Our story opens not on the barnyard, but in the woods outside of the barnyard. Our heroes are walking to some sort of cave, carrying a basket full of spare crops from the silo.
"Orson," Wade whined "Why are we carrying these baskets to this dark, scary cave?"
"It's that time of the month, Wade" Orson explained "We have to feed a monster that lives in this cave. It's called the Grungetta Beast"
"A monster?!" Wade shouted "RUN! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! THERE'S A MONSTER IN THAT CAVE!"
"Relax Wade," Orson told him "We are bringing these vegetables down to the cave to feed the monster so it won't crawl out of the cave and eat us"
"If it does, I hope it likes chicken" Lanolin pointed at Roy and chuckled.
"Very funny" Roy glared at Lanolin "Maybe it likes duck a'la'orange"
"Now I'm more scared" Wade stammered.
Soon, our main characters arrived at the very cave, that the Grungetta Beast was residing at.
"Are you sure, this is safe Orson?" Wade gulped.
"Probably not," said Orson "But we have to protect our fellow animals from being devoured by that monster"
"RARRRR!" a voice shouted from inside the cave.
"AAHHHH!" the animals shouted.
"Well, it's feeding time guys" said Orson "Who wants to be first?"
"I do!" Bo raised his hand "I wanna be first Orson! I wanna be first! Me! Me! Me! Pick me!"
"Okay Bo" said Orson "You're first"
"Alright!" Bo ran to the basket of crops.
Unfortunately, Bo accidentally grabbed Wade instead and threw him into the cave.
"AAAAHHH!" Wade shouted.
"Bo!" Orson gasped "You just fed Wade to the Grungetta Beast! He's gonna be eaten!"
"Oh well" Lanolin shrugged "At least we'll probably know if the monster likes poultry. So what're we gonna do today?"
"Lanolin!" Orson glared at Lanolin "We have to save Wade, we need him"
"Do we have to?" Lanolin angrily asked.
"Yes Lanolin, we do" said Orson "Come on guys"
"I hope that monster likes lamb chops" Roy said in his thoughts.
Orson, Roy, Lanolin, Bo, Booker and Sheldon went into the dark, scary cave looking for Wade. Luckily, Orson was carrying a flashlight that he brought with him in case something like this happened.
"A good pig scout is always prepared" Orson told the readers.
Orson and the others continued to search for Wade, but with no luck whatsoever.
"Uncle Wade!" Booker called out.
"Here ducky, here ducky" Roy called out.
"Here boy" Bo whistled for Wade.
The gang kept walking and saw a skeleton with a sign that said "TURN BACK WHILE YOU CAN"
"That sign and that skeleton must mean that we're getting close to Wade" said Orson.
"AAAARRRRGHHH!" someone screamed.
"Either that was Wade being extremely scared or the monster" Roy remarked.
Orson and the others ran and stepped into a shallow pond of water that reached their ankles. Orson lit up his flashlight again and saw someone.
"Howdy folks" said the person.
"AAAHHHH!" Roy, Booker, Sheldon and Bo shouted.
"It's okay guys" said Orson "It's just a dog"
Indeed it was a dog right in front of their faces. It was a Collie to be exact.
"What brings you young people down here?" asked the Collie.
"What're you doing down here?" Roy asked the dog "Didn't anyone tell you that a monster lives down here?"
"No monsters here" said the dog "Just little old me. My name's Lord Jefferson"
"Nice to meet you, Lord Jefferson" Orson shook the dog's hand "I'm Orson and these are my friends; Roy, Lanolin, Bo, Booker and Sheldon"
"Pleased to meet you sir" said Sheldon.
"So, you still haven't told us" said Roy "What're you doing down here in this cave?"
"Long time ago, I hid in this cave when my owners and I were on a picnic here in the woods" Lord Jefferson explained "Unfortunately, I got my tail pinned under this rock. I've been howling for help ever since, but no one's been able to hear me"
"Oh my" said Lanolin "He's the beast"
"Huh?" the guys said at the same time.
"It was him the whole time" Lanolin said "So, how long have you been in here?"
"Decades" said Jefferson "Luckily, someone's been throwing crops into this cave so I can survive. I tried to use the strength I had to push this giant rock off, but I'm not strong enough"
"Don't worry Lord Jefferson" Bo said "We'll get you out of here"
"Thank you my friends" said Lord Jefferson "After all, an apple a day is man's best friend. That reminds me, is that duck over there with you?"
The animals turned around and saw Wade quivering with fear in a corner.
"Leave me alone Mr. Monster" Wade shivered "I'll do anything"
"Wade, there was no monster" Lanolin said.
"Oh" said Wade "Well that's different"
Orson and the gang lifted the rock and Lord Jefferson was freed. Later, they took him back to the barnyard. They called the other animals for a meeting.
"Attention my fellow animals of US Acres" Orson said to the other animals "Me and my friends just found us a new member of the barnyard! Allow to me to introduce...The Grundgetta Beast!"
Lord Jefferson walked over to the other animals and chuckled right at them.
"AAAHHH!" they screamed.
"Now calm down, friends" Jefferson said to the scared animals "After all, haste makes applesauce"
"That's a good point" said a cow.
"My name's Lord Jefferson" the Collie introduced himself "It feels so good to be back and to be a member of your society. All my friends are gone, so I look at you and all I see are strangers. But a stranger is just a person with a different name"
Soon enough, Lord Jefferson started to win over the other animals with his wisdom's and sayings.
"Wow pop" Booker said to Orson "Lord Jefferson is so smart and wise"
"Yeah" Sheldon added "We are all loving him. He's so old and think of all the great stuff he's seen in his life"
"That's right, boys" Orson told his sons "Elderly people are very wise, experienced and all-knowing. And they know the right direction to take in life. We can learn a lot from him. That's where the real wisdom is"
"Gee Orson, I wish you were as wise as Lord Jefferson" Bo told his friend.
"That's a great idea, Bo" Orson said "To exploit the goodwill towards Lord Jefferson, I will make him my right hand man"
"But I'm your right hand man" Roy told Orson.
"Don't worry, Roy" Orson said "You'll still be my right hand man. Just when I could use you"
"Attention everyone!" Orson shouted to the other animals "I have an announcement to make! I am going to make Lord Jefferson part of the barnyard staff!"
All the animals cheered for this announcement. However, Lord Jefferson turned to Roy and made a smug look. Later that day, Orson was in the barn with Lord Jefferson, checking inventory on all of the crops and hay bales.
"Orson! Orson!" a duck ran up to Orson "I need your help!"
"What's up, Chuck?" Orson asked him.
"The farmer's wife isn't making any more bread" said Chuck "I want to figure out why, but I can't tell them that. What do I do?"
"Well Chuck," said Orson "I think you sho-"
"You know Chuck," Lord Jefferson interrupted Orson "Back in my day we always used to say this, 'An apple a day is man's best friend'"
"I know exactly what you mean, Lord Jefferson" said Chuck "Thanks"
As soon as Chuck left, Orson tried to reason with Lord Jefferson.
"Uh sir, I know you just got here, but I'm the one who has to help the animals" Orson said calmly.
"Oh sure thing Orson" said Lord Jefferson "Forgive me, I got carried away"
"Orson!" Cody ran to Orson "Orson I need your help!"
"Cody, what's going on?" Orson asked him.
"I buried my bone and I can't remember where I buried it" Cody explained "How am I going to find it?"
"Well Cody," said Orson "Maybe you should tr-"
Lord Jefferson interrupted Orson again "But you know Cody, back in my day we always said, 'You catch more flies with honey mustard than you do swinging a dead raccoon"
"Gee thanks Lord Jefferson" said Cody.
Soon enough, Lord Jefferson started to win over the other barn animals with his sayings and metaphors. This made Orson get annoyed and a bit irritated and it also made Roy, Wade, the chicks and the sheep feel the same way.
"Well I say that real life is when you chew on a truth biscuit and it tells you a witty anecdote" Lord Jefferson told the animals.
"Wow, that's amazing" said a cow "Right, Orson?"
"Listen Jefferson!" Orson told Lord Jefferson "I appreciate you trying to help me, but you have to let me do my job! I'm the leader around here!"
"No need to get your bacon in a wrap, Young Orson" Lord Jefferson said "This isn't a popularity contest...unless that's what you want!"
"What exactly are you talking about, old man?" Lanolin asked Jefferson.
"I'm talking about an election" said Lord Jefferson "Whoever wins becomes the boss!"
Orson thought for a moment and finally came to a conclusion "Well I can't refuse this challenge in front of my friends, so let's do it and see why I'm a great leader!"
"It's a deal!" Lord Jefferson grinned.
"Whoever loses must leave...forever!" Orson boldly said.
"Challenge accepted" Lord Jefferson said.
Orson and Lord Jefferson shook hands firmly, ready to do the election.
"Orson..." said Lanolin "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Don't worry guys, I will win the election and I will stay here and be leader!" Orson exclaimed "And you guys are going to help me!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author's Note:
Looks like this is Orson's biggest challenge yet! With Lord Jefferson's popularity with the other animals, Orson is bound to lose the election and leave the barnyard. Now only the help of his friends can help him keep his position! Will Orson win? Or will he be forced to leave? Stay tuned! In the meantime, let's get back to Garfield's place and see what he's doing.