KLS Apocalypse: Part 3

Previously on KLS Apocalypse…

“EARTHQUAKE”

“The elevator doesn’t go anywhere,” Sam corroborated with Kate. “But the hole might.”

Zoey grabbed onto the rope and jumped down into the hole.

“How on Earth will we create a duct tape dome?”

“That’s a skunk? Or maybe an otter?”

Part 3:

Debby was in the playground outside and got a buzz from her walktalkie. She pulled it out from her pocket.

“Debby!” the voice on the walkie talkie said. “Could you bring all the kids inside for a second? We want to duct tape the school, but it’s kinda difficult to do it in secret.”

Debby stared in confusion. “Duct tape. Huh? What?”

“Duct tape dome. We only need to be inside for ten minutes, okay?”

Debby put back the walkie talkie, and moved to the teacher table. 

“Considering the paw print on the road, it appears that there is a dangerous animal on the loose. It may be safer inside than outside…”

Meanwhile…

The lab rat peeked its head out from behind a musty pillar that stank of cheese. It looked out, pushed its glasses up on its nose, and looked again.

A dangling rope that gave off fumes of children’s sweat was dangling from a hole in the ceiling. The hole, the rat knew, would be impossible to escape from. The colorful ribbons tied to its leg would stop it before it could enter the outside world.

On the ground was a child, holding a brightly colored book with the words “Don’t Panic” on the title. Just as the child opened the first page, another tall kid fell from the ceiling and crashed onto the floor.

The thud sounded throughout the room and several other mascots looked up with interest. The labrador sniffed the air and wagged its tail, and the salamander looked up and seemed to be staring deep into space.

“Oh hey Sam,” the first kid said. “I found a book! It’s the Honey Badger’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

The tall kid wasn’t listening. He grabbed his head in his arms with an expression of terror.

“Sam, are you okay?”

The tall kid looked up and whispered, “That gosh-darned badger hypnotized us the last time we went down!*”

The rat raised its ears. The kid had visited the basement before. Was he that child from about a year back, who had visited for a span of a few minutes before the badger glared at him with its colorful eyes and intoned hypnotistic words? Probably.

“The badger had said what happens in the basement, stays in the basement.”

Ah, classic enchantment with the dramatic flair and the flaws that came with being so vague, the lab rat mused. Was the definition of the basement only the bottom area if there was a hole in the ceiling? Also which basement was the basement? Could it be the basement floor of a parking garage?

“I heard that while sliding down the rope,” Zoey exclaimed. “Anyway, so the badger was here…” Zoey stepped back as she came to the next obvious realization. “Oh, it escaped, didn’t it?

The rat felt the gaze of the human land on it.

“It looks like the Badger wasn’t the only mascot here,” Zoey announced.

“Oh my god, there’s a labrador and a salamander! And a dragon?” Sam gawked at the creatures.

“Dragon was on the list of options for a mascot last year,” Zoey explained.

“Do you think the Condor is here?” Sam’s gaze wandered around, up towards the ceiling and back down.

The rat sighed, pushed its glasses up on its head, and squeaked out, “The Condor lives in the attic. Only those who were refused as mascots are trapped here.”

“Ahh, you can speak!” Zoey commented. “But also trapped? I figured the basement would be a secret coalition where you discuss mascoty things with coffee or something.”

“Yes, trapped, child. If you couldn’t tell from the bright ribbons from around my feet.”
Zoey saw the ribbons in the familiar shades of blue, yellow, and red from the KLS logo.

“As for a coalition, there are several including the United Mascots of Earth and the League of those who Cheer, but we can’t join from here.”

Suspicion towards their school clouded Sam and Zoey’s minds.

“Why are you trapped?” Zoey asked while looking at the KLS colored ribbons.

Sam’s brain was already using his boy scout knowledge to figure out what knot was tied.

“Normal procedure kids. When schools replace mascots, the old mascots get tied up, because of that one time when a mascot took revenge. Hierarchical societies, stereotypes, generalizations towards all members in a society from the actions of one, you get the idea.”

Above ground…

Kate and Shiny peered down into the hole considering whether going down was worth it. Sam and Zoey hadn’t given any indication they were okay.

“Seven minutes done on the timer. If they don’t come up or give us a call in three minutes we tell a teacher,” Kate said.

Shiny started to respond, but saw a group of students approaching the doorway. “Uh Kate, it looks like the students are coming inside.”

* This is a reference to the KLS Basement series that you can find on the Khranicle from around two years ago. Quick summary: A group of students enter the elevator to go down to the basement. You never find out what happens to them.

Vote here to choose what happens next: https://forms.gle/75jVh1eb2BPuvdH99

What should Shiny and Kate do next? 

1. Enter the hole in the lobby that way nobody will see them!
2. Hide behind the sofa.
3. Pretend they never left the building.

Should Sam and Zoey help the mascots in the basement?

1. Yes! Animal abuse!
2. No, there’s probably a reason the school locked the mascots down there…