Home Alone in Pure Heart Valley

Chapter 15

Outside the house, Rufus parked the aerotruck in the same forested spot, getting out with Reggie right behind him.

"Don't forget," Rufus reminded Reggie, "We'll check out the place first, and we can always come back for the truck."

"How do you wanna go in?" Reggie asked his partner, since Rufus was the man with a plan.

Rufus deliberated for a second. "We'll go in from the side door," he pointed to his right, to the part of the house with the waterwheel. "Maybe she'll let us in, you never know."

Reggie grinned. "Yeah, okay. She's a kid. Kids are stupid."

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Sitting at a table in the kitchen, Adorabat prepared to have her dinner. Before she began, she placed her wings together and closed her eyes in reverence.

"Dear Ruby Pure Heart, please bless this highly nutritious microwaveable dinner and the grownups who sold it on sale." Once that was finished, Adorabat opened her eyes and took her little fork and spoon.

She was just about to dig in when the clock chimed to announce it was now nine o'clock. She knew that in a short moment, there would be no turning back, so she put down her spoon and fork. Grabbing the plate in both wings, she tipped it over to pour the dinner down her mouth, chewing for a bit with inflated cheeks before swallowing it all up in one gulp.

She then grabbed the BB-gun arm she took from Badgerclops's stash in the garage and gave it a pump, hiding behind the kitchen's outer side door as she did so. "This is it," she told herself for one last boost of self-confidence, "Don't get scared now." She stayed where she was and listened for the sound of footsteps in snow, more adamantly holding her position once the steps got louder and turned to thumps on wood. She tensed when she heard that first knock on the door.

"Happy Snowfest, little girl," Rufus greeted through the door with a smile. He said it in a slightly exaggerated singsong version of the gentlemanly tone he once used the last time he was in Pure Heart Valley on Takesgiving Day. "We know that you're in there, and that you're all alone."

Reggie got in on the fun. "Yeah, kiddo. Open up." He tried to sound just as jovial as Rufus. "It's the Gift-Saint..." he paused for a moment to improvise, "...and his little helper."

Adorabat slowly held the BB-gun arm against the door's doggy hatch, careful not to poke it out the door right away since Reggie was short and could spot it easily.

Rufus couldn't help but let out a half-hearted chuckle at his little partner's attempt to fool Adorabat, not entirely impressed but willing to go with whatever worked. He turned back to the door. "We're not going to hurt you."

"No, we got some nice presents for you," Reggie backed up Rufus.

Adorabat poked the tip of the BB-gun arm's barrel through the doggy hatch in time for Rufus to step closer to the door and speak. "Be a good little girl and open the door." Adorabat pulled the trigger.

*K-THWACK*

Rufus squealed, doubling over in a restrained show of pain before stumbling away from the door and to the waterwheel. He practically hopped before falling to his knees, letting out a stream of contained noises of agony while bending over and clutching between his legs. His eyes squeezed shut and ears flattened against his head sealed the deal.

Reggie was quick to be by his friend's side. "Rufus! What happened?" Rufus could only answer him with more pained noises. "What?" Reggie asked for clarification. Rufus kept making noises. Reggie finally had to ask Rufus loudly for any results. "What is it!?"