ADULT EMOTIONS

ADULT EMOTIONS – Painted Doggie Comic

Panel 1:

[Inside Foxwolf’s mind] Foxwolf’s emotions stand at the control center of her mind. The glittering display on the Foxwolf-shaped screen in front of them says, 

“CONGRATULATIONS i guess YOU’RE 30”

Joy says,

“Great job regulating this year, emotions. It feels like we’ve finally got everything under control.”

Sadness responds,

“I don’t know, Joy. Something feels a bit off to me.” 

Panel 2:

Joy effortlessly manages the control center as she reassures Sadness,

“You always feel that way, Sadness. Things are going great. I think we can finally relax for once.

Panel 3:

Fear, Sadness, Joy, Anger, and Disgust all turn suddenly to look towards the back of the room. A TERRIBLY upset cat stands between the shelves of brain spheres, clutching it’s gurgling, bloated stomach. Everyone seems startled to varying degrees. Joy addresses the intruder:

“Hey, who the hell are you?! You’re not an emotion. How did you get in here?”

Panel 4:

The gurgling cat pushes past the emotions to the control panel, shifting the machine swiftly to a higher gear. 

“TUMMY HURT”

The pathetically sad cat roars. Joy screams, 

“HEY!! What are you doing?!?!”

Everyone watches the screen in horror. 

Panel 5:

I *SLAM* Everyone besides the cat whips around to see a new, wide-eyed emotion kick open a side door. Their intense gaze falls directly on the sick cat at the controls.

Panel 6:

The new emotion, Health Anxiety, throws their hands over their head and screeches wildly,

“GET OUT OF MY FUCKING WAY, WE ARE DYING!! I NEED TO LOOK UP EVERY SENSATION WE’VE EVER HAD.”

Panel 7:

Health Anxiety shoves the bloated, gurgling cat out of the way and takes over the control panel to skim a bunch of sensational, medically-inaccurate websites. In the background, Sadness is examining Foxwolf’s “sense of self,” which currently resembles a coffin. Health Anxiety doesn’t even register Joy’s hand on their shoulder as she says,

“Hey buddy? I don’t think this is actually helpful –”

She’s suddenly cut off.

Panel 8:

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *CRACK* 

The door heaves several times and gives way as the emotions turn to look once more.

Panel 9:

In the splintered doorway stands another emotion dressed in a suit, tie, and aviators. He’s wielding a battering ram inscribed with “FINANCIAL INSECURITY.” 

Panel 10:

Health Anxiety recoils in a sweaty panic at Financial Insecurity’s entrance.

Panel 11:

Financial Insecurity chokes Health Anxiety against the control panel, readying a punch. 

“YOU CAN’T AFFORD”

“TO BE SICK,”

Financial Insecurity bellows as Health Anxiety’s eyes bulge from their sockets. *ACK* they choke out.

Panel 12:

[Zoomed out to how Foxwolf is processing this emotional conflict externally]

Foxwolf clutches her rumbling stomach and looks down to her phone at a Poogle Search results page for the query, “am I dying.” The top result is an AI generated answer that says:

“Yeah, probably. If symptoms persist, see your doctor.” 

The next result is a link for “FREEDOM SUPPLEMENTS.” Some of the meta description is visible. It says,

“Our doctors are BRAVE enough to endor – (cut off) Unregulated and UNLEASHED – are you – (cut off)”

Foxwolf thinks to herself,

“Uhh. Well, I’m probably fine.”