Estrellas: Book 2

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: OL' JONNY

(told in perspective of Matthew)

I woke up in a bed Woody had let me use for the night, he had been super kind to me and my friends and I was super thankful. But I had a mission to do, and thanks would have to come later, after I finished the mission and after I ended the war. I got up and stretched, I have a long day ahead of me. I thought as I tiptoed around Cassandra and Draco who had volunteered to sleep on the floor. Then I slowly cracked open the door which gave a loud creaking noise. I looked back and noticed some of them tossing and turning. I slowly continued to creak open the door until I could fit through, then I quickly shut it, tiptoeing through the hallways that led to the dining room.

"So, your an early bird too I see." Woody sat in a chair on the far side of the table with a bowl of cereal and milk. Next to his bowl he had a cup of coffee, and he picked it up and slowly sipped it, looking me up and down. "Why don't ya have a seat young man, and I'll tell ya a bit 'bout your parents." He gestured towards the seat across from him. Not wanting to be rude, I gave a slight smile and sat down. He grabbed me a bowl and poured some cereal into it, then he slowly poured some milk on top.

"Thanks." I said, quickly eating the cereal so I could leave to talk to Old Jonny.

"No problem, ya see I knew your parents back in the day, they were quite a couple." Woody smiled looking up at the ceiling as if recalling some distant memory.

"Yeah, I know, I lived with them." I joked, half wanting this conversation to be over with.

"Yeah, the issue was, when they came back here after all those years, they were arguin' an' yellin' at each other non stop." Woody shook his head. I was annoyed, I stared off into the distance. "But I'm sure they stopped arguin' by now, haven't they?" Woody asked me as I snapped back to the conversation.

"They never came back." I said hoping he wouldn't mention them again. Woody stopped chewing on his cereal and gave me a sorrowful look.

"Uh- Iaa didn't know." He said a bit surprised. I nodded and gave a faint and yet sad smile. "Well, do know that my doors always open! Whenever ya need me, just ask." He finally told me. I looked off at the bar. Woody saw where I was looking and he gave a faint smile, "Go on." I looked at him confused. "Go to that bar, I knew that's where ya were goin' this mornin' I just stopped ya to eat breakfast first." I gave him a warm smile.

"Thank you Woody, for everything." He smiled and waved, then I ran out the door and over to the bar, opening the door and getting glares from everyone around me.

"Yav' gotta be 21 ta drink kid." A lady behind the bar said while shining a glass.

"N-no I'm just here to talk to Old Jonny." I said, scratching the back of my head.

"If ya wanna stay in the bar yav' gotta get somethin'." She said annoyed.

"Fine, I'll take water, now do you know where Old Jonny is?" I asked her impatiently.

"He's over there on the left, sitting at the one person table in the corner. Yull' know em when ya see em." She rolled her eyes and got a glass, turning on the tap to pour me a glass of water. I walked over to the left side of the bar, slowly walking to the corner table where a man sat with his feet propped up, hat over his eyes, he was sleeping.

I shook him awake, "Excuse me sir, are you Old Jonny?" He slowly got up and re adjusted his hat.

"Whos-a askin'." He said, slightly tripping over his words, his breath slowly floating up to my nose, I coughed.

"Matthew Crustello." I told him, trying to refrain from coughing.

"A Crustello eh? Haven't seen one of those fora longgggg time. Isn't that right Liza?" He asked, slightly looking up at the bartender who had gotten me water.

"Here kid, take it, once your done with it, leave my bar." She shoved the glass in my hands and stormed off.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked, pulling up a chair to Old Jonny's table.

"Doesn't like Crustellos, never has, actually, has had a bad feelin' 'bout em since the day they came back from wherever they left ta. They were actin' weird, always talkin' in secret, shiftin' there eyes back en forth like they had somethin' ta hide..." Old Jonny went on.

"Hey, I was wondering if you could tell me about the Mystic Mountains..." I interrupted him.

"No no no!!!! Not that again, no no no no no no no!" He suddenly started freaking out. Everyone in the bar gave me glares and I turned around to try and calm him down.

"Whoa whoa whoa, relax! I'm not here to pound you for information, I just need a little knowledge of what it'll be like when I go there. Like what to expect..."

Old Jonny took ahold of me, grasping my shoulders tight, his eyes widened with fear and his jaw clenched as if he was about to have a heart attack, "Those mountains are a fait worse than death boy. So if ya wanna die inside, go ahead, be my guest, go and die. I don't care, but if you have any ounce of common sense left in that there brain of yours, I suggest you use it and stay far away from those mountains." He shoved me and my glass fell, shattering on the ground. I was left in shock on the floor, the water from my glass started running down the floor and the glass shards gleamed in the sunlight.

"Alright that's it! Crustello, get out of my bar!" Liza ran at me with a broom and I quickly ran out, feeling Old Jonny's stare boring into my soul behind me. I ran half across the street and I hear Liza yell, "AND STAY OUT!!!" Then I heard a door slam. So much for getting a basic idea of where I was heading. I rubbed my forehead and slowly walked back to Woody's house. I opened the door and I found my entire team, awake, glaring at me and standing just infront of the door.

"You couldn't wait, could you?" Cassandra said, slightly tapping her foot, disappointed.
TO BE CONTINUED