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It was hours after everyone else supposedly retreated to their rooms for the night when the static of the tv jerked him awake. Shake groaned, rubbing his eyes, and stood up to walk in the kitchen.
He dug through the cabinets, spilling spices and other ingredients. A mess he didn’t bother to clean up, let alone spend anymore time thinking on. After tearing up the closet, he found it; Frylock’s Ambien.
A prescription Frylock managed to get a few months back. Maybe it was the medicine itself that made Frylock tell Shake about the pills; though even Shake knew that was a bad idea. What was he thinking? It made him laugh.
Nonetheless, he popped three of the pills and drank from the kitchen’s faucet before returning to the recliner. He flipped through the stations to land on a movie channel, drifting to sleep only a few minutes later.
He woke up again, this time pissed off. He looked up, finding the tv running the same movie he fell asleep to. He felt a tug on his arm, finding Meatwad gripping it.
“I can’t sleep.” He said, pulling his arm again, this time Shake escaped from his grasp.
“I can. Good night.”
“No!” He climbed on the armrest to grab his elbow, clasping on him as he leaned back. “You need to help me, boy.”
“Why should I do that? And where is Frylock? He’s the only one who actually understands you. Why don’t you ask him for your needs? I’m trying to get my beauty sleep.”
“Yeah, I know but I saw that you was awake, and it sounded like you was wrestling something in the kitchen.”
“I was. As a matter of fact, I was fighting the boogeyman but we came to an agreement, so long as you stay in your room until morning…or he’ll devour you and everyone you love. So go back to bed.”
Meatwad frowned, his voice shaking “Is that true?”
“It is. So bed. Go now.”
“But I can’t sleep and now I’m scared,” He whimpered, looking around, “Can you tell me a story? Frylock does.”
“I’m not Frylock! Jee– how many– You know what? You like magic, right?”
“Magic? It’s real?”
“It sure is!” Shake smiles, standing up from the recliner and walked into the kitchen, “But you have you to promise me something, can you do that?”
Meatwad followed, coming to a halt at the kitchen’s entrance, staring at the tiled floor, fidgeting his fingers, “Yeah, I can do that…but what is it?”
“You can’t tell Frylock.”
“Why?”
“Or else the magic won’t work, silly! So come here.”
“What if the boogeyman is in there?”
“I already told you I kicked his ass.”
“No, you didn’t, you said you’s came to an agreement.”
“It’s the same thing. Look, do you want the magic or not?”
“I do, but I’m scared. See, look, it’s dark in there!”
Shake sighed, crouching down and opening his arms, “There’s no monsters, Meatwad. You think I’d be in here if there were monsters? Hell no! So come here, so we can get this over with.”
Meatwad ran, wrapping his arms around Shake’s neck as he was lifted up. “I’m still scared, Shake.”
He set Meatwad on the counter by the sink and opened the closet, picking out the bottle from earlier.
“It’ll only take a second. Here, hold this.” Shake offered Meatwad a pill, then handing him the only cup in the house filled with water. “Take this, too.”
“What is this? This don’t look like magic, fool.”
“The magic happens later. Okay– simple directions–“ Shake held his other half of the pill up “– You’re gonna put it in your mouth like this. Got that?” Shake directed, tossing it in his mouth like candy.
“I got it.” Meatwad mimicked, “ooh, it’s bitter.”
“Then, I’ll borrow this—“ he took the cup from Meatwad and lifted it to his lips “—you swallow! Simple as that!” He gave the cup back to Meatwad, “And that’s how the master does it. You try now.”
Meatwad looked at the cup and took a swig. “Mm, it’s still in my mouth. It’s nasty.”
“That’s how you know the magic works. Take another sip, pretend there’s only water.”
“Still there.”
“Try again.”
“Still there.”
“Like it’s water. Now sip again.”
“Still– no, it’s gone.”
“You did it!” Shake cheered, picking up Meatwad and setting him on the floor, “Now go to bed. I don’t want to see you until the inevitable morning.”
Meatwad looked at himself, “I don’t feel any different.”
“Oh you will,” Shake chuckled, urging Meatwad out of the kitchen and into the living room “it takes time, but you’ll know. I did what I could, so now all you have to do is go to bed and the magic will work with you.”
Meatwad stopped in the hallway and turned around. He watched as Shake threw himself onto the recliner to face the tv, “What about the boogeyman?”
“What about him? You’re going to your room, aren’t you?”
“Yeah…”
“Then there’s nothing to worry about. Good night.”
“Good night.”