmatian pup with large, floppy ears and wearing two blue collars with an orange one in-between. She was riding around on an odd device, a sort of wooden board on wheels, doing all sorts of flips and jumps. During a particularly impressive trick, she shouted "BOW WOKKA WOW!" Pongo watched her in amazement, then turned his head and whispered, "Perdy, come look at this." Perdita did so, her eyes still slightly red from tears, and she too couldn't help but be impressed by the pup's coordination. The pup then rode off down the path, seemingly unaware of Pongo and Perdita's presence.
The two adult Dalmatian watched her depart in silence. Perdita was the first to speak, "I can't explain it, but she looks familiar somehow." Pongo nodded, "I think you're right, Darling," and then began moving in the direction the pup had gone. "Where are you going, Pongo?" Perdita asked of her mate. Pongo turned his head towards Perdita, "She's the only thing we've seen that even remotely looks familiar around here. Maybe she can help us, Perdy." Perdita thought his words over for a moment before nodding in agreement, "We'll have to be inconspicuous, we've already drawn enough attention to ourselves." Pongo nodded, and the pair then headed off after the pup, careful to stay in the bushes parallel to the pathway and safely out of sight.