The Zootopia Police Department was cloaked in an eerie silence now that the day had turned into the night. The dimly lit hallways of the precinct echoed with the occasional creaking and rustling of papers. Benjamin Clawhauser had just wrapped up his shift of the usual duties at his desk and was heading towards the breakroom. He believed that no one else was in there at the moment, and the precinct's occupying officers seemed to be busy with their other tasks or finishing reports for the chief.
As the portly cheetah approached the breakroom, his keen ears caught a faint, unsettling noise that seemed very close to where he was at that moment. He paused briefly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, the faint, whispering voices of the night seeming as if they were growing louder with passing time. He couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't alone on his way to the breakroom. The feeling that things weren't quite right right then and there that made him become uncertain.
A shiver ran down his spine as he inched closer and closer to the breakroom door. The ceiling lights that continuously glowed throughout the day started to flicker for a short spell in a manner that created eerie, elongated shadows on the walls, and Clawhauser's imagination ran wild.
Perhaps it was just the fact that it was Halloween, with the entirety of Zootopia decorated and ready to welcome in the arrival of the spooky season, but he couldn't help but think that something sinister lurked in the darkness.
With a trembling paw, he reached for the doorknob and pushed the door open. The breakroom was dimly lit, the Halloween decorations casting eerie shapes on the walls. His heart pounded in his chest as he gradually began to step inside, his senses remaining heightened.
While he slowly scanned the small and plain room, his eyes fell upon a sight he wished not to see. A loud and sudden gasp escaped his lips before he let out an ear-piercing scream that was clearly heard throughout the main hallway of the ZPD.
Judy Hopps, who had been nearby, instantly was the first to hear him and make her way over with concern. Her voice tinged with concern and her ears perked, she said, "Nick, did you hear that? Something's not right."
Nick, who quite naturally was following directly behind the doe, responded, "Yeah, you're right, Carrots."
Inside the breakroom only a few short steps from the doorway that led back to the hallway, Clawhauser remained frozen like a statue. His eyes wide with terror and his paws now on his cheeks. Judy and Nick hurriedly appeared behind him, wondering what was the matter to cause him to utter such an alarming scream.
Judy, her voice stern, demanded, "Clawhauser, what's going on?"
The spotted feline held a paw, shaking like a leaf, out in front of him and pointed at the table. "I... I thought I... I could've sworn I heard something on my here, and when I opened the door, it was..."
Nick peered at the table and raised an eyebrow. "It was what, Benjamin?"
Clawhauser's started to stammer as he revealed the source of his sudden surge of fear and brought it to light. "It was... the last Halloween doughnut... it's gone!"
The fox and rabbit standing behind him exchanged bewildered glances, several other officers around the precinct looking over towards where the three were standing as they walked from one spot to the other carrying on with what they were doing.
Nick and Judy looked inside and saw Fangmeyer, who had been busy munching on the last remnants of sprinkles from the doughnut. The tiger officer grinned sheepishly as he put his paws behind his back and looked back towards them. "Oops, sorry, guys," he said. "I was just hungry and went to grab something real quick, and I guess I thought there were more of those in there."
Now that the tension was gone from the situation, Nick broke the temporary Pango of silence with a chuckle as he looked over at the cheetah. "Oh, Ben," he remarked, "you scared us half to death for a second."
"Well, this isn't a big deal, Clawhauser," chimed in Judy. "All we gotta do is make sure we get more of those, right? We'll just get an extra dozen."
Clawhauser's eyes widened as he heard Judy's suggestion to get another fresh box of them. He shook his head, a deep frown crossing his face. "Oh, Judy, you don't understand," he replied. "Those were the limited edition Halloween doughnuts from The Big Donut. They only make them once a year for only a couple days, and I'm pretty sure this is the last day they made them." He let out a heavy sigh and sagged his head. "I didn't even get to try one of the jack-o'lantern ones with the orange icing and the cute little sprinkles on the top."
His disappointment was palpable as he described how the tasty treat looked, and Judy couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. She knew how much Clawhauser had been looking forward to savoring those special treats.
Nick, with a sly grin, leaned in and whispered to Judy, "Carrots, you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Judy nodded, her eyes gleaming with mischief. She turned to Clawhauser, her tone conspiratorial. "Don't you worry, Benjamin. Nick and I have a plan. Tomorrow, we're going to The Big Donut and getting you some more of those so you can try them."
"How are you going to do that?" Clawhauser inquired despondently. "It's the last day to get them and they closed up for today. Tomorrow it'll just be all the normal ones again."
"Listen, Ben," Nick intervened. "You now how I know everybody? Well, let's just say that includes a good friend of mine that knows the mammal in charge of that fine establishment. I'll get in touch and see what I can do, and if it all works out, I can get them to do a special order for a whole box of those jack-o'lantern doughnuts you were talking about."
The sad look on his face fading away, Benjamin responded, "Even though it'd be out of their season?"
Nick nodded. "Yep. How does that sound?"
Clawhauser's eyes lit up with delight. "You guys would do that for me? Oh, you two are the best!"
Nick patted Clawhauser on the back. "Consider it a thank-you for keeping the precinct lively, Clawhauser."
Clawhauser's spirits were lifted, and the breakroom once again filled with laughter and camaraderie. Although it seemed a bit bleak for him just then, he knew for a fact that his friends at the precinct had his back, and they'd make sure he got to enjoy those treats he was eager about no matter what.
Author's Note: Hey there, everyone!
Well, I originally hoped to write something that was much scarier and I ended up churning out this silly little story instead. XD
The concept came to mind when I wanted to make something that a had a buildup of sorts that ultimately led to something a lot sillier and completely unanticipated. Also, I really wanted to write something centered around Clawhauser and this was the result of that. :)
As always, let me know what your thoughts are on this. Your feedback, whether good or bad, is gladly appreciated.
'Til next time! :)