EVERYTHING IS FINE

~ THE TALE OF THE RACCOON ~

by Linda S Barth

Author’s Note: This story is an expansion of Paula’s original Altered Episode title and description for the April 2025 CABB Challenge.  My thanks to her for letting me use it for my submission for the July 2025 Challenge!

EVERYTHING IS FINE
by Paula

Arthur goes missing, and the entire community joins in the search. Father pretends to be uninterested, while Mouse goes crazy, accusing William of frying the raccoon for dinner. The cook does not despair at all. Vincent looks into the farthest corners of the tunnels and is attacked by bats. After a long search, the culprit is found under Cullen’s bed. No one expected the carving sounds to have
a sleep-inducing effect on the animal.

* * * * *

Vincent paused at the entrance to Mouse’s chamber just long enough to let one last shudder subside, then he stalked inside.

“Mouse!”

A shaggy blond head popped up from behind a jumble of ripped-open cardboard boxes, their spilled contents strewn in scattered heaps. The growing grin of the figure clambering out of the mess evoked an eerie resemblance to that of the Cheshire Cat.      

 “Did you find him? Find Arthur?”

Vincent ran a slightly trembling hand through the hurricane-strewn haystack his hair had become. “No, I did not find Arthur.”

Mouse’s smile faded away. “Me either. Thought maybe he was hiding in these boxes.” He frowned and shoved aside some old car parts. “Not in the cave?”

“Definitely not in the cave. The only thing in there was,” his face contorted in a mash-up of horror and disgust, “a swarm of bats!”

“Bats? Neat!”

“Not neat! Not in any way neat!” Vincent squirmed as if he still could feel a few of the little creatures clinging to his cloak. “Whatever made you think that’s where Arthur could be hiding?”

Mouse shrugged. “Not sure. Just an idea.”

Vincent sighed heavily. “Mouse, you’ve had a lot of good ideas, but that wasn’t one of them.”

“Sorry, Vincent!” His voice trailed away. “Just worried about Arthur…”

“I understand. We’re all worried about him. He’s been missing for – what is it? Three days now?”

Mouse sniffled and blinked back a tear. “Four days. And it’s all my fault!”

They both looked toward the spacious pen in a corner of the chamber, the one with a racoon-sized hole chewed in it.

Vincent put his arm around his friend’s shoulders. “It’s not your fault, Mouse. Arthur just did what raccoons sometimes do. They like to go exploring. I’m sure he’ll turn up soon.”

“Really?”

“Really. Now why don’t we go to dinner and see if anyone else had any luck finding him.”

“Okay.” Mouse huffed a sigh. “Just hope William’s not mad at me anymore.”

There had been signs of Arthur’s presence throughout the tunnels, but much to Mouse’s disappointment, the elusive animal was still missing.

“Sorry for what Arthur did.” Mouse rolled up a piece of canvas Elizabeth handed him. “Didn’t know he liked to paint.”

The artist smiled. “I didn’t know either, but he managed to create a rather nice composition after knocking over some paints and then walking through them. His footprints made an interesting pattern. I thought you’d like to keep his first work of art.”

“Thanks, Elizabeth.” He gave her a quick hug. “Good to have…just in case he doesn’t come back.”

“Oh, he’ll come back! I’m sure of it. And in the meantime, we’ll just keep looking.”

Shaking her head, Brooke caught his eye from across the chamber and mouthed the word sorry. Zach balanced a full tray as he detoured around the tables to reach Mouse. “Couldn’t find him anywhere, but I’ll keep looking tomorrow.”

One after another, Mouse’s tunnel family reported in with similar findings. Samantha and Jasmine tried tracking Arthur’s pawprints through the Chamber of the Winds, but the marks on the dusty floor faded and disappeared. Kipper, Geoffrey, and Eric thought they saw him curled up near the base of the Great Falls, but it turned out to be a fluffy sweater someone had left behind.

Mary was positive he’d be asleep in a laundry basket. Rebecca searched the chandlery in the hope that he’d found a warm place to nap. Winslow had checked an excavation near the Abyss and was relieved to discover no trace of Arthur there.

Kanin and Olivia had let Luke try to help, but all the toddler found was a one-eyed, patched teddy bear under his crib. Even Father, after a great deal of grumbling, had managed to get involved in the search. The newly neatened shelves in his library were the only positive results of his efforts.

“Any luck?” Vincent set a plate of Mouse’s favorite oatmeal raisin cookies on the table next to his untouched dinner. “Any leads at all?”

Mouse shook his head. “Nobody has seen him. They helped. They all helped! But Arthur is still gone.”

“Try to eat some dinner, and then you and I can look some more before bedtime.”

“Not hungry.” Mouse stared toward one of the entrances leading to the kitchen. “But have to talk to William.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea, Mouse? After what you accused him of yesterday?”

“Only idea left. Can’t think of more.”

“Then, why don’t I come with you?” Vincent followed his resolute friend toward the kitchen chamber, already trying to figure out how to forestall another outburst of the cook’s still simmering anger.

As soon as they’d crossed the threshold, he knew it was already too late for that.

“If you say one more word about me cooking that damned rodent of yours,” William waved a ladle in Mouse’s direction, “I swear when I do find him, that’s exactly what I’m going to do!”

“Sorry, William, really sorry! Didn’t mean it!”

The cook glared at him. “Well, it sure sounded like you meant it. And it was insulting!”

“William, I’m certain it was only because Mouse was very upset.” Vincent used his most calming voice. “You know how fond he is of Arthur.”

“Yeah, I know.” The cook huffed and shook his head. “But suggesting something like that hurt my feelings. I’d never cook someone’s pet!”

“We know that, and I think Mouse would like to apologize again.” He turned toward the younger man and tilted his head in William’s direction.

Mouse felt it was safe to move a little closer to the cook. “Really really sorry. Just scared, that’s all.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.” William gave him a light punch in the arm. “Hope you find him soon.”

Jamie burst into the kitchen. “Come out here and see what Cullen found!”

With Mouse in the lead, they raced to the dining chamber.  Surrounded by smiling members of the tunnel community, Cullen clutched a lumpy blanket, one that seemed to be squirming and chittering loudly. He strode over to Mouse and deposited his burden in his arms.

“This yours?”

A furry face emerged from the blanket’s folds, stared up at Mouse, and screeched what might have been his best friend’s name (in Racoon-ish, of course). In seconds he’d wriggled out of the blanket.

“Arthur!” Mouse tightened his grip on his pet and buried his face in the animal’s long, thick fur. “You’re home!”

His eyes shone as he looked at Cullen. “You found him! Where?!”

“Curled up under my bed, sound asleep,” the carpenter grimaced. “And from the looks of what he left under it, I think he’s been hiding out there for a while. If I hadn’t been Above for a few days, I would’ve found him sooner.”

“I’ll clean it up! Do it right now!”

Arthur allowed Cullen to pat him on the head. “I’ll take you up on that offer, Mouse, but first let’s go repair his pen before he decides he prefers his new sleeping quarters.  I’m not in the market for a roommate.”

“Okay good, okay fine!” Mouse’s grin lit up the entire chamber. “Thanks, Cullen! Thanks, everybody!”

The others returned to the tables to enjoy their dessert, relieved the quest for the missing Arthur had a happy ending.

“Aww, the cookies are all gone.” Eric pointed toward the empty serving trays. “Let’s go see if William has any left.”

“Okay,” Geoffrey agreed. “But you better not say anything else to him about Arthur.”

“I won’t! I’m just glad we know that’s not what was in that stew last night!”

“Told you William would never do anything like that, no matter what Mouse said.”

“Yeah, I know.” Eric’s eyes gleamed behind the smudged lenses of his glasses. “Now that Arthur is back safe and all, do you think Father might let us get a puppy?”