Rose - A Poppy Playtime Story

Chapter 4 - Family

(Hi, everyone!)

The fake sun was completely gone, instead a fake shining moon took its place on the ceiling.

All the critters were in their separate houses. The faint sound of crickets could be heard. That was fake too.

A mix of soft snoring and purring could be heard in all directions. They were coming from the houses, the windows being open. The sounds echoing off the walls.

Then an alarm went off. Critters jumped out of beds, completely shocked. It was 2:00 am, and it certainly wasn't time for work!

Every critter rushed outside of their homes, a few rubbing their eyes tiredly.

A couple of employees rushed into the village. They ran to Catnap in particular.

He was of course the most exhausted one out of the critters, so it took him a couple of seconds to figure out that they were heading for him.

Wait, what had he done?! Did he do something wrong?!

Did they know about Timmy escaping his room? Were they mad at Catnap for not scolding or reporting him.

Catnap put out his hands as in saying 'I surrender'. His ears went down, and his tail stopped swaying.

The rest of the critters stared at him, did he do something wrong?

The employees reached Catnap, panting.

"1188...we...need you...too...help calm...a child...down...with your gas." One said out breath.

Catnap put his arms down, looking surprised for a moment. They had really set off an ALARM because the employees couldn't get a child to calm down?!

Plus, the employees had called him by his experiment number. How odd. Were the employees now refusing to call him by his name? Or rather one of his names.

"That's all?" Catnap asked instead. The employees nodded.

Then without another word Catnap walked swiftly in the direction of the sleeping quarters.

Leaving the rest of the critters with dumbfounded faces, and the employees having to rush after him.

Catnap hadn't expected to do this. Especially so soon, it had been a gift that he got to keep his poppy gas from ever reaching a child.

But now that was ruined. Having to calm a child down with poppy gas would be mentally draining for him.

That's how they started the procedure when they were making new living toys. Except the child would be put to sleep.

It was somehow a big part of the process, and now he'd have to give a child some of the gas.

Why would the child even need it? Was the child hurt or in danger? Did they have a condition of sorts? Did the employees do something to them?

Catnap grit his teeth, his claws poking out. Did the employees really have the audacity to harm them?

No! Catnaps thoughts screamed, they wouldn't have harmed them so suddenly! It wasn't shipping day.