Life as a Plushie by tickle |  |
I feel scattered, as if I am not quite sure what I should be yet. I feel that
I will be soft and squishy as the one who completes me puts in stitch after
stitch after stitch. She gently pushes stuffing in-between the swatches of cloth
that make me up. I have little sensation of anything and no idea of what I will
become. I can feel my feet now and suppose if I were ready, I could stand. Up
my legs she stitches, completing the bottom half of me. She adds plenty of stuffing
around my midsection, giving me a squishier belly than need be. I suppose I
should not complain though for it is she who gives me life. Stitch, stitch,
stitch. Next come my arms, held to my sides. She stuffs them as she did my legs,
not as giving as my belly. Stitch, stitch, stitch. Finally she stitches up my
head and adds on all the frills there are to add. I am most grateful when she
puts on my eyes. Smooth, round, cool to the touch. And then, when her work is
complete, when I am who I will be, she places me in front of a mirror. I stand
unable to move, thinking how wonderful I look.
Day Two:
I am put into a box. I can feel plenty of others around me and I struggle to
see if they are what I am. My little bit of light has been turned off though,
as I hear the placing of a lid and hammering of nails, making sure we will not
escape before we arrive our destination. I am quite uncomfortable for the entire
duration of the journey. A wing kept poking me in the head and a hoof kept digging
into my side. I am now thankful for the extra stuffing shoving into my belly
area. Without it I would have truly suffered through the whole ordeal. Some
of the others are whispering, asking where we are going. I have only answered
once that none of us know where we are going and if they could please refrain
from asking again... after that all was silent except for the muffled sobs of
the ones on the bottom who were forced to support the rest of us.
Day Three:
I am sure that an entire day has passed for when the lid was removed there
was light again. I know we did not travel so far in a short amount of time.
We all winced when we the light hit our eyes, unable to focus on our surroundings
for moments after the revelation. One by one we were plucked out of box by gentle
paws, and set all around. Some of us made it to high dusty shelves while others
were carried around the corner never to be seen again. I was one who got placed
on a lower shelf so that all could admire me. What a smart one she was to put
me there. I watched the Green Eyrie be placed upon the highest of shelves, thankful
for the sweet revenge. Kacheeks, Chias, Lupes, and Unis alike were placed all
around the store. They were in display windows mostly, to lure the little ones
in. I stood tall and proud where I was, knowing I would not be there long.
Day Four:
My wings have drooped a bit. I was sure I would be going to a home much sooner
than this. All of the little ones have come in and picked up the strategically
placed Kacheek, Chias, Lupes, and Unis already. Though I am at perfect eye level
for just about any that would wander into this popular store I still sit here
by my lonesome. I have even watched as some of the Reject Plushies that were
made in a hurry were brought from the back and purchased by some starry eyed
pup. The only comfort I find in remaining here so long is that when I do go
home, it will be with a loving owner.
Day Five:
As I had so much time to think, I realised I am not quite like the other plushies
that stare back at me. Each of them have a distinct mark or colour to them.
Some are Yellow like the Bouncy Balls. Others are Green like I see in the box
of Crayons. Then there are a few Blue ones that seem to be bought up quicker
than the rest. Blue like the sky I can see when the door is opened to let another
in to browse. And the ones that linger longest are Red. Red like the fur of
the storekeeper. I am thankful I am not a Red Plushie. I look down upon my own
soft cloth and wonder why I am what I am. All those colours swirled together.
Is that why I am here so much longer than the rest? That cannot be the reason.
There are boxes that play music that share my swirled colour that are bought
up faster than I am. There are Fuzzles that have the bright diversity that I
have that are bought up as soon as they are put on the shelves! Oh the injustice!
I think it is time for me to stop pondering.
Day Six:
Another plushie was set next to me this morning. It was one of the craziest
I had ever seen! It had thin, flimsy wings behind a large, yellow body. Its
eyes were large and cruel looking... nothing at all like my small black shiny
eyes. Its tail had spikes on the end of it and was larger than the tail on Shoyrus.
Then came a young one. The Neopian studied both me and the one next to me, finally
reaching for the more grotesque of the two. He seemed to understand my frustration
and spoke aloud:
"Mutant Buzzes sell. You don't."
With that my little plushie heart sank deep into my stomach and my proud stance
fell a little. There was no reason to stand proud if I had nothing to be proud
of. I thought I was one of the best looking Plushies available, one of the most
exotic if you will. Worth more than any amount of Neopoints known to any Neopian.
With so few words my world collapsed.
Day Seven:
I have given up on standing. I have decided that if the Reject Plushies can
sell themselves I can slouch off to the side if I so desire. I can see the grey
dust beginning to collect on me. I've watched as the storekeeper has taken off
the shelves some of the plushies I arrived with who were still here... such
as I am. She has plucked off a Green Shoyru Plushie that has accumulated too
much dirt, a Red Uni Plushie that had one of her legs torn off from an overly
excited cub running through the store, and a Yellow Chia Plushie who lost an
eye in an unfortunate accident just last night. I let out a heavy sigh as I
waited to be collected and sent off again, to wherever unwanted Plushies went.
The sun blared through the large shop windows signaling afternoon in the world
of Neopia when the bell chimed for the first time in twenty minutes. In came
an older looking Neopian, one who seemed to know what she was looking for. She
bypassed the sweet Kacheeks, the happy Unis, the playful Chias, and even the
cuddly Lupe Plushies and walked right to my section of the store. She looked
at the shelf above me and the shelf below me, and then to my utter surprise
picked me up. She greeted me with a smile and just as I expected her to put
me back on my dusty shelf she spoke:
"I've always wanted a Rainbow Buzz Plushie!"
With that I was taken to the counter and paid for. My heart skipped many beats
as the shopkeeper and Neopian argued over how much she should pay for me. Finally
they settled on 120 Neopoints less than the Shopkeeper had been asking and I
was picked up again, this time for good. I was heading home where I would be
loved and cherished and never have to suffer through the collecting of dust
and the disappointment of waiting.
The End
Note: On the Wiz it is called a Rainbow
Buzz Toy but come on, we all know it's a plushie ;) |
