Chapter 25: No Way But Up?

"Like, that was great and all…but I just don't get it," Oakie said. "What did us going to the carnival have to do with proving that I'm a good human?"

The three of them had nice spoils from their trip: Lumpy had one of everything from the menu and wore a pair of hater shades he'd won in a raffle. Flaky had a balloon tied around her wrist and carried a pair of stuffed chicks in her arms. Oakie had a pink giant teddy bear, but it was a pity gift given to him when he broke down after riding the rollercoaster.

Oakie felt like Lumpy had forgotten his original plan somewhere along the line. He glanced around before removing the face mask in the moose's likeness; he had to pretend to be Lumpy's twin brother to not freak everyone out. Sadly, it still happened.

"Uh, big guy? Lumpy?" Oakie pressed, rapping on Flippy's door and knocking it down again. "Are you gonna explain, 'cause we're here."

"I don't think he hears you," Flaky chirped. Lumpy was staring off into space, blissfully drinking his soda. Oakie just shook his head and they went in.

"The little fella's asleep," Oakie noted. "What'd you say his name was again?"

"Flippy," Flaky once again answered. After a fun day at the carnival and a little soul searching, she'd come around and stopped treating Oakie as an invalid. If anything she learned he could be introspective and logical, all from the single rollercoaster ride they shared.

"Well…guess I'm safe for now," Oakie said, setting his prize down on the couch. The bear audibly snorted and stirred in his sleep.

Flaky stopped dead, dropping her chicks.

"I don't even know why I came back here. I should just get out while things are not violent," Oakie muttered, finally catching Lumpy's attention.

"What? No, no!" the moose cried, dropping his ice cream cone. He flung everything else in his arms into the kitchen. Miraculously, his food neatly landed upright on the countertop. "Don't go! You haven't seen my wedding yet!"

"Run that by me again?"

"G-G-Guys…?" Flaky choked out.

Lumpy reached behind himself and spawned a bucket of water. He dumped it over his head. "See?"

"No, not really. Your...oh. Your 'wetting'," Oakie realized. "Well, you just showed me. That means I can leave. Unless you have another one. I mean, dang it!"

One of Flippy's ears twitched. Flaky waved her arms wildly, about to collapse due to her wobbly knees. She couldn't even get words out.

"Aren't you normally red?" Oakie asked her. "What's got you all pink and pale?"

"GRRRRRR…"

Oakie gasped. He spun, staring down at Flippy.

That growl came from him. But…it didn't sound like him, he thought, backing away. He sounded like…

"Haw, haw, haw!"

"No…!"

Oakie stumbled over the couch, falling back and knocking a vase off the end table. The bear twitched at the resounding crash yet didn't wake, though he did growl louder in his sleep.

Oakie half-sat, half-leaned on the couch, clutching it tightly. How can…he sound like…the bear that attacked me last night? Maybe he does have a twin, and, and…the nice one just stepped out and left him here, because…

Oh, no. This is bad. This is so bad.

Lumpy scratched his head, wondering why his friends had gotten so serious and scared all of a sudden. He went over to the bear and lifted up one of his eyelids; a yellowish green-colored iris became visible and stared directly at Flaky. She thought she may've died and came back to life all within the span of a nanosecond.

He…flipped out in his sleep, she realized. Oakie rocketed to his feet, alarmed and confused.

"Wh-What in the—!?" he gasped. "Stop…! Get away from him!"

Lumpy shrugged and let the sleeping bear lie. But that was when Blooey wandered into the living room, yawning. The puppy went straight for his owner.

Shit, shit, shit—! Oakie panicked, seizing the sides of his head.

Blooey pawed at Flipqy, trying to rouse him so he could be fed. When that didn't work he wandered over to Lumpy, who was trying to sneak back into the kitchen to get his food.

"Oh, hi puppy!" Lumpy squealed. "Who's a good boy?!"

Oakie ran, making sure to scoop Flaky up (she was basically a statue by this point) as he bolted. He slipped on the ice cream cone Lumpy had dropped earlier and landed right on her quills.

"AAAGAHHHHHHHHHH!"

The whole neighborhood heard the scream. Every bird within a mile flew off its perch in a panic. In the echoing silence afterwards they all just stared at Flipqy, frozen.

Gingerly, Oakie unstuck himself from Flaky's quills. He was bleeding from dozens of little pinpricks but couldn't care less about the pain now. Flipqy remained undisturbed, though. It seemed like he was in another one of his deep sleeps.

Blooey sneezed. One of Flipqy's eyes flew open, then landed right on Oakie and pooled.

With a grin, the bear rose from the floor. To everyone's further shock and horror, Blooey underwent some sort of change as well. He jumped in front of his owner, teeth bared. The fur on the pup's back rose and one of his eyes went wide and manic.

Amused, Flipqy pet him on the head. "Good puppy," he uttered before pointing at Lumpy. "Sic 'em!"

Blooey launched through the air and latched onto Lumpy's arm, hanging on tight as the moose began flailing, screaming, and stumbling. Flaky ducked quickly to avoid his swinging arm, then turned to run. She gasped. Flipqy was in her face.

"BOO!" he spat.

"AAHHHOOOoooohhh…"

Flaky's eyes rolled back and she tipped over in a dead faint. Lumpy was still getting assaulted by a mini-fur missile, leaving Flipqy's only priority unguarded.

Oakie had turned into a human in headlights. Flipqy chuckled, cracking his neck as he stepped over Flaky's body.

"You…" Oakie said. "It's you."

Flipqy crept up, momentarily pausing to let Lumpy wildly lurch by. He licked his lips.

"You've got…oh, God. You've got some sort of…split personality dis—"

Flipqy pounced on his chest, knocking him backwards to the ground and wedging him between the couch and the table. The war veteran rifled around in his jacket before pulling out a switchblade.

…Flaky still has his other knife. I thought I might've been good for a moment, Oakie thought. He was petrified, in a dazed kind of terror. But when the blade reared back, something in him came to life.

"NO!"

Oakie quickly grabbed Flipqy's wrist. The length of his arm and the blade were close to equal, leaving the bear and human in a power struggle. Oakie fought to keep the point of the blade from inching ever so closer to his throat, thinking frantically. Lumpy was still running around screaming, flinging blood everywhere.

"FLAKY!" Oakie yelled. He tried using his other arm, but Flipqy stomped down on it hard.

CRACK!

"AGGGGGGH! FLAAA—KY!"

She snapped awake, leaning upright with her chest heaving. Oakie was on his back, trying to keep Flipqy from stabbing him in the throat.

"Wake up! Do something!" Oakie screamed, unable to see her. "Anything—I-I-I can't—"

Hyperventilating, she scooted back on her bottom. No. She couldn't go near Flippy when he was like that. This situation was the epitome of her greatest fear. She'd run, call the police, and…it'd be too late. But she didn't want to die again.

I'm sorry, but I can't help you! She thought, staggering up and away. The Book of the World grabbed her face.

It's me! Chill! The Book said, as she screamed bloody murder. Hurry up—get the quill! We can end this if you dig for a little courage!

"The-The—?"

It's in his pocket.

I know you have courage! But you're at least not the one he's focused on. You can do it if you HURRY.

Flaky faced around, shivering like crazy. Flipqy was still obviously toying around in his tug-of-war with Oakie.

She dropped to her front, shedding dandruff as she low crawled across the floor. She reached up and slipped a hand into Flipqy's jacket pocket. Empty. She wanted to turn to stone and never move again.

But she somehow managed to work up the courage to search his other pocket. Flipqy shifted forward suddenly. Oakie screamed again, sounding like he was choking. The bear had a foot on his throat.

Come on…! Flaky thought, reaching farther. She finally felt the feathery thing in her fingertips.

Flipqy casually grabbed her wrist with his other hand. There was an awkward pause where Flaky just sat frozen while he kept his back to her.

She cringed and began squealing through her teeth. He was starting to crush her wrist. In a swift movement he swung her overhead, slamming her back-first into his armchair. Her quills were rooted deep in the fabric and she couldn't right herself.

Flipqy clutched his stomach and laughed, finding the sight of her wiggling her little arms and legs hilarious. Oakie seized his dog tags and, doing what'd Flipqy had just done, swung the bear around several times before letting go. Flipqy slammed hard into the wall hard enough to leave an imprint.

Blooey growled, letting go of Lumpy's ribcage. The crazy puppy turned his attention to Oakie, who backed away saying, "No, nononoNO! Get back! Get back!"

Blooey leaped. Oakie pulled off his jacket and flung it, causing the puppy to become tangled up as he tumbled out the air. As Blooey snarled and rolled around blindly on the floor Flaky screamed, "Watch out!"

Oakie turned around swinging. Flipqy caught himself on the human's arm, swinging himself up and around to land on Oakie's shoulders, then put him in a headlock.

The Book of the World flew over to Flaky, urging, You've got the quill! Quick, write in me to get them separated somehow!

"H-He hurt my writing hand," she groaned. "I can't write upside down!"

Let me put it this way—either you tough it out or you're dead!

"Fla—ky!" Oakie gagged, stumbling around. "Help!"

What a mess! Poor Flaky took the Book of the World and went to a new page, anxious and suddenly filled with wonder. She'd been forced in a very scary position.

Um, what should I write?

Oakie threw himself back into the wall, slamming Flipqy against it several times until the bear released him. With a growl Flipqy seized Oakie's ears and pulled them hard.

Oh, just put the naughty boy in a cage! The Book said finally. She struggled to write that with her non-dominant hand and with the blood rushing to her head. She couldn't see what happened at first. She only heard Oakie give a huge gasp.

"HUNH?!" Flipqy uttered.

Flaky lowered the book. The naughty boy was in a four-by-four cage…that may not have been reinforced enough. Flipqy bent the bars apart and threw himself, snarling, at Oakie again.

Oh! Um, it needs to be a strong cage that can…hold a bear? Flaky wrote. Once she was done and heard Flipqy give another grunt of frustration she took a look, feeling a touch more confident. The new cage had replaced the old and was virtually identical. This time, Flipqy could pull, push, and gnaw on the bars all he wanted, but they held firm. She sighed in relief.

Now, make it to where all of you guy's injuries are healed, stat! The Book guided her. She forced back the pain, eager to see if it would really work. And it did. As soon as she dotted the sentence, her wrist simply stopped hurting.

"Wh…!" Oakie felt along his arms and body. "I—I'm better!"

Lumpy was too, even though he didn't notice at first since he was still cowering on top of the lamp.

"THAT'S what the Book can do? That IS amazing!" Oakie cried, ecstatic as he unstuck Flaky from the chair. "That's beyond amazing!"

Blooey broke free of the jacket. He charged for Oakie again, out for blood…

Frowning, Flaky jotted something down in the Book. Blooey froze midair, buffering a few seconds before a pet-crate popped into existence around him. Oakie caught the crate, holding it out at arm's length as Blooey pawed and gnashed his teeth at him. The human was speechless.

"…WOW," he said. "Just. Wow."

Okay, so here's what we gotta do, the Book of the World was saying a little later, We've just gotta wait for him to go back to normal. It's the best choice, 'cause any other option involves us opening that cage and I ain't sold on that. Okay?

"Yes, yes," Oakie and Flaky agreed readily.

Lumpy was trying to stick his finger in the bars of Flipqy's cage. "Big guy, get over here!" Oakie snapped. "Do you want to lose your hand? Even though, I guess we could always write it back to you. Hm. Wonder if I can get out of doing my taxes this year…"

It was clear that as long as Oakie was present, Flipqy didn't care about anyone else. He paid no attention to Lumpy poking him in the side of the head and sat there with a grin, watching Oakie's every move and gesture. Flaky got up and moved Lumpy away, though she got close herself. She felt safe with Flipqy in a cage and he acted as though she wasn't there.

Why is he so interested in him? Flaky wanted to know. …oh! He's wearing the flower I gave him earlier…

She leaned in, peering close to double check.

THUD. "GRAAAAUUGHHH!"

Flipqy lunged against the side of the cage, roaring at her. She crumpled into a blubbering heap. "Haw, haw, haw!" he laughed.

Oakie rubbed his arms, blowing his bangs up. "Okay," he said to the Book. "So, he has PTSD, and some other things going on…this is why he's like this? I never would've known if…"

Well, good thing I was here or else you would've taken that knowledge to the grave. The Book responded.

"Well, why can't you guys just fix him? You can't tell me I'm the first to think of that idea."

Don't worry, you aren't. But it didn't work when we tried. Something greater is keeping me from fixing any of these animals' uh, recurrent issues. He's not the only one.

"With what, PTSD?"

No! With mental or physical afflictions! For whatever reason it's beyond my power to fix things like that.

"What happens if you try, then?"

Oh…well, I don't wanna talk about it, the Book said, oblivious as Oakie held it in one hand. All I can say is that we aren't eager to try that again until we get the green light. From who or where it comes from, I don't know. But—what—?!

Oakie had picked up the quill and was writing in the Book: I wish that the little fella could be cured of ALL his issues.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The Book cried. This is gonna hurt!

The words stuck on the page. They didn't crack or crumble.

And the words silently and seamlessly faded away. Oakie tilted his head. The Book stayed quiet, deeply startled.

"…huh?" Flippy uttered.

Flaky sat up, shocked. He was looking at her through the bars of the cage in confusion.

"Are you okay?" he asked, scratching his head. "Wha happened?"

"Hey! Did it work?" Oakie asked the Book.

It…maybe? Unscrew the light bulb from the lamp and don't let him see you.

Oakie did. When the Book prompted him to smash the bulb on the floor, Flippy recoiled violently with a flinch. Even though he was still in the cage Flaky quickly scooted away.

But nothing happened. In fact, Flippy hadn't felt a lick of panic. His heart wasn't racing. It had just been another normal sound. He felt like he knew what had already happened and faced the Book of the World with a huge smile.

I can't believe it, it said to him, unlocking the top part of the cage. It worked. This human wrote in me, and…you're good. For some reason, it worked.

"Really?" Flippy squealed, delighted. He hopped out of the cage, wiggling his ears.

"Huh? Oh, I guess so, huh?" Oakie remarked, putting his hands in his pockets. "The next thing we should do is make your pup match you next. What do you say?"

"Yay!"

Flippy gathered his three friends up in his arms, grinning. This had to have been the best day of his life.