Not sure what to do with my package, I gently moved to the van. I set the box on the dryest part of the asphalt as I could find. The lid was now currently closed, mainly to help the, skeletons, cope with their situation. The box itself was pretty beat up, but it sported a fading logo of an insect. Or was is a frog?
Anyway, what quick glimpse I did get made it clear that they had some weird collars around their necks and were lacking clothes.

Good thing I got a bunch of extras. So happy that the packaging person misplaced the bubble wrap with hoodies, scarves, T-shirts, and shorts.

Back to the mission at hand, I opened the back of my teal van. Inside the junk-infested trunk was a pot, a blanket, a snow scrapper and snow stuff, and a basket of laundry. Inside the said basket was an army of socks.
That will do.

I moved the basket to the shotgun seat, and went back for the box.

Opening the soaked flaps, I took a better look inside.
Nine total mini skeletons sat in the box. At a glance they looked like a twin of the others.
A closer look informed me that there were indeed some variations. Basic wise, three of which were fairly tall for their size, the rest being either normal or short.
I opened the passenger door, and turned on the light. Taking another peek, I saw that the normal/short ones were more rounded, while the remaining three sported a thin build. All nine were shivering, producing an oddly eerie rattling sound.

Getting the socks ready and loosely unpacked, I began the process of moving the small Bitties.
Slowly, ever slowly, I put my right hand into the box. One of the taller ones came over and touched my index finger after I smiled. The small fingers on mine gave me a better appriciation of their situation. The bones were incredibly wet, and felt like small icicles.

My hand has got to feel like a fire to him.

I turned my hand so the palm was open. The first friendly backed away from it to his buddies.
"Hey. It's ok. Your safe now."
"I'm going to move you guys to a warmer and softer place until we can go home."
"Is that alright?"

The group was hesitant.
Today was a good reason to test my patience.

After a stiff 15 minutes of leaning over the box, a small skele began to inch his way towards my offered hand. I felt the similar cold damp fingers as they touched my skin. One of the taller ones followed suit.
Two hands on top of mine, the remaining 7 became more and more relaxed about the situation.

I rolled my shoulders as the position and stress became a mighty force. The odd movement of my arms made the two, which were previously leaning on it for warmth, stumble into my cupped palm.
Shocked, they both scurried out of my hand.

Taking this moment, I motivated myself to move my stiff shoulders. Hands out of the box, I felt my spine pop as I turned towards the laundry basket.
I pulled out a pair of socks before I turned back to the cardboard.

The nine were now attempting to escape the box. The walls were too high for them to get out by themselves. The three taller ones were helping a black shorter one reach the ledge. His small hand grabbed at the top only to have it tear, sending him back to the bottom. The others caught him.
"Hey. I know you guys are probably scared right now, but can I at least move you to a warmer spot?"

I didn't get a response immediately. Taking the pair of socks, I set them in the box. The black/red/blue one took a look at it, while another short was amazed by the colors and patterns. The taller ones each looked at one, feeling how dry it was compared to the crumbling sturdy paper.
"I have more of those. But I have to move you first."

This they understood like crystal, for they all came to the side I was closest to. Setting down my hands, they were quick to climb in. Multi and Color-Wonder were the first to hop into my hands, sitting down crisscrossed. They ended up taking most of the space in my hand, discount my fingers to reassure myself that they won't fall the two foot drop.
*Jana: I admit, looking back now, chances were high that they would only fall three or four inches, but can you blame me?*

The two nearly hopped out of my hands once they saw the knitted pile of wool. Color-Wonder slipped and fell, only to sink into the cotton. Multi slid down with ease. From there he fished Color-Wonder back up.

I chuckled as Color-Wonder immediately pulled out a Nyan Cat sock. Multi had found one of my nerdy blue and black computer socks.

I turned back to the remaining. Left hand going in, one of the tall ones actually grabbed a hold of my finger. Pulling down with all his 'mighty' force, the back of my hand touched that damp paper again. The taller one that had grabbed my finger was helping a starry-eyed shorter climb in. Left eye glowing a faint orange, he then hopped into my offered right.

Starry dived down into the soft fabric. Landing head-first, Orange tried to get down ASAP. Color-Wonder, Multi, and now Orange were trying to dig out Starry.
The three struggling, I offered my help.

Out came Starry with a blueberry sock. Out of the depths and in the shallows, he went right on into his prize.

Back at the box, there were two tall and three short remaining. The tall one with sharp teeth had picked up a short with the same jaw. Mini Sharp in my palm, Jaws hopped up and climbed right in.

Neither one of them dived this time. They did, however, somehow find a pair of socks that I swear were at the bottom. Though then again, I haven't looked at this in over a week, despite them being clean.

Back over for the remaining three, the last tall was hugging one of the short. The last short was standing nearby.
"Alright. Right now I can only take two at a time, so one of you will need to be alone for a few seconds."
Hug motioned for Big Bro to get on, along with Last.
They both climbed in.

Bug Bro and Last finally landed in the pile. They began their digging, Bro after a tattered red one with Last a gold and teal. Once Last got out his sock, a disturbed cricket emerged. Upon seeing this, Jaw and Color-Wonder ran to protect Mini Sharp and Starry. Multi got ready to fight the monster.
The cricket eyed Multi, then hopped after him.

Knowing what to do, I cupped my hands around the cricket; trapping it.

For some reason my car door was still open.
I chucked the cricket outside into the rain.

Picking up Hug, I made my last trip. During the three seconds it takes for travel, Hug constantly tapped my palm.
"Hehe, is there something you want?"

He pointed at the collar around his neck. Then he made a motion of taking it off.
"So you want that off?"
Hug nodded before pointing to the others.
"You all want the collars off?"
All nine nodded at this.
"Alright. I have some tools at home. So once we get back I'll get those off."

The nine did what cheer they could.
"So can you guys talk?"
Hug was still in my hand. He nodded. He shook his head while his hand was around his collar."
"Ok, so you can talk, just not with those."
Another nod.

"Alright! I finally won my first game of charades!"
Hug finally went down into the basket, where Bug Bro was ready to hand him a gold and blue sock.
I got out of the passenger door, taking the box with me. Tying the seat belt around the laundry basket, I made sure that it wouldn't drastically tilt during turns and stops.

I closed the door. I chucked the box into the back, and finished my walking by the driver door.

"Ok! On the road again. The drive will be a bit bumpy, and will take close to half an hour to get there. If your tired, go ahead and take a snooze."
Not hearing a response, I checked the basket.
All nine were getting bundled up into their chosen socks.

And away we go.

———————————————————————————

One bumpy drive later

Out of the mud and into the garage of my home. Garage door closing, the potted trees were directly in front of my headlights, casting a large shadow onto the wall. The leaves start to rustle as my attack squad arrives.

Jurassic park #whatever : On the mainland.

Engine now off, I opened the door.
One, two, three dogs rushed up to greet me. The big male went right on to giving me kisses. The female was busy giving me the sniff over. The youngest was already on her way to the fridge.

I finally got out of my seat. The two followed me to the fridge.
Out came 1.5 hotdogs, each dog getting a half after they laid down.
The female, after getting her treat for being a good girl and not chasing a squirrel, decided now would be a good time to get rid of all the rain water that was on her fur. The youngest and male didn't care about the water.

Pants now nearly soaked, I unloaded the basket. All nine were busy snoozing away.

Garage secure, I opened the door inside.
Gently placing the laundry basket on the kitchen counter, I got out some towels to keep Bitty away from cold stone.
Gingerly picking up the first skeleton I touched, I had found Big Bro. He was still snoozing away, all bundled up in his sock. Right now he didn't care that he was now on a towel.

I grabbed a microscope to get a better idea of what the collars are made out of.

The collars turned out to be a smooth band chitin. At the back was a metal clamp that supported a piece of machinery. Material in mind, I went downstairs and grabbed a pair of pliers, scissors, a wire cutter, and a bag.
Holding the band in placed with the pliers, I first tried the scissors. The scissors were currently safer than the cutters, but not as affective.

And my assumption was correct. The scissors weren't strong enough to break the chitin. The wire cutters were though.

Band off, I slid it into the plastic bag.

One down. Eight to go.

I lost track how long it took each collar or the time I got home, but it was nearing eleven. I do know that once I had finished the last one, I was out like a light.

———————————————————————————

The next morning started out stressful, considering that all nine Bitties were gone (even if I didn't notice it right away).

Prev word count: 821
New word count: 1936