This Heavy Heart

Get It Off Your Chest (Edited)

Ooh, things are getting pretty secretive as the party's getting ready! Poor Lou hasn't got a clue yet ...

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"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future."

Deepak Chopra

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Mopping the floor was a tedious job. Even more tedious if you have to do it for more than an hour. Lou sighed as he scrubbed back and forth, the early morning sun shining down on him. Technically, he didn't have to start cleaning this early but he wanted to anyway.

It was easier with fewer dolls around. No one staring at him rudely, no one pointing and laughing at him, and no one trying to steal his mop and bucket. Some dolls had tried ... once ... but the robot dog had snarled at them and sent them running as fast as they can away from it.

The blonde prototype glanced for a moment up at the metallic canine, who was sitting on the ground, watching him silently. Lou had wondered at the time why Sparky did that, but then came to the conclusion that it was all just part of his punishment.

Something was nagging at him though. What Ox had said earlier ... about Lucky Bat doing therapy sessions ... Lou would have scoffed at the very idea of therapy sessions in the past, but a lot of things (some of them very traumatic) had happened since then ... and the idea now was not as stupid as it seemed before.

Maybe if Lou explained some of his pain, it could help him to feel more relaxed, more ... at peace with himself. He looked in the direction of the centre of Uglyville, then back down at his mop ... then back towards the town centre. Lou sighed and then shrugged. He could go ... just for one session. Nothing better to do anyway.

The blonde then froze as a sudden thought came up in his mind. What about the robot dog? Lou looked up once again at the sitting dog, and had an idea.

"Um, excuse me? I was wondering if I could go into town?" Sparky turned his head around to look at Lou with a mingled expression of disbelief and curiosity. The prototype smiled shakily.

"To see Lucky Bat? On a ... friendly matter?" The dog growled quietly. Lou sighed and hung his head. "All right. Ox told me that Lucky Bat does therapy sessions and that I could go and see him about that if I wanted to. I suppose it was too much to expect you to let me go anywhere."

Sparky stopped growling, stared silently at him for a moment, and then rose to his paws. Lou looked surprised, with the tiniest hint of what could be a smile. The blonde prototype put down his mop next to his bucket, and then started walking in the direction of Lucky Bat's house, the robot dog by his side.

As Lou walked through the streets, he noticed the dolls in them staring at him and whispering to themselves. Lou was used to the usual snide looks, but today the expressions were ones of tension, anticipation, and curiosity. He also heard the words 'welcoming party' mentioned several times.

The disheveled doll rolled his eyes. Must be another new doll coming to town. Great, so great. The mess after those parties was usually enormous. Thanks a lot, Ox ... for nothing! Lou and Sparky turned a corner and came face to face with Lucky Bat's house. Lou knew where everyone's houses were by now, due to cleaning the streets a lot.

He took a deep breath, summoning every tiny bit of courage that he had ... and reached out his hand to knock on the door. Two knocks. There was silence for a few moments. Lou frowned. Sparky looked confused and whined a little. Then the blonde boy doll heard soft footsteps coming towards the door, and the familiar voice of Lucky Bat.

"I'm trying my best to find the perfect songs, UglyDog! You know how fussy the party boy is ..." The door opened slowly to reveal Lucky Bat, who had his phone to one of his ears. "Everything has to be just right for-" The uglydoll looked up at Lou, and did an abrupt double-take, putting his phone down immediately.

"Lou?!"

Lucky Bat flushed and smiled nervously at the prototype. "Er ... um, hi! What brings you to ... um ... my house?" Sorry that I interrupted your precious phone call with UglyDog, thought Lou sarcastically. He cleared his throat, somewhat anxiously.

"I hope that I'm not intruding on anything, but Ox told me that you do therapy sessions for dolls, correct?" Lucky Bat nodded, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Well, I was wondering if you could do one now ... with me? I just ... have some things to get off my chest that I've wanted to for a VERY long time ..." The ugly bat paused for a moment, and then smiled widely.

"Of course, come in, come in, Lou!" A nervous Lou slowly walked in, Lucky Bat quietly motioning him in. The bat doll then turned to Sparky. "Sparky, I'm afraid that you will have to wait outside." The robot dog whined a little but nodded and sat down on the road.

Lucky Bat lead Lou upstairs to his sitting room where Lou cautiously sat down on the couch, smiling at the softness of it. The bat took a seat next to the dirty doll, and couldn't help but grin at Lou's small smile. "Comfy, isn't it?" Lou instantly sat up straight at that statement, and tried to put on a calm and cool expression.

Lucky Bat bit back a laugh as he smiled reassuringly at the flushing Lou. Doesn't that boy know how to relax? "It's okay, Lou, relax ... there's nothing wrong with relaxing on a couch." Lou seemed to relax as the uglydoll said this. Lucky Bat placed his phone down on the table next to him as he looked at Lou.

"Now ... what's the matter, Lou?"

The screen of Lucky Bat's phone glowed, as did also the Bluetooth app.

The speaker option on UglyDog's still-running phone call also glowed, fully active.

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