Polk

Layers of overgrown black ivy vines popped and snapped as the encrusted door creaked open. A small, red, oval-shaped dog toy with large eyes and a busted squeaker instructed the rest of the group to avoid making contact with the poisonous plant. After describing the details of the unbearable rash that lasted for days if the black ivy touched you, everyone passed through the door’s dangerous threshold with the utmost caution and delicacy.

I was the last to exit the passageway. As I stepped through, a loud crash in the direction of the castle knocked me off balance, and I nearly landed on a downed patch of the vines. Luckily one of the drained batteries used a long stick to sweep the brush away from my landing zone. Before I could thank the battery for saving me from a horrible rash, the red dog toy spoke again.

“The tunnel has been breached. We must keep moving.”

“Do you know a safe route away from here?” I asked while using the stick the battery used to brace the door, taking care to avoid touching the end that moved the vines of ivy.

“There are only two paths,” the red dog toy said, “Left brings us back to Copper castle.”

The hissing and screeching from the dark army of socks and spiders grew in volume as they raced down the long corridor, “And right?” I asked, trying to speed things up.

“Right takes us deeper into the dark space. Towards Arly’s lair.”

The hinges of the barricaded door suddenly jostled as their integrity was being tested by the massing insects. We couldn’t risk going back towards Copper Castle. Arly had her entire army with her. There would be no way to avoid being captured. Then it hit me.

She had her entire army with her, which meant her lair would be vacant, or worst case lightly patrolled by a few lingering loyalists. It wasn’t the best idea, nor the smartest, but it was the safest and it offered us the best chance of survival. I added a second stick to the rattling door, then instructed the group, “We go right.”

I could tell the decision scared the group, but the red dog toy seemed to agree with it and encouraged our companions to trust my instruction. Within seconds, the dog toy had the entire group heading right into the unknown void of the dark space. I jammed a third, and much thicker piece of wood against the door then took up the rear guard of the group.

The path was narrow and darkened the further we went. Luckily, leading the group was a courageous white button which had adapted the power of bioluminescence as a way to survive and navigate the dark space. But the button wasn’t the only thing that was glowing.

An array of funky looking mushrooms sprouting from the mangled and twisting tree trunks illuminated our journey deeper into the unknown. Bewitched, I strayed closer to the glowing caps. As my hand left my side to touch the mushroom, the red dog toy pulled me back before my fingers made contact. I was severed from the fungus’s spell, and thanked my new friend, “Thank you. Forgive me, I do not know your name?”

“My name?” The red toy said, confused.”

“Yes,” I replied, “What do they call you?”

The toy took a moment to ponder my question, triggering the rest of the group to halt their pursuit and wait.

“I..I do not know. Five days after Derrick brought me home, Ellie accidentally trapped me within the dark space. Derrick never called me anything, but Ellie sure did love me. Those were the best five days of my life. Ellie had crowned me her favorite toy, which quickly spread jealousy among the other toys in the basket.”

I listened to the story, and understood the toy’s sense of loss. Being loved and providing comfort was our entire purpose. Which is why for objects like us, becoming lost is the absolute worst thing that can happen.

I took a moment to console the toy by hugging as hard yet gently as I could because I couldn’t risk alerting our enemies with a high-pitched squeak. As I was releasing my arms, I noticed a small tag on the toy’s back. I read what was left, and although it didn’t make any sense, I was able to make out four letters: P, O, L, K.

Timely interrupting our embrace, the glowing button which was leading our group inquired about the delay.

“Is everything alright? We mustn’t stay still for much longer.”

“Yes, and you are right. We must keep moving. Polk here was just warning me about the shimmering mushrooms.”

“Ahh yes,” the button said with clarity as it returned to the front of the line, “You do not want to touch those. Come, everyone. We are close now.”

The rest of the misfits turned from us, and together as a hopeful unit, we all followed the glowing button into the looming wetlands. Polk remained quiet as he was pondering the name I had just bestowed upon him. I could sense his sadness, yet I could also sense his joy for being acknowledged. He may have been lost, but he was not forgotten.

Once the final sparkling mushroom was out of sight, our only light source was from the button. Distant glints of twirling colors teased and tricked our minds to venture off the path, but the button, as well as Polk informed me that the mirages were the just the lights from Derrick’s apartments bouncing off of the dark space’s impenetrable veil.

I felt it before I saw it.

The sticky mud and blackened water slurped from the bog like vile lava spewing from a sickly volcano. My feet, along with everyone else, began to sink into the muck. A few of the batteries were completely submerged and it took the rest of use and some quick thinking by Polk to use a low hanging vine from one of the trees as a safety line.

As we pulled the batteries free, Polk and I both sank to our abdomens. My right hand was firmly grasped to another vine and my opposite hand was slipping free from Polk’s. I was a few inches larger than Polk which meant he was submerging much faster than I was. I did everything I could to pull Polk free by pulling as hard as I could on the vine.

A loud crack rang in my ears and my heart collapsed into my stomach. The vine snapped and Polk’s entire body was consumed by the mud. The others who had all made it to solid ground noticed what had happened and rushed to retrieve more vines and broken branches to pull us out. The glowing battery tossed me a long branch and I immediately plunged it into the quicksand, hoping Polk would feel it and grab hold.

He didn’t, and I immediately began to think the worst. I kept plunging and plunging the stick, all while keeping one hand firmly held to the vine. I wanted to let go and take my chances by diving, but the suction was too great and would have surely claimed both of us. Running out of options, the bog suddenly gurgled then exploded upwards.

A massive figure rose from the slimy water with a small, round, red object clutched within the cages of its dripping palms.