You Hit Hard!

Ch-chink...

Baloo's nostrils flared up. His eyelids vanished entirely, pulled far behind his eye sockets. The banged-up spoon handle crumpled and contorted in Baloo's strangling hand. 

*... What the hell…* Baloo's complacent mindset plummeted to an all-time low. His rampant mind scoured for answers, thinking, *Freddy would never… He even lets me call him Freddy. Instead of Fred, or manager… Just because he works for Master Forde, doesn't mean he's a tool for Master Forde… He promised me… He promised… Freddy promised…*

As Baloo's mind got stuck in a new loop, a few words slipped out of his mouth. "Freddy promised… He promised…"

Ayse kept to himself. But he gratefully accepted that tidbit of information from Baloo.