The Happy Universe
Who was he?
Tony, he was Tony.
Where was he?
He was cold.
Is that a place? Cold?
He was also lonely. Is that a place?
Should he be lonely? Wasn't there someone who should be here?
Paper, pencil... a sketchbook.
Where was she? Was she cold too? Shouldn't she be here?
Why was he lonely? Where was his friend?
Weren't there others? Where were they? Were they lonely too?
Cold. It's so very cold.
How long has It been? What time is it?
I don't know.
Tony tumbled onto the orange grass. He took a minute, lying there, trying to get his thoughts back in order.
"What happened?" he wondered, suddenly the memories came back. "Sketchbook, the note, Fridge, the Hucailluc, right!"
Suddenly he recalled his experience during the Hucailluc. Tony opened his eyes, he needed to find Sketchbook. He sat up, with some difficulty, it felt like his joints were frozen. He finally realized just how cold he was, a small layer of frost was on his fingers and clock hands, quickly melting in the warmth of the planet's sun. The brightness of his surroundings forced him to close his eyes once again.
"Shame on you!" said an unknown voice. "I know you're a fridge, and sometimes you forget, but they needed a fair warning!"
"Look, I'm sorry. I truly don't know how cold it is." said Fridge, apologetically. "It simply slipped my mind."
"I remind you over and over and still you forget!" the other voice huffed. "I haven't been this mad since one of my student's told me that there aren't planets inside the moon. Like he knew anything!"
"Oh, hush about your students, they're coming to."
Fridge had spotted Tony sitting up, and soon enough they heard a digital groan, signaling the Colin was returning to the land of the living as well.
"What about that poor sketchbook? She still out cold. Er, pun not intended." said the mystery voice.
"You should take them all inside and get some blankets. Maybe make some hot drinks or start a fire."
"Oh, and I suppose you're leaving?"
"I'm not going to be any help just sitting here am I? Besides, the others will probably want to know that we made it."
"Fine, fine. Say hi to Lamp for me, ok?"
"Sure."
Suddenly there was a loud bang, and tony's eyes flew open to see a few pink sparkles drifting down onto the grass.
"Glad to see your up!" A smiling orange face appeared in front of Tony, causing him to cry out in surprise.
"Don't worry friend, it's just me!" the smiling face laughed. "Tony right? I'm Universe, Fridge told me about you."
"What?" asked Tony, still a bit groggy.
"You seem a little dazed. How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Purple." replied Tony.
"Oh, what should I do? I know!" Universe exclaimed. "What's the time?"
"It's quarter to nine." said Tony, still not quite all there.
"Close enough." shrugged Universe.
"Ohhh, my head." groaned Colin. He was lying on his back, blinking.
Suddenly there was a scream. "The sky is red! We're all gonna die!" It was Yellow Guy.
"Keep it down, please!" muttered Colin angrily.
"Do not worry, small french fry child! The sky is always red here!" said universe, helping Yellow Guy to his feet. He took a moment to look Yellow Guy over. He was shivering violently.
"We should get inside." Universe said, quietly. "I'll carry the computer. Tony, can you carry the sketchbook?"
Hearing his friend's name finally snapped Tony fully back to reality.
"Where is she?" he asked, growing concerned.
"Over there." Universe pointed to a spot in the grass that had been just out of Tony's view. Tony gasped at what he saw.
Sketchbook was on her back in the grass, lying on her cover. Her eyes were closed, her face devoid of life. The only thing that proved she was still alive was her shuddering breath, which emitted a cloud of steam like on a cold winter's day.
Tony walked over and picked her up gently. Her pages were lined with frost and brittle to touch. He feared they might shatter if he wasn't careful. He turned to face Universe.
"Why?" It was all he could manage to say.
"I'll explain, but first, we have to get inside." he replied, his eyes filled with sympathy.
Tony sat on the couch, nursing a cup of tea. His eyes wandered over to Sketchbook on the coffee table, who was sitting on a hot water bottle. Her cover was flipped over her face, partly for warmth, and partly because Tony couldn't bear to see her in such a sad condition.
"Why?" he asked again.
The Universe, who had been sitting quietly on the couch next to him, sighed. "A Hucailluc, while a very quick and efficient way to travel long distances, comes with a price. During those few seconds of travel, the traveler is completely cut off from every other living thing in the universe. The more lonely a person gets, the colder they become. Fridge often forgets, because he's always cold. The cold also becomes more intense depending on the skill level of the one who performed the Hucailluc, and while Fridge is no amateur, he is by no means an expert."
He glanced over at Sketchbook. "She must have a lot of friends."
"Mmm." muttered Tony.
Universe clapped his hands. "All right, maybe we should get food to those who need it? You still have a long journey ahead of you."
Tony glanced up at the other members of his group. Colin was staring out of a window, no doubt contemplating what had just been said, as well as his own Hucailluc experience, but he was not the one Universe was referring to.
He glanced over at Yellow Guy, who had fallen asleep on his chair. Tony watched him thoughtfully.
"We should let him sleep," Tony decided. "We left pretty early this morning."
"Uh oh, I know that look." Universe shook his head, smiling. "You're getting attached."
"What?" Tony asked, confused. "That ridiculous, and you don't even know me, how would you know 'That look'."
"I've been around far longer than you, though it's been ages since I've taught. I've seen teachers come and go, and I've learned how to pick up on a few things." Universe smiled. "Let me lay it out for you. You teach a batch of students, and then hang around until, for better or for worse, the next batch comes along. Wash, rinse, and repeat. You never really get to know other teachers, or any of your students, because you are a clock, and it's in your nature to not waist time, which is what you deemed friendship; a waste of time."
"That seems about right," Tony replied. "It's not really my thing, to get attached."
"And yet, here you are." Universe pointed out. "Concerned about the well being of one of your students. So I ask you, what went differently this time around?"
Tony glanced over at Sketchbook, her breathing had become deeper, more restful. "I made a friend." he replied, simply.
Universe smiled once more. "Isn't that something."
Suddenly, a loud 'boom' thundered through the house, like someone had knocked on a large sheet of plastic. Yellow Guy and Sketchbook where startled awake, and Sketchbook lifted her cover off her face.
"What was that?" she asked, shakily.
Universe frowned. "Not something good."
Another boom echoed throughout the house.
"We need to go, now!" yelled Universe. "You! Computer! Show me the coordinates!"
Colin was too startled to object to being ordered around. He quickly brought up the coordinates and Universe studied them carefully.
"Okay," he said confidently. "I know where this is!"
A loud tearing sound resonated through the house and a large black rift appeared behind Colin. Colin screamed as several gloved hands reached through the rift and dragged him in.
"Don't touch meeeEEEEEE-" his digital cries were cut off as he was pulled into the oily blackness.
"Colin!" yelled Sketchbook, distressed at the violent disappearance of her friend. She jumped off of the table in an attempt to reach the rift, but Tony picked her up before she could go any further.
"We don't have time, I'm sorry." he whispered, attempting to console her.
"There's nothing you can do!" yelled Universe. He linked arms with Yellow Guy and Tony. "Everybody hold on tight!"
Universe grabbed a piece of nearby reality, and a piece from their destination appeared in this other hand, then he pulled them together, and let go.
Tony felt Sketchbook slip from his hands as he was once again flung into space and time.