Baby Island Adventure

“Why couldn’t we pick a different train?” I asked.

“Because it was the only one going there,” Mommy replied.

“But, it’s crowded!” I whined.

“I know, sweetie, but we’ll be there before you know it.” She pulled my baby bag out and dug into it. I smiled when she pulled out my ba-ba. “Here, drink your apple juice.”

I took my ba-ba from her, and I sucked it.

“Good boy!” She ruffled my brown hair.

The sweet beverage traveled down my throat. I’ve loved apple juice ever since I was two.

I wore my Big Bird shirt with suspenders, holding my elephant shorts. I looked adorable!

From the middle of the crowded aisle, a middle-aged lady wearing lime green yoga pants and a bright orange tank top turned her head and asked, “Hey, aren’t you a little old to drink from a baby bottle?”

“No, I like being a widdle boy.”

“Whatever.” She turned and slowly maneuvered herself in the crowd.

“That was very good, honey.” Mommy patted my head.

I smiled and looked out the window. The sun shined bright in the clear blue sky. We passed cows, and I giggled. “Funny cows!” I didn’t care if anyone else heard me. I didn’t know anyone on this train any—

“Jade?” Beth said.

“Uh, hi.”

“Whatcha doing here?” She asked.

“Me and Mommy are going to…”

Somebody sneezed when I said the location.

“Cool, mind if I sit with you?”

“No.”

She took a seat across from me. “Whatcha drinkin'?” She pointed at my ba-ba.

“Apple juice. Want some?”

“No, thanks. Apple juice gives me bad farts.”

I giggled.

She swatted her red hair back. “I like your outfit. Is it new?”

“Yes, Mommy bought it last week for me."

“Cool. Well, you rock it!”

“Thanks!”

“Jade…” a voice said.

I looked around but saw no one.

“Come with me to my paradise.”

“Not again!”

“What?”

“Come with me to my paradise.” 

Let me guess, you can't hear the voice.”

“Hear who?”

Mommy came back. “Hi, Beth, I didn’t know you were on this train.”

“Yeah, my brother and I are going to—“

Somebody coughed.

“That’s where we’re going!” Mommy said.

“Cool, mind if I hang out for a while?”

“Not at all.”

“So, what’s new?”

“The same. Working all day at CVS.”

“Yeah, I got a book report due next week.”

“What on?”

“I haven’t picked it yet.”

“She's been very naughty!” I said and stuck my thumb in my mouth.

“You’re one to talk. Sleeping in history.”

"Jade, is this true?” Mommy asked.

I continued sucking my thumb.

“Jade.”

“Mmmm.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. You need to stop sleeping in class!”

“But, Mr. Lemon is so boring!” I whined.

“Jade! don’t say that.”

“But, he is, Ms. Boenomomomom. He has the dullest voice and just reads the notes on the overhead verbatim all class!” Beth contributed.

“Well, you just have to accept the way he teaches and listen extra super duper hard!”

“OK, Mommy, I will.”

“That's my widdle boy!” She pinched my cheeks as the choo-choo train whistled.

“Excuse me,” a blond-haired lady said, trying to walk past the sea of passengers. “Excuse me.” She tapped a gray long-haired guy.

“How did you ever find us in this crowded mess?” I asked.

“I know, right?... My phone wasn’t getting good reception in the other car, so I asked the train attendant if there was better reception elsewhere, and she told me this car had great reception, so I changed cars and saw you guys.”

“Well, it’s lucky you did,” Mommy said, and a man bumped her seat, “Oof!’”

”I’m so sorry. Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes,” Mommy replied, and the man turned away.

“Fun times, huh?” Beth said.

Mommy rolled her eyes.

As the train chugged on, I felt my eyelids become lead window blinds.

“Are you getting sleepy, my little bumpkins?”

"Yes, Mommy," I said and laid my head in her lap.

“HEY, YOU PRICK! THAT’S MY CHAIR!”

I sat back up and looked. “Ooh! He said a naughty!”

“I don’t see your name on it!” a man with a thick black mustache and long hair shot back.

“Get out of my seat.” The older man raised his fist. He wore a yellow turtleneck sweater with gray khakis.

“Find another one.”

I sucked my ba-ba.

“Like Hell, I will!”

A train attendant with short red curly hair walked through. “Sir, I'm going to ask you to find another seat.”

“Where? This train is so goddamn full!”

"Follow me, please.”

“No.”

“Sir, please.”

“Bite my ass!”

“Sir, I would be happy to help you figure out a more comfortable situation, but you will have to remain calm or I will have to alert onboard security for this disturbance.”

“OK, fine!” he snapped, shoving people out of his way.

“I changed my mind. I’m not sleepy no more.”

“Did those silly heads make you fully awake?”

“Yes, Mommy. they’re stinkers!” Feeling extra little, I unhooked my suspenders and took my shorts off.

“Sweety, what are you doing?”

“Getting comfy.”

 “In public?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh, I guess it’s OK. you’re wearing a diaper.”

“Sing, Mommy!” I said.

“OK, sweetheart.” She started singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

I smiled.

“Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are.” She bopped my nose, and I giggled.

“Aww!” Beth said.

“What?”

"You're a happy little boy!”

I felt my cheeks heat up.

“It's OK, Jade. You’re letting the real you out and I respect that.”

“Thanks.” I hugged her.

“No prob.”

“Jade, let me take you to my paradise.”

“Mommy, me and Beth are going elsewhere to talk."

“But, it’s crowded. Can it wait?”

“’No.”

“OK. Do you have your phone?”

“Yes.” I reached into my shirt pocket and pulled it out.

“OK, sweetheart.”

As we rummaged through the crowd, we tapped their shoulders and asked them to please let us through.

“Nice diaper!” smirked a boy in his seat. He had a red mohawk. I chose not to crow at him as I passed him. We maneuvered ourselves to the door,

and I opened the door and pulled her in.

“The voice wants me to go to his paradise.”

“Huh?”

“The voice that spoke to me earlier!”

“OK, chill!”

A purple light blared in my face. I shielded my eyes. “What the…” It faded, and appeared in its place were the bright blue sky, huge palm trees, and sand.

“What the— WHERE ARE WE?” I blurted out.

“On some island, apparently.”

A fuzzy purple creature materialized in front of us.

We screamed.

It had three arms and three legs. It wore yellow socks with blue Converse. Its four wide blue eyes twinkled.

“I’m Fuzzy McWuzzy!” His voice squeaked. He spun around as fireworks shot in the blue sky. “Welcome to my paradise. He looked at me. “Why are you wearing a diaper?”

“Cuz the bathroom on the train is gross.”

"But you went in the bathroom before I teleported you here.”

“Yeah, but I— Will you just tell us why we're here?" I realized he looked kind of cute!

"You're going to a special place, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Why not have a teenie tiny vacation before you arrive?”

“Huh?” Beth said.

“There's a nursery for Jade and a cooking class for Beth.”

“How do you know what we like?”

“I read your minds. Your ambitions… your likes.”

“Oh.”

“What will it be?”

" You promise you'll have us back before the train

arrives?”

“I promise.”

“Hey, won’t our parents find out we’re missing?” Beth asked.

“I have realistic robots, see?” Fuzzy McWuzzy waved its hand and a cloud appeared showing exact duplicates of ourselves slowly showing our way back to our seats.

“Hi, Mommy.”

 “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, Mommy, I had to talk to Beth about something for class,”

my clone said in my voice and hopped up by her. it yawned.

“Someone's sleepy! Why don’t you take a little nap?”

“Sounds good,” my clone snuggled up against her and closed its eyes.

“How did you make them so realistic?”

“I’m an advanced being.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“OK, we'll chill here for a while.”

“Perfect.”

“I’ll go wherever you go.”

“OK, let's go to the nursery.”

“Cool. I thought you’d choose that.” Beth smiled, and we walked.

Five minutes later, we came across a light blue building the size of a standalone kindergarten with a pink roof. “Cool, looks fun!” I said and readjusted the tabs of my diaper.

“Yeah,” Beth said, and we walked to the building. The doors slid open, and we walked in. The fragrance of peaches and bananas wafted into our nostrils as cool air hit us.

“Hi!” a green creature cooed. She almost looked human. She had big purple eyes and a yellow triangular nose,

“I’m Jade and this is my friend Beth.”

“Hello, Jade and Beth. What can I do for you?” The creature

tilted her head.

“Nothing, I guess, just looking around.”

“Well, this daycare has everything you want! Changing rooms, nannies, blankies…”

“Sounds great!” I smiled.

“Yeah.” The creature looked at her watch.“ It’s almost lunchtime. Are you hungry? Would you like to be fed in a high chair?”

My tummy rumbled. ”A little, and yes a high chair would nice.”

 She clapped twice and a light blue high chair my size appeared materialized.

“Jade, can I... um… "

”Huh?”

"You know.” She paused. “Feed you.”

“Oh.”

"I'll understand if you say no.”

“Um…” I had three choices be fed by weird creatures, feed myself, or let my friend I had known since sixth grade feed me.  She helped me get a date to the school dance in eighth grade, went to camp with me, and help fix my science project after a bully destroyed it. So, I knew I was in good hands with her. “OK, you can feed me.”

“Great!”

I climbed into the high chair.

“Here’s a bib." The green creature grabbed one out of the box and handed it to Beth.

“Thanks.” She tied it on me. “There you go!”

“Thanks!” I looked down. “Ooh!” The yellow bib had blue cows on it.

“Open wide for Mr. Choo-Choo!”

I smiled and open my mouth. Beth put the spoon in.

“Is that yummy?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Another spoonful. “Mr. Choo-Choo has a special delivery to make! Chugga chugga chugga chugga choo-choo!” She pulled an imaginary cord with her other hand.

I opened my mouth.

“Good boy!” She put it in.

I swallowed and giggled. Being babied was the best thing ever! Even though I was a wee bit embarrassed!

"What a happy little boy you are!"

“Yay!” I clapped and opened my mouth.

She fed me the rest. “All done!”

That was yummy! I said as gas bubbled up in my tummy. “Beth?”

“What?”

“Sometimes, Mommy burps me.”

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I can lift you.” She grabbed under my arms. “Ready?”

“Uh-huh.”

“One… two… three!” She pulled me out.

“Wow! You’re strong!”

“Well, I do gymnastics.” She laid my head over her shoulder and patted my back.

Air rose in my tummy. BUUUURRRPPP!

“Good boy!”

“Wanna play with me?”

“Sure.” She carried me over to the blocks and set me down.

“Help me build a tower.”

“Sure.”

I grabbed two blocks and started stacking.

“Jade, can I ask you a question?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the real reason you’re wearing a diaper? I mean I know you're a baby and all, but…"

"I like to wear them sometimes. They make me feel safe and extra little."

“Safe? What do you mean?”

“Like nothing bad can happen.”

“Oh. How often do you wear them?”

“Not very often,” I said and stacked a green block.

Fuzzy McWuzzy appeared right in front of us. “How’s it goin’?”

I yelped and jumped back.

“We’re good, right, Jade?” Beth said.

My heart still pounded. “Yeah.”

“Sorry, I scared you.”

“It’s OK.”

"Have you eaten?”

“Yes.”

“Great, have you played?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent! You’re gonna feed my pet now.”

“What?”

 “You’ll see.”

“Why?”

“You must if you want to return to your world.”

“What?”

“You must do it… That is all.”

“Um, OK?”

“Would you like a fresh diaper?”

“What?”

“I see you’ve been wearing that one for a long time.”

“Uh… sure. Where’s the changing room?”

With a snap of his fingers, I felt refreshed. I looked down and saw a new one with cute choo-choo trains perfectly fastened on me.

“Thanks!”

“Aw, you look so cute!” Beth said. “Also, how can I learn how to change my clothes like that?”

“No. You know how to bake?”

 “Yes.”

“Come on!” He waved his second fuzzy hand on the left.

We shrugged and followed him outside. We walked about a

mile—nothing unusual to see; palm trees, sand, ocean. A few horseshoe

crabs scurried into the water. Seagulls soared in the sky.

“Here we are!” He stopped at a small square building with orange

and yellow stripes running horizontally. Fuzzy McWuzzy strolled up to a black

box on the side and punched some kind of code with his purple hand. BEEP! The

blue door swung open.

“This is the Challenge Room. Come on!”

Beth and I exchanged glances.

“Come on!”

“But, it's dark.”

"Are you scared?”

“No, it’s just that I’ve seen lots of scary movies.”

“He won't eat you."

“What?” Beth and I blurted out.

"Come on!"

I looked at Beth. She bit her lower lip. She grabbed my hand.

“Here goes nothing,” I said and we stepped in.

The door shut behind us. It was pitch black. We couldn’t see anything.

“Lights on!” Fuzzy McWuzzy said and the room was illumined by teddy bear lights on the purple ceiling

“Ooh!” I said, hypnotized by the cuteness. I wished I had lights like these in my room.

 The walls were covered in yellow wallpaper featuring

smiling trains. I looked down at the red, blue, and green spongy floor.

“I see you like the room.”

“Here, Cuddles! Come on out!"

From a large hallway, a white bunny the size of a house hopped out.

“This little guy is very hungry! Beth, you bake it oatmeal cookies, and Jade, you must throw them in his mouth.”

“What?”

”That’s what I said.”

“But, cookies take time to bake.”

“Not in this oven. It’s super fast.”

"Why do I have to feed it cookies?”

“That’s the rule.”

”What rule?”

“The rule of this challenge.”

“Uh, OK.”

"Are you ready?’”

”I guess?”

"GO! Let the game begin!”

The huge bunny started chasing me.

“SHIT!"

Beth snatched the rolling pin and rolled it over the dough.

"Please don't eat me!" I said as Beth put the tray in the oven. 

The bunny licked its yellow lips.

“Oh!” I exclaimed.

That was a weird image. I didn’t know rabbits could lick their lips.

“Uh, be patient,” I said.

DING!

“Jade!" Beth snatched a cookie and tossed it to me.

I jumped and caught it. “Uh, hey, want a cookie?”

The rabbit opened its mouth. I threw it in. It chewed and swallowed it. Beth threw three more. I caught them threw them in.  It hopped around the arena.

Beth rolled another piece of dough.

The rabbit hopped to me.

“Uh, I don’t have any more cookies right now. You’re gonna have to—”

HHHHHRRRRROOOOWWWWRRRRR!

I was trapped closed my eyes, waiting for the giant rabbit to eat me.

“HEY!” Beth shouted. I opened my eyes and saw Beth throw cookies at the rabbit. It bent over and gobbled them. I ran away.

"Jade, look!" Beth pointed.

I stopped and turned around.

The bunny let out a “YEOP,” and laid down.

“WINNER!” Fuzzy grabbed my arm and raised it up, “As promised, I will send you back.” He let go and everything changed.

I saw Mommy running to us. “Jade, Beth! there you are. I turned my head for a sec and you guys were gone!” She looked down. “Where did you get that diaper?”

“Um—“

 ”Oh, it doesn”t matter! Look!” She pointed to the statue of our sixteenth president sitting magnificently in his chair. High above him, the puffy clouds chased each other through the orange and pink sky.