The next morning Shock was awakened by a delicious smell. For a moment she had forgotten where she was and wondered why Oogie was cooking. Then she heard the Beldam’s voice announcing that breakfast would be ready soon. She bolted upright and looked around. The room looked even more beautiful in the day light. She found there was a private bathroom connected to her room and cleaned herself up. She was tempted to try on one of the beautiful dresses the Beldam had but resisted the urge and put the dress she had come in back on. She tried to brush out her hair in the vanity, but as always it remained wild and frizzy. She finally emerged from her room at the same time as Lock and Barrel. Lock looked tired, as if had stayed up late playing.
Lock: *yawns* best night ever.
Barrel: Uh-huh. I can’t wait to ride my new bike.
Shock: You mean, you’re going to stay?
Barrel: Why not? Do you not want to?
Shock: Well, I don’t know.
Lock: C’mon Shock, this is the best thing that’s happened to us EVER.
Shock: Maybe, but I just can’t shake the feeling that there’s something wrong with the Beldam. I mean, when before in our lives have you ever met someone who was this kind to us and didn’t want anything in return?
Barrel: Well, there’s a first time for everything.
Lock: Yeah, what’s she gonna do? Steal our souls?
Barrel: She’s given us everything we’ve always wanted, she’s nice, and she acts like she cares about us. She’s…like having a mom, but better.
Shock: I know, but...I want to leave.
That was not really true. She loved it here. She loved her room, she loved having nice things. She loved feeling cared for, but that was the problem. If Shock had learned anything in her short life it was that happiness had a cost. Perhaps that isn’t always true, but that was the experience Shock had known.
Lock: Well, we want to stay.
Then the Beldam called once more this time to say breakfast was on the table. Lock and Barrel rushed eagerly to the dining room followed by Shock. On each of their plates were caramel apple pancakes and next to each plate were the boxes containing the buttons. Shock had almost forgotten about them. They made her uneasy. As Shock sat down she noticed the Beldam looked a bit different, though she couldn’t exactly say what the difference was. The food was amazing. They’d never tasted anything so good. The Beldam said nothing while they ate. She just watched them with her button eyes. It didn’t take them long to finish eating.
Beldam: I hoped you enjoyed breakfast.
Lock: Those were the best pancakes ever.
Barrel: *still chewing* mmm…yeah…mmm
Beldam: I’m so happy you liked it. So do you wish to stay?
The three simultaneously looked at their boxes, then at each other. Shock tried to plead with her eyes for them to say no. She knew if they said yes that she would say yes as well. Barrel looked down and stared at his hands. Lock seemed as if he was about to respond, but then looked over at Shock. She pleaded silently for him to say no. He seemed as if he was just going to ignore her, but then he sighed and rolled his eyes as if saying ‘fine, since you feel so strongly about it’.
Lock: Well, we’ve really liked it here, but I think we’re just going to go home now. Thanks for all the food and stuff…
Barrel: But I thought…
Lock: Thanks, but we’re leaving.
The Beldam didn’t look pleased. Shock was relieved. She had really thought he was going to say yes.
Beldam: (coldly yet while smiling) Well, you’re always welcome back if you change your mind.
Lock, Shock, and Barrel got up and walked towards the door, the Beldam’s button eyes following them as they made their way out.
Lock: You better learn to cook Shock, because we just gave up the best thing that has ever happened to us for you.
Barrel: Why Shock? I could have had a motorcycle.
Shock: Barrel, get over it. You don’t even know how to ride it. Thanks Lock. I’m sorry.
When they looked around outside they noticed that the world looked different. The candy house looked less colorful, and as they walked they noticed the trees were starting to look more like a drawing of a tree than an actual tree.
Shock: This doesn’t look like the forest we came from.
A Voice: I’m not surprised.
Barrel: Who said that?
The Voice: I did.
Lock: Alright, show yourself!
L, S, & B turned to see a black cat with large green eyes. They looked past the cat to see if anyone else was there, after all, cats couldn’t talk.
Cat: I’m right here.
Lock: Whoa.
Barrel: Weird.
Shock: Aww, what a pretty cat.
Lock and Barrel stared at Shock.
Shock: What? I like cats.
Lock: Well I don’t.
Cat: Excuse me, I’m right here.
Barrel: What’s your name?
Cat: Cats don’t have names. You people have names, but cats know who we are, we don’t need names.
Barrel: Oh. Well, my name’s Barrel.
Lock: Lock.
Shock: Shock.
Cat: Wait, your names are Lock, Shock, and Barrel?
Lock: What about it?
Cat: Nothing, nothing.
Lock was starting to dislike this cat. Shock and Barrel meanwhile were starting to like him.
Shock: So do you come to, wherever here is, often?
Cat: Oh, She and I have this game we play. She hates cats and tries to keep me out, but she can’t of course.
Shock: How can she hate cats?
Lock: I can guess.
Shock gave Lock an evil look, and Lock returned it. As they continued to walk the trees were becoming less and less tree like until they finally disappeared altogether.
Barrel: Where’s the rest of the forest?
Cat: She didn’t make it. She only made what she knew would impress you.
Lock: Why?
Cat: A spider’s web need only be big enough for flies.
Shock: Now do you believe there’s something wrong with the Beldam?
Lock: Okay, okay, you were right.
Barrel: So how do we get out of here?
Cat: You’ll need the key.
Shock: What key?
Cat: The key to the front door. She moved the door after she got out of that well.
L, S, & B didn’t know what the cat was talking about. He seemed to be talking more to himself than to them.
Shock: So we have to go back in there?
Cat: Unless you want to stay out here forever. At least you have those.
The cat gestured towards their masks. L, S, & B looked down at their masks which they had been holding.
Lock: Our masks? What about them? We’ve always head these.
But when Lock looked up the cat was gone. L, S, & B looked around but they could see no sign of the cat. They looked back towards the house. It had seemed so inviting when they first saw it. Now it was almost repulsive. No matter how they felt about it however they walked back into the house.
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What will happen to L, S, & B when they return to the Beldam?
How will their masks help them?
Can you believe Lock admitted to being wrong?
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