The Playground Wars

Chapter Seventeen

It burns my skin.

I turn the shower knob to the right, feeling the different temperatures of the water fall onto my back like rain from the shower head. It's a new kind of feeling, vastly different from the hospitality I was going through in my other room.

In a sense, I guess one could say The Dip Chamber broke me. Here I am showering for the first time since Donald's Dreamland and getting ready for dinner with Flippy. I guess obeying him isn't that bad.

No, what am I saying? He's kidnapped and hurt Squad 13.

No one is going to come to save me.

They're going to come soon. I need to just wait.

The frustration of what's wrong tumbles around my head like an avalanche running down a mountain leading only to one conclusion: destruction. For the time being I just let the endless flow of water consume me whole, not ready to leave the comfort of warm water and the luxury to just stand and think. I don't take too long though because I know Flippy is waiting and I don't want to do anything to further anger him, although he was quite pleased with the way I gave into him in The Dip Chamber.

I step out of the shower and onto the warm and heated white tiles. Single drops of rain fall onto the ground, like the leftover water from a harsh rainfall once the sun breaks through. While I'm drying myself, I look into the mirror. I look at the various scars and scratches all over me, and the one across my leg seems to be the one that stands out. Unable to bear to look at myself, I turn around and attempt to ignore the mirror behind me. 

The clothes laid out for me isn't my yellow and worn out cog crusher outfit but a more formal kind of attire: a black suit with a white shirt and a red tie. Something a cog would wear. But it's what Flippy wants and so I start putting on the suit piece by piece. 

After leaving the shower room, I leave to the hallway but I have no idea on where to go. I look down the hall and I've caught the eye of- the same Pencil Pusher who entered my room. He signals and points in the direction of the hallway behind me. I simply nod, that was awkward. Does he consider me a cog? A Toonbot? It's the suit, I assure myself, it's the suit. I could never be a cog, even if I was given the choice. Maybe I would though, just to forget everything. I would just disappear, Oswald would be gone and just a small decimal of a statistic: Toonbots killed. I can't bring myself to think on how Cuddles or anyone else that cares about me would react.

Another cog, this time a Yesman, directs me to a room. It's two doors are open, giving space for a wide entrance. I walk slowly into the room. The walls are painted a shade of red, like maroon. Windows show the gloomy outside. The floor is marble, with a red carpet outlining the table like a path. The table is a typical long and stretched one, a table meant for royalty or such. I guess Flippy considers himself the King of the Cogs. This huge Toonbot Office Tower can be his castle. And I'm his prisoner.

Flippy is at the end of the table and acknowledges me, " Take a seat anywhere you'd like Oswald." He smiles but my only instinct is to take the seat as farthest away from him, the other end of the table. Taking my seat I notice the same silverware that the Pencil Pusher brought me, all neatly organized in front of me. The Yesman from outside comes into the room and hands me a menu, but Flippy already knows what he wants.

"I'll take the usual, Yesman," he says playing with the napkin in front of me, "oh, and add a coffee." The Yesman doesn't speak but still holds the same uncomfortable huge grin. He turns his head towards me. "Oh Oswald? He's still figuring out something to eat." Taking a look at the menu, I don't even know where to begin.

1/2 or 1 lb. steak served with a blend of fruits and mushrooms.

Roasted Jellybeans served with your choice of oil mix.