Unplugged

Chapter Four

Welcome to chapter four. This is where the conflict in the story begins to unfold. You'll discover the problem and later on in the chapters things might just get worse. No spoilers! :D You'll have to continue reading to see what crazy events will happen.

Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. July is just around the corner and because it's summer, lots and lots of kids fill the arcade. Mr.Litwak walks around with his blue bucket after the arcade closes and he collects the coins like he does every week.

"This is so embarrassing!" Felix huffs and pulls the brim of his cap over his face. "Tell me how many quarters we get, Ralph. I can't bear to watch."

Ralph looks closely at Mr.Litwak. The man pulls out two quarters from the entire week. Mr.Litwak frowns and drops the coins into the bucket. They clink when they hit the other coins. He then locks the console door.

"How many?" Felix asks. He adjusts his cap to fit his head.

"Two," Ralph grunts.

"Two?!"

Ralph shushes Felix. The two watch Litwak pull out his phone from his back pocket. He dials someone's number and puts the phone by his ear.

"Hey, John," Mr.Litwak says into the phone and turns to face Fix-It Felix Jr. The high scores are listed on the screen, so Ralph and Felix hide off-screen. Litwak continues, "I got a game that nobody really plays anymore. When can you come by to haul it out of here?"

Ralph's eyes widen as he listens to the phone call.

"What are they saying?" Felix asks, trying to hear what Litwak's talking about. Ralph shushes Felix again. Ralph can barely hear the conversation himself. Because Litwak's on the other side of the screen, his voice sounds faint and muffled, but Ralph can make out bits and pieces of what Litwak is saying.

"This Tuesday? Got it. Okay, thanks," Mr.Litwak tucks his phone back into his pocket and picks up the bucket. He walks over to Space Invaders and collects that game's coins next.

Ralph takes a couple steps back. This can't be happening. He refuses to believe it. Felix finally speaks again.

"What? What happened?" he pleads.

"I-uh..." Ralph trails off. He looks down at the handyman. Felix is such a nice guy. How can Ralph break the news to him? "Well..." Ralph rubs the back of his neck.

"Well?" Felix places his hands on his hips with the thumb of one hand stroking his hammer strapped by his side. Ralph fails to think of a way to break the tragic news to Felix politely or to make it sound not that bad.

"We have 'til Tuesday and then it's game over," Ralph groans. He doesn't even meet Felix's eyes. Felix's mouth hangs open a tad and his shoulders slouch forward.

"Beg your p-ardon?" Felix mutters. His voice cracks. Ralph huffs.

"Our plug's getting pulled, Felix!" Ralph shouts. Something inside him snapped. He raises his voice and points to the game's screen. "Those stupid kids out there just ruined us!" Ralph immediately turns around and uproots a nearby pixelated tree. He then snaps it in half on his knee and chucks the broken pieces of wood as far away as possible. After that, he yells at Felix again, "Go tell the Nicelanders the news flash. I'm not putting up with them."

Felix's face turns pale. He watches Ralph stomp off to Game Central Station. A huge lump forms in the little handyman's throat. His blue eyes start to turn glassy. He doesn't want to put up with the Nicelanders, either. So, he just lowers his head and slowly makes his way to the house over in East Niceland he built for himself and his wife, Tamora.

Felix slams the door to his and Tamora's bedroom. After quickly removing his hat, tool belt, and shoes, he falls backwards onto his bed and closes his eyes. Tamora should be home in about a half hour. This will give Felix some time to gather his thoughts and tell Tamora the news.

Ralph said the plug won't be pulled until Tuesday, which is in three days, but Felix wants to tell Tamora about it as soon as possible to get it off his chest. He will tell the Nicelanders and the once-homeless Q*Bert characters eventually. He just doesn't have the heart to tell them right now. Telling his wife tonight is already bad enough.

And so the tough-as-nails dynamite gal, Tamora, is joining the story! (Not until chapter six, though.) She's not going to be in this story as much as Vanellope and Felix, but I thought Felix needs a wife to freak out on-and also since she's a supporting character in Wreck-It Ralph, it would be weird if she wasn't in this story. Bye!