Before the Horns - A Bob Velseb Story

Chapter 10

"WHOO! Bested again!" Jack exclaimed, tossing down his controller and throwing his hands behind his head triumphantly. 

John glared at him with a smile and a laugh, dropping his own remote onto the plush couch. "You're such a cheater! Do you just play video games in your garage all day? Get a job!" he snickered, shoving Jack.

Jack just laughed harder, "What do you mean get a job? You don't work yet either, Mr. I-Don't-Wanna-Work-Because-It's-Distracting-From-School-And-My-Own-Intrests."

John shrugged snatching up Jack's controller and passing his own back in place of it. "I dunno man, I'm thinking about asking Bob if he'd give me a job on Saturdays." he mentioned, slouching back into the brown fabric of the sofa.

Jack squinted at his curly haired counterpart, and dropped his game remote in realization. "Oh, no, this isn't about that weird girl is it?" he questioned, "Come on John, you're totally obsessed! She's just some lady, I don't get it."

"I'm telling you Jack, she's weird! She's totally got something going on, just like every other wacko in this town. How do you not notice?" John countered, seeming frustrated.

Jack held up his hands in defense. "Hey, I don't mean any ill intent to you John, I'm just saying. If it means so much, why don't you explain why you feel so strongly about her?" he asked, trying to comfort his blond friend.

John slouched forward with a sigh. "I dunno Jack, it's just something off. A lot of people are like it too around here. Like Mr. Carter. He's been renovating that old mansion for like 3 years now. He's always over there or at some business meeting. He just acts weird. Sarah's the same way. They just always act like they're lying. Sarah could tell you the sky's blue, and you'd still doubt it because of that tone she's always got. Can you not tell?" John pondered, almost sounding defeated.

Jack shrugged and put a hand on John's shoulder. "I'll try alright? What are you gonna do though? What if Bob doesn't want to hire you?"

John stood, grabbing a bag of un-popped popcorn and taking it to the microwave. Determined, he explained, "Well, Bob seems like he's enjoying his work day more with Sarah helping out, why wouldn't he want another set of hands?"

Jack watched the popcorn pop, mouth watering, and replied, "Well you still gotta think about it. He handled it with only one person for forever, and now that he's got two people, he's working even faster. But then you also got to remember that too many people can also slow down progress. What if two is the most efficient number? Two's a couple and three's a crowd, as they say. What are you gonna do then?"

John thought for a moment, pulling a soda out of the mini fridge the boys had dragged into the space ages ago. "Well first, the 'two's a couple three's a crowd' saying is something people say when they're starting a family. Bob's like 30, and Sarah's like 20. That's weird. Second, it's only Saturdays. That's when stock rolls in on the truck, even if it's only every other week. I'm sure he'd want help then."

Jack shrugged, messing with the joysticks on his controller. "Still, you should have a backup plan in case he doesn't hire you. Plus, if all this is to prove Sarah's 'weird', how are you going to do it? And if you end up being right, where do you go from there?"

John took the popcorn from the microwave and dumped it in a bowl. "Well, for starters, I'm just gonna ask a bunch of questions. See if there's inconsistencies. Connect a few dots from there and hope for results. Then depending on what kind of 'weird' she is, I tell the right person. Like if she's stealing from Bob, call the police. Or if she's a murderer, call the police. If she's in some weird cult, call the police. If she just has a really weird obsession with Bob, I'm either gonna have a talk with her, or call the police."

Jack arched a brow at John, and grabbed a fistful of his popcorn. "And if she's just a normal girl? Lemme guess, you call the police?" he remarked sarcastically.

"Jack, I'm serious!" John groaned. 

"John, I know you're serious. That's why it worries me. Hey, why don't we go pay the bakery a visit? Grab a donut or something? It'd help you relax for once, and hopefully clear your head so you aren't saying random stuff like she eats people or is an alien or in some weird cult anymore." Jack suggested, stealing another whole-handed grab of popcorn.

John glared at Jack, not only for his doubts in his thought process, but also for his popcorn thievery. "Fine, whatever, we can go get donuts. But you're paying." he muttered.

"Me pay? Sure, but with that upcoming job you're gonna owe me Sir I'm-Gonna-Work-For-Bob-At-Boys-&-Grills-Because-I'm-Obsessed-With-This-Random-Girl-Because-I-Think-She's-Cooky-For-No-Reason-Because-I'm-Crazy." Jack laughed.

John arched a brow, as he declared flatly, "Sorry man, but you really need to get better at nicknames."