Nightmare on Sesame Street

1: On a Rainy Day

Slumped in the corner of his room, buried in piles of notepads and papers covered in childlike scribbles, Elmo carefully scans through his notes on the recent events that occurred on Sesame Street. In the past two weeks, there have been three reports of missing muppets: Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster, and Telly.

"Elmo doesn't get it," he sighs. "Elmo's friends are gone and no one knows where they went."

The heavy rain drowns any sound from the outside that may free Elmo from his thoughts. Even the gentle presence of his pet goldfish, Dorothy, isn't enough to coax him. Lack of sleep, sustenance, and poor posture take their toll on Elmo. His energy and concentration are nearing its limit. As Elmo continues to read through his notes, a quiet knock disrupts the noisy silence of the room. The rain hushes as the door creaks open to reveal Zoe's silhouette.

"Hi, Elmo!" Zoe shouts, "Long time no see!"

"Oh, hi Zoe," Elmo mumbles.

Zoe skips carelessly to Elmo's side, scattering his notes across the floor. She notices the bags under his bloodshot eyes.

She gasps, "Elmo, you look awful! What happened?"

He looks up, barely able to keep his eyes open. His blurred vision can somewhat make out Zoe's bright orange face, her baby pink raincoat, and her hair tied back into low pigtails so she can wear a matching pink bucket hat embroidered with daisies and butterflies---a gift from Elmo and his neighbor, Mr. Noodle. Elmo remembers the day he bought that hat. He noticed it on a mannequin in front of a store he was passing by. It caught his attention because it was the perfect shade of pink that matched Zoe's leotard. After Elmo bought the hat he thought to make it extra special; he asked Mr. Noodle for help. Despite seeming clumsy, Mr. Noodle is surprisingly crafty and nimble with his hands. He embroidered daisies and butterflies around the hat. Elmo was so excited that he rushed to send it to her. Since then there has not been a day Zoe has gone without that hat.

He lets out a heavy sigh. Zoe realizes Elmo is in no mood for small talk. She sits down next to him and takes out bread from her backpack that she picked up from the bakery. Elmo takes it hesitantly. He isn't hungry but eats a little to assure Zoe. Zoe jumps back up onto her feet and stands defiantly with her hands on her hips.

"I think it's about time you take a break and get some fresh air! How about a walk? It'll cool you down." She offers her hand to Elmo.

Elmo lifts his head, his interest piqued. Spending time with Zoe will certainly do some good for him. Elmo gets up and follows Zoe as she skips away. He grabs his raincoat and boots from the closet, and bids Dorothy a brief farewell. The rain catches Elmo off guard; he did not realize how heavy it's been falling. Elmo is unsure if it's safe to be wandering Sesame Street during such a storm. Zoe jumps down from the steps onto a puddle, splashing Elmo. She laughs, then skips away as Elmo jogs to catch up to her. He isn't sure what time it is after being cooped up in his home for so long. The street lamps brought some life and warmth to this dreadfully desolate day.

The only other sign of life is a car driving by slowly, careful to not splash Zoe and Elmo. The streets are so flooded that Dorothy probably could've come along. Zoe continues skipping ahead, stopping occasionally to jump into a puddle or watch the raindrops fall off a plant. She was acting carefree hoping to pick up Elmo's spirit, but kept an eye on him as he trudged behind.

Many folks on Sesame Street know Zoe as a bright and bubbly girl who loves talking and making friends. Some would say she is too extroverted to the point of naïvety, but her ability to befriend so many people and muppets led her to be able to read others very well. She can tell pretty accurately how someone is feeling and knows what to do to help them. Elmo especially is one of her closest and longest friends. After some time, Elmo asks Zoe if she is taking him somewhere.