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On a sunlit fabric street of Sock City beneath a towering zipper bridge, Squeezy sits wide-eyed on the soft pavement while Patchy extends a striped-and-dotted arm in greeting. Beside them, Captain Stripey Toe tugs his bent toe sternly.
Squeezy tumbled from laundry into Sock City. Fabric streets and zipper bridges amazed him. “I’m Patchy,” said a mismatched sock. “Socks vanish,” warned Captain Stripey Toe. “I’ll help,” squeaked Squeezy.
At the glowing docks outside Sock City, late afternoon, Patchy and Squeezy land at the foot of a slick fabric slide, grinning, while Sporty flashes by on tiny wheels, eyes focused forward. Stacks of neon-lit laundry crates surround them.
Patchy and Squeezy zipped down slippery slides. At glowing docks, Sporty zoomed by. “Seen vanishers?” Patchy called. “Try Fuzzy Forest,” Sporty squeaked. Fuzzy rustled. “Beware Dryer Caves’ windy tunnels.”
Inside the dim Dryer Caves bathed in pulsing red heat-lamp glow, Squeezy cowers behind a rocky lint pile while Granny Woolly steadies herself on a cane at the tunnel entrance. Above them, Fluffernado spirals overhead, eyes shimmering with hesitant curiosity.
In the Dryer Caves, Fluffernado loomed, swirling. “I’m scared,” squeaked Squeezy. Granny Woolly tottered in. “Lint swirls hide lonely hearts.” Patchy called, “Let’s talk.” Fluffernado whispered, “I just want friends.”
On Sock City's main parade avenue under bright morning laundry-line sunlight, Patchy and Squeezy twirl joyfully while Glitter suspends shimmering streamers above them. Freed socks cheer from colorful fabric floats lining the street.
“Release them, and be friends,” Squeezy said. Fluffernado freed the socks. Captain Stripey Toe nodded. Glitter brightened the Fresh and Clean Parade. “Different is beautiful,” cheered Granny Woolly; Patchy and Squeezy twirled.