Happy Dance

All characters are not my own and all original rights belong to whoever owns the rights to the Peanuts comic strip.

It was a dark and stormy night…

Snoopy pounded away at a typewriter as he sat on top of his red doghouse. He paused and pinned his gaze on the smudged words slipping across the page. A smug grin appeared on his snout.

"Perfect beginning! Now, to add a plot twist…" Snoopy resumed his frenetic typing, stopping every few minutes to sniff the air and glance narrowly around.

"////! /\\\\__///\/\--/\\//!" Woodstock fluttered up to the peak of Snoopy's roof, chattering excitedly.

A single yellow feather fluttered to the ground. Snoopy waited patiently until his friend finished talking.

"Really, you think so?" He tilted his head to one side. "That's too bad. Charlie worked very hard on his school project. I'll hate to see his face when he comes home."

Woodstock bobbed his head and chirped some more.

"That's right, we should try to cheer him up. What say we do a happy dance for him?"

More chatter and flapping of wings.

"Yes, I know Charlie Brown doesn't dance. That shouldn't stop us. He can't help but join the fun when he sees us."

Linus walked up to them, clutching his blanket with his thumb in his mouth. He shook his head mournfully by way of greeting.

"Did you hear the news? Charlie's project flunked science class."

Snoopy nodded, hopped down from his house and headed towards Charlie's back door. Linus followed. Inside, Snoopy stopped at the gramophone and pulled a mouthful of records out of the storage drawer.

"You want us to have a party to make him feel better?" Linus patted Snoopy's head. "Great idea. Let's get some cookies and milk set out."

As they were preparing the snacks, Lucy burst into the kitchen. Her forehead creased and her mouth turned way down at the corners when she saw them. She folded her arms and glared.

"Linus, what are you doing going through Charlie Brown's refrigerator? You need to get home and help me with my chores!"

"We thought we'd help him feel better after what happened at school today," Linus explained. He held out a cookie to his sister. "You wanna dance with us?"

"Nonsense!" Lucy huffed. "You're wasting your time. People have parties when they win something, not when they lose!"

Snoopy trotted up to Lucy and planted a slobbery kiss on her cheek: SWAK!

"AAUGH!!" Lucy threw her hands in the air. "I've been kissed by a dog!"

She ran out into the yard with Snoopy chasing her. Linus stared after them, shrugged, and continued arranging the food on the table.

Outside, Charlie Brown trudged along the sidewalk, lugging his backpack.

"Another failed project," he moaned to no one in particular. "How was I supposed to know the batteries were dead? It would have been a perfect blue ribbon if not for that. Why, why do I always mess up everything I do? AAUGH!!" He threw his head back and let out a wail of exasperation. "It's just not fair!"

He pushed through the front door, dumped his backpack by the umbrella stand and collapsed into the living room sofa in front of the TV. Snoopy bolted straight in from the backyard and leaped into Charlie's lap, tail wagging.

"Aww, Snoopy! I'm so glad to see you." They hugged. "What's that sound?"

Jolly, playful music wafted out from the kitchen. Linus appeared in the doorway with a plate of cookies.

"It's a party, Charlie Brown. Come on and have some fun."

"Good grief!" Charlie followed Linus and Snoopy into the kitchen. "What's to celebrate?"

"You're a good friend, and that's worth a party," Linus smiled.

Snoopy barked in agreement. He jumped up on his hind legs and started doing his happy dance around the kitchen table. Linus skipped and hopped after him. Charlie watched for a couple minutes as his friends laughed and sang along with the catchy music.

"Oh, why not? It's better than sitting around bemoaning myself." He hopped from one foot to the other, slowly and awkwardly at first, then picking up in time to the beat. Then he started waving his arms and clapping his hands. Soon all three of them were dancing and singing their hearts out, happy feet tapping on the linoleum floor.

The back door flew open. Lucy glared at the jolly gang, her mouth turning down again.

"What is all this partying?" she shouted. But no one paid any attention to her as they circled the kitchen.

Soon, Lucy's foot started tapping in spite of herself. She picked up one foot and swung her leg forward, then took a step back, then two steps forward. As the twinkly music played, she let loose and started doing a jig.

"Good grief, I'm dancing!" Her mouth turned back upwards into a smile as Linus took her hand and swung her around.

Later that afternoon, Charlie Brown rested against the side of Snoopy's red doghouse, with his beagle snuggled in his lap.

"That was the most fun I've had in a long time. Thanks, Snoopy."

Snoopy dozed, with half formed sentences of his Great American Novel bouncing around in his mind.

It was a dark and stormy night…

Word Count: 846.
Written for "Note: 48-HOUR CHALLENGE : Media Prompt Deadl..."