An All Dogs Christmas Carol

chapter 8

Back at the Flea Bite Cafe...

Most of the dogs were asleep.

"Well, the Miracle Pin has worn off," Charlie said. "I guess our jobs are done."

"So, now what do we do about Mr. Carface?" Anne-Marie asked.

"Now?" one dog woke up with his friend before they started to sing. "When we hear a Christmas carol, we know that it's--"

"No, no, not now." Atticus said.

The dogs then went back to sleep.

"We just sit back and wait for Mr. Carface to do the right thing, Squeaker." Charlie said to Anne-Marie.

"And where he will do the right thing." Atticus said.

Suddenly, lightning flashed which startled everyone.

"Quick, we have to find that whistle, NOW!" Cherry cried out.

The two dogs started to sing again until they were told not now.

"Outside of the city?" Cherry asked Atticus.

"Yes, think about it." Atticus said.

"You don't think it's in..." Cherry was about to ask. "Uh, well, you know...?" she then said, deciding not to say the word since there were small children present.

"It might be somewhere in the ocean." Atticus said.

"What makes you say that?" Cherry folded her arms.

"Only one way to find out!" Atticus ran while grabbing her hand.

"Whoa!" Cherry yelped as she was pulled so hard that her feet didn't touch the ground.

The others soon followed after him.

"Atticus Fudo, you slow down or so help me--" Cherry growled.

Atticus soon stopped once he found the destination.

"We're here!" he called.

Cherry flopped out of his hand and landed in the snow and groaned. "Where are we?"

Atticus soon showed her where they were. Cherry stood up and patted herself as she was covered from the cold wet snow as she took a look with her best friend.

"Take a good long look." Atticus said.

"I'm not sure if I like this..." Cherry said to him.

"Trust me, neither do I." Atticus said.

"Why are we doing this?" Cherry folded her arms with a smile.

"It's the right thing to do and if you don't help, it'll be bad." Atticus said.

"Aw, come on, Christmas is so overrated..." Cherry shrugged. "Why don't we celebrate Halloween two days in one year?"

"Christmas comes only once a year." Atticus said before he brought out a present for her.

"Yeah, but--" Cherry was about to say until her eyes glowed. "A present for me...?"

"Of course." Atticus said, then put it out her reach.

"Heeey!" Cherry frowned.

"Just kidding." Atticus smiled before giving her the present.

Cherry took the present and began to unwrap it. Atticus decided to not stop her since it seemed like Christmas might be over. Cherry then successfully opened the present after hiding scoffs of what it could possibly be since Atticus was often a reader and usually gave her something she normally wouldn't care for, but this time would be different. And where she saw it was a book and where she wouldn't have loved it; only, she saw that the pages were all blank and where she saw it also had pencils. "This book is blank."

"I know." Atticus replied.

"Why would you give me a blank book?" Cherry askd. "Unless... This is invisible ink and you're showing off your magic skills."

"What do you think the pencils are for?" Atticus asked.

Cherry blinked. "Wait... You gave me my own writing journal?"

Atticus smiled and nodded.

"Oh, Atticus, I don't know what to say..." Cherry sounded touched.

"Merry Christmas, even though it might be the last." Atticus said.

"Oh, Atticus..." Cherry whispered.

Atticus smiled to her, then looked surprised as Cherry hugged him. He soon hugged her back.

"I hate to break this up, but we're running out of time." Darla said to her brother and his best friend.

"So, where's the whistle?" Mo asked.

"Out there." Atticus and Cherry said while pointing out towards the giant dog whistle in the middle of the ocean.

"Let me guess, we're gonna swim over there and if we don't freeze our butts off, we're gonna destroy it and save Christmas?" Cherry deadpanned to Atticus.

"We're gonna teleport there." Atticus said.

"Well, that's better than what I thought." Cherry shrugged.

Atticus then teleported them to where the whistle was as Belladonna looked eager. They soon hid so they wouldn't get caught. Atticus warned Cherry to be quiet and Cherry nodded to him as they hid away.

"There's no way she'll find us." Darla whispered.

Atticus and Cherry shushed Darla. Darla nodded and cupped her own mouth.