It took Hyphen three knocks to get Question Mark’s door open.
It was actually three bangs. With each bang, he became just a little more irate. The door had a sizable peephole, more of a window really, and he could see Question Mark rolling around casually on his dot. More importantly, he knew the other Mark could see him. It was after the third thump that the door opened (fell flat really), and Hyphen marched across the door, into the living room.
Question Mark kept gliding around on his dot. “Oh, Hyphen,” he said finally. “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” Hyphen repeated. “What are YOU doing?” Both arms reached
over to strangle the wiry Mark.
Question Mark slithered out of his usual hook-shape, dodging Hyphen’s beefy arms. “What do you think I am doing?” he asked pleasantly.
“You and I both know what you are doing,” Hyphen growled, making another swipe for the other Mark. The slippery Mark rolled backward slightly, out of Hyphen’s reach. Hyphen lunged at the eely Mark again.
Question Mark did a sideways hop. “Then why did you ask?”
Hyphen stumbled. He made a grab for the floor. “Why are you conspiring against Comma?”
“Am I?”
“What do you plan on doing without Comma? You need her help to set off questions at the end of a statement, DO YOU NOT?”
“Do I?”
“Full Stop is a dangerous ally. He could turn against you tomorrow. What would happen to you if he were to bar direct questions in print? Have you forgotten you are not needed for indirect questions?”
“Hmmm,” said Question Mark innocently. “Is that just like Quotes not being needed for indirect speech? Should I ask Full Stop?”
Hyphen gnashed his teeth and then bared them. “Are you threatening Quotes?”
“Am I?”
Hyphen glowered at Question Mark before stomping over the flattened door, splitting it in two. He paused in the doorway, and with lightning speed, his heel kicked the splintered door behind him. A plank skidded across the floor, collided with Question Mark’s dot and tripped him. He fell flat, his arms outstretched in a failed attempt to break his fall.
“Pick a side,” Hyphen warned. “Pick a side and stay on it.”
