Festival of Shadows Read Online Free Page B

blue eye and one red eye panted. His tail clicked as he wagged it. Slowly, other broken toys with interesting faces and injuries joined them.  
    “A new visitor,” Heinrich the strongman said. He bent forward and flexed his biceps for Theo. “How do you like my rippling muscles?”  
    The cowgirl twirled a lasso in the air and yelled, “Yippie ki-yay! I’m Bethany.”
    The robotic dog barked and said in a stilted electronic voice, “My name is Shaggy. I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”
    The toys did tricks in front of Theo and tried to get his attention; it was information overload.  
    Theo stepped backward and then fell down, hard. He wanted to get away.  
    Lucinda hovered around the group and clapped her hands together; a sonic boom silenced everyone.  
    “Stop! You’re going to scare him more than he is already.”
    Theo stumbled to his feet. “I’m not scared.”
    “Of course you are,” Lucinda said.  
    Heinrich raised his hand. “Yes, I’ve been here for an eternity, and I want to pee my pants every day.”
    “Nobody lives in the Stratusphere who ain’t scared,” Bethany said.  
    “Indeed. Nothing here is what it seems,” Shaggy said. His red eye pulsed violently. “Stratus watches everyone. He is omnipresent. Those who bow down to him are bestowed favors. Those who resist him suffer a fate worse than death. Like us. We are forced to wander the countryside in constant fear.”
    “I am Theodorus Ursabrand,” Theo said, puffing out his chest. “I am descended from a long line of courageous bears for whom nothing is too scary, for whom no monster is too strong. I have—”
    “—taken an oath to defend my owner, even if it means sacrificing my life,” Lucinda interrupted. “Yeah, yeah. I can recite the whole oath, too. If you’re such a successful Ursabrand, then why are you here?”
    “I was talking before you butted in.” Theo looked at the other toys and said, “I will face Stratus, defeat him, and free all of you from this forsaken land.”
    Lucinda fell out of the air, laughing. “You can’t save us. We’re condemned.”
    “ You are condemned because your mind is weak. But I wasn’t talking to you. Any real Ursabrand would have destroyed Stratus by now.”
    The other toys whispered among themselves.
    “He is very brave,” Heinrich said.  
    “Yeah, maybe he can save us,” Shaggy said.  
    “But what about the festival?” Bethany asked. “We’ve got to put on the festival.”
    “Tell me where to find Stratus,” Theo said.
    Heinrich pointed to the castle. “But you’ll never get in. If you try to step through the front gate, you’ll be turned into teddy bear sausage. You should stay for our festival. Yes, that’s much better! Don’t worry yourself about that castle. No, don’t do that!”
    “I don’t care about your stupid festival.”
    “We might be willing to help you,” Lucinda said. “That is, if you were willing to help us.”
    “Why would I help an Ursabrand imposter like you?”
    “Because I can get you into the castle.”
    Theo stomped toward Lucinda. “Then tell me how.”
    “I saved your life. You owe me.”
    “Yes, you owe her,” Heinrich said. “Uh-huh, yes you do!”
    “Besides,” Lucinda said, “My plan involves using some things that we don’t currently have. We could use some help, couldn’t we, everyone?”
    “Yes.”
    “Oh god, yes!”
    “Yesiree!”
    Heinrich bear-hugged Theo. “My brave little bear. You’re going to help us make the festival a success!”
    Theo sighed, but he knew this place was dangerous. It would be suicide to storm the castle now.  
    These toys are weird, but maybe they can help.  
    “What do you want me to do?” he asked.
    “Get to know us and we’ll tell you,” Lucinda said. She pointed at the clock tower. “There are twelve hours until sunrise. It seems like a lot of time, but it’s not, really. Still, I’m confident that we can finish everything by then, but it’ll depend on you,