Terra Firma

Angel

One of the greatest downfalls of humankind is something so small, so commonplace, that oftentimes people neglect to think of it as a problem.

Forgetfulness.

You never see a dog hesitate as the master walks through the door, never see a flock of birds take a wrong turn as they head south for winter. The rooster crows at the break of dawn, and the turtle lays her eggs in the sand like clockwork.

Yet, humans do it all the time. Humans get so wrapped up, chasing their own tails and living in their own stories--it's a wonder we have time for others at all.

I tapped my fingers impatiently on my armchair sitting in my little living room. Jay had forgotten to bring me the file. It was already midday, the sun hung cheerfully in the sky, but not for long. The carnival was tonight and I needed to find a sitter...

God, they just couldn't make carnivals for kids anymore, could they?

I sighed. Homer swung his head in my direction, his Ray Ban shades glinting in the sunlight.

"You're nervous. What's wrong?"

I sighed. His senses... smell, touch, hearing... were all amazingly sharpened to a prickpoint. People with disibilities such as blindness often overcompensate with one of the others. He made up for it with all three, perhaps even others I didn't fully understand. The doctors said he could see very little, just blobs of color here and there. There was nothing they could do for him.

But it didn't matter. He was a genius in his own right, even if he was very quiet. He didn't even need a cane or a guide dog, he'd taught himself through color, sound, and smell how to get around in a big city.

I sighed, "Miss Bettie is sick and won't be able to watch you tonight... I don't think I can go out."

Homer shrugged, "I don't like Miss Bettie anyways. She smells like mothballs and has too many cats."

I laughed.

"Can't we go to Cosette's?" He jingled his toy keys. He'd had them since he was a baby. He never lost them. He liked throwing them around, saying he enjoyed the sound they made against the ground.

"She doesn't have anyone to watch you."

"Yeah, maybe." He shrugged his scrawny little shoulders, "But she tells good stories. I want to hear one."

I smirked, "All right. Later."

Goofy

The Mime was writing, The Boss was sleeping, and Flower Lady was painting her nails in the guest room she'd given them. She had lots of rooms. I wondered why she wanted such a big place, for just one person.

I think she was waiting for the day we'd come back.

Grumpy and me, we was just watching news. Just like old times. The news guy was garbling on and on and on about some 'baffling puzzles' and 'new mob organizations' sprouting up.

Just like I said, the fire burned the old hate. But it also bred the new. I wanted to get the new mobs.
My face twisted angrily. I hated the mobs.

I remember returning home after a long day, working my construction job. Shutting the white door and seeing red... my wife and kids...

My wife loved to gamble. I didn't know it. Didn't know till it was too late. I'd forgiven her of course. Finding the one you love dead makes you forgive them right quick.

I'm not a genius. I ain't saying I am. But I do know the reason I got in this situation was to get back at the people I hated. And the reason I stayed was to lend a hand to the people I loved. They were my best friends. My only family. I got Grumpy off the drugs. I helped create the Boss, stitching him up and fixing him best I could. I stole the syringes while Boss messed with Woodrue. I got the doctor for Mime.

Flower Lady always says that we're responsible for the things we create. Well. If that's true, then I reckon we's all responsible for each other.

We each had a part in creating everyone in our little family, whether we knew it or not.

There was a knock on the door and I got up to go get it.

"Charlie..." Grumpy warned, "You don't know who that is."

I shrugged, my dim lightbulb barely registering what he said, "Who's a who that we can't deal with?"

A woman with long brown hair and eyes like the city buildings stood looking at me, clutching a little boy's hand. I looked down at him. Well, I guess I looked down at everyone. I was really tall, after all.

"Well I'll be! You got some pretty neat sunglasses, boy! Can I call you Shades?"

The little boy laughed. His mother backed away suddenly, staring at me oddly.

"Is... is Cosette here? Who are you?"

"Well, I'm--"

"CHARLIE, Charlie, Charlie!" I heard Mime behind me and turned suddenly, confused. Then a spark went off and I guessed she didn't want this broad finding out my 'normal' name.

Mime got to the door quickly, glancing back into the hallway in the direction of a spare bedroom. I'm not a smart man. I think I told you that. But I knew exactly what she was worried about in that moment.

She smiled too widely for it to be authentic and pulled me off to the side.

"Angel, this is Charlie. Charlie, Angel. Charlie is.. my... uncle. He and his friend Samuel are visiting. Isn't that right, Sam?"

"Yup. Got in last night."

I shut my mouth. Grumpy was always better at the lying thing.

The woman named Angel peeked in, also smiling widely, "Oh. Okay... I didn't know you had relatives, Cosette."

Mime stared hard, "I keep them... private."

Angel shrugged, "I understand. Homer wanted to come over for a bit..."

Mime looked around hurriedly, "But.. shouldn't we be getting to the carnival?"

"Yeah. About that. I don't have anyone to watch Homer..."

"Oh. Oh! Okay... then we won't go." Mime was physically gaurding her doorway, trying her best to seem calm and upright. She didn't want her friend to come inside. Just in case.

"Hold on..." Angel said, bringing out her cell phone, "I'll just call Jay and tell him to meet us here..."

"Here?"

"Yeah. Jay's waiting for us there. But I guess since we can't go we'll hang out here and play card games or something..."

"No!"

Angel raised her eyebrows.

Mime looked nervous, "I mean... Uh, we shouldn't waste the night here! We should be out there! Carpe Diem, you know? Charlie and Sam can watch Homer."

"I don't know..."

"Come on, Ange. Goof-- I mean, Charlie tells great stories."

"Pleeeeaaasssee Angel?" The little one named Homer tugged at Angel's jacket. She looked down at him, smiling ruefully.

"Okay... But I'm going to pick you up in two hours."

Samuel cast a dark look at me and I shrugged my wide shoulders. Must've figured this was better than all her friends here, with the risk of Boss or Flower Lady coming out. Boy oh boy, then we'd really have a fire on our hands.

We could handle a kid. What was so hard about that?

The Mime got out in a hurry then, grabbing up her purse, hugging the kid with the shades, whispering to me not to let him back in the hall, then waved goodbye.

The little boy with the shades stood smiling at us.

"Uh... hi." Grumpy grumbled.

"Wanna hear a story?" I laughed.

"Sure. I love a good story."

Grumpy and I shrugged as he walked towards us. This was going to be easy.

Cosette

Jesus. That was close. I couldn't say I was perfectly calm walking to the 'carnival'. I was frightened. But in that moment, I was desperate. I had to keep this secret. Couldn't let the word get out, not even between my friends. I knew Goofy and Grumpy could keep an eye on Homer. It wasn't that hard. He usually just sat on the floor and played with toys anyways. The Joker and Ivy would be in the room for awhile--the man slept like he didn't want to see daylight, and she could do her nails for hours.

No big deal right? Yeah. Yeah. Everything was going to be fine. Everything was going to be...

"Cosette? You alright? You're shaking like a leaf."

I looked up at Angel and smiled brightly, "Of course! Of course! Nothing's wrong..."

"You forgot your meds again."

"How'd you know?"

Angel rolled her eyes, "You really scared us, you know that?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Last night...."

"Oh. Oh, that." I shuddered inwardly.

"What happened, Cosette? Why do you have to even take medicine... why do you laugh just... just like..."

"Just like what?" She must've seen my face darken then, for she turned her head back to the sidewalk and there was no more talk, just the clicking of our heels on pavement in sync.

The Carnival was horrific.

I loved it.

Everything was twisted, gnarled, lime greens and neon purples, blood reds and sickly oranges. The lights from rides whirled. Explosions fired off, wowing the crowds. Booming voices called for attention, challenging us to feat this game, find this card, watch this magic trick. There were fire breathers, sword swallowers, huge men juggling what looked like shrunken heads. I laughed at some of them and they seemed frightened.

Some people turned. Angel cringed.

"Cosette, try not to laugh. Please. ...I'm so glad Homer's at home. Even if I hardly know your ...uncle."

I giggled.

"Please." She warned.

Jay ran up.

"I've been texting you guys like crazy..." he drawled, "They got drinks here! Drinks! This is like a carnival for adults."

Angel groaned.

I smiled, "No shit, sherlock."

Jay took a swig of the bottle he held lazily in his hand, "Over there's a haunted house. Actually pretty legit. Could swear people are really dead in there... They got some game going on over there... where the long line is? Nobody's won yet."

"What is it?"

"Guess the Riddle, Win a prize!" Jay cackled and held up his hands, "I think Cosette... could do it you know. How wacky she gets..."

Angel frowned next to me, "Jay, shut up! That's highly offensive!"

"Oh, offensive-shemsive. You know how many times I get called a faggot in a day? There is nothing wrong with calling Co--"

"Stop it!"

"Why so serious, Angel?"

"Am I the only one who's left sane here?"

I heard myself laugh, much to my chagrin, "We're all mad here."

Jay smiled and chugged, "She's got it all figured out! Which is why, C.J., I think you should try that game. I got a favor for Angel..."

"Sh. Sh." Angel looked at me, worried.

But I merely shrugged and got in line, peering up ahead at the bright little green square tent centered around a crowd.

The line was long, the wait laborious. I can't even tell you where my thoughts wandered in the midst of the dark fair.

This better be fucking grand. I thought to myself as a heavy man grumbled after ruffling the tent flaps in frustration. I felt myself get nudged forward into the covered tent as I stared dumbly at the main attraction.

It was just a guy in an emerald suit, sitting in a little glass booth. His eyes were darkened by shadow, they seemed not to move at all. I don't even think it was a man. It was a robot to me then, most certainly.

"I waited 20 minutes for this...?" I objected loudly.

The robot thing said nothing, only pushed a little card gently through a little slot. I suppose he wanted me to look at it. A small halo of light shone above me, down at the card. I picked it up, turning it in my hands, reading the green ink aloud:

"What knows nothing, but believes in everything?"

I raised my eyebrows.

"A child."

He raised his eyebrows, handing over another card smoothly.

"I will not break when thrown off the skyscraper. Yet, will soften quickly in water. What am I?"

"Easy. Paper."

I smiled. This was cake.

He handed over the third one, the one I figured would win me the prize. There was no telling what it was. But I wanted it in that moment. I got cocky.

Bad, bad, move.

I read it confidently, "What is everything to one man, and nothing to another?"

I smirked, "His mind."

I handed back his silly cards, chuckling lightly.

"And Jay said that would be hard..."

I got up to go, but was stopped suddenly as a gloved hand enclosed swiftly over my wrist. I looked back, stunned to see what once looked frozen and mechanic now grinning wildly.

"Congratulations. You won. Now, here's one more riddle: would you like to see your prize?"

I shuddered. Something was familair about the man. I suddenly had a gut feeling and spat the word:

"No."

"Oh. Tough costumer. Unfortunately, I'm a tougher salesman... I don't take no for an answer."

I could hardly mutter as he pulled out what looked a syringe from his coat pocket, punching swiftly into my arm. Everything went fuzzy with a quickness. Time did not matter in that moment. I felt my knees give and watched as he stood, emotionless behind his little glass wall, his gloved hand retreated through the cut-out slot.

Angel

"Where's Cosette?" I asked Jay.

"No.... hic... idea. Hey yo barman! Hook me up. Chill out. She's probably still in line."

Cosette

Static.

Crackle crinkle crackle. Snap crackle pop. Rice Crispies!

Haha.

I opened my eyes slowly, gradually becoming aware of a weight on my chest.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

What time was it? Ah, who cares? I stared at the ground, hair swinging in my face as I giggled softly, staring at an old walkie talkie.

The static stopped and I listened, quieting.

"Hello, my dear. You may not remember me, but I remember you. I notice you like dropping your keys on the ground.... Well, perhaps I can help you with that..."

I blinked, confused. My vision cleared. The weight on me was...

Tick. Tick. Tick.

A bomb.

"Ah! So you've noticed it? Fantastic. On to the riddle... That bomb has a little keyhole. See it? Yes, that's it. I know which key it is... If. You could just guess my name."

I stared at the walkie-talkie dumbly. Great. I was going to die playing Rumpelstilskin with the fellow from Chef Geoffs.

"But since you won," His smooth voice cleared it's throat, "I feel obligated to give you just one more clue. If you just raise that pretty little head of yours..."

I peered up at the wall slowly, feeling my face crumple in horror at the sight of the grey wall.

Keys. Every inch of it. Covered in keys, jingling darkly from little hooks.

"You find the key, you can deactivate the bomb yourself. I'd be careful, though. That bomb's mighty heavy... and if you drop it, it will blow up immeadiately!"

I screwed my eyes shut, cursing in frustration.

"Have fun! You have.... oh, 30 minutes."