Chapter 94: Josh:
Angelica's POV:
It's so good to be me. I'm making everyone else dig a moat around my castle. Okay, so it's a jungle gym that I'm pretending to be a castle, but who cares? They do whatever I say!
"Why do we do whatever she says again," asks Dil.
"I have no idea," says Kimi.
"Looks like you guys are having fun," says this new kid, "I'm Josh."
"I'm Tommy, this is my brother Dil, Chuckie, his sister, Kimi, and the twins, Phil and Lil."
"A trio of siblings," says Josh, "hey, would you rather dig for her or come and play with me?"
"Like they're really gonna-"
They all leave with Josh. Oh well, who needs them?
Tommy's POV:
It's great that we don't have to worry about being bossed around by Angelica and I know we're going to have fun with our new friend, Josh.
"No more Angelica telling us what to do," says Phil.
"Or taking away our toys," says Lil.
"Or making us drink from the potty," says Phil.
"Phillip, that was your idea," says Lil.
"Oh, yeah," says Phil.
"So, babies, what do you wanna do," asks Josh.
"We gets to decide," asks Kimi.
"Sure, Bucket, fair is fair," says Josh.
"This is the best," says Kimi, "I'm sorry, did you just call me 'bucket'?"
. . .
We then ran to the tire swings. Josh got on one, but then it stops. "Do you think you could give me a little push? My swing stopped."
"Sure," I said.
We then all started pushing the swing.
"Whee! Whee! You guys are doing a great job," says Josh.
"Josh is the greatest," says Dil.
"Don't stop pushing now, I'm just getting going," says Josh.
"Hey, Josh, can I have a turn on the swing," I asked.
Josh then stops. "You want a turn," asks Josh.
"Uh-huh," I said.
"But, Tommy, swinging on the swing was my idea. It wouldn't be very fair if you took it away from me, would it?"
"UUUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhh, but I just meant-"
"C'mon, Tommy, fair is fair. Now push."
Angelica's POV:
"Can you believe that, Cynthia? They're pushing him on that swing! That never did that for me!"
Kimi's POV:
Tommy and Dil's Mommy made chocolate chip cookies. The best! Josh then takes the cookies.
"I got a better snack for ya," says Josh, "here's a lollipop. Go ahead, you guys can share it."
"You want us to lick one lollipop," I asked.
"It's not the worst I've done," says Dil.
"But, Josh, I don't want a lollipop; I want a cookie," I said.
"You want a cookie," asks Josh.
"Uh-huh," I said.
"Well, that's not very fair," says Josh.
"It's not," asks Tommy.
"No. See, Tommy, I'm a bigger kid than you, right," asks Josh.
"Yeah," I said.
"And a big kid like me needs all the cookies," says Josh.
"Really," asks Tommy.
"I'm afraid so, Tommy. Fair is fair," says Josh.
Angelica's POV:
"Look at that, Cynthia! Now they're giving him their cookies, and he's not even sitting on them!"
Chuckie's POV:
So, you might have noticed something wrong about this. First, he won't let anyone else have a turn on the swing and second, he takes our cookies. I'm seeing a pat... wait, what did Dil mean when he said he's done worst then licking the same lollipop as everyone else?
"Okay, babies, time to play a new game," says Josh.
"Let's play astrobat," says Tommy.
"Wait a minute, Tommy. Maybe everyone doesn't want to play that. We gotta be fair, you know," says Josh.
"Okay," says Tommy.
"Some people here might wanna play sand adventure," says Josh.
"How do you play that," asks Lil.
"You just dig a circle around the castle-I mean, jungle gym and... fill it with water," says Josh.
"That sounds a lot like digging a moat," says Tommy.
"A moat?! Oh, no, Tommy, this is sand adventure. It's way different from digging a moat," says Josh.
"Sounds a lot like digging a moat to me, too," says Phil.
"Uh-uh. You babies are just too little to see the difference," says Josh.
"Well, sand adventure is probably a fun game, but I'd rather play astrobat," says Tommy.
"What're you saying, Tommy," asks Josh.
"Well, I just thought we could play astrobat," I said.
"Look, I decided that we wanna play sand adventure," says Josh. He then pokes Tommy on the nose. "And that's what we're gonna play."
"Don't make him mad, Tommy. He's awful big," I said, while hiding behind Tommy.
"OOOOooookkkkaaaayyyy, I'm starting to think Josh isn't as nice as he led us to believe," says Dil.
"I know," says Kimi.
"But what about playing fair," asks Tommy.
"Tommy. I don't think you understand about this fair stuff," says Josh.
"I don't," I asked.
"See? You don't decide what's fair. There's something else we use to decide what's fair-something very easy to understand. D'you know what it is," asks Josh.
"UUUUUUUUUmmmmmmmmm, no," says Tommy.
"THIS!" Josh makes his hand into a fist. "Now, do any of the rest of you still want to play something else?" We all decide no. "That's better. NOW DIG, ALL O' YA! Fair is fair!"
Angelica's POV:
"I can't believe it, Cynthia! Now they're digging a moat for him! What's next, a swimming pool?!"
Dil's POV:
We've been digging for Josh and so far, the only thing we had was sadness... but I did dig up that Elvis guy that Daddy's been talking about.
"I hope none of you kids tell anyone about my sacred underground kingdom," says Elvis.
"You guys, what are we gonna do," asks Tommy.
"I never thought I'd say this, but... I miss Angelica," says Chuckie.
"I miss Angelica, too. I miss the way she yelled at us," says Lil.
"I miss the way she put sand in our diapers," says Phil.
"And I miss..." Kimi tries to think of something.
"I miss that she's not Josh," I said.
"OOOOOOOOOooooooooohhhhhhhhh, I like that," says Kimi, "can I use that too?"
"You guys stay here," says Tommy, "I'll go for help!"
"But what if Josh finds out," asks Chuckie.
"I don't care," says Tommy, "if we don't do something, we're gonna be stuck with Josh forever! Dil, cover for me!"
Tommy then sneaks away. "Boy, this sure is hard work, Tommy, who is really there," I lied. Somehow, Josh believed it.
Angelica's POV:
"Angelica," says Tommy, "you gotta help us!"
"What do you want," I asked.
"Listen, Angelica!"
"What's the matter, happy boy? Tired of your new friend already?"
"We made a big mistake."
"Really!"
"Josh is even worser than you!"
"What?"
"He's real mean to us. He bosses us around and makes us push him on the swing and take our cookies and makes us dig moats for him!"
"Who does he think he is, me?!"
"So are you gonna help us?"
"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"But we need you!"
"I needed you before to dig my moat, and did you help me?"
"But..."
"Let this be a lesson to you, Tommy! Next time, look before you peek."
"Angelica, please!"
I just ignored him. Tommy then leaves.
Tommy's POV:
I came back, but Josh saw me. "Where've you been, baldy boy," asks Josh.
"UUUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhh, I just went for a walk," I said.
"Did I tell you that you could go for a walk," asks Josh, "DID I?!"
"No," I said.
"I didn't think so. Now, listen: there's been some talk floating around that maybe some of you kids aren't happy with the way I do business. So, if anyone has any complaints, any problems at all... speak up now." We were too scared to answer. "C'mon, anyone? ANYONE?! How 'bout you, Chuckie? You got something to say? Phil? Lil? Kimi? Dil? So, everyone's perfectly happy here, right? No more complaints. Well, in that case, you'll all be happy to join me in a little game I call... Pillow."
"UUUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhh, what do we gotta do?"
"Oh, it's simple," says Josh.
. . .
We're all lying on the ground. "All you gotta do is lie down here in the sandbox. That's perfect. Now don't move."
"I like pillows," says Chuckie.
"Is this the whole game," asks Lil.
"Don't worry. You'll see," says Josh. He then gets on a swing. Josh pushes himself to swing, he swings as high as he can.
"UUUUUUUUUhhhhhhhhh, Josh, you're not gonna try to jump over us, are you," I asked.
"No, I wouldn't want to try to jump over you," says Josh, "I'm gonna jump ON you!"
We were scared and Josh had this evil laugh. Then he was hit with a water balloon.
"The next one won't miss," says Angelica.
"Angelica," we all said.
"That's my name; don't wear it out," says Angelica.
"Hey, what's the big idea," asks Josh.
"I'm the big idea! And I say quit messing with this kids! They don't have to be bossed around by you or anybody else," says Angelica, "c'mon, get up off the ground, dummies!"
We're about to.
"GET BACK DOWN THERE!" We get back down. "This is none of your business! They're mine now!"
"This caterpult says different," says Angelica. She gets out another water balloon.
"Wait a sec. What do you want with a bunch of dumb kids anyway," asks Josh.
"They may be a bunch of dumb kids, but they're my dumb kids. Now get up!"
"Tell you what: I'll make you deal. We'll split the babies, 50-50."
"Hmmm... Who gets the heads?"
Josh is now uncomfortable with that. "UUUUUUUUUmmmmmmmmm... no," says Josh, "I mean, you take three kids and I'll take three kids. Couldn't be more fair than that."
"I have a better idea," says Angelica. She then pushes Josh to the ground and he runs away crying.
Angelica's POV:
Tommy and the others are digging my moat again and everything's back to normal.
"Hey, wait, why am I digging," asks Elvis, "I'm a grown man... in fact, I've been around for a long time."
"Just keep digging, Mr. Elvis," I said.
"Sure you kids don't want a third option," asks Elvis.
AGU Adventurers' POV:
Angelica: Two hundred days and counting, I know
You're my favorite still
When I say I won't, tell myself I don't
But I always will
Feel the way I feel
You have time to heal, I got time to kill
Play in my mind like I rehearsed it
I know I should repurpose
Ain't no faking hurt like this, nah
You carry her and all I carry are burdens
Time for me ain't working
I know heartbreak ain't perfect but
Is it fair that you moved on?
'Cause I swear that I haven't
Is it right that you've grown
And I'm still stuck in habits?
'Cause I'm finding it strange
That you're better than average
Hearts didn't break down the middle
Tell me, how did that happen?
Ooh, ooh
Ooh (AGU Adventurers: yeah), yeah
Ooh, ooh
Ooh
(AGU Adventurers: Baby, baby)
Baby
If we could trade places
So, you'd feel betrayed and
And I can feel shameless
I carry all of the weight
And you get all of the gains
I can't take all the ways that she might touch you
'Cause it plays in my mind like I rehearsed it
I know I should repurpose
Ain't no faking hurt like this, nah
You carry her and all I carry are burdens
Time for me ain't working
I know heartbreak ain't perfect but
Is it fair that you moved on? (AGU Adventurers: No fair)
'Cause I swear that I haven't (AGU Adventurers: ooh)
Is it right that you've grown
And I'm still stuck in habits?
'Cause I'm finding it strange
That you're better than average
Hearts didn't break down the middle
Tell me, how did that happen?
Ooh, ooh
Ooh (AGU Adventurers: yeah), yeah
Ooh, ooh
Ooh
(AGU Adventurers: Baby, baby!)
In the next chapter, Angelica becomes a werewolf.