Lassoing the Cresent Moon

11. Tiny Rainbow Freaks

Marie Payne, where had that heard that name before? I furrowed my brow hardly paying attention to the screen that turned on.

"Welcome to Whack a Wuggy"

I took a deep breath as I looked up. After my close call with musical memory I knew I better pay attention. I could see Mommy- or Marie already watching me from an observation window.

"This advanced test is designed to assess the extent of your reactionary abilities. A Dual Palm Grab Pack will be provided for you for this test. Around you are 18 sizable holes."

I looked around. The holes were set across the walls on all sides of me. Another 360 kind of game... Great. At least this time I was prepared.

"An adorable Huggy Wuggy Toy could appear out of any one of these holes. If one pops out, hit it with your grab pack. That is all. Good Luck"

"Tch" Adorable.

The music faded away as Mommy spoke. "The toys in this game used to have strings attached so they could be pulled back if they got too close to the children...Hmm... Have fun." She grinned.

I sighed. So if I didn't whack them they'd get right on me and attack, bite, or worse. Got it.

I heard a large clank and the pitter patter of tiny feet echoing through the holes. If it weren't for the fact that I already knew what an actual Huggy was capable of I would think they were adorable. I looked around quickly. I could hear them all around me, but I couldn't see any. I stared into one of the holes. They were so dark, there was no telling how far or close these toys were.

I heard chattering and quickly turned my head. Two tiny itty bitty yellow baby hands peaked out of the sides of the holes with a smile.

Awww... I quickly slammed it back in the hole, feeling its feet squirm in protest as it was pushed back. I heard a hiss as I turned around and spotted another pair of hands.

Then another!

I held my breath as I kept my feet in a balanced stance. While I was shooting with both my hands I had to be ready to turn at a moments notice.

I heard a snarl echo through the tubes. I turned back and waited for a Huggy to appear.
...and waited.

come on! I knew I heard it from there!
I couldn't keep my back to any side for long. I turned to see a Huggy nearly completely out of its den. I took a sharp breath as I quickly shoved it back in the hole. It grabbed onto my hand as I crossed my arms to hit another one of the little freaks on the opposite side.

It was biting hard onto my grabpack as I struggled to shake it off. I heard more snarls and did my best as my eyes shot from one huggy to another with my one grab pack hand.

It took me until I had both hands back to realize these little pests were smarter than I gave them credit for. They were snarling on one side without even moving just to hide the pitter patter of feet of their team members on the other side. My hands shot haphazardly as I kept turning making sure to keep my eyes on all sides, and my ears tuned only for the sounds of felted feet.

I blinked hard. Just when I thought I could slow my turn two or three would emerge at once from different sides making me skip forward. I panted a little, my head was starting to spin. Their sharp toothed grins had me well aware of what would happen if I missed. Their little hands would curl around the rim of the holes, hind legs ready to launch themselves toward me.

There weren't levels or breaks like musical memory. These things were just getting increasingly faster without rhyme or reason. Their different colors seemed to be the only things my eyes registered in the darkness, the rest of the room shifting out of focus. "Get back in- you rainbow freaks!" I hissed.

When the light went back on a bell rang signaling the end of the game. I let out a deep breath as I laid my head back and spread my legs apart to help keep my balance. The Huggies had retreated but it seemed like my world was still spinning. I could hear their feet retreat but a sinking feeling inside me made me think they could be coming closer.

My mind was playing tricks on me, and I couldn't turn it off. I was starting to really hate this place.

"Oh... you did it." I looked back up to see frustration quickly be replaced by a plastered smile. "Hooray! Mommy is so proud of you! Here... Mommy has another hint for you." I watched her arm stretch and break through a vent as it reached towards me with another piece of ripped paper. I held my head with my head as I stumbled forward and reached for the next code.

"Sad." Her hand retracted as soon as I took the paper. "Only one more game. Mommy was hoping you'd stay forever!" Why did she keep referring to herself in the third person like that? "Though, it's never too late to change your mind." She giggled as she started to climb down the wall.

"Marie!" I shouted. "Marie Payne!"

She stopped, freezing in place. The words had come out of my mouth before I actually had figured out what to say. "You were here too. You were an orphan like me- why are you against me?"

"Marie Payne." She mocked my voice. "Marie Paine." She repeated. "Marie Pain. Scary Payne! Scary Pain!" She chanted her voice growing louder as her eyes dilated.

Wait... The memory was foggy, but there was something in her words that rang in my head.

"You did this to me!"

"What are you talking about?" I exclaimed.

"You- you and that mangy feline!" She growled as her limbs shook. "Don't play stupid with me." Her head thudded against the glass as she lunged for me. "You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you, Audrey?" She was so full of rage. I was sure if she could just give me a few minutes I would actually remember what she was talking about. "One- more game!" She growled before storming out of the room. "Or you'll never see your Poppy again."