Chapter Four
Toyland Gone Wrong

“So you dream a lot?” asked Josephine, removing the helmet that had been hidden in her Egyptian wig.
“Yeah, I got that distress dream from you and another girl,” Paul explained. “Hey, maybe you can help me find her.”
“What did she look like?” Question Josie.
“She was like me with my color skin and had blonde curls,” he began. “She was very young and wore a nurse outfit when I say her.”
“Wait. I know her! That's the little girl I saw Dreamina take into her office,” Josie pondered. “Her name was Ella or Elsie or something! It started with an E.”
“How can we find her door?”
The two teens looked around the waste land. They spied nothing for several minutes until their eyes landed on one. It was extremely pink, outlined in golden lace.
“This must be it!” Paul put her hand on the knob and turned it. He smelled something. A whistle sounded. Were they at a train station? “Do you see anything?”
“Not yet.” Was the girl's reply.
The fog bean to lift; revealing a brightly colored train station. The train itself was white with blue wheels and to their surprise, a happy face that was smiling right at them. The station was filled with not only people but soft, fuzzy teddy bears, vivid, sparkling fairies, princess with flowing skirts.
“Did we make a wrong turn at Cinderella's Castle?” asked Paul in confusion.
“No,” Josie said. “This is a girl's dream. Every child loves their toys.”
Paul had to admit that she was right. The train blew it whistle again; it was about to leave. The two teens jumped on quickly before it began to roll away.
“Hey everybody!' Came a bubbly voice. “I am Conductor Funshine! Lets sing a song!”
“This is going to be a long ride!” Sighed Paul. He looked at Josie. “So, what's your life like?”
“Well lets. I'm a Grade A student at the world's snottiest prep school, my mother is a jazz singer and my dad is into politics. He's going to run for president one year.”
“Cool!” Paul exclaimed. “Sounds pretty exciting.”
“Well that was my downfall,” answered Josie. Paul blinked in puzzlement. “Well Dreamina went to high school with my mom. My dad was her old sweetheart. And she was a bit------------------racist.”
“You're dad is black right?” Paul asked in puzzlement also.
“No,” she shook her head. “I'm biracial, a mix of white and black. My dad was white. So when my dad met my mom, they became good friends. Then Dreamina threatened him. She said ‘Hang out with riff raff like that and we're through!'. So that was that. It was actually he who dumped her.”
“Interesting story!”
“Thanks.”
The train screeched to a halt. The song ended much to their relief. They were about to get off when a huge, fluffy bunny stopped them.
“Can't let you get off without a hug!” He beamed.
“What?” asked Paul in disbelief.
“Okay.” Josie said willing.
“Aw! You're my best friend!” the bunny replied.
Paul looked at her but she just urged him to do it. He sighed and embraced the furry toy. He followed the girl off the coach, stepping into a town square full of toys and dolls. Every food store they passed was a filled to the brim with cakes and pastries. The houses were made of either Lincoln logs, Legos or brightly colored blocks. In the middle of the square was a huge, sparkling clock tower. The clock had a face; it was a bit scary. Its huge blue eyes moved back and forth as if it were searching for something.
“I've seen that clock before,” Paul said out loud. “I don't remember where.”
“Its creepy!” Josie shivered.
“It really is!”
Suddenly, the whole entire square was abuzz with happy chatter. Everyone was gathering around in the middle of town. The two teens pushed their way through the crowd, hoping to get a look of what was so important. The crowd parted to let a huge carriage come through. It was a soft pink color with lace and trimmings. On the top was a huge, ruby red heart. It was pulled by pastel colored horse with bows and glittering jewelry. It reached the fountain that was planted in the middle of the plaza. The two teens crawled through the crowd too get a good look of who was coming out of the stagecoach. The driver stepped down, unlatched the door letting out an exceptionally striking princess with golden locks braided with flowers.
“All hail Princess Purple Pink Polka Dotted Striped Fuzzy Lemonade Stand!” she announced.
“Is that her name?” Paul asked in perplexity.
“I don't think she's talking about herself.” Josie whispered.
The princess moved to reveal a young girl about 8 years old wearing a poofy, pink, silk dress with pearls and a shinny tiara. Everyone bowed to the ground including the older princess.
“Thank you Rapunzel,” She said to the elder royalty. “As you all know tonight is my 5th birthday for the week! I hope you all will come and bring me good presents!”
“All hail the princess!” chimed the toys.
“Her fifth birthday?” asked Josie. “How can a child grow that fast?”
“I don't think she ages at all. I think she just has birthdays to just have them.” Paul explained. “I say we should follow her.”
“Problem,” Josie added glumly. “We really don't blend in.”
Paul noticed that she was right; every teenaged toy was wearing a everlasting grin on his or her face. The girls were mostly dressed in perfect dresses with petticoats and big bows. If not they were a certain type of doll like a Chinese doll, a fairy doll or any other doll. It went the same for the boys but their clothes were coats and nice pants.
“Your right,” Paul admitted. “We need to blend in.”
They hunted for a boutique until they found one near the edge of the town. The entered through the door and were greeted by the happy person behind the counter.
“Hello happy people! How can I help you on the superfuntansical day?” He asked them.
“Superfuntansical?” asked Paul. Josie just shrugged. “We need some new clothes.”
“Well of course new funny buddies! But first ya haveta give me a hug!” He opened his arms. Paul sighed but put on a pretend smile and squeezed the shop keeper. “Hooray! I have a new friend! Does the girlie wanna be my friend?”
“Why of course! I'd tickled pink!” Josie answered back.
“How in the world can you stand this?” Paul whispered after Josie gave the man a hug.
“Well I've spent lots of time around kids.”
“Its dress up time!” the man pulled Paul behind a changing board. He popped back out, wagging his finger at Josie. “No peeking! Cover your eyes.”
Josie laughed but hide her eyes until Paul was ready. She had to hide her laughter but it was too much. Paul was wearing a ye old American boy outfit that was a nice shade of blue. He was wearing a wig under a cap.
“Oh splendid, splendid, splendid!” The shopkeeper bubbled. “You're turn! Here you go and we won't peek.”
Josie took a while but she finally came out making Paul jealous. Her attire was simple. A nice yet bright yellow dress with matching shoes and bow with white high knee socks.
“Thank you.” Josie said.
“Buh bye!” waved the keeper of the shop.
“That there is one experience I do not want to relive!” Paul said.
Josie just laughed at him; he didn't care. He liked her laugh. In fact he liked everything about here. She was everything he had wanted in a girl. Sweet attitude, a lovely personality, beautiful hair and skin.
“So now what?” She asked him.
“Huh?” Paul came back to reality.
“Hello! What do we do now?” she repeated.
Paul stooped to think. His eyes darted around the area. The clock searching with its eyes, dolls skipping rope, a bunch of toys going into a castle. He stopped after seeing that.
“There!” He pointed to the gate that led the way into the citadel. “We need to get in there!”
“That might not be so easy. It's guard by toy soldiers.”
“I know but I have a plan. What does every birthday party have?”
“Presents?” Josie guessed. Paul shook his head. “A birthday girl or boy? I know! A cake!”
“Right! So in order to get in we need to make a cake of epic portions.”
“But how?”
“Hello! We give people hugs and\or become their friends and there you have it! We get a cake.”
They headed toward the only known bakery in the square. They entered in to find the air with many sweet smells. It was abuzz with many people, running to and fro getting ready for the big night. They glanced around to see if they could find the main cook.
“There! That must be him!” Josie said. She pointed to the biggest, cheeriest chef in the joint. 
“Ello zere!” He said with a hint of a French accent. “Iz zere anything I zan do for you?”
“We'd like to make a cake for the Princess. We want it to be the biggest most giantest cake ever!” Paul said.
“You're catching on!” Josie whispered.
“Zat can be arranged as long az you zive me a hug!” The cook opened his arms. Paul happily embrace the man as well as Josie. “Time for baking!”
“This may take a------------” Paul began.
“Finshed!”
“What?” asked Paul in disbelief. He looked to see a huge five layer cake with five different colors of icing. It was embodied with little bows and flowers made of icing as well. On the top layer was a huge heart that read Happy Birthday. They brought it out on a wooden wagon so they were able to pull it. They waved good, pushing the cake out of the door.
They headed towards the castle with their colossal cake on its wagon. They told the toy soldiers that they were just humble toys who wanted to make sure the princess had a swell birthday. Having an empty, hollow head the soldiers believed them and let them go in.
“This castle almost looks like a Barbie doll house!” Josie said.
She was right. It was pink and purple, the signs of Barbie. Not to mention they saw many Barbies as well like the Fairytopia fairies and mermaids. As they walked past them, the fairies giggled and wave to Paul who shivered. They knocked on the hug door of the castle. The door cracked open showing a mime.
“Great, a mime!” Josie said. “I hate mimes.”
The mime on the other hand was happy to see both of them. It hugged Paul and then hugged Josie who had a look of disgust on her face. He pulled the door opened, allowing them to go in. When the mime left, the rolled the cake to the kitchen and then went to search for the princess.
This will be easy thought Paul. He changed his mind when he turned he corner. The two teens stared down a hall of pink walls and purple doors. It stretched beyond what their eye could see. It looked like it would take an infinity for them to look through them all and it probably would have if one of the doors hadn't been wearing a sign. They spotted it out of the all the doors. The sign read:

This is the room
Of
Princess Purple Pink Polka Dotted Striped Fuzzy Lemonade Stand
(Please knock)</center>

Respecting her privacy, Paul knocked.
“Knock, knock!” came a voice from the other side.
“Who's there?” asked Paul.
“Comeon!”
“Comeon who?”
“You've knocked so you can come on in!”
After the joke there was many laughs from the little so-called princess. The two other children laughed to be polite even though they found it corny. Inside the room, they found the princess mounted a huge plastic throne that was once again pink and purple. Her room was filled with plush toy animals and dolls.
“Are you the princess?” asked Paul.
“Bow too me!” She ordered. Paul rolled his eyes and bowed down on the floor. “You too!” She pointed to Josie who curtseyed instead. “Good enough.”
“Now since the formalities are done with,” Paul said as he rose up. “Its time to get you out of here.”
“But its my birthday tonight!” She held out five fingers. “My fifth one this week.”
Paul was wanting for Josie to say something; so far she had been silent. He looked at her. She was starting hard at the princess. What was she doing? Was she trying to conjure something up in this girl's dream world?
“Marcella!” She exclaimed.
“What?” the princess stared straight at Josie with an awestruck look on her face.
“Marcella!” Josie ran to the girl, grabbing her arms. “You remember me don't you?” The princess still stared in disbelief. “Come on! Please!” The young child still looked shocked. Josie's eyes began to swell up tears. “If you have no voice.” She began.
“Scream.” the princess whispered. “If you have no legs.”
“Run.”
“If you have no hope,” they chimed together. “Invent.”
“Josie cat!” The princess trusted her arms around the older one's neck, crying her little heart out. “I'm glad you're here.”
“You two know each other?” asked Paul. “Can someone explain this to me.”
“Maybe Marcella can show it better.” Josie smiled at the little girl.
Before Paul was able to ask another question, the room around them began to disappear. It was consumed by a huge, cloud of pure black but out of it appeared a little circle that showed Marcella. She was in a huge mall that swarmed with millions upon millions of adults. She was the only colorful thing in it for all the adults had been shaded with gray. No one saw her, no one offered to help her. She was alone and frightened. She was small fish in the middle of a brimming ocean of madness. She sat down on a bench, curling up so no one could hear her cry. Yet out of the many, only one had a soft heart that was able to hear the soft whimpers; that person was Josie. She found the poor, scared child curled up on her bench. Josie kindly offered to buy her a drink and snack; Marcella happily accepted. The food was bought, they sat down and this was where the friendship grew.
Josie removed her jacket. Marcella took a look at the shirt which the teenager wore. It was black with the strangest picture on it.
“What's that?” Marcella pointed to the picture.
“This? I got this shirt when I saw Alegria,” Josie began to explain. “If I got an okay from your parents I could maybe take you there sometime when it tours here.”
The youngster brightened up at that comment; she had found a friend. After the bite of food, Josie got Marcella home. After that Josie had been her baby sitter and long time friend.
The images of the two girls from the past faded away. They returned to the colorful world of Marcella's subconscious.
“Touching story,” Paul said. “Now we have to get out of here before something bad happens.”
BAM!
The door behind them fell down with a earsplitting thud. Rapunzel stood at the arch with a sinister look and gleaming, beady eyes. Paul felt the floor move under his feet. That's not the floor, Paul thought. It was the princess's long, radiant, blonde locks. It curled around Paul then tightened its grip nearly cutting off his breathing. Josie ran to help but to her dismay she was suddenly caught in the dolls braids.
“Marcella!” Paul cried. “Do something! Think of something! Whatever you think of will come alive! This is your dream.”
Marcella looked at Paul one last time before she closed her eyes tightly. She thought lengthy and hard. Droplets of sweat began to form on her brow. Paul felt like his lungs were about to collapse when suddenly the grip was softened.
“Aiee!” shrieked the crazed toy. “My hair? Oh my wondrous hair has been reduced to-------”
“Licorice?” Josie asked. “Great thinking Marcella!”
Paul grabbed Marcella's hand and rushed down the hallway with Josie right behind him. His heart beat against his chest powerfully, hoping that they would make it. As they ran he noticed the place was slowly collecting dust. The bright colors faded into a dull, shabby gray. They came to the top of the stairwell which sealed their escape. Paul stepped on the first step but as he did something tried to nip his foot. He looked down to see two sharp teeth and a pink bubble gum tongue.
“SNAKE!” he screamed. Marcella clung onto him but she pushed him towards Josie. “Josie, take Marcella and find a back door!”
“But what about you?” Josie asked him.
“Go!” He ushered them away.
Josie stared at him with pleading eyes that begged him to come with them; his gaze said no. Knowing it was no use to argue with him, she pulled Marcella down the halls along with her.
“Generally I like snakes,” Paul said to the snake. “But this is not my general snake!”
The snake hissed, rearing its huge black head. Paul grabbed a chair and tried to shoo the snake. It gashed its venom dripping fangs. Paul seized the perfect chance and shoved the chair into the creatures move. The snake reared backwards, shaking it head.
“Paul!” Josie and Marcella appeared at the top of the stairwell. “We can't get out the back way its surrounded by toy soldiers.”
“Angry tin soldiers!” cried Marcella.
She was the snake tried to attack Paul again. She closed her eyes, concentrating with all her might. Paul feet were flipped out from under him by the tail of the serpent. It towered over him, readying for its supper. Paul closed his eyes, knowing this was the end. He waited for a while. Nothing happened. No sharp pain, no blood running down his leg, no nothing. He opened his eyes slowly and saw the snake was now a stuffed animal.
“You saved my skin Marcy!” He breathed.
The girls raced down the stairs to meet him. They opened the doors of the castle, running down the path. It was now dark as night could possibly be.
“Paul look!” Josie stopped them when they arrived at the gate. She pointed to under the watch tower. “The door! Its right there!”
He trusted open the gates, holding so the girls could go. He closed them back and ran after them. The door was in perfect reach. Nothing could happen, they were going to escape.
“Wait!” Marcella stopped abruptly. “The clock!”
“What? Do you want to know the time?” Paul asked irritably.
“Paul, don't be angry with her!” Josie snapped.
“No! Look!” They turned their heads to the clock. It slowly leaned over them. The hinges were coming undone. “Its falling of!”
In an instant, the clock hinges broke, letting the clock roll on its side. The children were in its path. Paul moved the girls into the fountain, out of the way of the rolling face. But as soon as he did, it stopped, turned around and went right for them again.
“Moving out of its way isn't gonna work is it?” Paul gulped
“Doesn't look like it!” Josie replied.
Marcella didn't answer for she was to busy helping by thinking hard. With a whoosh, the door appeared before them. Paul looked at Marcella who was smiling proudly. She opened the door, let the two teens go ahead on in and then closed it behind her.

---

Return to Dream Asylum
Missing: </center>