To the drawing board we go

She frowns, deep in thought, brows furrowed in concentration. "This can't be right," she points at the pieces strewn across the carpeted floor in disbelief.

"Huh?" Monster yawns.

"The puzzle. Why doesn't it fit? And please, focus."

Monster snaps to attention. "Well, this puzzle is only missing one piece, but the one we have isn't the right one."

"You're just stating the fact. That, I already know." She presses the piece, hard. Forces it to fit the other piece. Presses on and on until her fingers hurt.

"You're wasting your time," Monster cackles. The happiest she's seen in a while. She gives it a dry look. "But it snugs nicely. See? One of its legs fits nicely. It suits the puzzle, it's comforting, it's everything the puzzle needs to be complete!"

"Doesn't always mean it's the right fit."

"But WHY -"

"Stop asking questions no one knows the answers to. Some pieces fit, some pieces don't,  and some fit because we force them to be. The more you try to force it - the longer you press with that tiny hand of yours - the more painful it will be."

The girl glares back, eyes wide and full of determination. Angry because she lost. But mostly disappointed, more disappointed than she let on.

"But hey, your call," Monster shrugs. "What do I know? I hide under beds for a living. "

"That's right," she shoots back, fiery. "And I'm the one with the brain and the conscience."

"Speaking of which, where's the latter? Taking another one of its naps?"

She's positively fuming now, but also knows when she no longer has the high ground. "So what do we do now?" she asks after a pause.

"Glad you asked," Monster stands up and stomps across the puzzles, destroying it one by one until the mess scatters across the carpet. "Now, we do it again. From the beginning. You ready?"

***