𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗼 Shorts

♔ DtM x OC - 6

DENNIS

I shook my head wildly of the fog that surrounded it and leached into my brain, and looked down at the thing in my hand. "Hey! I don't need a cookbook with built in laser tin opener!" I almost threw it away, but the laser sounded cool. I didn't have a laser. I pocketed it.

People all around me were shaking their heads and looking around in confusion.

"People of Beanotown!" A voice said through the speakers. Was that Riley? "You are no longer hypnotised! Abandon mall! Abandon ma-ulk!"

People started to panic and run towards the exits.

Ma-ulk? What does that mean?

She sounded as if she was being strangled.

With this in mind, I set off in the opposite direction to the masses, trying to find a door to Baby-Face's office.

Suddenly I was assaulted by a black ball colliding with my chest. I yelped and fell back, and the ball started licking my face.

"Gnasher, Gnasher, geroff!" I laughed, pushing at his nose and laughing. "Come on, boy."

I managed to sit up and coax Gnasher off of me. I looked around for Riley, but I couldn't see her. Dread settled in the pit of my stomach.

"Where's Riley, Gnasher?" I asked slowly.

Gnasher lowered his head and trotted off to my left.

We only got so far before I heard heavy footfall and it took my a few seconds to work out what they were.

"Those clockwork clowns are after us – run!"

Gnasher still led the way, cutting through different doorways. He skidded to a stop outside a white door with Baby-Face's name on it, but it was steadfastly blocked by two clockwork guards who made a lunge for me. I jumped aside and continued running in a random direction, hoping to shake them off my tail, but at my next turn I ran into a dead end, empty except from a discarded trolley.

The guards cornered us in, and Wretch piped up from behind them all. "He's against all innovation! Grab him! He's a sad lad!"

I couldn't help but snort with laughter. "I'm sad? You're the only one who's only friend is made of cardboard!"

"I'll tell him you said that!" Wretch said with a crazy grin.

I frowned. Humour wasn't going to work. Threats? "Better move to another town, mister weirdo – this one's got Dennis in it!"

Gnasher growled, too, and Wretch had the decency to look intimidated.

"What are you waiting for?" Baby-Face screeched over the speakers. "Get him!"

The guards ran full pelt at us, and for once I had no idea what to do. Rugby tackle them? Jump over their heads? Laser cookbook? Not enough time. Too fast, too fast-

They suddenly all creaked to a stop only a metre away, hands outstretched towards me.

I couldn't believe it.

"Oh, not again!" Wretch started digging through his many pockets. "Where's my wind-up key? Where's my wind-up key finder?"

I grabbed the trolley.

"Gnasher? I think it's time to act our age!"

Gnasher jumped in and I readied myself behind it, and began to run.

The trolley easily battered away the guards like bowling pins, and Wretch shrieked and fled in front of us. "On your left, a pile of useless junk," I commentated. "On your right, Wretchy boy, trying to escape! Hang on!"

I dug my heels into the linoleum floor, careening the trolley around the corner.

Wretch stood panickedly in the dead end.

Then he turned around with a triumphant grin. "Aha! My umbrella hat!" He pressed a button on his hat, and the umbrella started to spin. Impossibly, he started to rise into the air. "Not so good in the rain, but great for stormy situations!"

"Jump, abandon trolley!" I told Gnasher. "Follow that man!"

There was a crash as the trolley hit the wall full-force, but by that time I'd let go and Gnasher had jumped out and we were chasing Wretch, who was half-running half-flying.

He ran through the white door and I trampled over the toppled guards on the floor, storming after the madman.

In the control room, Wretch was trapped. With tunnel vision, I started towards him. When I was just about to grab him, he took out a piece of card, and the unfolding of his paper friend pushed me back slightly.

"Aha! That's what friends are for!" Wretch sang.

Loud, high pitched mumbling came from the other side of the room.

Riley?

I turned around just as the metal bars came down from the ceiling and up from the floor, connecting in the middle, caging Gnasher and I in the centre of the room.

I grabbed the bars and rattled them, but they stayed firmly in place. The two parts locked together and proved to have no weaknesses.

Baby-Face grinned, his finger still on the button that trapped us. "A boy and his dog – how ironic," he sneered. "Because now it's time to go for walkies!"

Wretch went and stood next to him, and a see-through dome extended around them and the control panel. "You destroyed our plan – now we'll destroy your town!"

The floor jerked under me and I lost my footing, falling back into the bars. I was lucky my head didn't hit them, but my back hurt like hell from the impact.

On the screens I could see gadgets tumbling everywhere in the mall as the ground continued to tilt to and fro. Baby-Face laughed maniacally, and I briefly wondered which of them was more insane.

The screens switched to show what was happening outside, and even I couldn't help but gasp.

The whole mall had risen up on four metal legs. As I watched, it began to move across the hillside, and simultaneously the floor wobbled.

Baby-Face turned the moving mall to face the town.

Riley began to mumble loudly.

I looked over to where she was - I hadn't yet - and I managed to make eye contact with her. Her eyes were as wide as saucers, and she was sitting on the floor, bound to one of the desk legs. Two socks tied together formed her gag, with the knot positioned in her mouth. She looked scared. Vulnerable. I tried a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace when I was thrown into the bars again, and didn't help much. Her eyes were red-rimmed, I noticed as I looked her over. Tears were stained onto her cheeks.

I clenched my jaw and look back at the screens. The mall was heading straight for Beanotown - where everyone was taking refuge.

I was launched sideways into the bars again, and Gnasher - who was whining - collided with my left side. Something rectangular pressed into my thigh, and then released when Gnasher rolled off.

Rectangular?

I pulled out the cookbook, and a smile cut through my pain.

It was easy to work. Press the button on the side - don't point the laser at Gnasher! - direct it towards the bars and cut a square.