Chapter 4 – Of dreams and disorders

Wakko was fully aware that he was dreaming. Why else would he be flying? It wasn't like he was a bird; he felt more like a spirit. If he passed by anyone, they didn't see him. It was a great feeling. He could bug the people all he wanted, and no one would know it was him!

Suddenly, he heard someone scream. He turned around so sharply; he twisted his feet together. The scream sounded so familiar . . .

There it was again! It was closer this time. Wakko's ears perked up and tried to listen to further screaming.

Wouldn't you know it? He heard it yet again! Wakko flew to where the scream came from but the only thing he saw was an empty alley. He looked around for any trace of someone being there, but to no avail.

Wakko heard the scream again, and this time, it was right next to him! He looked around and noticed that he was no longer in an alley. He was in a corridor of some sort.

"What a weird dream this is!" he said to himself. He walked through the corridor towards a light in a room in front of him. That's when he heard voices from inside.

"Don't struggle, you'll miss the fun," said a deep, seductive woman's voice.

"I . . . I don't . . . wanna . . . !" shouted someone that sounded to Wakko to be only a child. "Stop! You're . . . making me . . . "

"Burn? That was the point. Boy, am I lucky. It's not every day I get to do this to a child star!" said the woman and a dark laughter followed.

Wakko shuddered. What was going on? Who was this woman? And what was she doing to that kid? Wakko continued to listen.

"Stop! I'm begging you! I'm only nine!!"

"The younger, the better! Now, shut up and let me do my job. It won't hurt. I promise I'll be gentle." The woman's dark chuckle made Wakko shudder again. What in the world was she doing?

"I won't let you! You're not gonna--" The child's voice was muffed.

"Shh . . . don't worry. I'll do all the work. You just lie there and enjoy."

Wakko could hear the child screaming for help and struggling to get out of the situation. He was beginning to get ideas about what was happening.

"No one can hear you, hottie. It's just you and me now. Don't even try to get away!"

"NOOOOO!!!!"

That was the last straw. Wakko barged into the room. At first he was going to attack the woman and save the child, but what he saw made him scream as well . . .

"I don't wanna!!!!!!" Wakko screamed out loud, making him wake up. He sat up sharply and panted. His heart was beating at maximum speed and he was bathed in sweat. No soon had he woken up when Yakko stormed into his room.

"You don't wanna what?" he said. "What's going on? Who's threatening you? Why is he here? How did he get in? And last but not least: why wasn't I informed?"

"It's okay, Yakko, I just had a nightmare," said Wakko. "A pretty weird one too, but it was scary!"

"Well, duh! It's a nightmare!" said Yakko. He sat down on Wakko bed. "Care to tell me about it?"

Wakko hesitated. "If I tell you, will you promise not to make fun of me?"

"Why would I make fun of you?" Yakko asked, puzzled.

"Here's the thing: I dreamt that I was a spirit. Then I heard someone scream. It sounded familiar, so I went to check it out. When I got there, I only saw an alley, but the minute I turned around, I was inside a house. I heard voices coming from a room, so I walked straight to it. There was a woman and a kid. I thought she was . . . " Wakko paused and took a deep breath. "I thought she was doing something really bad to him, so I went in the room. I only caught a glimpse of what was inside, but it made me scared stiff!"

"What was it?" Yakko asked.

Wakko gulped. He could feel blood stream up to his cheeks. He opened his mouth to say it, but it wouldn't come! "I . . . I . . . saw . . . a . . . "

"Yeah? You saw a . . . what now?" said Yakko.

"A . . . a woman . . . and . . . a . . . kid . . . " Wakko tried to talk, but he couldn't get the words to fit.

"I know that," said Yakko. "You already mentioned that. What did you see? What was going on in there?"

"I can't tell," Wakko finally managed to say. "I just can't. It's too freaky. I don't want to think about it."

"Then why did you begin?" said Yakko. "Now I'm curious!"

"Just wait," said Wakko. "I'm trying to find the right words. I'll tell you when I'm ready for it. I'm in too much of a shock right now."

"A terrifying, freaky, scary, weird and shocking dream," said Yakko. "Those are the best!"

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It had only been two mornings, but Dot somehow already felt a lot healthier than before. It was as if someone had flicked a switch on her, making her want to work out more. Plus, she had a backup plan if she'd fail. Nonetheless, it felt great to look better than just a few days before. Hello Nurse said it all the time, so it had to be true. She wouldn't lie about figure, being the hottest character of the show! Dot wanted to look just like her, no matter what the cost! She didn't care if Yakko or anyone else was against it!

She and Hello Nurse had gone to the gym again that morning, and Dot was so proud of herself because she was able to hold out for more than half an hour. She was getting there; she could feel it.

As Dot walked back to the tower, she felt an urge to eat something. But she knew that if she ate, her figure would fail. She just kept walking, ignoring the growling in her stomach. She was trying to get used to it, but it was too hard to ignore. Dot couldn't help but notice that if she passed anyone, they looked at her like she was some kind of monster. What was up with them? Hadn't they seen a toon before?

Dot walked straight to the tower and struggled to climb the ladder. Her muscles were a little less sore than the day before, so at least she could move by herself. Before she could open the door, however, a wind blew in her face, along with a very loud: "what?!". She scoffed, fixed hair and went inside. There stood Yakko with such a shocked and surprised face; it was as if someone had shot him in the head.

"What happened to you?" Dot asked him. He didn't reply. In fact, he didn't say a word. He just stood there with the same blank look on his face. Dot waved her hand right in front of his eyes but he still wouldn't even blink. She put her hands on her hips and said in a singsong voice: "Oh, Yakko! There's a little someone waiting for you outside!"

Yakko immediately snapped out of it. "Really? Who?"

"ME!" said Dot. Yakko's smile faded. "What was that all about? Why were you staring into midair?"

"Wakko stood there just now," said Yakko. His eyes widened again. "And he was telling me about this nightmare he had."

"Okay," said Dot. "What did the cute one dream about? Did he see his name in second place in the survey?"

"Don't be so cold," said Yakko. "It was much worse that that, believe me."

"Well then, what did he dream about?" Dot asked. Even if they were talking about Wakko, she was still interested in the nightmare.

"First, he dreamt that he was a spirit flying around, yadda, yadda," said Yakko. He clearly wanted to get to the worst part right away. "Then he was in a house and he heard voices."

"Oh, I get it," Dot interrupted. "He's going insane from all the attention. It's hard to be cute, I should know."

"As I was saying," Yakko continued, "the voices came from a room in front of him. He heard a woman and a kid talking. It sounded like the woman was doing something that the kid didn't want. Sheesh! I get the heebie-jeebies when I think about it!"

"Go on," said Dot.

"Wakko went inside when he had heard enough," said Yakko. "And he saw . . . "

"He saw . . . what?"

"He saw a woman wearing a black suit and she was all over a little boy," said Yakko. "At first, I told him that he should have enjoyed the sight. I mean, it was a tight leather suit!"

Dot sighed. "Get on with the dream!"

"Right," said Yakko. "The woman wasn't just . . . you know, being 'friendly' – she was abusing him. She was forcing herself on the poor guy!"

"What is a child molester doing in Wakko's dream?" said Dot. "And a female! That couldn't have been frightening."

"It was for Wakko," said Yakko and shrugged. "Mostly because he was the little kid."

"What?!" Dot shouted in the exact same volume Yakko had done moments before. Unlike him, however, she burst into laughter. "You've got to be kidding me! Wakko, the impossibly cute one, dreamt about a woman abusing him? What a sap!"

"It's not funny!" Dot heard Wakko himself say. She turned around and saw her other brother in front of her. He was looking at her straight in the eyes for the first time in days.

"It sure as heck is!" said Dot. Finally! She could yell at him for something stupid. "I know you have longings and desires, but this is just sick! You just don't dream about your first time with a child molester! And a female!" Dot laughed again. She was pleased to see Wakko's angry, red face.

"Stop making fun of me!" he said. "It was worse than you think! And she was scarier than any creepy guy you can think of!"

"Even Gacy?" Dot teased.

"Even Ga-- no, not Gacy, but everyone else!" Wakko exclaimed.

"You're so pathetic, Wakko," said Dot. "I can't wait to gossip this around the lot! I can see the headlines in 'Seen and heard': Wakko Warner wants to get it with a child molester! Are ya with me?" She went towards the door, heading out again.

Wakko growled as his eyes followed Dot until she was out of sight. He couldn't believe that this girl had once been his cute, sweet sister. He turned to his brother, who had more or less been pretty left out. "Yakko, there's something I have to say . . . "

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Dot skipped to the psychiatry office to see Hello Nurse yet again. She had a major story to tell! She couldn't help but smile to the thought of Wakko's dream. There was just something about it that made her chuckle. When she put her hand on the doorknob to the office, she was still giggling.

She stepped inside, ready to be greeted by the nurse's usual 'Hey cutie!' But that's not what she heard. Hello Nurse wasn't at her desk, so Dot just made herself comfortable on her chair. As she waited for the nurse to come in, she heard Scratchy talking on the phone. He sounded both angry and shocked.

"What are you saying? . . . You're absolutely sure? It could be that he was dreaming. . . . I don't believe this! Are you serious? . . . Well, are you serious about this manner, I mean!"

"He's quite the talker for a psychiatrist, isn't he?" said someone from behind Dot. She turned the chair to see Hello Nurse. She smiled. "I think one of his patients killed himself. He sounds that shocked!"

Dot laughed. "Who knows what makes old Scratchy so much out of his system?" Something clicked in her mind and she remembered why she was there in the first place. "Nurse, do I have news for you!"

"What do you mean?" said Hello Nurse. "Did someone compliment on how great you look?"

"I wish!" said Dot. "No, it's way better that that!"

And so, Dot told Hello Nurse about Wakko's dream: the spirit, the corridor, the voices, the kid and the woman. Dot laughed at what she had just said, but Hello Nurse didn't seem to find anything amusing about it. She just gasped and covered her mouth.

"Dot, that's not funny," she said. "I know you don't like the guy right now, but he just had one of the worst nightmares a child could ever have! Don't make fun of him! I don't think you'd like it if someone laughed at you if you had a dream like that."

Dot's smile faded. She had never thought of it that way. "I guess you're right. But still, you have to admit that it's a little bit funny."

"Maybe, but it's not worth making fun of," said Hello Nurse.

Dot scoffed and turned away from the nurse, only to see Scratchy. "Dot, may I have a word?" he said. He had calmed down a bit from the phone conversation, but instead of the shocked, angry look from before, he now had a worried face.

"Uh, sure?" Dot said, eying the nurse, who simply shrugged. Dot followed Scratchy to his office. When they were both there, Dot sat down on the patient chair. Scratchy looked at her and sighed.

"Dot, how have you been feeling for the past few days?" he asked. "From the day you saw the survey, I mean. Have there been any changes in your behaviour that you've noticed?"

"Nope, nothing wrong with me!" Dot said cheerily. "I'm totally fine! I feel healthier than ever, now that I've grown a whole new lifestyle! Why do you ask?"

"I notice that you've gotten very skinny very fast," Scratchy continued. "Don't mind me asking: is it possible that you have an eating disorder?"

Dot's eyes widened. How did Scratchy know? She faked a laugh. "Why? How'd you get that idea?"

"Like I said: you've gotten very skinny very fast," said Scratchy. "It all indicates that you've either been starving yourself, or something worse. You just don't become this skinny in three days, not even by going to the gym."

"Since when do you listen to gossip?" said Dot in an attempt to make it look like she was totally innocent.

"I don't," said Scratchy. "I listen to sincere voices and evidence. Just looking at you confirms me that you may be doing something that your body can't handle."

Wow. Scratchy wasn't called a psychiatrist for nothing! But Dot wasn't going to let him find out so easily. "Who are those 'sincere voices'? They could be lying for all you know."

"Not when those voices are your brothers'" Scratchy stated in a very serious tone.

"Say what?!" Dot exclaimed. She could feel anger rush in her veins. "You mean to tell me that my brothers told you I have an eating disorder? Why would they say that?"

"Yakko just called," said Scratchy. "I was talking to him when you came. He said that Wakko had told him that he had seen you . . . "

"Skip it Scratchy," said Dot. "Even if I didn't understand a word you just said, I've heard enough."

"Yakko asked me to take you for extra appointments to discuss this," said Scratchy. "He doesn't want to know that you're doing this to yourself. I'm all up for it. And since you're already here, why don't we start now?"

Dot gave the doctor such a cold look; she could have frozen him to death. "Extra appointments, you say? I don't think that's the case. I think Yakko doesn't want me to become cuter than Wakko. He's been on his side the whole time! That cheat!"

"Now, Dot," said Scratchy. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We both know that Yakko cares for you just as much as--"

"Oh, shut up!" said Dot. "You don't know what you're saying! Stop pretending to be a know-it-all and tell Yakko that I'm not taking any extra appointments. I'm going to be a hot toon, and I don't care if he says I shouldn't. For the record, I don't care if you tell me I shouldn't. I don't care if anyone tells me I shouldn't! Why can't I have a life like everyone else! You listen here, Scratchansniff! I've got a new life. And one of the best things about it is that it doesn't include my scummy, crummy, dummy brothers!"

"Dot! Listen to yourself!" said Scratchy. "You're quoting a musical!"

"So what if I am?" said Dot. She stood up sharply and walked out of the office. If she thought she had been angry when she saw the survey, it was nothing compared to how she was feeling now! Her blood was positively boiling, she was frowning so much; it hurt, she stomped out of the office, and her head was full of sadistic thoughts about her brothers. No one, except Hello Nurse, had supported her since the whole thing began. She had been certain that Wakko was too afraid to mention the bulimia, but he still did; only making her hate him even more! And now Yakko was preventing her from becoming cuter than Wakko. How selfish was that?

She marched the street, surprised that the concrete didn't crack. Ooh, was she going to give Yakko a piece of her mind! She climbed the ladder and when she had reached the balcony, she took a deep breath before kicking the door open.

"Damn you, Warner brothers!!" she screamed. In front of her were in fact the two brothers, and they were both shocked to see her that mad. Dot walked towards them, stomping threateningly in every step. "You!" She pointed at Wakko. "Wasn't winning that survey enough for you? Did you have to blurt out about my eating habits too?" She looked at Yakko. "And you! What's wrong with you, huh? I thought you cared for me! But you actually wanted to send me to Scratchy's to make me stop throwing up! You've never been on my side! It all comes together now! You were supporting Wakko this whole time!"

"Dot, will you cut it out!" Yakko yelled. Dot was surprised. Normally, Yakko didn't snap like that. "You're seven years old! Of course I don't want you to have bulimia! And why do you think Wakko told me about this? He had two reasons. First: he cares for you, and doesn't want you to do this! Second: you already hurt his feelings, so why shouldn't he?"

"Because he started it!" Dot yelled back. "He started all this when he won the survey!"

"Get over it, Dot!" Wakko exclaimed. "It was just a survey! It's not like it's the end of the world! And besides, I didn't make fun of you for ending up in second place, but you made fun of my dream! Do you know how much it hurt?"

"Yeah, about ten times less than the survey results!" Dot shrieked. "And your dream was funny, by the way! It was just a dream, for crying out loud!"

"Yes, well it was just a survey!"

"That's completely different! You know how sensitive I am about my looks!" Dot's rage was growing.

"You know how sensitive I am overall!"

"Oh, excuuuuuuuse me, mister cute one! I didn't know that was one of your strong points to make you so cute! What else? Your adorable red cap?"

"That's enough!" Yakko shouted. "I've had it with your endless arguing!"

"Look who's talking, mister Dot-can't-be-cuter-than-Wakko!" Dot couldn't stop! She had never been so angry towards her brothers, but it felt like they deserved it.

"That's not the case at all, Dot!" Dot could see Yakko's fury in his eyes. "I just don't want you to be a bulimic at seven years of age!"

"Oh, so it'd be better if I was older?"

"That's not what I meant! I don't ever want you to be a bulimic! And will you please stop giving Wakko such a hard time?"

"I don't think so!" Dot crossed her arms and turned away. "You're not the boss of me! I'm in charge of my life, not you!"

She didn't give Yakko a chance to reply. She pushed both him and Wakko out of her way and went straight to the bathroom. The boys were left behind, knowing what she was about to do.

There was a short silence between the brothers. Soon, though, Yakko pulled a stool to him and sat down, hiding his face in his palms. "I'm a terrible brother."

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Dot flushed the toilet while holding on to her stomach. Who would have thought that it hurt so much to have bulimia? Well, she didn't care. As long as she was getting skinnier, she was fine with it. She stood up and had a look at herself in the mirror yet again. She looked a tad better than just a week before. Working out until she went dizzy and throwing up was definitely worth it. Still, there was something missing . . .

"Of course!" Dot said to herself and snapped her fingers. "I need a bigger chest! I wonder how much a plastic surgery costs . . . "

A/N: Some lines were taken from "Chicago!" And for those of you who don't know, Gacy was a child molester who dressed himself up as a clown to lure little kids to him. One of the main reasons for why I fear clowns. You can never know what the man behind the make-up is like!