The Clown's Jester

VI

I paused for a moment, unsure of how to answer, I really want to go stay with mister Jack, but I also don't really like the boy papa brought home, and don't want papa finding out about my feelings towards mister Jack just yet. I don't even know how I completely feel about him yet. Finally, I respond, "I would like it if you made the boy nicer, so I don't mind going with mister Jack."

He nods, taking in the information before speaking, "Alright. And you'll take your toy mouse just in case of an emergency." A small smile spreads across my lips, "Okay, papa." He walks over to me, kneeling down and putting his hands on mine, "Be careful, and be respectful and a good girl. You've never been out of this house before, and you will be with someone I only partially trust, around people that I don't care for. But it is my only option, I do not want you to hear or see what's going to happen."

"I'll be good, papa, I promise." I look in his eyes, giving him a reassuring smile. He kisses my forehead and says, "I know, I'm just worried about you." Mister Jack clears his throat and says, "I hate to break this up, but we should go. The quicker we leave, the faster you can get to work, and the sooner she can come home." Papa stands up, "You're right. He's going to be a piece of work though. And Jack," he pauses, standing and turning around to face him, "don't let her get damaged."

Mister Jack looks very serious as he says, "It won't happen." Papa is taken back by his sternness and seriousness, "Wow, Jack, I didn't expect you to care." I pick up Sir Mouseington, standing up, "I guess we should get going, right, mister Jack?" Papa picks me up, giving me a big hug and twirling me around as I giggle.

Once he sets me on the ground, he kisses my forehead, "I'm going to miss you dearly, my darling flower." I reply, "I'm going to miss you, too, Papa. But I know it's for the best, you wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't." Mister Jack walks over to me, holding out his hand, "C'mon, kiddo." I take hold of his hand, still holding Sir Mouseington in my other.

He walks me out of my bedroom, and out of the door that I've seen papa go through many times before.

...

At some point, I had asked mister Jack if I could ride on his shoulders, and we've been walking for what feels like forever before a house comes into view, no not a house, a really big house. I look down at mister Jack, "Is that where we're headed?" He nods, "Yup." As we get closer, I begin to get more and more frightened. Once we reach the door, I speak, "Mister Jack..."

He looks up at me, "Yeah, girly?" I begin to tremble as I reply, "I-I'm scared...I don't know these people...W-What if they don't like me...? What if they try to break me...?" He takes me off of his shoulders, setting me on the ground, facing him, as he kneels down, "Hey...even if that's true...I'm here, and what did I tell you last night?"

I sniffle, "That...nothing can hurt me as long as you're with me...?" He smiles, reassuringly, "That's right. And even if everyone doesn't like you, I know one little girl in there who'd love to meet you." A small smile makes its way across my lips, "Really?" He nods, "Really." My fears start to knull, but I still ask, "Can...can I hold your hand?" He holds his hand out and I take hold of it, wrapping my other arm, still holding my toy mouse around his arm, holding him close.

He stands up, putting his hand on the doorknob, "Ready?" I nod and he opens the door, revealing the inside of the house to be better looking than the outside, which looks old and unused. He steps inside, me following, still holding on tight. Someone in a white hoodie with black hair sits in the livingroom floor with a little girl in a pink dress, playing tea party.

Mister Jack walks up to the two, "Hey Sally, Jeff." The girl immediately jumps up, hugging him before she notices me. She backs away from the hug a bit, standing in front of me, "Who's this, Jack?" The man that mister Jack called Jeff looks at us, and I jump and gasp. He's got cuts on both sides of his mouth, and it looks like he has no eyelids. I hide my face in mister Jack's arm.

I feel him kneel down to my level, "Remember what I told you? Nothing can hurt you as long as I'm here." I feel my body begin to tremble, "H-he's scary..." I hear Sally's voice, "It's okay, he won't hurt you," she pauses a moment before whispering, "he won't admit it, but he's actually kinda nice."

I move my face a little, to be able to see here before I hear Jeff say, "I heard that." She giggles and mister Jack responds, "Well, it's kinda true." Jeff chuckles and says, "Says the one kneeling down and comforting a child."

~~~~~~~~~~~~chapter End~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jason: Oh, my dear child, what have I gotten you into?
Jack: She'll be fine, you don't need to ruffle your skirt.
Jason: What did you say?!
Sally: A new friend???
Jeff: A new annoyance.
Magnolia: I wanna go home now....
Me: Thank you all for being so patient, I'm sorry that I haven't been posting very regularly, but look at that, 2 stories in one day!