Take 2 Times 2? Future Book 3?

8. 2 of 2

"Max, can you open your eyes and look at me please?" I shook my head. I was not about to do anything of the kind. "Max, we're all alone in here. It's just you and me. You're safe. Can you tell me what's wrong?" I shook my head again. All alone? Safe? But this is a public bathroom. Anyone could come in at any time. How's that safe? Then I heard a click. It sounded like a door being locked, but it was as loud as a gunshot to me. It made me jerk and open my eyes. And that's when I saw something right above me.

It looked like stars, but it wasn't quite right. They sparkled like stars, but they were made out of paper clips? I reached up to try to find out what was holding them in midair that way. As I touched one, they all started to move. Then I heard what sounded like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. It was a mobile. One of those things that you put over a baby's crib, only this one was homemade. Paper clips, fishing line, and some sort of metal near the top holding it in place made it look really cool.

After the song had played for a while, I was calmed down enough to look around. What I saw was not a public bathroom. It looked like a storage closet that was turned in to a changing room for babies. Or for one Little Max. I was lying on a table with a thick blanket on it, but on top of the blanket and under me was a changing mat. Next to me were shelves with everything someone would need to change a baby. There were also other supplies, like bottles, pacifiers, clothes, even baby or little kid foods in sealed plastic tubs which made me glad to see because, you know, jellyfish yuk.

The whole time I was looking around Husky was rubbing my tummy, I mean my stomach. I looked down at him and he was just standing there waiting for me to say something, so I did. "I thought you took me to a bathroom." He just smiled back at me. "And I thought that you were going to change me in front of other people." His smile faded. "I thought they were going to laugh at me." His smile was gone now.

"No, Max, I said I was taking you to your bathroom." He stopped for a moment. Then he smacked himself on the forehead "Oh crap. I'm so sorry, Max. You don't remember this place. It was set up for you the other day when you were really small. I'm really sorry, Max, I forgot about that." I, was, dumbfounded. And I had to laugh at him. He had a red spot on his forehead. "It was actually thought up by Bull. He thought you needed a safer place that was close by. You know, just in case you needed a change or something."

I sat up rapidly and grabbed Puppy's shirt. "Is that why everyone thinks Bull is safe now?" I cringed, again, when I felt why we were in here in the first place. Husky noticed and took my hands holding me in place.

"No, that's not why. And you don't remember that either." I shook my head. "Ok, well, if you lay back down, I will tell you while I change you." He helped me lay back down. I think he took pleasure in my pain. He lowered me slowly and I was making a sour face the whole time. Then he has the nerve to say, "Bad jellyfish, bugging my little brother that way." Ok. So that did make me giggle a little. And smile. And it made me think that he was just making sure I didn't hit my head or something.

He started to undo the strap that was around my waist that hooked to my backpack. Then he took my shoes off. I on the other hand was looking at the spare clothes on the shelf. I couldn't help myself when I saw something that looked really soft. I reached out and touched it. It was soft and it felt like my teddy bear, only it was brown instead of black. I kept my hand on it and was rubbing it while he did what he had to do.

"Well, it's actually a really short story. You got some letters from some people, including the one you thought might be from Bull. We ended up at the cafeteria for some food. Bull and I thought you were small at the time, so we thought nothing of it when you started eating the ravioli with your hands, but then something changed. You started to whimper and cry for no reason. Come to find out, your dad played a mean trick on you. He basically fed you a bottle of laxative. I don't think he meant for it to hit you that bad, but it did. And that's when you started a food fight."