The Redemption of Stingy Jack

Chapter Thirteen

The evening was upon them, and they almost didn't know. 

It felt like Maud had been asking Jack every little thing about his past life, cross-referencing it with whatever she could find on the net. Not much though, as Jack gave her firsthand information. From his first ordeal with the devil to the second and third times. He told her how Saint Peter didn't let him through the pearly gates, and the devil wouldn't take his soul as promised, and his solo adventures around the world as a ghost. He told her how he started in Ireland, then traveled around Europe and other continents until his travels brought him to New Orleans. right at Maud and Lyn's doorstep.

Maud hadn't yet changed her oversized hoodie, and it seemed Jack had begun to grow more comfortable around her. He’d already consumed another bottle of wine, and he didn't look intoxicated at all. The last time he had wine, according to him, was centuries ago. His wide, tattered lips would occasionally loosen into smiles when he or Maud joked. Since Maud had been doing all the asking, he thought to get to know her too. Jack was still in the chair he was once tied to, but this time he'd brought it closer to Maud.

Jack looked to ask a question when Lyn emerged from her room. She was now in a floaty white top and some gray and blue jeans, with her Converse tapping the floorboards a little too loudly. They both gazed at her, and she returned it with an even weirder one. Jack and Maud had practically just met, and they were getting along quite well. It was funny and creepy at the same time.

"Where are you going?" Maud asked in a soft tone.

"Cole's." Lyn answered, her eyes scanning Jack, the two empty bottles of wine beside him, and his freakishly glowing turnip. "Are you sure you're gonna be okay, M?"

"Yeah, yeah." Maud answered, her lips loosening into a smile.

"I'm harmless." Jack commented, face down.

"You don't look harmless." Lyn said. She walked closer to her roommate, digging her hand into her slightly clammy hair, like she was petting her little sister. Just call me if anything happens. Okay?" She met her gaze.

"Okay." Maud smiled. holding it for a few more seconds, Lyn let go of her jaws.

She carefully made her way out while Jack and Maud watched. The door slammed shut.

Then Jack's nose suddenly flared. Rumbles were heard, and a cold wind ensued. His eyes glowed, became greener, and were aimed at Maud. Maud looked up, and instantly her blood ran cold.

"Jack!" She called, fear holding her in a vice. "Jack. What the fuck!?"

Jack didn't respond. only giving her a sinister look with his grin slowly widening. He began to rise in his seat, and on seeing that Maud was about to have a panic attack, he relaxed.

"I was just messing with you." Jack laughed, but Maud didn't find it funny. She was just there, calming her nerves and trying to catch her breath.

"That wasn't funny, asshole." Maud said, with Jack only laughing in response.

Jack calmed his grin, and he remembered what he meant to say before Lyn stepped out of her room.

"You know... most people would have called the police. Or shot me or something. You know..." Jack muttered.

Maud glanced at him, and he could tell that he felt somewhat sad or lonely. Or maybe she was wrong. Whenever he seemed excited, his eyes glowed; whenever he felt down, his eyes dimmed, and right now, the glow in his eyes were faint.

"You're right." She said. "Lyn would have." She snickered, and Jack's oversized lips quirked up. "But... I guess I was intrigued by what I saw." She said this, and Jack rose his head, eyes fixed on her. "I tried to pull your mask... or your face, but it wouldn't come off. And your face, the pumpkin—it all felt so real, but I didn't want to conclude that it was.  I mean, things like these only happen in movies or something."

"Yet here I am."

"Yet here you are." Maud glanced at him again, her eyes scanning his old suit. His tie was knotted well, and his white shirt had some sort of blue smoke always encircling it. Staring at it long enough made her think about what was behind his shirt. Was it a skeleton? or some chunk of blue-green smoke.

"Have you ever wondered how come you can understand my... English?"

"Your English?" Maud gave him lazy eyes.

Jack scoffed, "Yes.  I mean when I was still... me. We speak English a little differently than it is now.  Now, it’s all modernized."

"Hmm... you mean, old English?" Maud thought, knitting her eyebrows.

"I suppose that’s what it is called."

"Right. So why don’t you speak like that anymore?" Maud asked.

"I have had a lot of years to practice. And now I see it’s paying off." Jack slightly glowed for a second.

Maud gave off a faint laugh. "By practice, you mean stalking and sneaking around?"

"No one ever sees me, so it didn’t matter. That was the only way I could feel a little... humanly." His glowing eyes wandered for a moment. "Except during Halloweens. Everyone's usually with their Jack O' Lanterns, and so I’m always at bay." He added.

"Right. Except last night." Maud reminded.

"Which still has me in a bewilderment," Jack thought.

Maud studied him, still finding it unbelievable that she was talking to a man who was supposed to be a fictitious character. If she told people about this, they would definitely tag her as a crazy person.

"And it has also been a very long while..." Jack brought her back to herself. "That I have been able to see the world for what it is. And not as some ghost."

"Right." Maud thought about it. "I mean, right now, you can eat," she said. "Drink." She pointed at the empty bottles. "And even talk to people and go places."

Jack sighed. "Right." Jack glanced at his lamp. "I just got reincarnated. And I haven't been anywhere except here. or had anything to eat." He looked at Maud, either concealing the fact that he’d been to a bar the previous night or having totally forgotten.

"Right."

"Would you be so kind... as to take me?" Jack requested a voice that sounded guttural.

"Right. Sure, of course." It just dawned on her where Jack was headed.

Jack slowly beamed, which made Maud release a smile too. 

"But we are not going in that." She pointed.

Jack looked at himself and asked, "What's wrong with my clothing?"

"Not that. Your..." she ran her hands quickly over her face, and Jack understood what she was saying.

"Right. What do you suggest?" He asked.

"I have an idea!" Maud said excitedly and jumped up. She walked to her room, and Jack just sat there, wondering what Maud's big idea might be. She spent over a minute rummaging through her things, and then she finally emerged.

Jack couldn't believe his green eyes. Was that what he thought it was?

"Here," Maud passed him a pair of sunglasses.

"Spectacles? Seriously?"

"It's a perfect disguise. Works well in movies. This is the only difference between Clark Kent and Superman." She pointed at those black shades, asking him to put them on. He did, and Maud gave her a reassuring look.

"Alright. Here." She passed him a black cowboy hat and scarf.

He received it, wrapped the scarf around his neck, and put on the hat. He looked up, and Maud could tell the big difference. Jack smiled, and Maud did too.

"Alrighty, Captain Jack." She feigned a Texas accent. "I think we're good to go." "Let me just hop in the shower real quick."

"Aye, aye," Jack said, tipping down his hat as Maud walked away into her room.