The Playground Wars

Chapter Four

I need to figure out how to break the force field. Flippy wants to hide something from every toon, not just me. I begin to awe at the towering Goofy's Gag Shop, or what used to be it. It stands tall over the playground.

Again, I need to borrow something from Gary. I walk into the HQ, where I see him and Drake helping Crackers heal. I can't believe Drake is there actually helping someone, but that's not my focus right now.

"Gary," I say, "I need to use one of your fire cards." He replies to me with a shocked look.

"Oswald, that'll make a lot of noise, and Flippy's army, will be after us again," he says. His voice is soft this time, not like other times where it's rough. I plant an idea in my head.

"Okay," I say, enough to make me look innocent. I walk out of the HQ to Chloe. She is still looking at the snow wall.

"Chloe, I need you to act hurt," I tell her. She raises her brow.

"Why?" She replies.

"Don't you want to know what's behind that wall?" I ask. Hopefully it is enough to convince her.

There is a brief pause and then we start talking again. "Okay," she says firmly. I explain to her the basics of my plan. She'll act hurt and injured to attract Gary's attention, and I'll get the fired slip meanwhile.

"Ready?" I ask her. She nods.

"OWWW! Someone help me! Gary!" Chloe yells. I go hide behind the HQ. Chloe is stuck in the snow, and I see Gary coming to get her. I run to the inside the HQ, but I see Drake standing at the door. Oh god. I forgot about Drake.

"What did you do to Chloe?" he says, with his fists clenched.

"Uh....I...." I don't know what to say.

"I thought so," he says and he's about to punch me, but I kick him hard enough to bounce him back. He grabs my foot, and I fall to the icy ground. He punches my face, and I begin to get dizzy. I reply to his attack by pushing him back to the wall, but I'm not strong enough. He gives me another punch before I fall to the cold ground.

"You think you're so strong, huh?" he says to me. "Well, let's see about that," he says, but his voice is louder this time. He raises his fist in the air, but I give him one final punch to the jaw.

He is knocked back, and Gary's backpack is 3 feet away. I slowly open it and grab the fire card. Drake is still on the floor, so I walk out the door, leaving a small trail of blood behind me.

In my condition, I don't think it's safe to climb to the top of the gag shop. My face is bruised up, and I walk slowly. I put the fire card in my right pocket, and I begin to climb. I look back to see Gary waving to me, telling me to come down. Then I see Drake walk up to him, and they begin a conversation. They are probably talking about what happened. I turn my attention back to the climb. I finally reach on top of the tent where there is a hole that a ton went through. A safe held by a rope hovers over me.

I grab the safe and I pull myself slowly to the top of it. The surface is unbalanced so I quickly grab the rope and the safe drops. It falls on top of the ton. It makes sense that it would fall now, since this gag shop is old and abandoned.

The rope is tied to a wooden plank that kind of resembles a diving board. I climb slowly to the top of the plank, with my hands burning fast. It hurts so badly, but I need to reach the top. I hear the wood creak, and I try to ignore it. When I finally reach the top of the plank, I look down. Everyone but Crackers and Drake is waving at me to come down. I ignore them, for I must know what's behind the force field. Snow falls on my nose, and my feet begin to freeze. My hands get colder as I touch everything in sight.