Survive the Insanity: Weds., Week 2 – Happy Hollow Asylum – Mixed Up Messed Up Rumors

In the last chapter of The Happy Hollow Asylum, Louis found the door he saw in his dream, and with Dr. De Reve and the Director, Dr. L’Ernitage explores the secret room. But Louis discovers that the room does not hold a passage to Selvadorada, but was just an office. Because of his “vision”, the doctors decide that he and the other residents were ready for their next step in the treatment process – back to Selvadorada. The residents are shocked and are almost hysterical. When Rocky and Sonny return home from work, Louis has the unfortunate task of telling them they are returning to Selvadorada. But somehow Sonny thinks they are going on an all-expense-paid vacation. Too tired to try to straighten out their confusion, Louis heads to bed. In the kitchen, alone, we find that Sonny was the one who pried open the door to the secret room during a storm yesterday. He was hoping to find some valuables, but when leaving, unfortunately, left the door ajar. Who knew that Louis was a sleepwalker and would walk through that door?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ok, I was bad. This was supposed to be the chapter for The Circle Asylum, but I kind of got carried away, and so we have another chapter for Happy Hollow. Oh well.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Louis had to work today and he was tired. With just two hours of sleep, he was up again trying to cook some meals for the residents. He was expecting everyone to be in a depressed mood after they heard they were going back to the jungle, but instead, it was almost a party mood in the house.

[Author’s Notes: Oh look, Louis made an impeccable dish!]

Louis also maxes cooking skill! Woot!

Randall wandered into the kitchen and helped himself to a cup of coffee. He told Louis that The Circle Asylum were going to hold a farewell party for them. Randall had specifically requested a party before they left. Yep, he had put it on “The List’, so they can all thank him when they have a great time.

Louis looked at Randall and wondered about this farewell party. Before he had a chance to ask him any more, in walked Veta.

Veta started mopping a puddle but smiled brightly at Louis and asked him if he thought there would be a shopping trip soon. Veta really needed a new dress. She really couldn’t go on the trip looking like this. Louis looked at her strangely and just nodded his head.

Midge came into the kitchen then whistling to herself. She told Louis that she had asked Sonny to put a new feather on “The List”. She had been thinking that maybe a blue one might be a nice change, maybe even an exotic one.

Louis was confused. What did she say? What List was she talking about?

Then Krysta perked up and said she wanted to take lots of pictures on their vacation and had asked for a new camera.

Louis didn’t know what was going on. What shopping trip? What list was Midge talking about? Vacation? What was everyone talking about? Louis was confused. But he didn’t have time to figure this out. He had to leave for work.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While Louis was at work, the residents were occupying themselves with various activities. Randall and Veta were swimming in the sludge pool.

Deirdre was dancing upstairs with Llama. What a great dancer he was.

Sonny and Midge were reading by the fire. Perhaps the number of books littered on the floor and the cardboard dance floor should have been a warning.

Because suddenly….yes, another fire in the house.

Thank goodness Midge is fast on getting that fire extinguisher. But is it too late for her? Will she be able to extinguish the fire? Is she on fire? I can’t look, and I can’t intervene.

Randall came running into the kitchen shouting Fire! Fire! and Sonny is upset he won’t be able to eat this delicious looking piece of cake.

All the residents are running frantically out the front door. Midge had put out the fire and is rather pleased with herself.

Krysta wondered what had taken Rocky so long to get outside, but he told them he had to put some sunscreen on. You know, it was rather hot in there.

Eventually, they all ventured back inside and Krysta was upset that her favorite book, Crisis Barn, had been burned in the fire. Sonny made a note to borrow that book from his work.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When Louis returned home from work, he got a promotion to a caterer.

Louis was definitely exhausted and just wanted to head to bed. But waiting for him to return home, were Dr. L’Ernitage and Dr. De Reve waiting for him on the sidewalk. They headed inside.

Dr. L’Ernitage turned to Louis and said that Louis had come up with an excellent idea in telling them all that they were going on a vacation. The residents were all in a good mood and eager to go. And the idea of having their wants noted on a “The List” was absolutely marvelous. Louis was a wonderful leader for the residents, and Dr. L’Ernitage knew that things would go well. The “tests” that Dr. De Reve took went so well with everyone participating. Louis had no idea what he was talking about and had no idea about any “List”.

Dr. L’Ernitage went into the kitchen and there on the bulletin board was a “list”. Dr. L’Ernitage glanced at the piece of paper and looked at Louis, “But I noticed that you haven’t put anything on “The List” yourself, Louis. You are indeed a humble leader.” He handed Louis the list. “Well, you have a few days to think about it, so let us know before the departure.”

Louis was speechless and looked at the paper, and read down the list.

Scrawled on a piece of paper in bold letter was a list with everyone’s name on it. Whoever had written the List had crossed out the word demands and replaced it with the word wants.

Our demands wants:

• Midge – a new exotic “blue” feather for her hat
• Veta – a new dress for the trip
• Krysta – a camera to take lots of pictures
• Sonny – a more comfortable bed
• Rocky – head to a cantina for a few beers
• Randall – a farewell party
• Deirdre – an item to ward off evil

As Louis read down the list, he heard Veta come up behind him.

“Sonny told us we were going on an all-expense paid vacation back to Selvadorada. That Dr. De Reve gave me quite a scare last night. He sure doesn’t know how to tell someone that they’re going on a trip. But then Sonny explained it all. So, if we’re going back, Sonny said we should provide Dr. L’Ernitage with a list of stuff we wanted before we left. I am so excited…do you think I should stick with a yellow dress? It was always my favorite color, but you know, maybe I should get something different…”

Veta continued to ramble on as Louis looked up from the list. Of course, Sonny! He had seemed confused when Louis told him about the return to Selvadorada last night, and somehow has now told all the residents they were going on a vacation. NOoooo! This was terrible. He had to straighten this out.

“Veta, it’s not a vacation…we’ll be going back to the jungle…going IN the jungle…”

Veta looked at Louis and laughed, “Of course it’s a vacation, Louis, do you think that Dr. De Reve and Dr. L’Ernitage would LIE to us? Oh no! There’s a list right here with all the activities that we’ll be doing before the trip. So…what do you think…should I stick with yellow, or just go with orange…that would be bold….I could set a trend….we should all have matching t-shirts….”

Louis stared at Veta and realized there was no talking to her. It was the same with all the residents. They were all caught up in the excitement of the trip. He seemed to be the only one who was dreading this trip and knew the truth. Which meant only one thing. He had to be the most prepared to face the jungle.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As Louis wandered around the house, he found so many items in need of repair. Everything was broken.

The stereo, the computer, the clothesline and even the coffeepot. And worst yet, the bills were $4,004 simoleons!

Dr. De Reve had concluded his “tests” and the residents will have a few days to prepare for their trip. The residents all appeared…um…normal. They would all need to work on their fitness, logic, handiness, charisma, fishing and gardening skills. Some Selvadoradian culture and archaeology skills were also needed.

In the house, work crews had been busy. The Don’t Wake the Llama Table was replaced with a chess table, the plants that had been planted were not in season, so were replaced and new planter boxes were sheltered in the solarium.

Krysta seemed happy about the new plants and started watering the new garden.

And Sonny was thrilled when his “List” item was completed. There was now a new bed upstairs for him to sleep in.

Louis was given some fruit seeds and instructed to plant them. He needed to have some ready-to-eat food for all the residents when they were in the jungle. Specifically, Louis’ skills needed to be in better shape than the other residents, as he would be the leader of the expedition into the jungle. Fitness-1; Logic-1; Handiness-4; Charisma-2; Fishing-1; Gardening-1; Archaeology-1; Selvadorian culture-0

The first of the outings would be to a gym, where the residents would work on their fitness skills for the rigors of the jungle trek. In the meantime, Dr. L’Ernitage was asking the other residents about Louis’ leadership skills and seemed pleased with the response.

Louis looked at the list again…then scribbled something on the bottom of the sheet and folded it in half. Hmmm….I wonder what Louis wrote on the list.

And so we leave the Happy Hollow Asylum for today…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Advertisement