My Girlfriend's Back by Luke (buster_mb@yahoo.com) It was an October night in Acme Acres. The leaves were picked up off the ground by the wind and tossed about. The moon shone down on everything. It all looked like a scene from a horror film. Buster and Babs happened to be out walking at this time. They were sauntering side by side as usual. They were on the side of a road heading into Acme Forest. Buster: It's kinda cold out, Babsy. Why don't we just go home. Babs: Hey, blue ears, you promised to spend time with me, remember? Buster: Yeah, but do you really have to make me freeze? Babs: It's not my fault you didn't wanna wear a coat. They kept walking and soon they were walking on a bridge. A truck was heading towards them well above the speed limit. One of its headlights were burnt out. The driver couldn't see the two bunnies that were walking down that same road.. Buster and Babs paid no mind to the truck. Babs: Maybe we should move to the side of the road. Buster: Nahh. He can move over. He'd have to, anyway. There's nowhere to move over to. Babs: Oh yeah.. Babs looked back to see that truck heading towards them at a high speed. Babs: Busterrr! Buster: Whaat!? Babs: It's not moving over! Buster looked back as the truck barrelled towards them. He started off to the other side of the bridge. Babs followed. The truck was still coming at them as they ran, and then something unexpected happened. Babs' foot got caught in a pot hole on the bridge. She tried desperately to free her foot, but it was too late. The truck blew right over the spot where Babs was. Buster watched in horror as he saw his energetic friend get thrown off of the road and into the brush. The truck was gone. It headed down the road without even stopping. The driver may have been unaware that he hit anything at all. Buster ran over to the brush where Babs had landed. After clawing through the bushes, he finally found her. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. Buster: Babs?? Babs!? ..Oh my gosh.... She wasn't moving. She didn't have an expression on her face. She was what Buster feared her to be the most when she was hit...dead. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The local authorities were gathered by the road where Babs died. They they loaded her in an ambulance. A police officer asked Buster if he got the truck's license plate. He didn't. He just stared at the ground in disbelief that Babs actually died. She didn't jump up, didn't make any "hit by a car" jokes, or even gave Buster a sign that there was the tiniest bit of life inside of her. After a while of just standing there, he decided to go home. He was sure that Babs' parents would know before tomorrow that Babs was gone. He couldn't bring himself to tell them. Once back in his burrow, Buster dragged himself over to his bed and climbed onto it. He still had that look of disbelief on his face. Buster: (thinking) Babs is... gone. I probly could have helped her.. but I know I couldn't.. It all happened so fast... All night Buster kept wondering if he could go on without Babs. After all, they were two of a kind. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The next day, Buster walked to school. He looked back only to see the forest behind him. Babs usually trotted up beside him at this point. He looked foreward again and he started feeling much worse. As he walked his thoughts of Babs started weighing heavily on him. He reached the Looniversity doors a little later than he normally did. He still treaded slowly to his first period class. He passed Plucky on the way. Plucky: Hey.. Buster: What, Plucky..? Plucky: Uhh..I'm sorry about Babs.. Buster: It's alright... I just have to get through all the grief.. But how can I go on without her? She's Cher to my Sonny. Plucky: Uhh, you could say that. Buster reached his classroom door and opened it. He saw a class full of glum faces. It seemed that everybody heard about Babs. He noticed that Fifi heard. She was in tears at her desk. Buster walked over to her. Buster: Has everybody heard?? Fifi: (sobbing) Yes, everybody has heard. Oh, Buster. She was my best friend..! Buster: I know... He reached into his pocket and pulled out a hanky. Buster: Here.. Fifi: Merci, Buster.. He walked over to his desk and sat down. Through the entire first half of the day, Buster was surrounded by grieving Toons. Even at lunch, everyone was walking along like they had lost everything in their lives that meant something to them. Buster had truely lost everything. He sat there with his lunch in front of him. He didn't really feel like eating. The rest of the day went the same way. Buster dragged himself home. He felt like dying himself. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Late that evening at the city morgue, everything was quiet. That would all end soon. Inside one of the freezers lay Babs. She was still as ever, but there was something that wouldn't let her die. In life, Babs was an energetic rabbit, and that energy would be the spark of life that she needed to bring her back... and it did. Her fingers started twitching, her toes wiggled a bit, and finally her eyes opened. Babs was back to life! A few seconds, Babs burst out of the freezer and onto the Morgue floor. She looked around her. She knew she was struck by a truck, and she certainly knew she was dead. Babs got up and looked down at herself. Babs: (thinking) Oh my gosh, I'm naked! I better get something on, and blow this popsickle stand. Babs did just that. She grabbed a sheet off of one of the embalming tables and wrapped it around herself. She then proceeded to the main entrance. She tried the doors, but they were locked. Babs looked all around her. She found a small mail door that she was able to slip through. She was finally out of the morgue and on her way home... or to Buster's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back in Acme Forest, Buster was asleep. He finally dropped out after three hours of laying in his bed. He wasn't having any dreams, but he was still grief - stricken, which made his sleep terrible. Babs finally made it to Buster's yard. She was still covered in the sheet that she swiped from the morgue. She trotted over to Buster's burrow entrance and claaed inside. Babs: Buster! Buster, are you in there?? Inside, Buster was still in bed. He woke up thinking he heard Babs call his name, and he got out of bed to see if it was just him or not. Babs got impatient and jumped inside the burrow hole. Buster came out of his bedroom. It was dark, so Buster couldn't see. He reached for a light and turned it on to see Babs standing right in front of him. Buster: AAAAAAAAAHHH!! Babs!! You.. you're.. you're alive..! Babs: Uh, Buster.. I don't think I'm actually alive. Buster looked at her with disbelief. He couldn't come to grips with her death, so how can he do the same with her coming back to life? He saw her get run over by that truck. Yet here she is, alive as ever! Babs: What!? Haven't you ever seen a corpse draped in a sheet before?? Buster; Uhh, no.. But.. how?? What brought you back? Babs: I don't know.. Maybe we could go see Calamity about it. Buster: Do you really think that would be a good idea? I mean, come on! Everybody think's you're dead! Babs: Really? What about Shirley and Fifi? How are they taking this? Buster: Not too well, Babsy. They're your best friends, aren't they? Babs: Yeah, you know that. I might want to drop in on them, too. Buster: Babs! Babs: What?? Buster: You are dead! As in not living, you should be in a box right now, a corpse dead! Babs: Buster, there's one thing I hate just about as much as lulls, and that's exaggerations! Buster: Well, you're still dead, Babs. What'll those two think if you just walk up to their door? Babs: I don't know, but I bet they'll be pretty suprised. Buster: I'll say... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Calamity Coyote was hard at work on a new machine. He ponded, wrenched, and screwed until he thought he had done eerything he needed to do. He rose up from where he was crouched over and stood ther with pride while looking at his new invention. He wanted to try it out, but that would have to wait until he had something to test it on. Calamity then went over to work on something else. He looked at all of his unfinished or failed projects. There was a lot that he could choose from. They covered half of his workbench. He picked up this weird pair of glasses and went over to another table. He was about to start working when Buster and Babs, now fully clothed, walked in. Babs: Hi, Calamity! Whatcha working on now? Calamity looked up to see Babs standing right in front of him. He passed out in a heartbeat. The two bunnies bent over him. Buster: Calamity? Calamity... Babs: Hold on a sec, Buster. Babs started walking away. Buster: Where ya going? Babs: Just wait a minute. I'll be back. Babs went over to the workbench and grabbed a clean beaker, then left the labroom to go look for a water fountain. She zipped around a corner and down the hall a bit. She then saw a water fountain, walked over to it and started filling the beaker. As she waited for the water to reach the brim, the janitor happened by. Babs was worried about the kind of reaction he would have if he saw her standing there. The janitor slowly worked his way up the hall with his floor buffer. He looked at Babs with a baffled look on his face. Janitor: Eeeeeeeaalo, miss bunny. ...eeeeaaa Hey, wait a minute.. Eeeeeyou're that girl that died two days ago. .Wwelcome back! Eeeeyyaahhh The janitor started buffing the floor again. Babs: Gee, this guy's really alert.. She looked back at her beaker to see it filled. She then shot back to the labroom. Once Babs got to the lab, she ran over to Calamity and dumped the water all over his face. Calamity gingerly sat up and looked all around him. He looked at Buster, then at Babs. This time he didn't pass out. Babs: Suprised to see me? Calamity nodded "yes". Buster: Uh, Calamity. We need a favor. Calamity: (holds up sign) Anything. Buster: We want you to find out why Babs is still alive. Calamity: (holds sign) Okay. Just minutes later, Calamity had Babs strapped up to one of his gizmos. Apparently it was some sort of a meduical tool he had made recently. It had a heart and pulse monitor, which showed two straight lines. Calamity looked at Buster and shrugged his shoulders. Buster: You didn't get anything..? Calamity: (holds up sign) She's dead as a doornail. Buster: Really?? Calamity nodded. Then he went to the controls and shut the machine off. Babs took all the hook-ups off of her and stepped down onto the floor. Babs: So, I'm really dead, aren't I? Calamity: (holds up sign) Yep. Babs: I sure don't feel dead! Look, I bet I can even spin change! Babs whirled around and when she stopped, her body parts were mixed up! Buster and Calamity looked at her with priceless looks on their faces. Babs: What's wrong?? Buster: Ohh.. nothing, Babsy. Y-y-you look fine.. Babs: You're lying. Babs looked on a shiny surface to see her left leg where her arm should be, her arm where her leg should be. Babs: Gyaaaahh! This isn't right! I should have turned into Elvis! Buster: Maybe your toonish capabilities died with you.. Babs: Oh, that's just teriffic. Being dead sucks! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The two bunnies walked out of the Looniversity. Buster couldn't get why Babs was alive. He tried to thik of what it was that kept Babs going, but after a while he couldn't come to a conclusion. He started thinking of how he could find out. Asking her could be his first option, but Babs may not know herself. He got an idea. He would have to take her to see Shirley. So, with that, Buster led Babs to Shirley's home. Once they were at the door, Buster knocked on the door. Babs stayed aside, out of sight. The door slowly opens, and in front of Buster stood a very large Duck. Buster: Hi, Mr. McLoon. Is Shirley home? Mr. McLoon: Umm, no. She's with her friend. The one who smells really bad. Buster: Okay. Thank you. The door shut. Buster then led Babs to Fifi's Cadillac. Again, Babs would have to stay out of sight, even though she didn't want to. Buster knocked on the passenger side door. Fifi answered it. Buster: Hi, Feef. Fifi: Hello, Buster. What are you doing here at this time of night. Buster: I need to see Shirl. Is she around? Fifi: Yes. She's inside. Buster walked inside. On the floor, Shirley was looking at some photos. She sadly smiled, and flipped through a scrapbook. She noticed Buster and looked up at him. Shirley: Like, hi, Buster. Buster: Hey Shirl. Fifi: We were just looking at some pictures. Do you want to sit with us? Buster: Sure, but I have some company. Fifi: Who? Buster went to the door, and waved for Babs to come in. She slowly walked up to the door and stepped inside. Babs: Hiieeee! Sirley/Fifi: AAAAAAAAAHH! Shirley: Babs! Like, you're aren't dead?? Babs: Oh, I'm dead, just not all the way. Fifi: How!? You were clobbered by that big lumber truck! Babs: I dunno. Buster and I think Shirley can figure that out. Shirley: Me?? Like, I don't know if I can read a dead person's mind. Buster: C'mon, Shirl. There's a first time for everything. Shirley: Like, okay. C'mere, Babs. Babs walked over to Shirley, and she started concentrating on Babs' lifeforce. A few minutes of that and she got what she was looking for. Shirley: Like, Babs' tooniness is what's keeping her going. I really didn't know that anyone's tooniness could do this. Babs: Really?? Buster: I didn't know Babs was that wacky! Babs: Well, now you know, blue ears. Buster: Thanks a lot, Shirl. Shirley: Like, no problemo, Buster. Fifi: Why don't you stay, Babs. We missed you terribly. Babs: Aww, sure. You go ahead, Buster. I'm gonna spend some time here. Buster: I really don't want to leave you by yourself, Babs. Who knows what might happen. Shirley: Like, we'll keep an eye on her. Buster: Oh, okay. Just bring her to my house when you're done with her. Shirley: Like, okay. Buster walked home. Babs stayed with Shirley and Fifi until it was almost dawn. Babs walked back to Buster's house by herself, due to the fact that Shirley and Fifi had both fallen asleep on her. Buster was also asleep when she got to his burrow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Buster's alarm went off. He gingerly sat up and looked over at the clock, which said 7:30. Buster then jumped out of bed and went to the bathroon to brush his teeth. After that, he walked to his living room to see Babs sitting on the couch. She wasn't asleep, and she didn't look tired. She also had a sad expression on her face. Babs: Good morning, blue ears. Buster: Good morning. ...Hey.. What's wrong? Babs: I don't know. I had time to think about what it would being a walking talking corpse. Buster: And...? Babs: I just wouldn't be able to do it.. What will everybody think?? Buster: I don't know. Maybe they'll accept you as a walking corpse. I don't want you to die, Babs.. It was hard for me the first time. Babs: I know. It's really hard, Buster, but I don't want to live like this! Buster sank a bit. He didn't want her to die again, but if that was what she wanted, then he would have to let her go. Buster walked to his room, grabbed his books, and started for the burrow entrance. He stopped and looked back. Buster: Babs..? Babs: Yeah? Buster: Please.. Just stay alive for a bit longer. I don't want to find you dead on that couch when I get back. Babs: Okay.. I will. Buster jumped out of his burrow and headed to school. It was lunch. Buster, Shirley, and Fifi sat at one table together. Buster: Okay, you two. Babs doesn't want to stay alive anymore. Shirley: Like, she wants to die again?? Buster: Yeah, she told me this morning. If she goes today, I want the both of you to be there for her. Fifi started tearing up. Fifi: Why does Babs want to die? Buster: She told me that she didn't know what people would think if they saw that she was dead, and walking around. Shirley: Then, like, let her go, Buster. She shouldn't have to stay alive... Even though we want her to. She's like our best friend! Buster: I know. She's my girlfriend, but I don't think that matters now. If she wants to die, then we all have to respect her decision. Fifi: I will.. Shirley: Like, I will too. After school, Buster, Shirley, and Fifi went to Buster's burrow. Once inside, they saw Babs still sitting on the couch. She looked over and a big smile form on her face. Babs: Hiee! Fifi: Babs? Babs: Yeah, Feef.? Fifi: This might be a bad question to ask... but are you going to die today..? Babs' smile receeded a little. Babs: It's hard to tell. I just can't walk around dead all the time. Shirley: Like, we came over to see you before you go. Babs: You mean... you're actually letting me go? Shirley: Like, yeah. Whatever you want to do, don't, like, let us stop you. Babs knew that Buster told them both now. She didn't feel sore about it, but she knew that they were going to let her die, instead of being selfish and making her live. Babs: Thanks, guys. I knew this was going to be kinda hard on you.. Both Shirley and Fifi were tearing up. Babs couldn't show very much emotion...because she was dead. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hours passed. Shirley and Babs were talking, and Fifi was sitting on the floor listening. She added a few words in occasionally, but other than that, she sat there. They saw Babs getting tired, and every minute that passed, she got even more tired. Babs: Guys...? Buster: What is it, Babs? Babs: I think it's time.. Buster: Time for what? ...Oh... Babs: Hold me.. Buster went over to Babs and sat her up, sat himself on the couch, and laid her down over his legs. They looked at each other. Buster: Babs..? Babs: What is it? Buster: Do you think we'll see each other on the other side? Babs: It all depends.. If you're a good boy.. She smiled at Buster, and he smiled back at her. Then Buster looked up at Shirley, who was sitting on the other side of the room. Buster: Shirl, I think she's gonna die on us. Shirley: Like, this is totally depressing.. Buster: It is, Shirl, but she needs us now. Shirley walked over to the two bunnies and sat down in front of them. Fifi walked over beside them, too. Fifi: I'll miss you, Babs.. Shirley: Like, me, too.. Babs looked over at her two friends, who were gushing tears now. They all knew that this was it. Babs started to fade away. Minutes passed and none of them said a word. Babs didn't move. They all just waited. A short time later, Buster waved his hand in front of Babs' face. No response. Then he nudged her a little. Still nothing. He looked at her. She was dead. She got what she wanted. Shirley and Fifi comforted each other. Buster just sat ther with Babs on his lap looking down with a sad expression. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Everything was white around Babs. She looked all around her, but all she could see was white. Babs: Boy, this is boring. When's a scenery change gonna happen?? Babs got what she wanted once more. The next thing she saw amazed her. Babs was standing in front of a big gold gate. Her eyes grew big at the sight that was around her. Babs couldn't believe it. She was in Heaven. There were many people going toward this big building. She decided to follow them. The traffic of souls moved closer to the building. Babs looked over to one. Babs: Where are we going? Soul: We are going in front of the Big Guy. Babs: The big guy?? ...Oh. For what? Soul: To be judged, of course. Babs: D'ya think you'll get to stay here? Soul: It's hard to tell. I did a lot of stupid things in my life. Babs: You'll be alright. Soul: Oh, thank you! You are really kind. Babs: Thanks! I'm also a comedian. The soul smiled at her, then looked foreward again. They continued to walk. Babs arrived in this big room. She guessed it was where she was to be judged because each soul either rose off the floor through the ceiling or were sucked through the floor. There were a few who went through this door. The doorway shone white when it was opened. The soul Babs was talking to was next, then it would be her turn. The soul walked up to the center of the room. A few minutes passed, and the soul rose up off the floor. Babs waved at him, and he did likewise. Babs was next. She walked to the center of the room. She then heard a low, soft voice. Voice: Barbera Anne Bunny. Babs was scared to open her mouth. Voice: You lived a fairly decent life, as far as I can see. You didn't steal or cheat. In fact, you did almost nothing greivous. You have earned your way to eternal happiness. Babs: Uhh... excuse me, sir. Voice: Yes? Babs: Can I ask you something? Voice: What is it? Babs: Can I just go back? Voice: Why? You died with a good record. You have earned your way to Heaven. What is it that makes you yourn for your return to Earth? Babs: I really don't know. It's just that I went too soon. Voice: True.. If you really want to go back, then I will let you return. I will place you back near the point of your death. You have a chance to live a full life. Babs: But what if that truck creams me again?? Voice: Then you will come back here. I will not change my decision to let you into Heaven should you die again, but should you live, and do wrong and have no remorse for it, then I will change my decision. Babs stood there and thought about it for a second. She decided to take the chance of getting run down by that truck again. Babs: Okay, I'm ready to go. Beam me back, Scottie! Voice: Whatever.. Look to your right. Babs: What's to my right? Voice: A door. Open it and step through the doorway. You will return to Earth as promised. Babs: Okay, see ya! Babs blasted through the door. she was going home. Voice: What a complex creation I've made. She's almost like all the others I've put down there.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Buster and Babs were walking across a bridge with no sidewalk. A truck was coming towards them at a very high speed. Babs looked Behind her. Babs: Maybe we should move to the side of the road. Buster: Nahh. He can move over. He'd have to, anyway. There's nowhere to move over to. Babs: Oh yeah.. Babs looked back to see that truck heading towards them at a high speed. Babs: Busterrr! Buster: Whaat!? Babs: It's not moving over! Buster looked back as the truck barrelled towards them. He started off to the other side of the bridge. Babs followed. The truck was still coming at them as they ran, and then something unexpected happened. Babs' foot got caught in a pot hole on the bridge. She tried desperately to free her foot. She gave it one more good yank, and her foot was loosed from the pot hole. She charged across the bridge. Buster reached out to Babs as she reached the other side and pulled her off the road. The truck thundered past them and disappeared down the road. Buster: That was close! Babs: (panting) Yeah! Let's get home..! Buster and Babs stood on the side of the road and gave themselves a few seconds to calm down, then started off down the road. The End