“Ah, yes. Doctor Hamish is expecting you. You can go right through.” She pointed to the door on the right of her.

 

‘Ah, so this is a doctor’s surgery we are in,’ Karnage deduced. Baloo must be ill, hopefully with something serious.

 

Baloo cradled Karnage, as he walked through the door with the name ‘Hamish’ imprinted on it.

 

“Doctor H?” Baloo asked, as he entered, removing his cap politely.

 

“Ah, yes,” a voice with a strong Scottish accent said. “Mr Balloon, please come in.”

 

Baloo frowned. “It’s BA-loo,” he corrected the doctor. He knew his name wasn’t exactly local, but did they have to keep mixing it up with something that was filled with hot air all the time?

 

The doctor, a black Scottish Terrier, was shuffling through some papers on his desk, which he then put down and got up to greet the bear.

 

“Nice to see you, laddie. Miss Cunningham telephoned us and said you’d be coming in today,” he said.

 

Baloo nodded. “Sooo, can we get this over and done with already?”

 

The doctor shrugged. “Whenever you’re ready, m’boy. Just place the target area over here.” He indicated the bed that was next to him, patting the cushion.

 

Baloo sighed, and walked forward.

 

Karnage was curious as to what could be wrong with his chunky foe. He hoped there would be some pain involved. He was a bit surprised that Baloo would come willingly to the doctors without putting up a fight. He didn’t come across as the brave type when it came to having some doctor poke you around.

 

“Right there will be fine,” the doctor said from behind them.

 

Baloo stood next to the bed, and then sat down, still holding little Karnage with him. “This ain’t gonna hurt, is it?” he asked.

 

The doctor simply waved his hand. “Nah, just a wee prick and it’ll all be over. Now, shall we get this over and done with, as ye said?”

 

Baloo nodded, and Karnage was at first watching in earnest, like being at a film, waiting for the bad guy to get it… When Baloo suddenly held Karnage up, laid him down across his lap, and lifted Karnage’s tail out of the way.

 

‘HUH?’

 

“Thanks for filling us in this soon, doc,” Baloo said thankfully. “Becky… Err, Miss Cunningham wasn’t sure if she could get us an appointment this soon, without notice.”

 

“Ah, no trouble at all, laddie,” the doctor said, and came up with a very large injection needle. “After all, we have to make sure that all the wee bairns are kept healthy now, don’t we?”

 

‘Bairns?’ Karnage felt a cold sweat appear on his forehead.

 

Baloo nodded. “Yeah, Becky wanted to make a good impression on her new client… So she wants to make sure his kid’s triple-healthy.”

 

The doctor nodded in understanding, and patted Karnage’s rump with a ball of cotton. “Now then, little man,” he said soothingly. “This be a big day for you, isn’t it? Today’s the day when baby has his first booster shot!”

 

‘NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!’ Karnage wailed, as Doctor Hamish smiled encouragingly, lowering the needle right into Karnage’s backside, while Baloo on the other hand just screwed his face up like he was chewing on silver foil, as the needle came down.

 

‘Remind me to miss my next doctor’s appointment after this,’ Baloo thought to himself.

 

By Nicholas Killpack

 

* * * * *

 

Higher For Hire; A Few Hours Later:

 

Baloo whistled jollily, as he carried the baby through the door to Higher For Hire, bouncing him gently on his hip.

 

“Now don’t you worry bout a thing, Baby Britches,” he said, snuggling the little one. “It was only one little jab. You couldn’t have felt a thing.”

 

Karnage looked up at him with a pouting face, his lips all suckered up like he was sucking on lemon juice. ‘If you think it was only a little jab,’ he thought painfully. ‘Then I would have loved to have seen you with a needle stuck in your…!’

 

“Yo, Becky!” Baloo called out, but after a few moments when she didn’t answer, he shrugged. “Must be out. Oh well,” he grinned at his young charge. “Guess we’ve got the whole place to ourselves then, huh, tiny?” He chuckled, pinching the baby’s arm slightly, making Karnage hiss through his gums.

 

After the booster shot, Baloo had taken Karnage back to the park. They had walked around for a bit, and Baloo had gotten to show him off to a few women who had all thought he was ‘utterly adorable’, and then had taken him to the swings and roundabout, even though he was of course too little to play on them… not that Karnage would have wanted to anyway.

 

Karnage had not been too interested in the sights, as the booster had left him with a terribly aching backside. He had spent most of the remaining day clutching his wounded area, moaning.

 

Baloo had of course noticed his discomfort, seeing as he had been carrying him all day, and had attempted to comfort him. Something that Karnage had responded to by pretending to be ‘all better’, just so that he wouldn’t have to listen to anymore of Baloo’s insufferable baby-talk…

 

“There, there,” Baloo had said. “Unca Balooie kiss boo-boo, make it all better!”

 

After the park, Baloo had taken him around a few of the shops, including a local diner, before returning him to the bike and peddling him back home to Higher For Hire.

 

“Okay then!” Baloo made his way over to the kitchen. “I think we’ve had more than enough troubles for one day, don’t you, kid?”

 

Karnage would have given a snort as a reply, if he could master his lips to do so.

 

“So I think we’ll just settle you down for your afternoon nap,” Baloo continued. “Cos I could sure use one. But before that… “

 

Karnage moaned as Baloo jiggled him about, his rear end bumping into Baloo’s hip, right where he had had his shot. ‘Pleaseeeee,’ he pleaded silently. ‘Just let me crawl into that blasted crib and die.’

 

Baloo landed Karnage on the table, making him wince in agony, as he landed straight on his rear. ‘I think…’ Karnage breathed heavily, wishing he had the strength in his arms to rub his own backside to ease the pain. ‘… Baloo needs more lessons… in childcare.’ He whimpered silently, trying to turn himself over. The booster jab was bad enough, but there was the other thing to consider as well...

 

For almost the entire day, Baloo had been force-feeding him milk, juice and other such liquids. Because of which, Karnage’s bladder had swollen up to the point of combustion. True, he was wearing a diaper, but to have such an accident would not only be demeaning, but it would also mean that he would have to have Baloo change him… something that, needless to say, he had no care for in the least.

 

Baloo was meanwhile busying himself in the kitchen, grabbing a few things from the cupboards, and then reaching for a bag that Rebecca must have left for him earlier.

 

“I don’t think Becky would fancy seeing you with grass-stains all over you.” Baloo said. “And I don’t think your mom and pops would like it too much either.”

 

Karnage’s eyes popped out at what Baloo was holding in his hands, which was… a bottle of baby-powder and baby-shampoo.

 

“So let’s say we get you all cleaned up then, huh?” Baloo smiled, as he walked over to Karnage, his hands reaching out for him. “It’s bath-time!”

 

“NO! NO!” Karnage wailed, slapping futilely at Baloo’s hands. Although the words he spoke were more like ‘OG! OG!’ than anything else.

 

Baloo chuckled. “Can’t stand baths either, kid?” he said, understanding. “Been there, done that. Never could stand them myself. I remember when I was a kid, my mama had to chase me clear across Cape Suzette before she could get me to take mine. But come on, no time like the present.” he said, while trying to undo Karnage’s diaper.

 

Karnage wailed louder, as he slapped at Baloo’s big hands, screaming like mad. Out of all the abject things he had had to put up with today, this was something he definitely needed to get out of.

 

Baloo winced at the baby’s high pinched cries. He tried tickling him again on the belly, but all that seemed to do was add more volume to his cries. (Mainly because all this excitement was not helping Karnage to keep control of his bladder)

 

“Whoa, I take it all back,” Baloo said, amazed. “You hate baths waaay more than I ever did.”

 

At the baby’s ongoing screams and wails, Baloo finally relented. “Okay, okay,” he said in defeat. “You win! We’ll quit the bath idea for another time. We’ll just stick to the old spit and shine for today.”

 

‘Oh, thank Go…

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