Drawing Lines

“You wouldn’t dare,” House yells.

“No, House you’re right. I wouldn’t dare anything.” Tinkletoes reaches out to the pine panel in front of him and begins to doodle. “Always remember. I am a soldier. I don’t dare. I do what needs to be done.” After several minutes, the self-proclaimed mercenary steps back from his creation.

Writer Lady, Carp, Ray, Tinkletoes, TP and both kittens all study the result of his efforts.

Peter enters the kitchen with Paige, Dylan, and Furnatche in tow. They stop to look at the newest addition to House’s interior. Dylan proclaims. “I did not do that.”

“Of course you didn’t. You’ve been with us all morning.” Peter says.

“I did it.” Tinkletoes announces.

Paige looks at the drawing on the wall, she steps closer and studies it. “The similarities between this and one of Dylan’s stick drawings is uncanny.”

Ray chomps on a cheese puff. He looks at Tinkletoes. “You draw like a four year old. Totally cool man.”

“As long as nobody blames this on me.” The tow-headed boy’s face grows serious. He looks at the self-proclaimed mercenary and asks. “If you only draw stick people how can you show the other soldiers what to do?”

“I abbreviated things.” Tinkletoes announces with a grin.

“And they just knew what you meant?” Dylan asks.

“Everyone used the same abbreviations, that way, we all spoke the same language.”

“They use ‘X’s like in football.” Paige says.

“The military is more sophisticated than football.” The self-proclaimed mercenary grins. “Let me show you.”

A large white board on an easel along with a marker appears to the left of Tinkletoes. There is a note on the board that reads: WRITE HERE.

Tinkletoes holds up his drawing charcoal and says, “Thanks House. I’ve got this.” He turns back to the freshly installed pine paneling and commences drawing. “First, you have to map things out.” He continues to narrate as he draws. “Here’s the camp. The enemy camp is hidden by this hill.” He draws an upside down “V” shape. “Over here is the access road. There are mountains to the east and an ocean to the west.”

“Are you going to add happy little trees?” Dylan asks. “The man on TV puts in happy little trees.”

“No, it’s not that kind of a picture.” Peter says.

“There’s a mountain range over there.” Tinkletoes draws a bulky looking shape. “Here are our guns.” He says adding several ‘X’s. “Hiding over here is the enemy.” He announces drawing several ‘O’s. “That was how I communicated with my men.”

“It looks just like football.” Paige says.

“No it doesn’t.” The self-proclaimed mercenary counters folding his arms.

“It kind of does.” Writer Lady agrees.

Ray points to the wall with a cheese puff. “Yep.”

“There are mountains.” Tinkletoes points out.

“On a football field.” Writer Lady counters.

“Okay fine. Maybe soldiers don’t draw.”

TP pops in and flutters through the air directly in front of the wall. “Oh my goodness.” The faerie exclaims. “TP fix.” The faerie waves a hand over the surface of the wall and the ‘X’s and ‘O’s begin disappearing.

“I need that.”

“No you don’t. You need to clean up the mess that you made.” House says. “I was pretty and you ruined it.”

“I made a bold strategic move.” Tinkletoes counters. “If you want to be pretty again then give me my hilts!”

“I don’t know that they look like.” House says.

Writer Lady looks at the ceiling and raises an eyebrow.

“Does it look like this?” House projects a picture of a stilt on to the front the dishwasher.

Carp taps Tinkletoes on the arm. Tinkletoes glares at Carp. Carp points to the illuminated illustration.

“No.” Tinkletoes answers.

“What about this?”

A picture of a Pogo stick appears.

“Picture a sword without the sharp end.” Writer Lady suggests.

A picture of a sword with the pointy end removed appears.

“No, no, NO!” Tinkletoes says. He pulls his Bowie knife out of the case he wears on his hip and covers the blade. He holds it towards the ceiling.

Tinkletoes looks at Writer Lady, “Can she see this? Where are her eyes?”

“She’s magic. She has 360 vision. Silly Human.” TP giggles.

Tinkletoes nods. “Look for something like this. Just the handle.”

“That’s not very impressive is it?”

Tinkletoes’ neck reddens and slowly begins traveling up the length of his neck.

Peter whispers something to Dylan and the four-year old runs out of the kitchen with Furnatche on his heels. The tow-headed boy returns with his recently broken toy light saber.

Dylan holds it up and says, “Like this. See?”

“Oh.” House says.

“Do you know where they are?” Writer Lady asks.

“Yes...maybe...who says that I know where they’re at?”

“It would be a really nice thing to do if you gave Tinkletoes his hilts. It is not his fault that they were stored in the attic when you began working on new layouts for yourself. I was the one that stored them there.”

“I don’t care. I don’t like him and I don’t want the boob to have his toys.”

Tinkletoes puts his knife away and runs his hand down the length of his face in frustration. TP flutters up to Tinkletoes’ ear and whispers something. The self-proclaimed mercenary raises an eyebrow and smiles.

“You know House, Mural Man isn’t going to be happy when he finds out that you’re acting like this.”

“So.” House challenges.

“Where is Mural Man?”

“He’s out...getting his fold lines ironed.”

The redness begins to dissipate and one side of Tinkletoes’ mouth turns up in a grin. “Wouldn’t it be a shame if Mural Man knew how you were behaving.”

TP whispers something else to Tinkletoes.

“No.” Tinkletoes says.

TP whispers again.

“No.” He answers and shakes his head.

The faerie persists.

“I’m a man. I’m not sayin’ that about another man.”

TP tries again.

Tinkletoes growls. It is a low rumble, barely audible. He glares at TP. The faerie holds up both hands on either side of his shoulders apologetically. Tinkletoes clears his throat. “Yeah. It would be a shame if Mural Man found out. You might not see his umm..." the self-proclaimed mercenary pauses before he finishes his sentence,"shapely behind again for a long time.”

“Fat chance. He’s nuts about me. Try again Soldier Boy.”