Conundrum

It was almost two in the morning in the HTF village and everybody was asleep or away in the city. Everyone…except for Flippy. Ever since he found out about the two deaths at Meth's concert and kept having vague visions of his dream, he was slowly developing a case of insomnia. This wasn't the first time something like this has happened to Flippy, but for some reason, he just felt wary. It was like the world was trying to tell him that something ominous was watching him, stalking his every move. It was like a presence was following him…an evil one. Flippy was sweating at the moment, channel surfing to find some late night program or cheap porno movie that would help him survive the night. But nothing appeased his mind. Flippy drank a glass of water resting on his nightstand and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He sighed exasperatedly and flipped the channel one more time, stepping on a late night TV talk show.

"…and so here tonight, we have a guest who wants to discuss this sinister 'presence' that may be the cause of these accidents." said the talk show host.

"Thanks for having me David. And I appreciate you using the word sinister instead of supernatural or paranormal. We're not talking about ghosts or phantoms here."

"Well, now you can set the record straight."

"Okay. Well, I believe that there's a…force out there that controls how and when we die. It's like a feeling that is with us all the time everywhere we go. There's no real word to describe this force so many people, like me, simply call it Death itself."

"Wait a minute; you're saying I'm surrounded by Death everyday all the time?"

"Absolutely. See, this is what I'm trying to get people to understand; what to warn people about."

"I don't follow."

"Let's take the crash that happened at the HTF Theater. A person had a vision that the whole place would collapse and everyone inside would die gruesomely so he freaked out and dragged many of his friends outside to avoid their deaths and, just like in his vision, the theater collapsed."

"Just because an accident occurred at a local attraction site and a person had a dream or vision of it happening doesn't prove your claim."

"True, but what about the aftermath?"

"What aftermath?"

"All the survivors of the theater collapsing wound up dying a few months later in bizarre and random accidents."

"And the fact that these people are dead is proof that Death exists?"

"…Well, it's not the fact they died, but moreover how they all died. I mean, there were so many random, haphazard things that happened to them after the incident; none of it made sense. One was crushed by his own car in his garage; another was severed in half by a telephone pole. Hell, some woman had her breasts torn open by a jackhammer. You can't look at me with a straight face and say that that's normal. That's proof that there's something out there."

Flippy was intrigued by this talk show and couldn't take his eyes off the TV screen.

"People die all the time; this is just mere coincidences that took place after the incident. What makes you think that this explains your phenomenon?"

"Because these events forced people to question these 'coincidences'. And it makes you wonder if there's a way to face this force head on or even—"

"Are you listening to yourself right now? You're saying that we should be on guard everyday when we so much as leave the house?"

"Flippy…"

Flippy turned around after hearing an odd voice, but saw nothing and only felt a chilling breeze run through his fur.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. The only way we can survive nowadays is to look beneath the confinements of our world. In the end, no one can escape death…and today may be your day to die…"

It was approximately 2:07 p.m. and dozens of vehicles were traveling along a bridge that led to the country road and into the city. Everyone was heading into town to go sight-seeing and partying after the mayor built a whole supply of new buildings and tourist attractions, like the HTF Park and International Airport for example. The sun was shining and it was very hot on a day like today, but it was also the perfect day for adventure. That's why Flippy and his pals decided to go into the city for their own enjoyment. Right now, the van Flippy and his friends were driving in was blaring loudly. The music inside was this hardcore metal song that Meth had played two days ago at his concert. Sure, loud music is annoying, but when you have someone like T.J. and Flippy screeching the lyrics at the top of their lungs…it tends to be extremely vexing.

"Cherishiiiing, those feelings pleasuriiiiing!!!" sang Flippy.

"Cover meeeeee, unwanted clemen-caaaaaayy!!!" sang T.J.

Then both bears began to sing in unison:

"Scream till there's silence!"

"Scream while there's life left!"

"VAAAAAANISHIIIIIING!!!"

"Scream from the pleasure!"

"Unmask your desire!"

"PEEEERRRIIIISHIIIIINGG!!"

"God I love this song!! What's it called?" asked T.J.

"Gee, what are we doing right now T.J.?" asked Flippy.

"Um…screaming?"

"There ya go!"

"They named a song called 'Scream'?" asked Sherry.

"Finally! Someone made a song that explains what you gotta do to get someone's attention!" said Fally.

"Fally, your name's Fally and you smoke a pound of pot everyday. You already got enough attention as it is." said T.J.

Fally raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Who cares what it means?! We're going to the city baby! H-T-F!!"

"…I think all that smoke is getting to your head T.J." laughed Flippy.

"…Wait a second, what the fuck?!"

"What?" asked Sherry.

"How'd I know I was gonna say that?!" asked Flippy.

"Okay, nothing you said makes any sense at all Flippy."

"No, it's like déjà vu! After I said that, T.J.'s gonna say—"

"Says the schizophrenic bear who murders anyone when he flips out!"

"SEE?! I knew you were gonna say that!"

"Okay, Einstein. If you're so smart, then what's gonna happen next?" asked Fally.

"I'm gonna see my 'other' self in the rearview mirror and then we're gonna get stuck in traffic and then Fally's gonna smoke this huge bag of pot and nearly suffocate me."

"Uh-huh. Sure thing Flipster." chuckled T.J.

Flippy looked in the rearview mirror and screamed when he saw his inner demon laugh while holding a knife. Before his friends noticed, Flippy snatched the rearview mirror off and stuffed it into his mouth, gulping so hard he coughed afterwards.

"That's just freaky dude." said Fally.

Just like Flippy predicted, T.J. screeched the van to a halt and he was caught up in the middle of a massive traffic jam taking place on the bridge.

"Damnit."

T.J honked the horn twice and shouted out, "MOVE YOUR ASS!!" to the driver in the blue sedan in front of him. The driver merely replied by holding up his middle finger. Flippy started hyperventilating.

"This isn't happening. This cannot be happening again."

Suddenly, Flippy heard violent coughing from behind and had to roll down the window to clear the air inside the van. Fally just lit a massive joint and started smoking pot while they were still in the van, much to Sherry and Flippy's dislike.

"Damnit Fally, put that out!" demanded Sherry.

"What for?"

"There's a fuckin' cop car right next to us!"

Flippy hacked loudly and threw himself out of the van, coughing and holding his head with worry. Everything in his dream was coming true with each minute that passed…which meant the bridge was going to collapse and kill everyone…including T.J. and Sherry. And if his dream was exactly correct, Flippy's demon would come out as well and gut Fally to death. The only logical solution he figured out right now was to get as many people off the bridge as possible.

"We have to get off this bridge."

"What?" asked T.J.

"This bridge is gonna collapse! We're all gonna die; it's just like the dream I told you guys about!"

"Goddamnit, not this again! I told you that it was just a dream Flipster!"

"Not it's—GAH!! I don't have time to explain it to you! Just get out the van and go tell everyone to get off the bridge!"

"But Flip—"

"NOW!!!"

Flippy's friends had no clue as to why their war veteran was acting so strangely, but from the way he sounded, he had to be a little bit truthful. Either that or he was crazy. Flippy himself ran over to Meth's car and knocked on the window in order to get their attention.

"Hey, what's up Flip—?"

"Get out of the car! You're gonna die!"

"Nothing's wrong with the car. I already had people inspect it and there aren't any bombs in the engine or underneath the seats."

"It's not the damn car, it's the bridge! You have to get off the bridge now before that support beam gets knocked loose and crushes you and your band!"

Meth glanced onto the hood of his car and noticed that a few particles of dust landed on the windshield. He looked up and noticed that the support beam was shaking and on the verge of snapping out of its socket. He yelped and jumped out the car, with his band members following and ran off the bridge. With the first victims now safe from Death's design, it was time for someone else to lend a hand.

"Lumpy!! I need you to get everyone to get off the bridge before we all die!"

Lumpy stared blankly at Flippy. "What?"

"Get out the damn truck and guide everyone off the bridge!!"

"Okay."

Lumpy got out of his truck and ran over to a tanker full of diesel fuel, emptying the contents by turning on the faucet in the back. Flippy sighed and shut his eyes.

"Lumpy…"

"Yep?"

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Oh, I was just emptying this gas tank so the road would become slippery! That way, everyone can just glide down the bridge instead of walking."

"You fu—If there is so much as one spark that lands on the gas everything will be set of fire Lumpy!!"

Lumpy yelped and vigorously began to twist the knob counter-clockwise to cease the flow of the gas, but instead, he broke the knob off completely. Gas spewed everywhere by the gallons, dousing all the cars and pedestrians who got out of their cars to see what happened.

"Fuck this. I HAVE A BOMB BITCHES!!!" yelled Flippy, holding up two grenades.

Just the word "bomb" and the sight of a war veteran holding up two grenades was enough to make half the people on the bridge get out of their cars and run in the opposite direction, screaming hysterically and sliding on the fuel. Flippy on the other hand was calmly walking down the bridge with grenades in his hands. However, the support beam that was supposed to kill Meth and his band finally creaked loudly and collapsed onto his car, spraying glass and metal everywhere. Flippy screamed and sprinted his way off the bridge, joining all of the people who listened to his faux threat.

"Flippy, you need to calm down. Nothing's wrong with the bridge!"

"Why's no one listening to me?!!? I'm trying to tell you—"

Everyone gasped and shifted their heads towards the bridge when they saw something exploded and noticed the bridge was set ablaze due to the spilled gas, thanks to Lumpy. The people who had stayed on the bridge were screaming and trying to run off, only to be too little when the support beams and wires at the beginning of the bridge collapsed into a pile, creating a blockade for the remaining survivors. No one else would be able to get off alive…

"No…this can't be happening again…" moaned Flippy.

Flippy was panting and breathing so erratically that sweat was soaking his shirt and he was having trouble seeing. It was like he was convulsing while still standing.

"FUCK!!" shouted some young teenage deer.

"Oh my God." said his mother.

"Now watch—there's gonna be a train that slams into the bars and the bridge'll split in half!"

Everyone gazed at the bridge and, just as Flippy predicted, a train came out of the adjacent tunnel and derailed, toppling over and slamming into the metal bars holding the bridge up. But then, something that hadn't happened in Flippy's dream followed soon afterwards. A blue blur appeared several times throughout the train and everyone looked up to see something flying…

"Look up in the sky!! It's a bird!"

"It's a plane!"

"…Is that a brain?"

Splendid grumbled loudly and landed next to the survivors, with a bundle of train passengers in his hands. Giggles and Nak were there. So were Flaky and her father, as well as K-Zar. Even Lifty, Shifty, and their cousin Robbo were in his clutches, completely unharmed. All the people that were supposed to have died on the train as well as the bridge were both safe and sound, untouched by Death. Unfortunately, he couldn't rescue all of the passengers and some of the animals were still left inside the burning train.

"Are you people fucking retarded? I'm a flying blue squirrel!! How the hell do you confuse a fuckin' squirrel with a brain?!" shouted an irritated Splendid.

"You looked like a brain to me." said Lumpy.

Flippy stopped hyperventilating the moment he saw Splendid carrying over 40 passengers in his hands, all of whom were unscathed. Thanks to Flippy and Splendid's efforts, hundreds of lives had been saved…but another 200 or so were perishing on the bridge. Flippy was even more relieved because the sky hadn't changed color, his demon wasn't out killing everybody, and there was no hole with teeth in the ground. Maybe it was all in his head…

But if that was true, how come he knew what his friends would do and how come he knew the bridge was going to collapse and the train would crash?

"There's still more people on that bridge!"

"Don't worry! Splendid is here to save—"

Before splendid could finish, the bridge exploded and one end of it began to collapse, plunging hundreds of civilians and vehicles into the ravine. Everyone could clearly hear their blood-curdling shrieks as their fiery bodies fell to their deaths. There was nothing else Splendid could do to save them.

"…Ahhh…" said Splendid meekly.

Splendid turned around and began to walk away, casually whistling with his hands behind his back.

"Wait a minute; you're not supposed to be here! You died in that truck explosion when you drank all the gasoline!"

"What truck? I don't see anything." said Splendid.

"But you were—I was…the world was supposed to end and…T.J.—"

Flippy kept sweating and rambling incoherent phrases, acting more crazy than usual. Sherry, fed up with Flippy's annoying crazy talk slapped him in the face so he'd come back to reality.

"Shut up Flippy! The world's not gonna end! We're all fine and nothing bad is going to happen to us! Have you lost your goddamn mind?!"

Suddenly, Flippy felt a cold breeze run by his scalp and a truck dangling off the bridge exploded, flinging the tires in all sorts of directions. Two of the survivors were crushed by the tires and another was burned by a flamed piece of metal. Splendid managed to blow his icy breath on the pedestrian, but in the process he wound up freezing the animal to death. Lastly, the hubcap of a car flew into the sky and vertically came flying down like a Frisbee. It was Sherry's sorry luck that she was standing right in front of the circular piece of metal, which impaled her in the back of the skull and threw her body face-down to the street. Blood splattered all over T.J., Lumpy, Fally and Flippy and they all screamed. Toothy, in particular, screamed like a five year old girl.

They were all supposed to die in that crash and the world was supposed to end right then and there, but Flippy and Splendid intervened and Death's plan was knocked out of socket. But Flippy knew in his heart that Death wasn't gonna give up so easily, which is why Death made the truck explode that killed Sherry.

This wasn't gonna end anytime soon…