Solemn: Cartoonival Audition

Solemn: Cartoonival Audition

Knives in Toy Land


A decrepit town sits between a dark fiery mountain and a cold sorrowful lake. A thick mist covered it, the only light being from the half moons looming overhead. The town was home to only one soul, a doll by the name of Solemn. She was fast asleep in a very well made makeshift bed. Looking at her she seemed more like a fresh corpse then a living doll, she was motionless, no small shifts to get comfortable, no breathing. The only movement came from a curtain lightly floating in the draft of a cracked window that overlooked the lake. The sun started to peak over the water and Solemn’s eye opened slowly. She lightly lifted the cover off of her, she sat up, flexed her joints to make sure they all still worked. She got up slowly and moved to a small magic powered stove top, she turned it on. She grabbed a tea pot, filled it with water and placed it on the stove. Solemn almost looked content despite her usual vacant stare, she went back to her bed and made it, making sure to leave as few wrinkles as possible. She then turned to her dress, coat and cape neatly hung by the door. She threw them on quickly and again made sure there were no wrinkles.

The sharp sound of the teapot’s whistle broke the silence. Solemn moved to stop the squealing, she turned off the stove and as she was about to grab her tea leaves something caught her eye. A misplaced paper on her desk, which is very odd for Solemn considering her need for order; she knew she hadn’t left it out. She grabbed the paper, two words on the page popped out to her, ‘yes’ and ‘no’, the yes was circled with pen. Before Solemn couldn’t read the rest before a flash of light came from below her and she fell through a portal.

Solemn appeared far above a forest, in free fall. She stuffed the paper into her coat and positioned herself as best she could to make a controlled fall, aiming for a large tree. As she flew past the tree, she grabbed onto the trunk swinging herself in a fashion that would decrease her momentum. It took about two full turns around the tree to slow down enough for a safe landing. Her boots slammed into the dirt and she slid to a stop. She pulled the paper out of her coat and started to read it. She noticed that it was a letter but the one it was addressed to was ripped of and replaced with chicken scratch spelling out ‘solemn’. The letter was, strange, speaking of a tournament to find a new ‘toon’ to join what was called ‘The Cartoonival’. But most importantly it was signed by who sent the letter, a person called The Ringleader.

Meanwhile, two buffoons by the names of Havoc and Mayhem where chasing one another around, smacking each other with a mallet. It was an odd form of tag by the looks of it. Havoc had the mallet as Mayhem flew dodging trees and branches before coming to a complete and sudden stop, Havoc crashed into her sending them both flying into the side of a tree.

“Havoc, Look!” Mayhem said in an excited whisper.

“What is it?” Havoc replied, curious.

“It’s a sad looking little girl, see?” she pointed.

“Oh! She does look sad… are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“About tacos or cheering her up?”

“Both!”

The pair flew toward Solemn as fast as they could, leaving a smoke trail. Solemn hearing their approach turned to face them. The siblings stopped about a foot from Solemn’s face.

“Why so glum chum?” started Havoc.

“It doesn’t matter ‘cause you’re in luck!” Mayhem followed up.

“Because you get a private show from Cartoonival’s best jesters!” They yelled in unison.

Solemn almost got a word in before the pair of jesters started beating the living hell out of each other with boxing gloves, bombs and everything in between. She couldn’t believe the punishment the two were taking and it was hard not to get distracted by it but she had heard all she needed to, ‘Cartoonival’. They came from it so they must know where it is and hopefully they would bring her there.

“Excuse me…” Solemn started but the siblings continued their onslaught, “I said excuse me.” Her voice barely being heard over the commotion.

The two looked at her and noticed she didn’t even crack a smile.

“Oh no! We didn’t cheer her up at all!” Mayhem said panicked.

“What!? How could she resist our act!” yelled Havoc.

“Can you two calm down for a second? I need to ask you something.” Solemn stated.

The pair had now gone into a panic, Havoc spinning in circles, screaming, and Mayhem rolling on the floor almost sobbing. Solemn saw they were merely children in comparison to her and so she knew what to do. She stepped lightly on Mayhem’s head and grabbed Havoc’s cheek.

“OUCH!” they both screamed, but it had worked, she had their attention.

“Now that I have your attention will you be quiet and listen to me?” Solemn asked.

“Yes we’ll listen, just please let us go!” the pair replied in pain.

Solemn let go of them and they started to rub their wounds. Solemn snapped her fingers and the jesters’ attention was on her.

“First off, where am I?” Solemn questioned.

“Toon Town” answered Havoc.

Solemn turned and quickly pondered what he had said, ‘Toon Town’, a town of cartoons? She never really enjoyed cartoons, mainly cause of their strange physics and laws, and if that meant those rules would affect her she would have to learn them quickly. She took the invitation out of her coat and showed the jesters.

“What do you know of this?” she inquired.

Havoc and Mayhem seemed more interested in her wrist now, their eyes filled with wonder.

“What are you looking at?” Solemn questioned.

“You’re a doll!” Mayhem shrieked in excitement.

Solemn resisted the urge to hit her, “Focus, I want to go home and this letter is the only clue I have to get back.”

“But I wanna play with you!” complained Mayhem.

Solemn grabbed Mayhem’s cheek and pinched it very hard, “Maybe if you help me we can… play…” she hated using that word with her as the ‘plaything’.

“Ouch! Ok, ok!” Mayhem shrieked, tears forming in her eyes.

Solemn let her go.

“Hmm…” the two jesters looked at the letter.

“You two mentioned the Cartoonival before, can you take me there?” Solemn tired to ask kindly but it came out monotone, as usual.

“Yes we can!” the pair said springing up, “Follow us!”

The pair grabbed Solemn’s arm and started dragging her off at an incredible speed. She was surprised by the strength the two had for their sizes and she was admittedly grateful for it. As much as she hated being dragged around her feet weren’t actually dragging, the jesters held her just high enough to avoid that. As the trees flew past Solemn could see a bright light, a clearing in the forest, as her eye quickly adjusted the Cartoonival appeared in the distance. It was, as the name suggests, a cartoon carnival, go figure. Solemn guessed that they had it because what do cartoons do for entertainment? Watch themselves of tv? Ok, maybe a few do but… Solemn’s thought was cut short as the jesters came to a quick stop letting her go and sending her flying toward a trailer’s doors. The doors quickly opened and she flew through the entrance crashing face first into a desk.

“My, my, what have the jester dragged in?” questioned a man’s voice.

Solemn could sense he was behind her, most likely he was about to leave when she came flying in uninvited. She stood and brushed the dirt off of her clothes.

“Sorry for coming in unannounced,” Solemn sighed, turned toward the man, and looked him up and down, “by the looks of it you’re the ringleader. Am I right?”

“Indeed I am little lady, I run and manage this little carnival and who might you be?” he asked with a smile that was both comforting and disturbing.

“Solemn, just Solemn.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Solemn. Now what can I do for you?”

“Please explain this to me,” she pulled out the letter and handed it to him, “The name of who it was sent to was removed and replaced with mine.”

“Hmm…” the Ringleader thought for a second as he looked over the letter, “Well I can’t tell you who it was meant for, I sent out thousands of these, or who put you name on it. But I can tell you that you were brought here only cause your name was on it, it only transported you because of that.”

“So how do I get home? I would like to have my morning tea before noon.”

“Sadly I can’t help you with the getting home, unless we can strike a deal.”

Solemn’s face changed to show a slight bit of annoyance, meaning she was close to her breaking point. In a sentence the Ringleader had turned a pleasant, although unwanted, conversation on its head.

“What kind of deal?” she asked.

“Now don’t give me that look, it’s very simple, follow the contract you already ‘agreed’ to and I’ll let you go home when it’s all over.”

“Contract? I didn’t agree to any…”

She looked at the letter and saw the fine print, it read. By circling ‘yes’ on this letter you accept the terms and condition of the Cartoonival. You must compete in the tournament and upon loss you must wait until its completion before you will be allowed to return home. Solemn, was annoyed to say the least, she was stuck in the tournament she didn’t even sign up for. She sighed and composed herself.

“But…”

The Ringleader shook his finger at her, “No buts here missy. You agreed to the contract.”

“No I didn’t…”

“That or you’re lying to get out of my competition once you realized you weren’t cut out for it.”

“I…” she sighed, realizing she couldn’t get out of this, “Can I make one request?”

“Depends on what it is.”

“If I win you will let me return home where I’ll find you a suitable replacement for your show. I do not want to be part of your carnival, I want to go home and the only reason I won’t purposely loose in this tournament is to find who sent me here. Do those terms please you?”

“Hmm… very well miss Solemn.”

He offered his hand to seal the deal, he had extended his left hand. Solemn moved her cape showing what remained of her left arm. The Ringleader quick switched hands and smiles apologetically. She shook his hand, she only now noticed that the jesters were still there looking at her with a shocked look.

“She’s broken…” Mayhem said quietly.

Solemn turned her attention back to the Ringleader, “Where might I get some tea?”

“Our concession lady Penny might have some, look for pink swirly cotton candy like hair.”

“Thank you,” she said and she left the trailer.
The jester were about to follow Solemn when the Ringleader spoke, “Don’t you two have someone else to entertain?” and they reluctantly flew in the different direction.

Solemn had found Penny who sadly didn’t have tea or even a tea pot, she had iced tea but not tea. Solemn never went a day without tea and it was starting to driver her a little mad. She decided to take it out on a tree. She summoned her blade and thrusted it toward the truck. The tree shrieked, bent out of the way and ran off. She let out a huff of annoyance, took a seat on a nearby bench and composed herself as if she was a window display at a corner store. She sat motionless, the wind occasionally moved her hair or clothes but that was it. This place had already taken its toll on her and at this rate it would only be a matter of time before it broke her. She wanted nothing more than to wake up and find out this was all a dream but she never dreamed. She leaned back and let her head hang off the back of the bench breaking the illusion of the motionless doll. This startled an elephant who had, very quietly, set up a comically small table a few feet behind the bench. The elephant sprang up from its tiny seat and stood atop it as if to avoid a mouse.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you where there,” Solemn quickly said but it didn’t seem to make the elephant feel any better.

“Toot toot toot,” the elephant responded, Solemn understood what it had said.

“Yes, I can talk. How long was I sitting here?” she asked.

The elephant thought about it, “toot toot,” It responded.

“Three hours? At least I wasn’t rudely bothered like before.”

“Toot toot?” the elephant had calmed down and was now curios about doll it had encountered.

“My name it Solemn, what’s yours?

“Toot.”

“Ela? It fits you nicely.”

“Toot toot?” Ela pulled out a tea pot and two small cups.

“I would like that very much,” Solemn said a slight smile appearing on her face, she hadn’t smiled in months.


End of Audition.