The Redemption of Stingy Jack

Chapter Twelve

Jack seemed to have said something like that the previous night, but she didn't take him seriously. Now he said it again, with all seriousness. He took another swig, longer this time, and gasped satisfactorily.

"Your... face?" Maud asked, tugging on the pocket of her hoodies, which reminded her that she hadn't had her bath, and she still smelled of the alcohol, from Lyn's body.

"That's right." Jack affirmed. "I'm surprised you don't... know me. Most people do."

"What are you... what are you talking about?" Maud was now slowly believing what Jack just said, and the fact that she might be talking to a real-life monster man, made her blood run cold. Lyn still wasn't out of her room. She should come out to see this.

"I am the fabled man from the Irish folklore." Jack lowered the bottle of wine. "I am the reason there is... Halloween." Jack said, eyes boring into Maud's.

Maud sank into her seat, with hundreds of thoughts roaming her mind. Jack definitely looked serious, but all that he was saying didn't make sense. If he was trying to pull a prank, he was definitely exceeding the limit right there. Running his mouth about him being the fabled man from the Irish folklore. The reason why there was Halloween. Why would he say that? And who exactly was that? Maud had read a couple of books over time. Hell, she was indeed a bookworm, so she'd read all sorts of books. History, fiction, Literature, and many more. And she didn't think she'd come across something or someone who claimed to have founded Halloween. Or had she? And if she thought back to the little she knew about the history of Halloween, it technically wasn't founded by someone, but based on beliefs. A folklore. Which may or may not involve a fictional person. Wait, what was Jack trying to say? Was he who she was now thinking he was? No way. That's impossible.

"What... what did you say your name is?" Maud asked, with furrowed brows, hands on the arms of her seat.

"Jack the Smith." He answered and took another swig.

Maud glanced at how he drank, and then it hit her. She remembered seeing a couple of images in some history books, and the way Jack was seated in front of her seemed to jog her memory. "Are you... the fabled Stingy Jack?"

Jack winced at the mention of stingy. He probably didn't like people addressing him that way. But could he blame them? He knew how he lived his life, and the people were right about whatever they said about him.

Jack sighed. "I am."

A sudden chill seized on her at the response, and her eye grew wide. Suddenly her heart was racing, and the hoodie was beginning to make her hot.

"No... no way. No way. It can't be. This is impossible. Are you messing with me right now?"

"I'm afraid not."

"How is this possible?"

"Look, I am as shocked as you are. That I can sit here, and drink wine from a bottle." Jack said, and took another swig, grin now flashing wide.

"What, you're not even supposed to exist! You're a fairy tale! A... a mythical character." Maud's hairs had begun to stand on end.

"You're right." Jack lowered his head, heaving a heavy sigh.

"Lyn!" Maud yelled, a series of shudders and smirk escaping. "Lyn come here now!" Maud didn't take her eyes off Jack. Now studying him with close interest. From his pumpkin like head, to his tacky suit and some mysterious smoke that seemed to encircle it, her eyes were soaked into the man before her.

"What?" Lyn stormed out of her room, in her black tank top, and ripped shorts. She was in the middle of making her hair, as she eyed Jack and Maud in utter disbelief. They sat in opposite directions like they were having an actual conversation. Maud could be so unbelievable sometimes, and that was one of those moments. She thought she was supposed to be the smarter one.