The Adventures of the Junior Phoenixes, Part 1: The Pendant of Life

Chapter 22: Hiding Places

Chapter 22

     Sherman sat down on the couch in Shade’s tower room. Ignatia prepared a brew of tea for him and Echo offered him a blanket. He was ragged, his clothes were torn, his hair was unwashed, and his skin was covered in dirt and grime. His funny glasses were crooked, but despite his grungy appearance, Sherman Locke was alive and well.

     Shade offered Sherman a cauldron cake, which he ate up quickly. The kids all stared at him. He looked gangly and worn, but he was alive.

     Ignatia brought him the tea.

     “Would you like milk and sugar, sir?” she asked him.

     “Oh, so Johnny-on-the-spot, aren’t you, lass?” Sherman said to her. “Yes, milk and sugar would be lovely! Merlin’s beard! I haven’t had a good tea in a while! Good lord, I don’t even know what day it is!”

     “It’s Saturday, Mister Locke,” Sam told him. “You don’ know what day it is?”

     “Love, I’ve been on the run for a little while, now” Sherman said to her. “Oh, two sugars, lass. I’ve got to kick-start me energy a little.”

     Ignatia handed him the tea and Sherman sipped on it gingerly at first, then gulped the whole thing down. “Jumpin’ Jezebels, that tastes good! Be a dear and pour me another, will you?”

     As Ignatia took his cup to refill it, Shade sat down opposite Sherman and looked at him queer.

     “Where the devil have you been?” Shade asked him.

     “Shmeh,” Sherman answered, “Where the devil haven’t I been? That’s a question to be answered, for sure!”

     Shade and the kids all stared at Sherman as he sipped from his tea, gulping it down.

     “Oh that’s some good tea! Godric, that hits the spot right there, now doesn’t it?” Sherman mumbled.

     “Well?” Star asked Sherman. The kids were all staring at him, intently listening and waiting.

     “Well what?” Sherman asked.

     “Where were you?” Shade asked. “Half the Aurors Office was looking for you, and Jinx and I were worried like crazy!”

     “Well, like I said, mate,” Sherman began, “That’s the question, now, ain’t it?”

     “Go on,” Echo said, her patience worn thin.

     “Well, first off, screw you and your bloody pendants an’ all. Damn things gone an’ bollixed up me whole life, they did,” Sherman said, pointing at Shade. “It’s that stupid pendant business that’s got me life in the troll holes, mate. No more n’ two days after you came to see me, this strange old bloke come knocking on me door an’ asking me questions. He was nice at first, and I thought maybe you had sent someone after me to see if I had any answers for you. He didn’t mention your name, but talked about a whole mess of things. Then he started in about the Six Nations and the elemental pendants an’ all that. Then he started askin’ questions about the Magical Pendants. I asked ‘im if he knew you, but he only smiled at me. He was a foul git, he was. Gave me the bloody creeps. I told ‘im I didn’t know anything about them, but that I had a book that might have something about them. He left after that, said he’d be back soon to inquire about that book.”

     Sherman sipped at the tea again. Shade and the kids were all listening.

     “Well, after that, I figured I better get a hold of you. I went down to your apartment but you weren’t there. Neither was Jinx, but that bloody ghost girl was there. Nearly jumped out of me skin when she popped out o’ the door, scarin’ me and everything! If I was able to slap a ghost in the face, I would’ve knocked her ghostly teeth loose, right then and there! I don’ care if she was a girl or not! What kind of a rude girl is that little specter you got floatin’ around your place? I’d exorcise her, mate. She’s trouble, she is. I asked her if she’d seen you, but she said she hadn’t seen you in a month or two. I told her that if she did see you, to tell you to meet me at my place. She gave me a dirty look, that little floater. She fancies you, I’ll tell you right now.”