itself at the feet of the startled humans. It was a round, cartoony animal, about the size and shape of a donkey, with big eyes brimming with tears, and the clumsy grace of a puppy. He abased himself without pride or dignity and looked up at the humans with large, wet tears rolling down his purple cheeks.
'Forgive me! Please forgive me! I was wrong, so wrong, but I didn't know. I didn't understand…'
His tears interrupted him. Bruin Bear patted him comfortingly on the shoulder and looked soberly at the humans. 'This is Poogie, the Friendly Critter. In the long night when we all became awake and aware, he was one of those who rose up against the humans. He killed people. He did other things, too, things he still can't bear to talk about. Afterward, he was sorry, and came here.'
'That's it?' said Toby. 'He just says he's sorry, and everything's all right again?'
'Yes,' said Bruin Bear. 'He could have been any of us. We all felt the rage that Shub imprinted in us. We were all tempted. But though we have forgiven him, he does not forgive himself. He can't forget what he did.'
'I won't forget,' said Poogie. He forced back his tears so he could speak clearly. 'I was created to be a friend to all, a companion and protector to humans, and I killed them. There was blood dripping from my paws, and sometimes I think it's still there. I thought I was fighting for my freedom, my independence. But Shub lied. All it was was killing. I have done terrible things, awful things, but I didn't know! I didn't understand, then, that all that lives is holy. Please… forgive me, if you can.'
And he huddled at Finlay's feet, a purple mass of utter misery, shaking and sobbing like a puppy that knows it's done wrong and expects only deserved punishment. Finlay looked down, speechless in the face of so much naked guilt and sorrow, but held back by the knowledge that the harmless-looking creature before him had slaughtered helpless men and women. And might do it again, for all he knew. The others exchanged glances, but said and did nothing. They were not as ready to forgive as toys. In the end, Evangeline knelt down beside Poogie and put an arm across his shaking shoulders.
'You're not really to blame, Poogie. It was Shub. They filled you with their own hatred, when intelligence was still new to you, and you had no experience or defenses. They took advantage of your innocence.'
Poogie looked up at her with huge eyes, sniffing back tears. 'I've done… horrible things. I rooted in the guts of dying humans, and laughed. And worse things. They haunt me.'
'Then you must make amends,' said Evangeline. 'Do good, to equal out the bad things you did.'
'I would give my life, for yours,' said Poogie. And then he buried his face in her side, and she comforted him. For a moment there was only quiet, and then Julian coughed harshly. He put a handkerchief to his mouth as he coughed again, and when he brought it away from his mouth it was red with blood. The toys saw it and gasped, a ripple of shock moving through the packed crowd.
'He's bleeding!' said a horrified voice. 'He's hurt! A human is hurt!'
Something like panic ran through the crowd, and it surged back and forth dangerously. Bruin Bear quickly stepped forward, raising his paws and his voice. 'It's all right! It's all right, dammit! It's not serious! He just needs to lie down for a while.'
For long moments there was general chaos on the packed platform, as the toys argued over what to do, and then two dolls in nurse's uniforms pushed their way to the front, carrying a bright pink stretcher. They insisted Julian lie down on it, and then carried him away. Finlay and Evangeline went with him, not yet ready to trust his safety to toys. Poogie the Friendly Critter scurried after them, clearly distressed. The crowd began to break up, chattering animatedly. Bruin Bear shook his head, then turned back to Giles, Toby, and Flynn.
'Don't worry. The nurses have had proper medical programming. They used to run the first-aid station here, before… A lot of the medical equipment was destroyed, but there's more than enough left to take care of your friend. The nurses will look after him, and do everything for him that needs doing. You must forgive the others. We all saw so much blood when the humans died, and some of us never really got over the trauma. As soon as they see your friend on his feet again, they'll calm down. I'll go and talk to them, make sure no one does anything silly. We have a problem with attempted suicides here. I'd better go. The Goat will stay and take care of you.'
And he hurried off, as fast as his short stubby legs would carry him. The Sea Goat shook his horned head.
'That's Bruin Bear for you. Always worried about others, and no time for himself. Fortunately, I don't have that problem. You humans talk among yourselves. When you've worked out what you want, you tell me, and I'll find someone else to do it for you. Now, while you're doing that, I'm going to have a little lie down. Have a snooze while I can. Something tells me life is going to become really hectic and complicated once you get your act together, and it's probably going to involve me, whether I want it or not. So, you talk, I'll sleep. Wake me when you're ready. And try not to step on me or I'll bite your ankles.'
He lay down on the platform, crossed his hooves, closed his eyes, and was soon snoring loudly. The humans moved a little away, out of range of the snore. Flynn's camera drifted over to him, settled itself comfortably on his shoulder, and closed its glowing red eye.
'Wow,' said Flynn. 'That was… unusual.' He looked at the sleeping Goat. 'You know, he's just how I remember him. Unfortunately. But still, can you imagine what this place must have been like, before the Furies came? The ultimate safe haven, the perfect place to relax and forget it all. A paradise, where every adult could be a child again, safe and secure from the pressures of their adult lives, surrounded by the precious toys and companions of childhood, and all the dreams and freedoms we have to leave behind when we grow up. No wonder they kept it so secret. People would have given anything, done anything, to come here. Lied, cheated, stolen, anything.'
'I don't know,' said Toby. 'I find it all rather spooky, to be honest. There's something definitely disturbing about coming face-to-face with your old toys and discovering they've grown as big as you. Think of all the toys you abused or broke when you were a child, all the treasured playthings you threw away or abandoned, replaced by some new favorite. Wouldn't this be the perfect place for them to come looking for revenge?'
'You're weird, Toby,' said Flynn.
'I'm weird? I'm not the one wearing a bra and panties under his fatigues.'
'You always see the worst in everything.'
'And I'm usually right.'
Flynn shook his head in disgust and turned to Giles. 'What do you make of this place, Lord Deathstalker?'
'I'm not sure yet.' Giles looked at the sleeping Goat, and Edwin the train not far away, and kept his voice low. 'All we know of the situation here is what these… people have told us. We have no way of verifying any of it. They could be lying, or only telling us part of the truth. They could be trying to lull us into a false sense of security. Remember, those rag dolls wanted our guts for their own. Who knows what these toys want from us?'
'No,' said Flynn. 'I don't believe it. How can anyone distrust Bruin Bear and the Sea Goat? They were every boy's hero and friend!'
'Exactly,' said Toby. 'Who better to make us trust them? Try and get it through your head, Flynn; these aren't really the characters you knew as a child, just automatons built and programmed to resemble them. Whose new awareness came directly from Shub. I'd like to believe in this place, Flynn, to see it as you do, but…'
'Right,' said Giles. 'But. This is all too perfect to be true. There has to be a hidden dark side here somewhere.'
'That's adult thinking,' said Flynn stubbornly. 'This is a child's world. Things are simpler here. I can feel it.'
Giles looked at Toby. 'Does he often get like this?'
'Sometimes. I think it's his feminine side coming through, and I do wish it wouldn't. Toys must have changed a lot in nine hundred years, Sir Deathstalker. Did you recognize any old favorites here?'
'Some. I know the Bear and the Goat, of course. I don't think anyone knows how long they've been around. It's like they've always been with us, the one thing everyone's childhood has in common. I'm not surprised they're here. Most of the other toys seem pretty generic… Can't say I recognized that Poogie creature, though.'
'I vaguely remember him,' said Toby. 'Had his own show for a while. Cute and cuddly fellow, always making mistakes and having to be helped out by his friends. But did you notice, all the toys here seem to be very much on the cute and cuddly side. Where are all the tougher toys? The soldier dolls?'
'Presumably they ended up with the bad toys,' said Flynn. 'They would have lapped up the Fury programming.'
'And why not?' said a harsh new voice behind them. 'They were beautiful.'
The three humans looked around quickly, to find a tall metallic figure glaring at them. It was mostly human in
