Alone With Them

Chapter 30

"No!" Cathryn called out as Bonnie's purple hand snatched her bag. She scrambled after it, her shoes sliding and attempting to trip her. She was only a few feet away when Cathryn remembered what Bonnie was and put on the brakes.

The bag was about empty and soon the animatronic was holding the object of interest in his hand. He admired the walkie as Markus talked.

"KittyCat, are you there?"

"Whose 'Kitty Cat'?"

"Give me that now," Cathryn demanded.

Bonnie ignored her, raising the device higher above his eye level as he analyzed it.

Energy her muscles had been hiding kicked Cathryn into gear, and she didn't take time to second-guess her plan as she charged Bonnie and jumped for the walkie talkie. She did not reach, but she certainly took Bonnie by surprise.

The rabbit fell back a step, his attention dropping to her as he cracked a smile.

Cathryn grunted and gave another unsuccessful attempt. "Give it back!"

"I think no." One purple hand reached out and shoved Cathryn with enough force to nearly knock her to the ground.

"Bonnie!"

"Cathryn . . . I hope you're listening. It's me."

Bonnie's smile fell and he cocked his head. "Who is this?"

"Bonnie give it back, please! This is important!" Markus had refused to talk to her since their fight, and even though it'd only been a few short days, hearing his voice brought Cathryn relief. He'd never been this angry at her. And now that he was finally willing to talk, Bonnie wouldn't give her back the stupid walkie!

"I'm sorry about ignoring you. It was childish. Not to mention what if I never saw you again–Not that I think I wouldn't and you'd . . . I just mean figuratively. Honestly–"

"Bonnie!" she cried out. What if Markus stopped rambling and she missed something important?

"How does this thing work?" Bonnie muttered aloud to himself. He shot her his pointed grin as he fingered the walkie, "I wonder what this button does."

"Don't touch it! Ugh!"

". . . So I've been thinking."

Cathryn tugged roughly on her hair. Not only was she just getting half of the conversation, but she couldn't even acknowledge Markus' apology and let him know she was listening. Worse, he was apologizing when it was her who wanted to apologize! "Bonnie, give it back to me!"

"Hello? Hello hello," Bonnie spoke into the walkie, turning Markus' sweet words into unintelligible static.

"Don't touch that," Cathryn hissed between her teeth, but the rabbit paid her no heed. She sprung at him again, only to get pushed away. Her feet returned to the ground with a loud smack, followed by some sharp reawakened back pain.

"Who are you?" Bonnie continued.

Cathryn winced for more reasons than one.

"Hello?" returned a hesitant Markus. His growing distress echoed through the office. "Who's this?"

"Are you Milton?"

Milton? What was Bonnie–Cathryn smacked her forehead. She'd told Bonnie Milton had given her the walkie because it'd been the first name that'd come to mind. She hadn't thought she'd face repercussions for protecting Markus' identity. "Just give it to me," she pleaded.