During The Hour Of Joy, DogDay finds himself trapped in a real nightmare; being imprisoned by CatNap and tortured for years.
He never knew what became of his friends. He never knew if they really died, as CatNap told him numerous times during his to...
I opened my eyes slowly, and the light from the PlayCare spotlights flooded my vision for a few seconds. I felt a strange movement in my lap, where DogDay had managed to fall asleep.
He began to move, as if he were uncomfortable. I saw him overwhelmed, I noticed that his breathing was faster than usual, that his heart was beating like an uncontrollable machine. I got closer and could hear him mumbling things in his sleep. I think I heard "angels", and later "no, no, no", and finally "I failed...I failed..."
There was no doubt. He was having a nightmare. I grabbed his shoulder and shook him a little, calling him to wake up, until he opened his eyes himself. He was still in anguish.
Maya: DogDay? Are you OK...?
DogDay: You're...you're alive...! Goodness...! Oh my god, angel...!
I soon understood that he had dreamed that something bad had happened to us. I held him and cooed at him until he calmed down again, he regained his breathing, his pulse slowed.
Maya: That's it, that's it...everything will be fine!
DogDay: I hope so...please, I just ask you not to abandon me...I don't want to lose any more friends...!
I realized how deep the trauma must be after all those years of captivity and psychological torture. The strange thing is that he didn't have nightmares before... Well, the torture wouldn't let him think about nightmares anyway.
Maya: Easy, DogDay. We are not going to abandon you...
DogDay: *Sniff* Thank you, Maya...
Maya: Do you want to go back to sleep...?
DogDay: I don't think so...I'm better awake.
Maya: Okay, because I have a little surprise for you! Wait here.
DogDay moved away from my lap, a little confused but eager to see what it was all about. I went down under the statue and took the legs that Oscar had found in the cells. I dusted them off a little and went up with them raised high as if I were lifting a trophy. Seeing them, DogDay's eyes shone.
DogDay: You found them! In the end were they in the cells?
Maya: Oscar found them there. Now we should find a way to...stick them to the rest of the body!
DogDay: We'll find the solution...but now, look who's coming!
DogDay pointed to the cable car. I watched as the transport went down to the station. Austin got out of the cable car, but he was a mess, with his hair and clothes full of dirt and a pocket of his jacket soaked with blood, where he was hiding one hand. I didn't get close to him, because I never had his affection for 10 years and I ended up not needing him. And because he looked like a bum. However, DogDay did crawl towards him, somewhat alarmed.
DogDay: Angel, are you okay? Something has happened?
Austin: I'm fine. I just had a small accident, but I'm fine. But that does not matter! Look who's coming!
The cable car was going back up, and from the top of the stairs, a red bear with huge eyes similar to DogDay's showed up. She seemed shy, but upon seeing DogDay she calmed down, although she was disturbed that he had no legs. She walked slowly down the steps until she reached DogDay. I remembered that Smiling Critter; Bobby Bearhug.
Bobby Bearhug: Hey, DogDay...!
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