Rise of the Guardians 2

Chapter 31

I was woken early the next morning by two yells, one high pitched and the other lower pitched. The high pitched one had to be Once's, but I couldn't tell to whom the other belonged to. I dressed quickly and hurried over to Once-ler's tent. I went in and almost burst out laughing again. It had been taken over by the forest animals. They were every where, from the shelves to hanging from the lights. Once had dressed and was towing over the Lorax apparently engaged in an argument.

"...And I said I wouldn't chop down any more trees!"

"And I said I was gunna keep an eye on you" The Lorax said "I'm starving, what's for breakfast?" He pulled open the fridge, only to find that it too had been taken over. A fat Barbaloot in particular was slowly shoving sticks of butter in it's mouth.

"Breakfast is overrated." Mustache said nervously and shut the door. Once shot me a look that said 'Can you believe this guy'.

I decided to intervene before things got any further. "Hey Once, we've got work to do remember. We need to leave soon"

"You're leaving!"

"Don't look so excited, we're only going into town" I said

"Yep, we're going to sell our thneed" Once said holding it up.

"You cut down one of my trees, to make that piece of garbage." Mustache said incredulously. Once was offended and then proceeded to explain what the thneed could do. He ended of saying that the Thneed was super absorbent, soaked up some water to prove his point and then put it on Mustache's head as a hat.

"Course, you probably want to wring it out first." He said. Mustache took it off and threw it at him.

"Go 'head, knock yourself out." Mustache said "But nobody's going to buy that thing"

"Good to know" I said "Fortunately, you're not the target market...weirdo" Once grabbed his guitar.

"You're bringing a guitar"

"Unfortunately" I muttered under my breath.

"Oh yeah, I got a little jingle. Gunna blow some minds, Gunna sell some thneeds!...Yeah" And we left for town. We didn't sell it the first few days though. Or the first week. Or the second week. Or the third. And one day Once had had enough.

"That's it!" he said "I quit" He through his thneed away and stormed off. I ran to catch up with him.

"Once-"

"Not now" he said through gritted teeth. "Can you just leave me alone...please" He strode off in the opposite direction of our tents. I led Melvin back home and Mustache greeted us as we walked up.

Hey, where's your thneed, did you sell it"

"No" I said flatly. I let Melvin free from the wagon and went over to the Lorax. "It's ahead of it's time, I guess."

"Well, you gave it your best shot. Where's Beanpole. Is he sulking?"

"Yeah, pretty much" I said

"Sit down, we'll deal you in" He was sitting playing cards with a Barbaloot, Humming fish, and Swami swan.

"Ok," I said "What are we playing"

"I'm playing poker, he's playing go-fish, and I think he's hungry." The Swami swan squawked and ate one of the Humming fish's cards.

After that confusing game of cards I headed back to the house. As I walked I caughted the distant strains of music and I stopped to listen.

"Nobody needs a Thneed.

Stupid thing no one will ever neeed.

The Thneed is dumb, the Thneed is lame

Who's the idiot who came up with that name"

I sighed and headed into the house.