Chapter 7: Welcome Aboard!
I woke up cranky like it was early in the morning. Is it morning? Nope, it’s night. Like it’s noon. The only different thing is that I’m sleeping on a bus! And the others too. We were all wrapped up in warm blankets and we were sleeping on a seat recliner. I was so confused about why we were in here until I realized what had happened before. I remember in depressed and the others were arguing about my convincing them to bring people’s happiness back to normal, which they refused and wanted me only to be happy, by myself, alone, useless, helpless, and careless. So why not? Fine. Have it their way. I’ve tried to do many things for them as much as possible. If they’re gonna live their hopeless lives, then so be it. They don’t need me. At all. Well, not everybody, I corrected myself; I thought. Some others were supporting me. All but Mako. She’s still a boiling pot from the nob, turned high. And what’s even worse, she’s with us on this bus. What the crap?
Munashae was resting on my chest and lap. My friends Joey and Kayla were knocked out like a light on their recliners. Marco and Mako are sleeping together. “What’s going on?” I asked. “DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP!” a loud trumpet played out of nowhere. “KJWHNGYQTFFIJL DDOERNH?!” All of us yelled, screamed, and shouted out in fear. Nash was frightened so much that he cried a burst of tears of fear. “YO! WHAT THE H.E. DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS?!” Marco shouted at the person who played the trumpet. It was the old creepy man again. “Rise and shine, Maties!” he announced. “It’s literally past 12 d-am-n a-clock.” I scolded with exhaustion. “Oh, well, whatever.” The old guy geezer said. “My mates, today is your lucky day!”, “Is it?” Kayla asked with annoyance. “Yes, indeed.” He replied. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the one and only, holy moly, waka moly, macaroni, Goldy moldy-” “Who are you, sir?” I asked. “Ah hem. I am your tour guide on our trip,” He introduced himself then changed into a weird Uncle Grampa person. “I’m Uncle Grampa!” ... complete silence again. “Who?” Kayla asked again. “Ah-Hem. I’m Uncle Grampa!” ... Complete eternal silence once again. “I don’t get it.” Joey puzzled.
“You mean you that Cartoon Network old unclelish grampa-looking character thingy, with the talking pizza guy, and the fat dragon thingy, also the tiger who looks like a male tiger but it’s a female, and lastly you a talking purse that sticks around with you? So you’re a cartoonish-looking FREAK?” ... External eternal, complete mega silence once ever AGAIN and AGAIN. Everyone was looking at Marco like WTF? But I think he’s right. The graphics on the character have a cartoonish-looking texture on him. Black thin shapes surrounded him, a big nose and beard, and a cheeky voice. Seems like Uncle Grampa to me. Sort of like him. I haven’t seen that character for a long time ever since I was a kid. Wait A Minute! “Hey! Are you a cosplay or are you a living toon we’re all looking at right now?” I asked in shock. “Yeah! What the heck?” Marco added in suspicion and shock.
“Obviously,” Mako answered in an annoyed response. The old man’s original appearance, like what everybody else looks like in reality, now turns into an almost realistic cartoon character. “Where’s my Spider-Man?” Munashae asked. “He’s waiting for our destination!” Uncle Grampa answered as he touched my brother’s nose. “HEY!” Mako slapped the Uncle Gramps on his hand. “Ouch!” he yelled. “Don’t touch him! Let us go home!” Mako scolded. His hand looked funny. “Wow! You got some slack!” He said while looking at his hand crumbled up. “I’ll give you some slack alright!” Mako threatened. “Mako. We just woke up. Get a chill pill and get some rest.” Marco complained. “I TOLD YOU I AIN’T CHILLING AT ALL. I’m going home, going to sleep, and never being a happy, short little person anymore until I hibernate, then I’m happy. And don’t you even think about doing anything about cheering me up!” She pointed at me. Like I said, she’s still a boiling pot from the nob turned high. Now steam is just coming out of her ears. I ignored her. “Sir, we need to get home to our so-called, depressing place,” I told Uncle Gramps.
“Oh No!” He said. “You need some Sunrisers on and in each of you kids!”, “Sunrisers? I still don’t get it.” it puzzled Joey once more. “What do you mean?” Marco asked. “Like getting some positive energy inside of yourselves!” Uncle Grampa explained. “Really?” I asked. “Oh, no. not again.” Mako scoffed. “Of course!” Uncle Grampa answered. “The environment of love, joy, happiness, laughter, and excitement! has vanished into dark thick air! And we need to bring them back to humanity!”, “Yes!” I cheered. “That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do!” “You?” Kayla and Joe asked in confusion. “Oh, um, we’ve been trying to do!”, I corrected. “And me? What did I do?” Marco argued. “We've all been trying to do so. Well, most of us. I corrected again.”, “Oh god. Are you kidding me right now?” Mako sighed with depression.
places“Uh oh. Looks like somebody’s not on the bright side, or should I say, somebody woke up the wrong side of the,” “I ain’t have no time for puns! I want to go home with my brother. You stole and stole us! And tell this old brother of mine that people can’t be happy all at once! I’m so sick and tired of this help of restoring people to their happy place! Leave them alone. Let them figure it out. We can’t control what they can feel like. We have no right to tell them what they should feel.” Mako argued. “Hmmm, I see. But-”, “There is no but at all.”, “We’re done.”, Mako was just about to walk out of the bus until, “And just how are you going to get us out?” I asked. “I don’t have the time with you,” Mako said. “Me neither. But I don’t think we’ll be getting out soon though.”, “SHUT UP,” Mako yelled. “I’m getting out no matter...”, “No matter what, Mako?” Marco asked in suspicion.
Everyone looked out the window. It was blank. We couldn’t see anything. “Where are we, Gabe?” asked Nashae. “I’d like to know the same thing,” I replied. “Kids. We are going to your happy place, where all of your dreams and hopes will come true!” Uncle Grampa announced. “I don’t believe a word you’re saying. I’m pretty sure you’re dressed up in a serial killer inside of that stupid mascot outfit and trying to save us! I mean it. Slave us! None of this is real! You’re not real. I don’t even think my big brother is real-”, Mako was about to offend me again until, “What his sister was trying to say is, Gabe’s goal of putting people to happiness but then this came out of nowhere with the outfit, the bus and wherever we are isn’t real!” Joey interrupted to rephrase what Mako said purposely. “Says the unbelievers who are looking at what we’re all looking at right now are fiction things and people.” I corrected. Joey looked at me funny. “I didn’t mean that you’re making it up though, Joey.” I fixed my correction.
“Wait. Where are we going?” Kayla asked. “Adventure Land! Where the fun never lasts! where many fun activities, discoveries, and adventures continue to grow non-stop wherever and whatever we do. We’ll experience a lot of exciting things to explore. Danger is still lurking there too, but we’ve got that covered, though.” Uncle Grampa explained as he posed the meanings of what he meant by each word he posed as. “Yo, that kinda sounds kiddish to me We are teenagers except this little one,” Marco mentioned to them and pointed at Nashae. “Oh, please!” Uncle Gramps scoffed. “Adventure Land means more than just old wrinkly people like me! It’s for everybody! Everybody’s welcome!”, “Did you at least let them know that before you took them in like what you did with us?” I asked. Everyone looked at him with glaring eyes. Especially my sister. She has fire in her eyes. “Well, I uh, whelp. Anyway! The place is not safe, but protected with loads of safety! There’s so much to adventure into THE UNKNOWN!” Uncle Gramps spooked us. Not really. We all looked at him again.
mentioned, “So, what kind of bus is this?” Joey asked. “Hold on, before you answer that, didn’t you have a home van thing you’d usually ride along places?” Marco asked, too. “That’s at my place!” This is the Funner bus. Where we take the explorers to our destination! Matter of fact! I think we’re almost there! “Uncle Grampa explained and mentioned.” Alright, fine. We’ll do whatever you want us to do on your thingy magic adventure. But you have to promise to bring us back home, in peace! “Mako said.” Of course! We don’t leave explorers like y’all forever, well, if you want to. “Uncle Gramps asked.” Um no. “,” Uh, no thanks, “,” Heck No! “,” I’ll pass. “,” I wanna stay! “Nash said. We all looked at him.” Sure! You can stay! “Marco answered. Mako hit his elbow hard.” OW! “Marco said with pain.” My mom would KILL US. “Mako said.” Hey! No mean language! “Uncle Gramps scolded.” And mostly YOU as well. Mako pointed at him. “No, she’s right. We can’t stay for long.” I agreed. “OH SHOOT!” Joey shouted, “I didn’t tell my mom about this!”, “Me neither!” Kayla agreed with Joe. “Just tell them you’re having a sleepover cause there was a huge accident or long traffic!” I suggested. “Okay then,” Kayla admitted. “Let’s hope so,” Joey prayed.
#
Suddenly, the bus shook like it ran over on a bumpy road. A little too rough. Some of us almost fell over. “So, how long are we going to this exploration island?” Joey asked. “Soon.” Uncle Grampa responded. “Right now, we’re going through a rocky road, then a sliding road with a great road track that’s kind of like a rollercoaster, and-”, “Hold on.” Mako interrupted, “You said we’re going through some roads?” “Uh. I shouldn’t have mentioned that. That was a surprise. for y’all.” He sweated a little. “You mean dangerous roads are surprising?” Kayla complained. “That’s no fun at all!” Joey commented.
“Well, gee whizz! I’m driving you stubborn kids to our destination! So that means that I’m captain of the bus we’re riding in right now! I make the rules.” Uncle Gramps explained. While he was talking, the bus shook, shook, and bumped up and down even more aggressively than before. “Hold the phone. You? You’re driving us there?” Mako asked with suspicion. “Of course!” Uncle Gramps admitted. “After all, I’m the one who brought you kid on the bus!”, “Okay, so wait, if you’re the driver, but you’re out here, then who else is driving the bus, anyway?” I asked. “No one. Just me, that’s the... Oh. Right. I am the driver. And if I’m out here-” Uncle Grampa looked out to the front of the bus window view, which shows that the bus was running towards the sliding road as he mentioned before. And what’s even worse? “NO ONE’S DRIVING?!” Marco yelled out the obvious answer.
We all screamed in absolute fear when the bus started sliding down. “AHHHHHHHHHH!” We all screamed. Nashae liked the way the bus was sliding down like a playground slide. “Weeeeeeeeeee!” Nashae cheered. “I know, right?! This is fun!” Uncle Grampa agreed. “Weeeeeeeeeeeee!” They both cheered. “YO! Uncle Gramps! Do something!” Marco screamed at the baffling Grampa who was having a blast with my brother, even though we were in great danger. “I am! I’m enjoying this!” Uncle Grampa replied. “Oh boy! Hang on to your seatbelts, looked kiddos! This is going to be one heck of a ride!”, “WHAT?!” we all shouted. And even if we put our seatbelts on, we wouldn’t have enough time to! Nashae and Uncle Gramps, however, were already safe in their seats anyway, not really though!
The bus drove and slid down, then up. Next was a drifting road. There were almost no fences on it too! And what’s even worse, is below the road, we’re very high from the ground. “Hang on! It’s Swift Drift Time!” Uncle Gramps warned. He turned the bus sideways in the right nick of time just to do it. Perfectly, we all crashed to the other side. “What the H. E. double hockey sticks is going on?!” Marco yelled a question. “Sorry kiddos, we’re going through a drifty road, so hang on to something!” Uncle Grampa warned. “And, Oh, boy. We’re almost off the edge!”, “You’re kidding!” I yelled. “Nope. But I got an idea!” Uncle Grampa concluded. “I know there’s a shortcut to that! But it’s going to be a very bumpy crash!”, “You are kidding!” Joey yelled. “Your ideas are going to KILL us!” Mako complained with extreme anger and fear. “No, silly! My idea is to grill some grilled cheese! We might as well make it the last of our moments on the bus!” Uncle Grampa explained as he got a frying pan, grilling a grilled cheese when we were about to die for sure! “You’re bluffing, bro! Help us!” Marco yelled.
But Uncle Grampa didn’t hear his loud tone. He was chit-chatting with Munashae. “So, little guy. What do you like about this so-called Spider-Man?” Uncle Grampa asked Nashae in curiosity. “Spider-Man is cool!” Nash answered. “Oh! Well, little guy, I know somebody familiar with that person! I’ll introduce him to you when we arrive at our destination!” Uncle Grampa explained while eating his grilled cheese sandwich. “HEY! Our destination is our FINAL destination!” Kayla yelled. “More like our Deathstination!” Joey yelled as a pun. “Joe! This is no time for puns!” I yelled. “I’m being serious though!” Joey yelled back. The bus was about to fall at the edge of the baffling drifting road. Mako was about to lose herself with all of this ruckus so far this evening. “CAN WE PLEASE JUST HAVE ONE DAMN THING THAT’S NOT GONNA RUIN MY NOT-SO-PEACEFUL DAY?!” she screamed. “CAN THIS GET ANY WORSE AT ALL?”, “No way, ho-zae! It’s about to get even better than worse! We’re going to land in a black hole where the fun never lasts, so you can’t escape fun, as depression will fade away from our entertainment!” Uncle Grampa cheered.
“...” Once again at last. Complete hearing death, no audio, eternal silence again enters the moment of doom. “So, this is going to get worse indeed. I still don’t get it at all.” Joey said with his last words of experience for a ridiculous death. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” We all screamed while falling in the bus into the black hole pit where it was going to be a very dark time. There’s no turning back now. “Ooooh! Here comes a night light show!” Uncle Grampa said in the dark. “Wait, what?” I asked. Suddenly, while in the dark, neon lights shined outside of the bus. We all looked and stared at the moment. “My passengers, for this time now, please tell me how you will enjoy Adventure Land?” Uncle Grampa asked.
We all stared at him. But in a weird way. “Anyone?” Uncle Gramps asked again. Then we all looked at each other. I stood up to him. “I just hope wherever we go, whatever we’ll do, whatever we’ll see, whatever we’ll experience... let’s just hope our lives will restore ourselves and everyone else in the world who needs happiness back to reality, for all eternity,” I answered. Everyone looked at me. As for Mako, she was just so confused with anger, fear, and whatever she was feeling right now. Then she shook her head. “Feedback replied!” Uncle Gramps said. Then he looked like he was about to pray. “Alrighty. Light-a-bright-a, when the world shine-a!” The neon lights' brightness rose like the sun just come in. “WHAT TH-” Marco yelled with shock but with echoes, my vision was so bright and blurry with my ear drums drumming inside of me. As I passed out, as if I and the others had passed away to another life. Or a life that we’ll experience in a real, baffling, wacky world that will ignite upon us.
