Jester Book 1: Abduction

Ch 9: Answer

Almost immediately after his final declaration, the winds ceased their refreshing run. An eerie stillness floated around them. Mandy's body had frozen up. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't blink. Couldn't see. All she could process was this overwhelming sense of dread.

The men didn't have such a reaction. Chester turned to Gray, "I need you to stay with Mandy for a little bit." Chester checked his bells and tucked his unsettled auburn locks back underneath, "I need to run home and grab some stuff." Gray didn't ask any questions he sauntered over while swinging his cane as if nothing of interest had transpired.

Chester reached out a hand which Gray accepted handsomely. The clown made a clear demand, "Don't let anything happen to her."

Gray merely saluted as he stood just behind Mandy.

Chester gripped her ebony hands and helped her return from the shock, "I'll be right back. Head inside an' lock up the shop."

He rushed off to his home but was yanked back by his collar. When his back smacked the floor he was quickly straddled by his Starr. She nearly yelled, "And where are you going?"

Chester's hands had been locked above his head by her knees, "I'm going to my house."

"Alone?!"

Chester rolled his eyes, "What is your-" he pushed her off him and met her face-to-face, "-DEAL?!"

"My deal? You just heard that someone is after us and your first idea is to split up?"

"They're not after me. They're after you. They're obsessed with me."

"And that's better how?"

Chester was about to pull his hair out, "They aren't going to attack me! They need me."

"You don't know what they want."

Gray watched on as they continued to bite each other's head off. He wondered if they were secretly siblings in disguise. Or maybe they were long-lost relatives. He'd have to research into that later. For now, he just let out an empty sigh as their argument evolved into a dust cloud of hair-pulling and name-calling.

As he let out a throaty groan a misty cloud passed over his nose. He was perplexed as he didn't pretend to pull on a cigar like he would in his office. He blew out another bit of air. The cloud formed once more as his warm breath crystallized before him. He felt a chill run along his shoulders. The air was getting frigid. A bit of frostbite was rapidly forming on his now rosy nostrils.

Mandy and Chester's fight fell out of control when he tripped on nothing in particular. Mandy wasted no time laughing at him but almost busted her butt as well. She asked, "What the heck's going on." She felt severely underdressed as a chilly wind blew past, "Why's it so freakin' cold?"

Chester rubbed his butt then fell again. The concrete had turned slick like ice and twice as cold. Chester's finely attuned nose could smell a sweet confection surrounding them.

His hand felt sticky after running it across the ground. Without a second thought, he brought his palm up to his mouth and licked it. He smacked his lips with a pleased grin, "Syrup."

While Mandy and Chester marveled at the tasty oddity Gray was showing emotions many thought impossible. He panicked as he looked all over the place for the source. His cane acted as a third leg to support himself as the icy ground made standing a struggle.

His mind went back to the missing persons reports. Dynamike went missing outside the mines with no known cause. Afterward, Poco and Emz went missing with a massive crater in their wake. Then when Lou disappeared there were gunpowder remnants as well as a horrid stench in the air.