I Started a Joke

Chapter 3

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Hickory dickory dock.

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck one.

The mouse went down.

Hickory dickory dock.

Come on now. I've been singing nursery rhymes in my head for the past hour. These henchmen must not value their lives. My but is starting to hurt and my legs are falling asleep from being cramped in here for so long. This cabinet is not a comfortable hiding place. The longer it takes them to find me the more trigger-happy Papa is going to get. I've already heard three ear-piercing screams. Papa must be in a deviously vengeful mood if those men have the time to scream. A headshot usually takes them out quickly. No muss, no fuss. If I can hear them screaming , Papa must be shooting them in the kneecaps, killing them slowly. From the three screams I can surmise that four meatballs are left out of the seven we started our game with.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Hickory dickory dock.

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck two.

The mouse went boo.

Hickory dickory dock.

Oh, there goes another one. I heard another ear-splitting scream. That makes four dead. Now, wait for it....And there's Papa's wild laugh. He sure is having fun. I'm glad my presence doesn't annoy him anymore. I can't stand it when people don't love me. I'm too cute not to be adored.

I wonder what presents I'll get tonight. Papa and Mama both said they had something special to give me. Maybe they got me my own unique costume. I can't decide is I would prefer a harlequin outfit like Mama or a ballerina one. On one hand Mama would be thrilled that I'm taking after her. On the other hand, I don't want to be a full-out copycat. Lucy Quinn should have her own gig to wow the crowd. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Hickory dickory dot.

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck three.

The mouse went whee.

Hickory dickory dock.

This is just ridiculous. I've sung the entire rhyme at least five time already. This version of hide and seek isn't as fun as the other one Papa likes playing. This time Papa wanted to send the boys out on a goose chase to find me instead of seeking them himself. I like hide and seek better when Papa and I are teamed up scoping out the henchmen. When we play that version Papa lets me direct him on where to go. If I find a henchman, Papa adjusts my fingers into an imaginary gun and tells me to shoot. I'd say bang like I was using a real gun. The goon then drops to the floor playing dead. At the end of the game all the "dead" players are gathered up and escorted out. I tend to not see those guys again so I'm guessing Papa goes back and does his own off-with-their-heads-thing.

I've caused a lot of collateral damage already.

"Come on, come on. Where are you brat?" A frantic voice whispered. Looks like somebody finally managed to find me. Come on little meatbag, which door is your prize behind? You might get to live through Papa's game if you guess correctly.

Be the lucky man of the day.

HaHaHaHaHa.

I'm absolutely terrible. I should be helping this poor guy out, throw him some kind of bone right? I shouldn't be tormenting him.