Michaela's fan-fiction

                                   Let the Wild Rumpus continue

 

Max had always hated waiting rooms, the glaring fluorescent lights, the hacking coughs, and the mind-dulling collection of gossip magazines. They were places of sickness and suffering. Max felt like he’d spent too much time in waiting rooms, ever since he was ten years old and had been given his first bottle of pills. 

Tossing aside a dog-eared copy of ‘OK!’ magazine, he glanced at the clock. Quarter past ten. Doctor Robyn was running late. Max hoped she’d hurry up, he had a biology lecture in an hour and he didn’t want to miss it.

“Max Conway?” A small Filipino woman appeared in the doorway. “Doctor Robyn will see you now.” 

Max shuffled down the corridor as if he was walking to his execution. It had been awhile since Max had seen Doctor Robyn, but she still wore the same horn-rimmed glasses and careworn expression.

“Max, how can I help you?” she asked.

“I wanted to talk to you about my pills. I think I’m ready to stop taking them. I mean- I’ve been much better lately.”

“Have you stopped having the dreams?”  

“Yes,” Max lied. There was no way he was gonna tell her he was still seeing Carol, Douglas, Katherine, and all the rest, sometimes several times a week. That would only get him a stronger dose of medication and another visit to Doctor Stanley.

 
“Well you’re eighteen now Max, the decision is yours” Doctor Robyn gave him a dubious look. “But I would strongly advise against it.”

The first thing Max noticed after he stopped taking the pills was he had all this extra energy. He started going for bike rides through the woods, something he hadn’t done for years.

 second thing he noticed was that he felt everything so much more. Things that normally wouldn’t excite him felt like Christmas morning. Things that normally wouldn’t bother him filled him with irritation and anger. 

 
Saturday evening Max felt wild with energy, so he leaped onto his bike and pedalled into the woods. As trees turned into greenish blurs, the wind howled in his ears and Max howled with it. He kept riding till he could go no further. Bending to catch his breath, Max heard a strange, but familiar, sound. He ran into the clearing where a large lake stretched out before him, a small boat docked by the edge of the water. Max had been here before. He knew what to do.

The boat ride to the island didn't take as long as Max had remembered, only a few hours. He had barely set foot on the shore when he spotted several figures, tall as houses, gathered around a clump of trees.  He sprinted toward them with an excitement he hadn’t felt in a long time. He leaped onto the back of one of the creatures, entwining his hands in the thick fur and breathing that comforting smell. Carol whirled round, a shocked expression on his face.

Carol

 

“It’s me! Max! I came back, like I said I would!”

Carol paused for a moment, before enveloping Max in a big hug. “I missed you Max.”

 
Even though Max and Carol hadn’t parted on the best of terms (Carol had been in a foul mood and had threatened to eat Max) they still loved each other. The other Wild things regarded Max with a mixture of surprise and happiness. Except for Judith, who wore her usual expression of mild disdain. She was probably Max’s least favourite of the Wild things.

 

It then occurred to Max that somebody was missing.“Where’s Katherine?”

“She’s feeling a bit sick,” Carol frowned.

Alexander pawed at the ground excitedly. “He doesn’t know!”

“Know what?”

“Katherine and Carol are having a baby!”

“No way! That’s awesome!”

Max had never really thought of the Wild things as being parents. He hadn’t even realized it was possible.  Pushing aside unwanted mental images, Max asked if he could see Katherine.

 

 

“Maybe a bit later, she needs to rest at the moment” Carol said. “I know, you can bring her dinner. Boy will she be surprised to see you!”

As Max trod through the forest, his hands full of grubs, he spotted a large auburn-coloured hill. “Katherine?” he called out.

Katherine

 Katherine raised her head, wearily. She looked exhausted, her long hair covered in twigs and dirt. 

“Who are you?” she eyed Max suspiciously. “You remind me of somebody…”

“Was that somebody called Max, by any chance?” he giggled.

“It is you! I knew I’d seen you before!"

“Are you all right?” Max knelt down beside her. “You don’t look too good.”

“I’m fine, I mean I’m really tired but I’m sure I’ll feel better soon. I should probably rest. Sorry Max, I’d love to talk but I’m exhausted.”

Max walked off, feeling a strange mixture of elation and unease.

A few nights later Max and the Wild things were cuddled up in a gigantic pile, when a loud groaning noise awoke Max from his slumber.

“Katherine, are you O.K?”

“No…” she moaned. “I can’t breathe… –I think the baby’s coming!”

The other Wild things were looking round, bleary eyed. 

“What’s going on?”

“The baby's coming!” Max shouted.

Carol jumped to his feet. “What do we do?”

Max wasn’t sure, but he thought somebody ought to do something. He rushed to Katherine’s side and put a hand on her shoulder. Carol was on the other side, leaning over Katherine.

“Its O.K baby, it’ll be fine” he tried to sound soothing but his voice was high and panic-filled. 

Max had never seen a baby being born before, but he’d watched plenty of TV shows. They usually instructed the mother to take deep breaths, and push.

“Deep breaths Katherine,” he coaxed. “And push as hard as you can!”

Katherine let out a deafening scream and for a second Max thought she was going to pass out. And then it was over. Katherine lay on her back, while Carol stroked her hair.

Max had expected the baby to be tiny but it was almost as long as he was, and covered in thick auburn fur, like Katherine’s. Atop his head were two curved horns, similar to Carol’s.

Carol stared in wonder. “He’s gorgeous!” Max didn’t know how Carol could tell it was a he. Maybe it was the horns?

“Would you like to give him a cuddle Max?” Katherine whispered.

 
Max leaned forward tentatively, and wrapped his arms around the new Wild thing. A drop of cool water hit him in the eye. Looking down at his soggy t-shirt he realized it had been raining. And rain had never felt better.