The Looney Bin Saga

The Looney Bin - Part 1
Once upon a time in a land far, far away there was a girl named Sneaks who was walking around her splendid castle looking for something to do. She was going from room to room exploring all the contents of each. They were all different, so many rooms you wouldn't believe, but not many of them interested her.

Until she walked into a room that had straightjackets on the walls. There were other rooms off of this one and when she peeked inside one of them she saw a white padded room. She grinned as she looked around at some of the crazy things that still left their evidence here.

She saw a knight's helmet, a soldier's flag, wood shavings, some crumpled up pieces of paper that looked as if they contained poems. So many more things here to see.

She was grinning from ear to ear. Hmmm, things could get interesting here.....

The Looney Bin - Part 2
Sneaks continued her wandering around the room and found a sign posted near the door that she'd missed before. It said "Looney Bin". She was laughing so hard at that.

As Sneaks was wandering around Greeny was locking Ken up in one of the padded rooms. She came out and noticed Sneaks there.

“Hey Sneaks, glad you could find the place.”

“No problem getting here Greeny. I knew the way here the whole time. I’ve been waiting for a place like this show up around here.” Sneaks looked towards the room Greeny had come out of. “Who’s in there?”

Greeny was grinning, “Ken, he came in acting all crazy. He had been in the snow and he came in raving about flies or something.” Greeny couldn’t keep a straight face.

Kerri was rolling around laughing. She stopped suddenly when she heard the sound of horse’s hooves outside. Now just what is that? she wondered.

The Looney Bin - Part 3
Sneaks’ heart picked up the pace as a handsome knight walked into the Looney Bin. Her face flushed with color. She looked at Greeny who smiled back at her like she knew what Sneaks was thinking. Who knows? She probably did.

The knight walked up to Greeny and Sneaks and introduced himself. “Hi ladies. My name’s Brad,” he said with a winning smile.

Greeny shook Brad’s hand but Sneaks couldn’t move. Suddenly she started as if coming out of a trance and her face flushed some more. “Hi Brad, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Sneaks.”
She shook his hand briefly and turned away. Thankfully Cali chose that moment to walk in the door of the LB. Sneaks brightened immediately.

“Well, now I know who this place was built for. If it isn’t the craziest cat I know!”

Cali laughed and said, “Watch it Sneaks. Don’t make me tell all these people your secrets. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

Greeny grinned and laughed. “I know some of Sneaks’ secrets too.”

The Looney Bin - Part 4
“Anyway,” Sneaks said a little bothered by the sudden turn of conversation. This would not do at all. Nope, no conversations about her secrets.

She was about to change the subject completely when there was a loud screaming sound that split the room. Everyone jumped.

Cali shrieked. Brad dropped his helmet on the floor. And Greeny’s eyes popped as she said, “Oh!” and ran to the room the scream had come from.

“I’m so sorry Ken,” she said in a shaky voice. She was trying not to laugh but it was very difficult.

Greeny opened the door and Ken came stumbling out. He was still in his straightjacket and almost fell on his face. Greeny grabbed him just in time.

When he looked around the room he was grinning. “I thought that might get me out of there.” He busted up laughing at the looks on everyone’s faces.

Cali ran over to him and started banging on his chest and yelling at him, “You jerk! You scared the crap outta me!” But she was laughing as well.

“I am sorry Ken, I didn’t mean to leave you in there for so long,” Greeny said as she unhooked his restraints for him.

Ken flexed his arms after Greeny had freed him and once again grinned around the room. What a bunch of loons, he thought as he looked around.

Then he said, “The flies? Are they gone? No, wait I think they are still here. No there they go into the room, hurry close the cell's door. Hurry!"

The Looney Bin - Part 5
Everyone was still cracking up at Ken when Rachel came into the Looney Bin. She looked around in awe and seemed also a little confused.

“What is this place?” she asked.

Greeny went right to her and shook her hand, delighted at another visitor. “Welcome to the Looney Bin. This place is the crazy house of all the crazy houses. Anything goes here, we do poetry, jokes, have padded rooms and straightjackets for those who don’t behave.” Here she shot a quick glance to Sneaks and Ken. “I’m glad you could make it. You’re welcome any time.”

She turned to say something to Ken but he seemed to have disappeared. Hmm, maybe he just went away for a while, we’ll see.

Greeny turned and said to everyone, “I was thinking that today we could go out into the woods around the grounds and poke around a little bit. What do you think?”

Brad was up for it immediately; he loved to go exploring. All the others agreed and so the group made their way for the door.

Unfortunately for Sneaks she wasn’t paying attention. That knight had her flustered and she wasn’t watching where she was going. She walked face first into the wall and BAM!

Everyone ran over to aide her but Brad had gotten there first. He pulled a handkerchief from inside his suit of armor and handed it to Sneaks for her bloody nose. She wasn’t paying much attention but when she looked up to thank whoever handed it to her she squeaked and turned away quickly. Once again her face had turned beat red.

Brad merely continued to smile at her in that sweet way of his.

Cali and Greeny couldn’t help it; they were laughing their heads off at her. Rachel seemed torn between amusement and pity.

“When you’re finished…” Sneaks said through the handkerchief and started out the door. Greeny and Cali were still cracking up as they all walked out onto the grounds with the rest of the group.

The Looney Bin - Part 6
When they walked out the front door and headed towards the woods they heard the gallop of a horse coming along.

Brad grinned, “He thinks we’re going out or something I think.”

Just then Camelot, Sir Brad’s horse, came galloping up to him, his tail swishing back and forth in his excitement.

“Sorry Camelot but we’re only going into the woods for now. Maybe we’ll go out later for a run ok?”

Camelot turned his head away from Brad. Sneaks was chuckling behind her hand. She looked at the rest and they seemed to be hiding smiles behind their hands as well. But then Camelot turned around to go and all of the sudden he kicked Brad right in his chest, knocking him to the ground.

Cali fell to the ground laughing. Rachel picked up Puddles the Pup to make sure he didn’t get trampled. Greeny was clutching her gut, bent over laughing. Sneaks’ face had blanched. In her horror that Brad was hurt she ran to him, “Are you ok dear Knight?”

She was surprised to see that he didn’t seem to be hurt at all. Actually he was grinning. And other than the fact that he was on his butt in the dirt and there was a hoof shaped dent in his armor he seemed ok.

Then he began to laugh, “He’s not very happy with me these days. Oh well, at least I’m wearing this,” he said indicating his suit of armor. “Things might be different if I wasn’t.”

Sneaks extended her hand to help him up, which was quite a chore. That armor must be horrible to wear.

“Thanks Sneaks, I appreciate it,” he said with a grin.

Her face flushed again and she turned away.

“Ok, I’m all right, we can go now,” Brad said as he dusted himself off.

Rachel set down Puddles the Pup again as they began to walk. Cali was still laughing her butt off. Then suddenly there was a loud roar from inside the woods. Puddles the Pup whimpered and cringed against Rachel’s leg.

“What the hell?” Greeny said quietly as she looked towards the woods.

The Looney Bin - Part 7
The roar came again but it wasn’t a lion’s roar. It sounded bigger and meaner. Sneaks was actually shaking. The others didn’t look too happy about going into the woods either. Except, of course, the Brave Knight who picked himself up to his full height, thrust out his chest, and said, “I have no fear of anything in there. I can handle whatever it is.”

He began walking towards the woods and the others reluctantly followed. They were surprised when they entered the woods and realized how dark it was in there. It was not normal this darkness, it was too dark.

As they began to follow a trail that Brad had chosen Cali, Rachel, and Puddles the Pup were falling behind. They were trying to keep up but the others were going too fast.

Cali yelled out, “HEY! Wait for us!” But nobody ahead seemed to hear her.

Rachel, who was walking at Cali’s side with Puddles in her arms, attempted to yell ahead too. Again there was no response. They hurried along after the others but the darkness was becoming deeper and deeper and they soon lost the group.

After what felt like hours of walking Greeny turned around to see who was behind her and stopped dead in her tracks. Sneaks walked right into her.

“Oh! Sorry Greeny, wasn’t paying attention again.” She looked at her friend and saw a scared look on her face. “Greeny what’s wrong?”

“Where’s Cali and Rachel at? They were just behind us, weren’t they?”

Sneaks turned around and sure enough, nobody was there.

Greeny called to Brad a few feet away, “Brad! Brad! Hang on a sec.”

He came back to the girls looking a little miffed, “What? It’s just a few more yards to go.”

Greeny looked at him, “Notice anything wrong here Brad? We’re missing some people don’t ya think?”

Brad started. In his excitement to find the thing that had made the noise he’d completely forgotten to worry about the maidens that had come along with him.

“Some knight I am,” he said and shook his head. “Ok, we’ll go look for them. You two stay by my side. I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

And so they set off in search of Cali and Rachel. And Puddles the Pup too.

The Looney Bin - Part 8
Cali, Rachel, and Puddles the Pup were completely lost now. They had tried to follow the trail the others had taken but became quickly lost in the darkness. Cali turned to Rachel to say something to her about going back to the castle but saw something that made her scream in terror.

Twenty feet behind them stood a dragon. He seemed to be looking right at them. Rachel turned towards where Cali was looking and screamed as well, almost dropping Puddles the Pup in her fear and shock.

The dragon was slowly making his way towards the two women, inching closer and closer with his nose down towards the ground. He looked like he was sniffing the air, his nostrils flared every few seconds and puffs of smoke emitted from them.

Rachel, Cali, and Puddles the Pup were all shaking terribly. Puddles was whimpering and squirming in Rachel’s arms, trying to get away. “No Puddles, stay with mommy,” Rachel whispered in his ear and held him tighter to her.

“What….what do we do?” Rachel asked Cali.

Cali shook her head, she didn’t know.

But then they received the biggest shock of all when the dragon spoke to them, “What are you doing inside these woods?”

Their jaws dropped.

When they didn’t answer he asked again, “What are you doing inside these woods?”

Cali’s mouth was dry but she licked her lips and swallowed her fear. “We..we were…,” she began in a shaky voice. She cleared her throat. “We were just exploring with some friends of ours. And we got l-lost. You can talk!”

The dragon actually laughed. “Of course I can talk silly lady. Whoever heard of a dragon who couldn’t talk? My name is Jed.”

The Looney Bin - Part 9
Brad, Greeny, and Sneaks were walking along their trail back towards the castle when they heard a shriek. They stopped suddenly. Brad looked to his left, the direction the sound had come from, and squinted his eyes. It was getting harder and harder to see in here. He saw movement among the trees but he couldn’t see what it was.

He went closer, Greeny and Sneaks staying a few feet back, and separated a large grouping of leaves so he could see better. He jumped back quickly. His armor was clanking he was shaking so badly.

“What Brad? What is it?” Greeny asked a little fearfully.

He didn’t speak. So Greeny took matters into her own hands and looked for herself. She also jumped back and stifled a scream with her hand. She seemed unable to tell Sneaks what she had seen though she was trying.

But anymore talk was unnecessary. Sneaks’ jaw dropped as she saw a dragon walking towards them with two women and a dog riding on his back.

“Holy sh-“ she began to say but Greeny covered her mouth before she could finish.

Brad pulled his sword up with both hands and stood in front of Sneaks and Greeny. “Stay back ladies, I’ll handle this!”

Then Cali and Rachel spotted them and began to yell with delight, “Hey guys!”

Brad was still brandishing his sword at the dragon, it was only a few feet from them now.

Cali began to laugh, “Brad put that away, you don’t need it.”

“These are the friends we were telling you about Jed,” Rachel said to the dragon.

Jed stopped and looked at Brad, Sneaks, and Greeny. “You shouldn’t be in this forest you know. It’s a very dangerous place.” Puffs of smoke shot out of his nostrils and Sneaks shivered in fear.

Brad seemed affronted by the dragon’s comment. “I am perfectly capable of handling anything we come across thank you very much!”

Jed laughed, “I have no doubt you are Sir Knight but all the same…”

He dropped down onto his belly and the ground shook. Cali and Rachel slid off giggling the whole time.

“That was the coolest!” Cali said as she ran to Greeny and Sneaks.

“Yeah, it was,” Rachel agreed. “Thanks a lot Jed. We really appreciate it!”

“No problem ladies, I’m glad I could help.” Jed paused for a moment. “I don’t suppose that…no, no you wouldn’t.”

“What is it Jed?” Rachel asked.

“I thought that, maybe, the five of you would like to join me in my cave for some refreshments.”

Brad perked up immediately. “Cave did you say?”

He looked at the others who nodded, Rachel and Cali a little more enthusiastically than the others.

“Follow me then,” Jed said as he turned around. Sneaks could have sworn she heard relief in his voice.

“Make sure you stay close everyone,” Jed said turning his head, “it’s easy to get lost in this forest.”

The Looney Bin - Part 10
Traveling through Jed’s cave was like being in another world. There were many chambers and tunnels that led off the main path they were taking. Brad was eager to explore them all but Jed made them all stay close so they wouldn’t get lost.

After walking for hours and going farther and farther into the earth they finally came to an enormous chamber that was filled with a mountain of treasure.

But something was wrong. There was a multitude of foraging goblins stuffing bags, sacks, and their pockets with the treasure from Jed’s heap. They were even stuffing gold and jewels into their mouths.

Everyone just stared for a moment and then one of the goblins noticed them all standing there. He especially noticed Jed and the goblin screamed at the top of his lungs. Everything stood still for a few seconds and then weapons were drawn by the goblins and they advanced on the group to attack.

The Looney Bin - Part 11
Puddles the Pup jumped out of Rachel’s arms and immediately ran at one of the goblins. Clenching his jaws around the goblins ankle he twisted and pulled and succeeded in brining him down.

All of the others were fighting the goblins as well, Brad in the lead, but it was proving difficult to some. Sneaks and Cali were pinned on the ground, Rachel was being hoisted in the air. But Greeny was fighting right alongside Brad, she was trained in combat after all.

Jed didn’t dare shoot any flame in here, it was a large chamber but there was still the chance he would hurt his new friends. He managed to knock quite a few of the goblins away with a swing of his tail, giving them all more room.

Brad and Greeny helped the others who were losing their fights and Jed yelled for them all to get behind him. They scampered as quick as they could and he let out a large gust of flames, toasting all the little goblins.

Somehow one managed to get away before the flames consumed him and he staggered at Calixus with a long sword. Brad jumped out in front of her and with his own sword swung and knocked the advancing goblin’s weapon away. The goblin fell back in surprise as Puddles attacked him next. It wasn’t long before the goblin lay on the floor of the cavern not moving.

Everyone was looking around, breathing heavy, checking themselves for injury.

Then Calixus said, “Well, this is the last time I come to Jed’s for anything.”

The Looney Bin – Part 12
“Ahem,” a woman says as she unfolds a piece of paper and reads aloud. “Patient Sneaks has been put into a padded room and bound in a straighjacket. She is unable to write at the moment so it is I, her alter ego Deceitful, who will be writing the next installment.

“To be continued,” she finishes.

The Looney Bin – Part 13
Deceitful unrolled a scroll and began to read.

“They had food with Jed then he walked them out of the dark forest.” She stopped there. Then she said, “Jeez you guys are boring. Why can’t you do something fun for a change? And why do you let her write these stories? She’s so dull.”

Greeny’s face was contorted with rage. Greeny looked around the room for a moment then up at Deceitful. “Hang on,” she said. “We didn’t put Sneaks into the padded room. You did it!”

Greeny stood up and the others followed suit. They were advancing on Deceitful as she backed away warily.

Then Deceitful grinned, “Well I thought her story could use a little spicing up, that’s all.”

Just then there was a scream from one of the padded rooms, “Don’t you dare! Deceitful, don’t you dare do it!”

Greeny thought she might know what Sneaks was so afraid of. But Calixus beat her to Deceitful. Puddles the Pup and Rachel were on one side while Calixus took the other. Brad merely looked his confusion. The women each took Deceitful by an arm and dragged her to an empty room while Greeny released Sneaks from her cell and restraints.

Sneaks gave her a grateful look, “Thanks a bunch Greeny.”

“Not a problem,” she said absently as they watched Deceitful struggling with Rachel and Calixus. Deceitful began to say something but Calixus slapped a hand over her mouth to stifle it. Rachel quickly bound Deceitful into the jacket and they shoved her into the room.

“Thanks everyone,” Sneaks said as she looked around at her helpers. “Let’s just hope that she doesn’t come out again. There’s no telling what she’ll say if she does.”

The Looney Bin - Part 14
That night the mood around the Bin is lazy, nobody much feels in the mood for anything. Sneaks is walking around the room reading the writing on the walls, Rachel is playing fetch with Puddles the Pup, Brad is polishing his sword, and Cali and Greeny are playing a game of marbles.

And in the background, audible even over the sound of the TV, there is a continuous scream of, "LET ME OUT!"

Everyone is ignoring the annoying patient in the padded room.

Sneaks starts out of her stupor when she hears Cali burst out, "What the hell Greeny? Now you have all my marbles. You couldn't leave me just a few?"

Greeny laughs a little mischeivously, "Sorry Cali, but finders keepers."

Sneaks laughs with Greeny at the irritated look on Cali's face. "How am I supposed to get any work done now?" she asks miserably.

Sneaks returns to her contemplation of one of the pictures on the wall. Greeny looks at her friend and fellow patient with a mixture of wariness and confusion. There seems to be something different about Sneaks today and Greeny just can't seem to put her finger on it.

But she knows something isn't right. She turns to Brad and quietly says, "Have you noticed anything odd about Sneaks today?"

Brad laughs quietly, "You mean more than usual?"

Greeny laughs too, "Yes, that's what I mean."

Brad thinks about if for a few minutes before saying, "Not really....I don't know, maybe....She's probably just distracted is all. I'm sure she'd tell you if something was wrong."

Greeny nodded, "Well yes, that's what I'd expect but she hasn't said more than a few words to me today." Greeny looks over to Sneaks again and then back at Brad. "I'm telling you Brad, something isn't right here."

The Looney Bin – Part 15
Cali and Rachel walk over to Greeny and Brad. Cali asks, “What are you guys talking about?”

Greeny glances at Sneaks then back at the others. “I think there’s something wrong with Sneaks. I can’t put my finger on it but I know that something is wrong.”

Cali studies Sneaks for a moment. She does seem off today. Normally she’s the one who makes all the noise and trouble around here. And the way she’s just staring at that picture on the wall…

Cali looks back to Greeny and nods, “Yeah, I see what you mean. But what could possibly be wrong with her that she wouldn’t talk to us about?”

Greeny shrugs. Rachel looks at Brad out of the corner of her eye. He misses the look but Greeny and Cali catch it. They both shake their heads.

“No,” Greeny says while absently petting Puddles the Pup.

“But that’s the thing,” Cali whispers urgently. “She’s not even fawning over the knight like usual. It’s definitely something else. And whatever it is, it’s not good,” Cali replies.



Hours later Sneaks is still staring at the picture on the wall. She hasn’t moved from her spot this whole time. Finally Greeny walks over to her and watches her for a moment before asking, “You all right Sneaks?”

Sneaks starts from her stupor. She glances at Greeny for just a second then turns her attention back to the picture. “I’m fine Greeny,” she says in a voice very different from the one Greeny usually hears. It seems more harsh than before.

“I only ask because you’ve been staring at the picture there for hours now. You haven’t moved, you haven’t eaten today, nothing.”

Sneaks doesn’t look away from the picture as she repeats, “I’m fine Greeny.”

Greeny looks at her friend with even more worry on her face now.



That night when the others go to sleep Sneaks remains in the same spot staring at the picture.

She is still there the following morning.

The Looney Bin – Part 16
When Greeny enters the main room and sees Sneaks still standing there she becomes even more concerned than before. Sneaks slowly turns her head towards Greeny and looks her in the eyes.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Greeny asks as she walks towards Sneaks.

Sneaks shakes her head slowly. She opens her mouth to say something when the others come into the room. She looks at the others and then at Greeny in confusion.

“Hey Sneaks!” Cali says as she walks towards the pair. “How ya doin’ this morning?”

Sneaks looks at Cali with a wary eye and then turns back to Greeny. Greeny can see the pain and confusion on Sneaks’ face but she can’t figure out why.

Rachel, with Puddles trotting along beside her, and Brad walk up to the others. When they say hello to Sneaks she begins to shake. She looks at Greeny, silently pleading for help.
When Sneaks doesn’t acknowledge any of them Brad asks, “You all right Sneaks.”

She winces and turns away from them all. Greeny and Cali exchange a worried glance. “Um, can you guys give us a minute?” Greeny asks the others.

They all mumble their agreement and head off to their normal areas in the main room. Cali stays within earshot of Greeny and Sneaks.

Greeny walks right in front of Sneaks once again making her wince.

“What’s the matter?” Greeny asks.

Again Sneaks shakes her head. “I don’t know.”

She pauses for a moment and then continues, “I’m so confused.”

Greeny’s eyebrows contract. “About what Sneaks?”

Sneaks looks around the room at the others, then back at the portrait on the wall, then back to Greeny. “I don’t know where I am. I don’t know who all these people are.”

Greeny laughs a little nervously. “Sneaks are you serious? You don’t know us?”

Sneaks shakes her head, “I know you but I don’t know the others. How do they know my name? Who are they?”

A tear runs down Sneaks’ cheek, “Where am I?”

The Looney Bin – Part 17
While Greeny was trying to help Sneaks Rachel, Brad, and a reluctant Cali, decided to take a walk around the grounds. They were sitting by the water’s edge when they heard footsteps behind them.

Puddles began to growl but Rachel hushed him when she saw who was coming towards them. Cali, Brad, and Rachel all got up and walked towards their visitor.

She was grinning from ear to ear, “Hi everyone, I finally made it,” SWickham said. She looked around. “Where’s Greeny and Sneaks?”

The others exchanged uneasy glances then Cali said, “They’re still inside. Sneaks isn’t feeling well today.”

SWickham nodded, “I was just about to go for a walk and check this place out, you guys wanna come with me?”

Everyone agreed so they set out on their walk, the not so newer patients showing SWickham all the sights of the grounds.

A little while later Cali said, “Why don’t we take her to meet-“ She was cut off by a blood-curdling scream that came from the woods.

Brad immediately pulled out his sword and pointed it towards the forest.
“What was that?” SWickham asked.

Rachel shook her head and tried to restrain Puddles, he was attempting to run towards the forest. “No Puddles, you wait!”

Cali looked to Brad and he nodded his head. They slowly made their way towards the forest. On the way Cali explained to SWickham about Jed in case he showed up. SWickham took the dragon news well enough. Better in fact than Cali suspected.

Darkness engulfed them as they stepped into the forest. “This is so weird,” Cali said. “It wasn’t this bad the last time we were here.”

Rachel was nodding her head, “Yeah, I was just thinking that too. Something must be wrong in here.”

“You ladies can go back if you want to,” Brad volunteered. “I can take care of this on my own.” As he said this, Camelot came trotting up next to him and he jumped up.

“You go on ahead Brad and we’ll just follow behind you then,” SWickham said.

Brad showed signs of protesting but Cali cut him off, “We’re not going back, someone needs our help out here. Don’t worry about us. Just be careful.”

Brad thought it over for a moment, “Ok, if I run into trouble I’ll send Camelot back to you as a warning or something. That sound good?”

The women nodded as Brad turned Camelot in the right direction. “Please be careful ladies,” he said as he rode away.

The Looney Bin – Part 18
Greeny and Sneaks come back into the main room after eating a little food and see that there are three new arrivals. Two of them, men, are arguing with each other and the third, a woman, is laughing behind her hand as she looks around the room.

“I told you it is not!” says the first man.

The second only giggles maniacally and turns to Greeny and Sneaks. They exchange an amused glance, they can both see a gleam in the eye of this one. He ought to be interesting.

“Hello,” Greeny says a little nervously. “Welcome to the Looney Bin, what’s your name?” She extends a hand to the man but he just looks at her and laughs again.

Sneaks inches behind Greeny a little.

“Relax,” Greeny whispers to her quickly.

The man then says, “I told Goodchild that the planet was going to be taken over by vampires and werewolves but he doesn’t believe me.”

“Ah, I see,” Greeny says looking at the man. “Have you two gotten your things into your rooms ok?” She is unsure how to proceed with this new patient.

“Yes, my room is fine. The walls are a little bare but I think I can do something about that.” As he pulls a blue marker from out of his back pocket he says, “I’m Aristocrazy by the way.”

The woman on the other side of the room giggles when she hears the man’s name. Sneaks turns to her with a smile on her face for the first time. “Hi, what’s your name?”

The woman smiles in return and says, “I’m Tia, it’s nice to finally meet you two face to face.”

Greeny and Sneaks exchange a confused glance but the woman rushes on, “Oh, it’s just I’ve been reading the things that you’ve put up around here and I think you two are funny. Well, everyone here is really.” She giggled again a little nervously.

Suddenly Goodchild screams out, “Don’t! Stay away from me!”

The women turn to see Aristocrazy making his way towards Goodchild with a devilish look on his face. But before Aristocrazy can get more than a few steps Goodchild turns into a giant ant.

****

Back in the forest we come upon two people we’ve never seen before. Our patients are on their way and will be here soon.

In a small clearing set in the very middle of the forest there lies on the ground a woman whimpering and shielding her eyes and skin from the man standing before her.

“What is it?” he asks frantically. “What did I do?”

“You’re burning me!” the woman screams.

The man looks at her in wonder. She’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with her at all as far as he can see.

Then she extends her hand towards him and he sees that it is starting to blister.

“But…but…” he sputters.

“I’m a vampire! Get away from me or you’ll kill me!”

“Oh!” the man says in surprise. Then he smiles down at the vampire and says, “Maybe this will help.” He snaps his fingers and just like that the glare that the woman previously saw coming from his skin is dampened some and not so painful to her.

She stares at him for a few moments in disbelief then takes the hand he holds out to help her up.

“I’m CrownedSun, but you can call me Brandon.”

“I’m Annayna, Anna for short if you’d like.”

Anna looks at Brandon again wondering just what he did.

Anticipating her question he says, “It’s sort of a shield over the sun that radiates from my skin. Sort of like an eclipse.”

Just then Brad comes galloping into the clearing on Camelot, the others not far behind them gasping and out of breath.

Introductions are made all around after an odd sort of silence. Then Cali asks, “Is everything ok? We heard a scream.”

They all look around the clearing but do not see anyone else around.

Puddles jumps down from Race’s arms and runs to Anna and Brandon, sniffing and licking their hands.

Anna reaches down to pet him as she says, “That was me, it’s a long story, but everything is ok.”

Race says, “Um guys, I don’t mean to be break up this nice meet and great but it’s getting dark out and I don’t like to be in here at night.”

“Good point that,” says Brad as he tries to remount Camelot. The horse moves away too quickly and Brad falls to the ground.

“Hmpf, figures,” he snorts as Cali and SW help him up.

“Come on, let’s get going,” Cali says as she leads the way back towards the Bin. “I want to get back and see what’s going on in there.”

The other Bin regulars nod their head in agreement; Anna and Brandon exchange an uneasy glance and shrug before following the group.

The Looney Bin – Part 19
Sneaks screams and her eyes roll back into her head as she faints. Tia runs over to Sneaks while the others just stare at Goodchild’s transformation. Aristocrazy stops his advance and his jaw drops as the giant ant advances towards him.

“Goodchild, no!” Greeny yells and jumps in front of Aristocrazy.

Goodchild stops and snaps his pincers at Greeny but does not come closer to her.

Breathing heavily she merely says, “Not here.”

Suddenly Goodchild snaps his pincers again and a small squeaky sound comes from him.

Greeny stares at him for a moment then says, “I know but you’re not going to deal with it this way.”

After a moments tense silence the group watches as Goodchild slowly transforms back into a man. He glares at Aristocrazy for a moment before looking to Greeny.

“Thank you,” she sighs. She looks around the room and sees Sneaks on the floor and she goes to her side.

“Is she ok?” Greeny asks Tia.

“Yes, I think so,” Tia nods.

“Let’s get her to her cell. She likes it in there,” Greeny says as she grabs Sneaks’ feet.

Aristocrazy opens the door to Sneaks’ cell as the others carry her across the room. “What the….?” He says in wonder.

“What now?” Greeny says with a little edge to her voice. She looks into the cell and almost drops her friend. They lay her down gently by the door. “Oh no! Now how the hell did that happen?”

The others are in confusion as they look from the woman in the cell who is whimpering to the one who is now lying on the floor laughing quietly.

****

“Brad, why don’t you ride ahead and make sure everything’s ok at the LB,” Cali says.

Brad nods and jumps onto Camelot, which this time the horse allows. They ride off and are quickly engulfed by the descending darkness.

Running to catch up with Cali, Brandon and Anna ask at the same time, “Why are you so worried?”

Cali snickers a little and says, “One of our…fellow patients…is having some problems. We’re trying to get her straightened out but, unfortunately, she needs watching over a lot at the moment.”

“We’ve had a pretty interesting couple of days all around I’d say,” Race mumbles.

“I’d like to know more about all of this too,” SW says shaking her head.

Anna looks to her, “How long have you been here?”

“Not long, I just arrived this afternoon and we were touring the grounds when we heard you scream.”

Anna laughs, “Yeah, sorry about that. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”

“So, why were you screaming?” Race asks a little nervously.

Anna glances around at the others then says, “I was just….scared is all. Brandon surprised me in the clearing.”

Cali opens her mouth to say something but before she can Brandon asks, “How far is this place anyway?”

Cali looks around the forest for a minute with a puzzled look on her face. “How did we get off the trail?”

Race stops in her tracks and looks at Cali as she scoops Puddles up into her arms. “This isn’t good! Cali you have to get us out of here.”

SW walks to Race and puts an arm around her.

Cali walks around the forest for a few minutes then finally says, “Ok, we have to go back a bit to get to the trail.” She points ahead of them. “I don’t know what is up ahead but I know we’ve never been in that area before.”

“But isn’t this near Jed’s cave?” Race asks looking around.

Cali shakes her head, “He’s over on the other side of the forest.”

She turns and starts back the way they came.

“Cali, wait for us!” Race yells as the others run to catch up with her quick strides.

“We have to get out of here fast! We don’t know what lives in this forest yet,” Cali says as she picks up the pace.