Dante's Infanzia

Chapter 14
Sunshine

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Chapter Description: Hello New and Improved Dante!

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Chapter 14: Sunshine.

Dante had been close, tantalizingly close to complete mental oblivion. Having slept through his actual death, Dante found skirting the edge of his adult threshold very similar to what many people must have thought death was like. As he had lain there in Lysa’s lap, he could feel himself losing things. Memories, concepts, and words had been slipping right out of him. Everything that he had was going the way of the dodo.

It was like every bit of knowledge he possessed had been a grain of sand, slipping through his fingers. As he had looked up from Lysa’s lap, everything was leaving him. Reading, math, science, history, art…everything. Even little words escaped him. He couldn’t remember words like “food” or even “potty”. Words and concepts like “diaper”, “crib”, “highchair,”, “bottle”, and “baby” were leaving him just as fast, even though he had been barraged with those concepts since he first entered limbo. He was becoming a blank slate with only curiosity and impulse to drive him. Near the end, his own name lost meaning to him as he closed his eyes.

But just as he was about to lose himself something flowed into him. A series of soft and pretty sounds: music. Sounds that had meaning: Words…no…lyrics.

“It’s a Barnum and Bailey world

Just as phony as it can be.

But it wouldn’t be make-believe-”

Dante had reached out and grabbed at those words, like they were child about to fall over the edge of a cliff. They had to be saved! Those words had meaning. They came from a song about unrequited love; about how that love could turn a world of lies and illusion into something meaningful and real. It was sung full of regret, and sadness. It echoed of lost opportunities and dying hopes. It was Lysa’s song.

LYSA!

He still remembered Lysa! He latched onto that thought and refused to let it go. Limbo would not take that from him. It would not take his music from him, and it would not take his only friend in this place from him. He refused. They were all he had left that was worth saving. Lysa’s voice and music leaked into his very being and wove a knot around him, refusing to let go or be cast aside. With Herculean effort, he held fast to those concepts and began to reel in the rest, like a fisherman dragging up a net.

He remembered the adrenaline rush that singing a fast punk song would give him as he drove, or even just pretended to drive. He took back the genuine look of confusion and gratitude that Lysa had given him when he first stood up to Jamal. He recovered the pneumonic device that had helped him remember to “shake it once that’s fine, shake it twice that’s okay,” from “Another Loser Anthem.” He remembered the time with his grandparents.

Then, much more quickly, he reeled in every other memory, concept and piece of knowledge back into his brain; for his thoughts were not really sand, but an ornate woven tapestry constantly building on itself. He had gotten a grip with two strong hands and rewove himself into being.

The look on Lysa’s face when he opened his eyes and sang back to her had made it the best day since he died. What followed after, the pure unbridled joy of victory and feelings he had grown for Lysa being honestly returned had made that day the best of his entire existence. Welcome back, Dante. Welcome back.

His decline had been similar to a drug addict going cold turkey. First came the shakes, then the jonesing, then full withdrawal. Without Lysa, and his music, something that he could understand better and more deeply than some squalling infant; he was lost. Now his twin drugs coursed through his veins once again. With them he was complete. Now he was a true survivor. Now he was invincible.

Dante was still glowing with pride and victory when he sat up in his crib, soaking wet as usual. Even though he had passed the worst of it, Limbo still had sway over him. He still couldn’t walk, still couldn’t dress himself, and he still didn’t have enough bladder or bowel control to make going potty anymore than a passing fantasy. The good news was, he could once again remember what was required to use the potty; even if he couldn’t quite remember another more grown-up word for the device. That put his potty training, he estimated, as a little less than a two-year old toddler, which was more than he could say for anyone else he had met in Limbo.

Dante noticed that his diaper was soaked, but still warm. That was odd. Dante had grown used to wetting in his sleep, but typically he was cold and clammy first thing in the morning. He must have done multiple wettings, the most recent one just before he woke up, he reasoned.

Dante peered over at Lysa in the next crib over. She was still asleep, snoring lightly as she breathed. It almost sounded like a kitten purring. Dante looked on at her. She was beautiful; hot too. This could have gone on forever, this moment could be his eternity, and that would be fine by him. Wow. That was sappy. Was this what love felt like?

All around, the Judy’s started to do their morning chores, waking the infants and dressing them for the day. The Judy in the nursery scrubs with the bleach blonde hair, their Judy, carried Midori and set her down on the blue-ish grey indoor/outdoor carpet by their trio of cribs. Midori had just been changed and put into a yellow onesie . Her babbling caused Lysa to stir a few moments before their Judy scooped her, purple pj’s and all, and toted her over to a nearby changing table.

Dante felt a certain stirring in his nether regions as he saw Lysa being undressed, and he licked his lips a little as the Judy undid the tapes to Lysa’s diaper- proving that he was in fact, sappy love or not, still a teenaged boy. He scolded himself a little as he slammed his eyes shut and turned his back to the scene. Damn it, he loved her. Maybe later they could have a talk about it.

But how do you talk to a girl-one that you genuinely like as a person no less; one that you might even love- and tell them “I think you’re hot and it turns me on when I see you getting undressed. Still don‘t mind if I watch?” It was almost easier when Dante was so overwhelmed by thoughts of maintaining his sanity in this place that he didn’t have time to ask himself these questions. It was, in fact, easier to be shallow.

A few minutes later, Lysa was toted back. Her blonde hair done up in pigtails as usual, she was in what must have been the least revealing outfits in this place. She wore a purple shirt frilly sleeves, and denim shortalls with a sunshine on the chest. Though she wore no shoes, her feet were covered with matching frilly ankle socks.

Still groggy, she yawned as she and Midori were deposited back into the same crib. She experimentally tugged at her shirt, as though it were a little too tight. She managed to look down the front of her shortalls and give a questioning look.

Dante didn’t see anymore as his Judy scooped him up and easily toted him over to the changing table. Once again, the changing table’s paralysis properties were in full effect now that Dante had his grown mind back. He could only lay there as the Judy stripped him, wiped him, powdered him, and pulled a fresh diaper up between his legs and fastened it.

A red onesie was pulled over his head and he was laid back down so the Judy could snap it shut. Matching red socks found their way onto his feet. But the dressing didn’t stop there. The Judy pulled a pair of denim shortalls onto him and fastened them on too. That was a little weird. The Judy’s were usually super-efficient when it came to dressing the babies. Yeah, there was nothing wrong with dressing him in a onesie and shortalls; both garments had crotch snaps for easy access, but the Judies typically never left more than a layer of clothing between them and a diaper. Now, when being changed, any Judy would have to go through two layers of clothing and then a thick baby diaper before they could get to his….his….

Hahaha! Holy crap! The Judy hadn’t forgotten his and Lysa’s little “wrestling” match from yesterday. In their overwhelming joy, they had started giggling and rolling around on the floor, coupled with a series of kisses. Even babies could become sexually aroused on some level though, and so both had started thrusting their hips into each other in the heat of their passion.

Now the Judy was putting more layers of clothing to between them! No doubt Lysa had noticed she was put in a onesie as well. So between the thick diapers, onesies, and shortalls, there were a total of 6 layers of clothing separating their genitals. As if either of them could remember how to dress themselves! It was actually kind of funny the lengths that were being taken.

Dante was deposited back in the same crib with Lysa and Midori. She chuckled and shook her head, looking down at the floor. Evidently she had figured the wardrobe change out too.

“Okay babies,” Judy looked at them, “be good while Mama Judy goes and helps set up the breakfast area. We’ll get you some num-nums in your tum-tums in no time.” She gave a slight warning look as she walked away. It wasn’t anything too horrible, about the same intensity that a doting mother would give to a mischievous child with a propensity for cookie stealing.

“Hey,” Dante said to Lysa. He smiled bashfully, his eyes darting from side to side.

“Hey,” she said back, just as awkwardly. It was very awkward. Still wonderful, though.

The morning after was always the problem. After you’ve had the greatest day with someone in your existence, what do you do? Duh! You make today even better. Dante made the first move and pecked Lysa on the lips before she could react. Lysa lips disappeared instantly, embarrassed. Then she reciprocated with a peck of her own. Two pecks actually; one on the lips and a second one on the nose, like she was dotting an “i”.

They hugged each other and laughed, giggled really. Both were still reeling in a giddy feeling of victory. Their laughs became louder as Midori, feeling left out joined the group hug and squeezed tighter than either of them had; babbling nonsensically.

“Love you too Dori,” they both said in unison.

Breakfast and bottles came and went, though the two couldn’t take their eyes off of each other. Dante’s eyes glazed over as he was burped and placed in the playpen with his friends. They all rolled around on the floor together, taking turns. Soon he’d wet and Mama Judy would change him when he got cold and icky. It was so much fun. Dante gurgled as he kicked his legs in the air and saw his red socks. He wondered what the sock would taste like if he could only fit it in his mouth.

WAIT!

From his haze, Dante’s rational mind poked forward. Like a drunk who just realized how bad off he really was, Dante forced himself to wake up. He was still under the affects of the milk of human kindness flowing through him, only now he consciously realized. Having only too recently been stuck as this state, Dante wanted no part of it at present.

He looked up at the ceiling, he needed to focus on something long enough to come all the way back to his adult mind. Purple haze came into his brain. “Purple haze, something something right,” Dante mumbled. “Don’t know if it’s day or night.” Come on! Power through it! “I’m going crazy, and I don’t know why! ‘Scuse me, while I kiss this guy, I mean the sky!” It was working! It was working! Dante celebrated as he sucked on his thumb and goo-gooed in triumph. Nope wait. He was wrong.

Dante shook himself again. He couldn’t let himself drift too much in this state. Even now he was too afraid of regressing. He had to gain control. Then he saw Lysa, her chin down on the floor while her butt was in the air. She swayed as if drunk. Too.

Lysa. He focused on her. Even if she didn’t realize it, she could be anything that she wanted: Bitch, mentor, friend, survivor, con-woman, savior…lover. She had limitless potential and she didn’t even seem to know it. New words sprang forth from Dante’s lips.

“I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.

Man, you been a naughty boy you let your face grow long.”

Even abridged, he could feel himself rising to the surface above the milk again.

“I am the eggman”

“Ooooh!” Midori cooed.

“They are the eggmen”

“Ooooh!” Lysa echoed.

“I am the walrus! Goo goo g’joob!”

There! Dante was himself again. With Lysa as his muse, and the songs in his brain as his conduit, Dante easily came out of his haze. He was sober, again. Check that. He was just tripping on a better drug cocktail. His mind cleared to the sounds of scattered claps coming from Lysa and Midori.

“Pwetty!” Lysa cheered while using her entire arms to clap, fine motor skills not being high on her priority list right then.

“Blagagag!” Midori agreed. Oh yeah. Just because he wasn’t forced to act like a baby, right now, didn’t mean it had worn off on Lysa. Oh well. She’d come down soon enough.

Thirty minutes later, Lysa and Midori were stuck in the middle of a patty cake marathon, with neither one of them showing any signs of fatiguing. God damn it! Did the milk really normally last this long? Dante had never noticed before. Being the only sober one stuck in a room of boozehounds sucked. Maybe next time he’d allow himself to come down from the milk more slowly, after all. Maybe. Probably not.

Suddenly Lysa stopped and grabbed at her stomach as she doubled over on her knees. Her eyes sparked open, suddenly awake. She grit her teeth and started grunting as she shifted her weight to all fours. Dante didn’t even need to be told to turn around.

A minute or so later, a positively revolting smelling Lysa crawled up and tapped Dante on the shoulder. Dante crinkled his nose instinctively, but hid it as best as he could.

“Man,” Lysa said, “I hate it when that happens. I don’t know if it’s the pressure in my gut that snaps me out of it, or if my butt just revs it up into high gear right as I’m coming down…but it happens.” She shifted her wait. “Great. I think I peed too. Oh well,” she shrugged. “If you’ll excuse me.” Lysa then launched into her patented fake cry, guaranteed to make any Judy come running.

The Judy picked Lysa up and took her out of the playpen to change her. It took a little longer than usual, due to the extra set of crotch snaps that had to be undone, but eventually they came back, Lysa smelling strongly of baby powder.

“Sorry about that.” Lysa said.

“It’s all good,” Dante told her. He moved in to give her a hug but his path was blocked by the Judy.

“Let’s check you, Dante,“ she said as she pushed him down on his back unbuttoned the snaps on his shortalls. Dante felt two fingers probing the front inside of his diaper. “Hmm,” the Judy concluded, “dry.” Did the Judy sound a little disappointed? The angel, buttoned Dante back up and went over to check Midori and declared her in need of a change, too before toting her off.

Lysa’s gaze followed the Judy in the scrubs as she started to unbutton Midori’s snaps. “You know,” Lysa said, “it’s times like this that I miss wearing cloth diapers.”

“I thought you said disposables were better.” Dante replied.

“Yeah, they are,” she answered, “but there used to be a certain satisfaction at the idea that the Judy’s had to wash them.” They both had a good chuckle at that. The thought of a Judy, a Stepford Mommy, having to lower herself to cleaning loads and loads of cloth diapers instead of just. Then again, the Judy’s were perfect at their tasks. They couldn’t even get dirty. If Judy’s had ever had to wash poopy diapers, they probably looked glamorous while doing it.

Instead of bringing Midori back into the playpen. The Judy came back in and brought Lysa and Dante out of it. She sat them on the floor, and took her seat into her accustomed rocking chair. “Okay, kiddos, it’s story time!” the Judy chirped. The Judy reached behind her back and pulled out a book. “Ooooh! What do I have here?!” she asked rhetorically. “Oh I love this one! Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Once upon a time,” she began.

Great, not even some good playtime now that Lysa was out of her high. Worse yet, it was a baby story that he already knew by heart. Dante groaned inwardly. There had to be tons of baby books out there, new ones being written every year. Couldn’t he at least have something stupid he hadn’t heard before forced on him?

Around the part about how the third bowl of porridge was “just right”, Dante became aware of a growing discomfort in his nether regions. Any minute now his bladder would auto-release sending warm urine into his diaper encasing his loins. Dante took a deep breath and closed his eyes, waiting for it to happen. And waiting. And waiting.

Could it be? Dante needed to pee, that was for sure, but nothing was forcing him to release. He could actually hold it in for a time. He was still uncomfortable, but he was pretty certain he could decide to let go. Then Dante got an idea. Dante got an awful idea. He had a wonderfully awful idea!

Dante’s lip began to tremble, his breathing hastened with distress. Then he started crying out, “WAAAAAAH! NOOOOOO! NOT AGAIN! WAAAAAH!” Dante began to pat and poke at his crotch, still freaking out. The thing is, he was still dry, and he knew it.

“Ooops,” the Judy said, putting aside the story book, “looks like I checked you a little too soon, huh Dante?” Dante waited until he felt Judy’s fingers poking around inside his diaper. Then he let loose. The Judy “eeped” as Dante peed on her hand and yanked it out of his clothes. Score one for personal space.

The Judy’s finger was still glistening with urine, when she pulled it out. She quickly wiped it on her pants, trying to hide it. “Gee you little stinker!” the Judy laughed uncomfortably. “You coulda warned me, little guy.” Lysa’s eyes widened. She had seen it too. The Judy’s were Teflon, nothing stuck to them, least of all bodily excrements. It hurt, (man it hurt), but Dante managed to stop his stream mid-pee. He was still pretty soaked, but he had to save a little…just in case.

“All done, yet?” the Judy asked, as she picked Dante up. Dante nodded like an idiot. Dante felt her hand feeling the front of his diaper, once bitten twice shy. The Judy nodded, satisfied, and took him to the changing table. Dante purposefully crossed one of his arms over his chest so that it wasn’t touching the changing table as he was laid down.

His bladder ached as soon as he felt the open air hit his crotch. He wanted so badly to release and finish it. But not yet. He had to time this next part just right. He might not ever get another chance like this again. The Judy wiped him down before lifting his legs and sliding the wet diaper out from under him. She balled it up and threw it into a trashcan.

Before she could even reach for a fresh diaper, Dante released and started peeing again, using his free hand so that it aimed right for the Judy. Epic win! The Judy was caught dead on in the chest. Panic flashed in her eyes, followed by simmering anger as she used the unfolded diaper as a urine shield. The angel nannies had had it too good for too long, and this one had gotten sloppy. Everyone knew that when you changed a baby, especially a baby boy, you made sure to at least have the new diaper already unfolded before you threw the used one away. The nursery worker had left herself open and paid the price. True, Dante had deceived her into thinking he was empty, but that’s besides the point. Best part was, for whatever reason, her clothes were soaked and she did-not-look-happy.

“Agggh! Juuuuudy!” the Judy screamed. Her red-headed sister in the green dress came, a drooling baby teen in her arms.

“What’s up Judy?” the duplicate asked.

“Would you mind watching my babies for me for a few minutes? Dante here got a little trigger happy, and…and…” she couldn’t even finish the sentence. She just gestured to her pee-stained scrubs.

“Sure thing, hon, my other babies are in their pen” the Judy in the green dress replied. “You go get cleaned up, I’ll finish with this little rascal.” she said as she tickled Dante’s tummy. Dante couldn’t help but giggle. Lysa was hysterical, rolling on the floor laughing. The Judy in the nursery scrubs gave Dante a suspicious last look before turning the corner and vanishing into whatever kind of locker-room Limbo likely had.

The Judy in the green dress lowered her charge to the floor before standing up and taking over where Dante. “Such a naughty little boy,” she teased, as she finished taping the new diaper on and began, reassembling the rest of his outfit.

“I can’t believe that just happened!” Lysa said when Dante was placed back down on the floor and free to move again. “That’s NEVER happened before, NEVER! I’m sure of it.”

Soon enough, their Judy came back, in an outfit identical to her previous one. So much for fashion sense. Dante had given her the opportunity to pick a new outfit at least.

“You alright?” the Judy in the green dress asked her counterpart. “Need some company? I can go get the others and we can all do a little group activity.” The blonde Judy shook her head.

“No, I’m okay. I’ve got this.”, she said as she drug a large tarp behind her. “You go ahead.” The other Judy nodded, and picked up her babified prisoner and walked off. Their Judy spread the tarp out on the floor. Next, she grabbed Lysa, Dante, and Midori and dressed them in heavy plastic smocks. They were closer to ponchos actually. She moved them onto the tarp one by one and bid them stay put. They obeyed.

Then the Judy reached into her pocket and pulled out a can of shaving cream. Her eyes twinkled as she pointed the nozzle at Dante. A wry smile crossed her lips.

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Dante screamed and Lysa and Midori shrieked as a disproportionate amount of shaving cream shot forth from the can. The Jonas brothers had nothing on this. HOW DID IT ALL FIT IN THERE? There had to be gallons of the stuff. Soon they were covered in it and were flailing all over the tarp. They could barely crawl away as they slipped over themselves It was messy! It was slippery! It was…fun actually.

The three of them stumbled all over while the Judy laughed at them. “Got you now you little buggers! Now we‘re even!” She shouted with zest. This was her revenge for being peed on? Either she was a better sport than Dante had thought, didn’t think Dante did it on purpose, or heavenly beings sucked at getting even.

After about fifteen minutes of slipping and sliding in the stuff, their Judy declared it was time for them to get cleaned up again. Both Dante and Lysa “awwwwwwwed” in protest, but having no choice in the matter, complied.

“Didn’t see that coming,” Dante told Lysa while his face was being wiped.

“Me neither,” Lysa agreed. “Maybe you should pee on her more often.” they both had a laugh right in front of the angel. For her part she didn’t seem to mind, anymore. On impulse, Dante jerked forward and kissed Lysa again, on the cheek. The Judy opened her mouth to protest, but then snickered as Dante spit shaving cream out of his mouth and wiped his tongue with his hands. Dante made a mental note: Do not kiss girl with shaving cream on her face.

Midori babbled, pointing to her shaving cream covered face. Her face had become so lathered up that it looked like a soapy beard. She pointed to herself and made a sign with her hands.

“Oh Midori! How cuuuuute!”, the Judy praised. “But you’re not a boy sweetie, even if you do have a bubble beard.” Was Midori’s sign vocabulary increasing? Lysa and Dante shot each other quizzical looks before turning to face Midori and applauding.

The rest of the morning went by uneventfully. They played with puzzles, which Midori seemed to struggle with, while Lysa and Dante were bored to tears. They rolled a ball around in a circle, and were even allowed some quiet time back in the playpen before lunch.

Finally, lunch came, followed by nap time. Dante already new what he wanted to do when free play time came around and he got the chance. He smiled as he fell asleep.

Dante woke up satisfied and dry from his nap, but needing to pee. Hot damn! That last time wasn’t just a fluke! This time he released the full reservoir from his bladder, and allowed himself to be changed without incident. Just in case though, his Judy had made sure to unfold the clean diaper and place it under him before she even unfastened the wet one. Good move Judy! Good move!

Dante strut crawled around the open play room, looking for his target. Jamal was at least partly to blame for his near baby experience, and deserved a taste of his own medicine. The best part was, even with his singing all last night, Dante was sure that word hadn’t spread quickly enough yet.

Jamal was dressed today in nothing but a bright yellow baby t-shirt and his diaper was on full display. Oh perfect! Someone up there might not have liked Dante enough to grant him access into Heaven, but some kind of higher power must be watching over him this day.

“Follow my lead,” Dante whispered out the side of his mouth as they approached Jamal. Jamal, for his part, was all toothy smiles.

“Hello, Lysa!” Jamal said too cheerily.

“Jamal,” Lysa responded flatly.

“And how’s your little baby friend doing?” Jamal gestured to Dante. Lysa fumed but didn’t open her mouth. Good. Let him take the bait. “Is ickle Dante weddy to suck on his ba-ba and have fun wetting his dipees?” Jamal asked patronizingly, not expecting Dante to respond coherently.

“Oh. My. God. Lysa!” Dante exclaimed in amazement. “Jamal’s talking again!” Dante grabbed Jamal in a rough embrace. Jamal just sat on his knees, stunned. “Jamal, buddy! I was so worried you were past the threshold! When you started babbling nonsense I thought you were a goner for sure!” Jamal remained stationary.

“But… I didn’t…I thought…” Jamal stammered, shaking his head in disbelief.

Lysa sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose. “Well, he’s not all the way back. He’s still shitting himself without realizing it.” She patted the back of Jamal’s diaper. “But it’s a step in the right direction.”

“True that,” Dante agreed. “Good job, buddy!”

“Wait a minute!” Jamal protested, finally breaking Dante’s embrace. “I wasn’t the one going over the edge, you were!” he pointed an accusing finger at Dante. “And I definitely don’t shit my britches on accident!”

“You sure about that, lil’ guy?” Dante cocked his eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure it was you, kid.” Dante sniffed the air and grimaced. “Uh, you wanna do me a favor and get THAT taken care of.” he indicated Jamal’s dirty diaper.

Jamal started wailing and kicking his feet till a Judy came over.

“What’s the matter, Jamal?” the Judy asked. Jamal just kept crying, waiting for her to smell the mess he had made. She picked him up and checked the front of his diaper. “Still dry,” she declared before patting his rump. She pulled back the waist band of his diaper and looked in. “Not poopy, either.” Jamal quieted down, and was set back down on the carpet. “I’ll go get you a ba-ba.” she told him before leaving.

“See,” Jamal declared, “I told you guys I hadn’t messed myself. No way I’m slipping!”

“If that’s the case,” Lysa asked, a smirk of superiority plastered across her face “how come you didn’t know for sure? Why’d you need a Judy to check you?”

“Later! Baby!” Dante laughed as he and Lysa crawled away giving each other a high five. Jamal was so furious that he didn’t notice the front of his diaper getting warmer and start to sag as he glared at their retreating forms across the nursery.

Next, they approached two of the other survivors, Kevin and Vivian. “Oh, hi Lysa,” Vivian acknowledged as they approached. “Look, sorry about the last couple of days. It’s just that it always squiks me out when I see someone approaching the point of no return; and with…your rate of success…you know…look I already feel horrible. Let’s just let bygones be bygones. You’re welcome to hang with us again if you want to.” She finally looked at Dante.

“Hi Dante!” Vivian cooed. “Go on and play with the other babies, the big kids are just gonna do boring talky stuff for now.” She shooed for him to go away with her hands.

“Actually,” Dante spoke up, “I wouldn’t mind a little boring conversation, myself, if no one objects.”

“Whoah,” Kevin gawked. “Dante? You back dude?”

“Naw!” Dante rolled his eyes, “You’ve all just crossed over too and have learned the secret language of infants! Next comes the secret of the universe. Course I’m back, dumbass!” He smiled cockily

“But how?” Vivian asked. “I’ve never seen anyone come back from the copycat stage! That‘s flippin‘ amazing!”

“Well, you see-” Lysa took a deep breath, looking at Dante.

“Lysa did it!” Dante interrupted. “Everything she taught me just kicked in right before the end, and she dragged me back. She deserves all the credit. She saved me.” Lysa’s jaw dropped, and she got a little glassy eyed.

“Dante-” she said, unable to finish the sentiment.

“Dude,” Kevin remarked, “that’s awesome. Congrats to both of you!”

“You did it you did it you did it you finally did it!” Vivian squeed, bouncing up and down manically. “I’m so happy for you!” She hugged Lysa and kept bouncing.

“How’d it go down?” Kevin asked after Vivians siren shriek died down.

So Lysa told them the story. Dante’s break down, his babbling, her holding him in what would have been their last moments as people together. Her singing to him to say goodbye. Him finishing the song. Them celebrating the rest of the day through song.

“That was you?” Vivian asked in disbelief. “I heard you yesterday. I thought maybe they had gotten a guy Judy who sang really well.”

“That has got to be the most awkward compliment I’ve gotten.” Dante said, rubbing the back of his head.

“No man,” Kevin added, “you were good. Really good. If they ever bring Star Search to Limbo, you’d be a shoe in!”

“They call it American Idol now,” Dante informed him.

“Whatever,” Vivian said, “not the point. So music is your anchor, huh?”

“Well, that and someone else,” Dante answered looking over to a beet red Lysa.

“Sing for us, Dante, you gotta!” both of his fair weather friends begged.

“Well… I don’t kno-okay” Dante said, his ego getting the best of him. “But what do you want to hear?”

“Something happy,” Vivian chimed in. “But actually happy, with meaning, not like a nursery rhyme or something.”

“Forget that!” Kevin objected, “Sing something wild, something to rage against these angel bitches! Give them the middle finger through song! You-can-take-your-Limbo-and-shove-it!” Kevin sang in a bad southern accent. A song trickled into Dante’s brain from his personal play list. It was an oldie, and he’d have to tinker a little with the lyrics but it fit.

“I think I can do a little of both.” Dante smiled knowingly, nodding to himself. Dante closed his eyes and thought of Lysa; how she must have resisted and defied the Judy‘s for decades all while seeming to play by their rules. Just enough cooperation to keep her out of the New Born Room permanently, but still being defiant in her own way.

The volume in his mind cranked up. Musically it was fast paced and happy, a song of celebration, but lyrically it was about defiance; a strong contrast This song was about both of them, now.

His muse empowering him, he wove the song like a spell inside him and readied to release it. He could almost hear the acoustic guitar strumming quickly in the background. He sang:

“Sunshine go away today,

I don’t feel much like daaaaancing.

Someone’s gone and tried to run my life.

I don’t know what she’s aaaaaskin’”

“Nice,” Kevin nodded his approval but kept listening. Vivian was grinning from ear to ear.

“She tells me I better get in line,

Can’t hear what she’s saaaayin’.

When I grow up, I’m gonna make it mine,

These ain’t dues I been paaaayin’!”

Lysa, never having heard the song before, only bobbed her head and clapped in rhythm. Laughing as she drew connections to the lyrics. Dante glanced around the room. As his voice carried, he realized, more people were looking at him, even the Judy’s seemed enrapt, their eyes glazing over and their mouth’s dropping slightly. Dante grinned. Time to bring it home! He closed his eyes and belted out the chorus.

“How much does it cost?

I’ll buy it!

If time is all we’ve lost,

I’ll try it!

She can’t even run her own life,

I’ll be damned if she’ll run miiiiiiiiiiine!

Sunshine!”

He heard Lysa gasp, and Vivian’s scream caused him to open his eyes. He couldn’t have been that bad, could he? He looked down at Lysa’s trembling form, on the carpet. He bent over to get a closer look. She looked horrified.

Looked down? Bent over?

He was standing up!

WAP!

Dante crashed to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut as a Judy spanked him. Not just any Judy, his Judy. As he tumbled to the floor, he noticed that she had been wearing earplugs. Why was she wearing ear plugs? The Judy tackled Dante and pinned him to the floor despite him not being able to move.

“ORPHEUS! ORPHEUS!” The Judy screamed at the top of her lungs. In an instant, Judy’s were dog piling on top of Dante. One was even lifting his legs up and continually, manically, frantically spanking him!

Dante could hear Lysa’s screams as a Judy unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her breast. She got on all fours and guided her breast to Dante’s face. If only he could sing. If only he could see Lysa. If only-

The nipple brushed across his lips, and his lips instinctively latched on and he began sucking down breast milk. It was delicious! Dante did not want to let go. He accidentally released a stream of pee-pee into his diaper. He didn’t care. He felt a mess squeeze out the back of him and coat his backside. Didn’t matter. His vision blurred, and it got harder to see. So what? He could still taste. His gums itched as his teeth retreated back into them. Awesome! That meant he could suck mommy’s titty harder and it wouldn’t hurt her. Dante’s head felt chilly as a Judy brushed some hair off of his head, leaving him bald.

The other Judy’s got off of Dante. They started undressing him, but Dante didn‘t care. Clothes didn’t matter, only the Milk. So he just lay there as his layers of clothing were stripped.

Dante was in pure heaven as the Milk continued flowing down. He started to whine as mommy had him switch breasts, but soon enough he was suckling on her other tit. The scary giants around him were all screaming and crying. Too LOUD! Too LOUD! He needed quiet. He needed warmth. He needed Milk.

He felt hands touch his diaper, then withdraw. “We’ll change him when we get back to the Newborn Room,” he heard someone who sounded like mommy say. Dante felt himself being wrapped up in a warm blanket. He couldn’t move his arms or legs, but he didn’t care. He was warm and mommy was holding him and feeding him Milk. That’s all that mattered.

He heard a familiar voice start to yell something weird and scary. It sounded like a lullaby, like pretty music to sing him to sleep. Something about paper moo. Maybe cows. Cows made milk. The girl sounded like she was crying a lot while singing it so it didn’t sound as pretty as it could have. Then he heard a WAP, and the cow song stopped.

The last words Dante heard before his eyes rolled into the back of his head were “Contact the Saint.”

Next Chapter: The Orpheus and the Saint

 

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