Chapter 18

Oswald laid in the bed provided for him in a sectioned off part of the warehouse that had at one time been the Brown family's. He had a vague understanding of the movies but he didn't know they had had a cartoon. He turned to his side and looked at the room through the red glow of the emergency lights. He guessed he was in the main teen from the movie's bed, music notes for what he guessed should be a rock song were chalked onto the wall beside the bed now behind his back. Felix shared the next bed with Mickey, Oswald guessed it had belonged to the Brown's twins, and Oz and Mo slept in what must've been the doctor and his wife's bed. But what peaked Oswald's curiosity was the scribbles on paper tacked onto the walls. He knew in the movie the man had created a time machine and it looked like he was trying to figure how to build something impervious to thinner. The idea was crazy but the math was all correct. He wished he could work with the man but from what it sounded like, he was the one that led those that ran for their lives. Oswald felt he couldn't blame the man, he was a father himself and if he knew he couldn't take on an enemy infiltrating his home, he would make sure his family was safe.

His thoughts fell onto his wife, quickly picturing her in their bed at this hour, alone. He almost couldn't believe it was only yesterday they had slept in Ortensia's old home in Wasteland. At least there he had been able to call her. He reached up and found his phone amongst his weaponry and other pocket oddities, hitting the power button without hope. He was sure the battery had died yesterday so even if he could connect with some remaining cell tower, he still couldn't call home. Releasing the phone, he moved his arm back under the light blanket as he closed his eyes. All he could do was pray she wasn't too worried about him.

His exhaustion got the better of him and by the time he opened his eyes, the warehouse was lit by the white expanse that was outside. He realized motion within the crude hut he had slept in that night was what had woke him up as he watched Mickey stretch before getting out of the bed. Oswald rolled himself out of his bed and started collecting the stuff he had brought with him in his pockets.

His stomach let out a loud growl, reminding Oswald of the last meal he had eaten was the lunch yesterday. Noticing Mickey's glance he gave the mouse an apologetic smile, getting a smile in return. Oswald grabbed the Gremlin Gun still on the bed, putting it in his waistband, as he tried to tell his stomach not to expect any breakfast. The people here had lost a lot of their food in the infestation and he had come from a well fed, abet sometimes still struggling to do so, home. He had gone through the thirties, he could handle a day or two with little food. His stomach let out another growl as if in protest. Oswald let out a sigh and left the room, letting the sheet fall back as a door as he let it go.

The warehouse seemed quiet, only a few people out and about this early in the morning. He didn't feel comfortable not doing anything so he headed over to the first person he had seen. Finding someone that looked like a womanized queen bee, her red hair almost covering her wings, as she stopped a step away from a shelter he knew was now empty. He stepped over to her, realizing she had a similar body to Jessica Rabbit, and asked, "Excuse me, you think I could help around her before we leave?"

The queen bee turned and asked, "Do you know how to cook?"

"A bit," Oswald said with a shrug.

"Good, you're our chief this morning," the queen bee ordered, grabbing his arm to take him to the room he had noticed yesterday. Oswald quickly recovered his footing, silently glad he had practice feeding a large group.

-.-.-.-

"That was the last one," Princess What's-Her-Name said as she came back through to the small closet turned kitchen. The princess bee rested her elbows against the small counter space still available and looked up at him. "Thank you for helping. Cooking's one thing I never got a hand on."

"I have plenty of experience," Oswald admitted, scooping two more bowls of oatmeal. "Was that everyone from my group too? There's still some left overs."

"Yeah, Jim made sure they went through too," Princess said with a nod of her head. She raised herself back to full height and stepped over to a box hiding in the corner behind the cooler. She pulled out a reusable container and handed it to Oswald. "Will the rest fit in this?"

Oswald took the plastic and looked down at the large pot he had been scooping from. "Yeah, it'll fit. Thanks."

"Put it in the cooler and then come out and eat," the Princess said with a laugh. "I'm sure everyone out there can hear your stomach."

"Sure, after I clean up," Oswald said as he scooped out the bottom of the pot into the bowl. He put the lid on the bowl and put it in the cooler, worried it wouldn't be cool for much longer, only to be grabbed once again by the arm. He looked up in surprise to see the Princess's features stern.

"Clean up after, food is important," the Princess ordered.

"Alright, alright," Oswald said. He waited for her to let go of his arm before saying, "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," the Princess offered. "Because of how scarce food's becoming, a few toons have been starving themselves so others could eat. Jim had to start ordering everyone to eat and he had to keep track."

"Alright, I'll eat," Oswald said, giving her a smile. He grabbed both the bowls and handed her one. "Follow your own advice, here's yours."

The bee princess gave him a smile as she took the bowl. "Come on, there should be enough seats out there."

"You're just making sure I'll eat, aren't you?" Oswald joked with a laugh.

The Princess flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder before leading the way out of the room. Oswald checked the little camper stove to make sure he didn't leave the gas on before following her out, turning the small light off as he did.

They walked over to one of the many empty tables in what might have at one time been a board room for the warehouse's business. The tables and chairs were tight, reminding Oswald of a Navy ship's mess more than an improv-to cafeteria.

"Oswald, Princess!" Jim's voice called out, getting the two to turn to see where he sat with his still mostly full bowl with Felix, Woody, Mickey, and Sadie. "I hear I have you two to thank for breakfast today."

"Sorry it's not much," Oswald tried as he and the Princess sat on Mickey's free side.

"Where'd you learn to cook for a crowd?" Jim asked.

Sadie let out a snicker, quickly covering it up by taking a swig of her drink.

"At home," Oswald said, throwing the cat a glance. "Every day I feed a small army."

"Jim's gonna join us," Felix said, swiftly changing the subject as everyone turned to the cat. He looked at Oswald to catch the rabbit up. "He said before all of this happened they had found where it seemed the front line was."

Jim cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention before saying, "Yes. Princess, you talked to Marty before he left."

"Dr. Brown was working on a detection radar of sorts," the Princess said, a momentarily annoyed look flashed a crossed her face as she gave a look to Jim. She shifted her eyes to the rest as she continued. "This was a few days ago so they might already be past it, but they were heading to the old toon studios."

"That might slow them down," Woody pointed out. He looked at the Disney three and added, "It became a storage warehouse for old props after the sixties."

"Doesn't get taken care of, does it?" Oswald asked through a scoop of oatmeal as he remembered his own limited amount of props.

"Not as well as it should," Woody admitted, shaking his head. "They never got someone to do it and I just don't have the time." He let out a signature laugh as he added, "But at least these monsters will get rid of the mice problem."

"How far is the old studio from here?" Mickey asked.

"Only a few miles," Woody offered. "About the same as it was to get here."

"Then we should get going," Sadie pointed out.

"As soon as you finish eating," the Princess ordered, getting Oswald to notice most at the table still had food in their bowls.

"Who's gonna be in charge here?" Sadie asked.

"I haven't had the chance to ask her yet if she'd do it," Jim admitted. His eyes fell on the Princess and asked, "Princess, could you take care of these people?"

"I'd rather go in your place," the Princess said with a sly glance at Jim. A smile pulled on her face as she nodded her head. "Yeah, I'll take care of them."

"Hope Casper's doing alright back at home," Felix mumbled.