T.O.T.S.- The Bully Problem - The Script

Scene 8

NARRATOR: The dark. Pip had wondered: why did the dark trigger strange feelings inside him? Now, he remembered: the dark had long since swallowed him, enveloping him in an abyss of worry, anxiety, and self-hate. The dark had been with him all along. And, he always thought it was the darkness, keeping him safe. It was actually doing the opposite.

NARRATOR: The darkness came when he needed something to tell him what to do, how to escape the hard world, and it told him to try harder. It told him he might be too fat, or not fit for the role. Was it right? Now, the darkness scared him. The darkness had been when they attacked.

NARRATOR: They. Hunter and his peers, coming to hurt him, his parents coming to ruin something of his... how could he sleep, when all his alarm bells were ringing? KC watched as Pip huddled under his blankets, probably trying to sleep. She let him, knowing that this probably wasn't the best time to try and make him talk. She wondered what he was thinking...?

((Freddy and Krysia wandered into the room, Freddy looked sad. Immediately, KC escorted them out, thinking Pip didn't need to see Freddy's sad face right now. After a talk in the hall with Krysia and KC, Freddy returned in the room, and sat on his bed, watching Pip sleep, his stomach heaving up and down as it was supposed to.))

((In Captain Beakman's office. . . .))

CAPTAIN BEAKMAN: Pip, I know you don't want to hear this, (placed a comforting wing on his shoulder) But, I think it's time you took professional help.

NARRATOR: It was two weeks since the disaster on the cliff, and Pip had been on 'leave of absence' since then. He didn't seem to be getting any better since then, either. Freddy thought taking him for a flight would help, but the others made it clear: Pip wasn't flying again until they found some way to install a seatbelt. Pip simply shrugged, but inside, he was panicking. How was he supposed to tell some stranger his life story? How would this help, anyway? He had to handle it himself!

((Pip watched Captain Beakman leave, and turned toward the balcony. There were too many storks and cameras for him to jump off in peace, and it wasn't high enough. So, he just watched.))

NARRATOR: Pip was secretly jealous of babies. They had it so easy. They didn't have to worry about bullies, or being the best penguin you could be. They didn't have to endure people who always hated you for who you were. How could anyone hate them? They were babies! Everyone loves babies! Pip wished he could remember being a baby. Things must have been so much better, then. His parents didn't fuss at him for being useless, or a mistake, because he had been a blameless hatchling. But, as he got older, his parents seemed to lose interest in him.

((Pip leaned over the balcony, watching the loading system. ))

NARRATOR: It actually made him feel better, watching happy babies going through a smoothly running system. It did, however, make him think of the one time he and Freddy broke the crate wheel, because he was so clumsy and stupid... It hadn't been his fault, but he refused to think it was just Freddy's. He just watched, letting the calm wash over him. For a while, he even forgot how jealous he was of the little ones. It was all just... peace.

((Pip felt something press against his back, but before he could turn to see what it was, he was flying off the balcony. He landed in the middle of the slide with a thump. He felt a little dizzy. While he tried to pull his senses together, he was launched from the slide to the crate wheel))

PIP: Why am I on the loading system?

((He turned to see who pushed him, but he didn't see anyone on the balcony. Had he done it himself? The loading system seemed to notice something was wrong. This baby was missing a diaper, and wasn't dressed appropriately. So, Pip went through a different system, where his shirt was removed, and he was powdered and diapered expertly.))