Phantom Town

Part 4

Morning came, and Harrison was awakened by the sound of birds twittering away outside. The window had been partially opened, letting in the cool, clean scent left over by the rain in the mountain air. He and his father bid each other "good morning" and got dressed and ready before heading downstairs. The dining room was filled with people from the house, all sitting in chairs or at the circular tables and speaking in tired voices. In the corner, a man was practicing an eerie fiddle tune slowly and softly.

"Good morning Carl, Harrison." Jones greeted as he passed by. "Good morning." Carl answered. "There's a breakfast buffet in the next room. Help yourselves." Jones said before leaving them. While Carl headed towards the next room, Harrison suddenly felt a bump on his shoulder. Turning, he saw a small flower float to the ground, obviously having hit him, and Charlotte's face peeking from the hallway. "What is it?" He whispered when he reached her. "I found something in my dad's cabinet today, and I think I know what might have happened to my mom." Charlotte answered. "Really? Have you told Moira?" He asked. "Yeah, I told her earlier." Charlotte replied before producing an empty crystal bottle from her pocket. It was tiny, with a shape on the front that resembled a fox.

"This is from the little store across the street, the one with the moon and sun on the sign." She explained. "Yeah, I know what you're talking about." Harrison answered. "That is a sorcery shop. The owner, Mr. Tucker, he sells all sorts of magic charms and potions to do minor things like make chores do themselves. There's one section that only certain people can access, and those potions are the transforming ones." Charlotte held up the bottle. "This is a potion bottle from that shop, and by the looks of it, it's supposed to transform people into foxes."

Harrison raised his eyebrows. "So, you're thinking he turned your mom into a fox." He sounded skeptical, but Charlotte kept on. "Why else would he have this? Harrison, transformation is serious. People don't just do it as a prank, that's why not everyone can buy these. I feel like I heard about a fox potion being stolen one time, and it was right around the time my mother disappeared." She answered.

"You know what? If you're right, and your mother is a fox right now, I'll bet she's somewhere in the forest." Harrison suggested. "Yeah, maybe if we leave, we can find her on our way." Charlotte still spoke with her usual control, but she seemed to have a hint of thrill and hopefulness in her voice. All of a sudden, the door opened and a man entered the building. Harrison quickly recognized him as Smith.

"Come with me, I'm going to talk to Smith." Charlotte said. "There's a council meeting tonight and I think I can expose my father. Smith can sense lies, so he'll have to tell the truth to him."

"Yes... you're speaking the truth, girl." Smith muttered after Charlotte explained everything. He beckoned to the man playing the fiddle. "Tucker, we might have a clue about who stole your fox potion." As Smith explained it all to him, a crash was heard from the kitchen. "Come on, we should talk to him." Tucker suggested, and the four of them entered the kitchen.

They froze when they walked in, and Charlotte let out an audible gasp. Moira was flattened against the cabinet, and Jones was pointing a large kitchen knife at her throat. He looked frantic when he saw the others. "Um... this isn't what it looks like...please believe me..." He stammered. "Drop the knife." Someone commanded in a calm but assertive voice. Harrison realized with surprise that it had been Charlotte. Jones let the knife fall with a clatter, and Moira bolted to the safety of her sister. "Let me ask you something. What exactly were you planning on doing with that knife?" Smith asked with an eerie calmness.

Jones looked around nervously. "I wouldn't actually kill her... I just... she was being foolish!" He exclaimed. "All I did was burn the eggs! And you told me you wanted to slit my throat!" Moira retorted, tears of shock appearing in her blue eyes. "Did you turn my mother into a fox?" Charlotte asked in the same tone she'd used before. Harrison placed a calming hand on her shoulder. He half expected her to swat it away, but instead she stood perfectly still.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about." Jones answered, not daring to meet his daughter's eyes. "He's lying." Smith declared. All within the next three seconds Jones turned and ran, Charlotte swished her arm and sent a large platter flying, it shattered against Jones's head and knocked him over, and he was seized by Harrison and Tucker. Smith held up the potion bottle. "The girls deserve to know where their mother is." He stated, his mountain accent sounding thick.

Jones was struggling, and Harrison squeezed his arm to imitate what strength he lacked. "I thought I could steal her powers. I heard that sometimes it's possible." Jones confessed. There was a moment of cold silence. Finally, Smith spoke again. "The thing I've never understood about you is that you seem to think you're one of us. Well, Jones, I hope you realize that no amount of over-confidence can make you any less of a pompous coward, and a wicked one at that. You see that young girl over there? You hurt her and you hurt her mother and sister, but she's stronger than you'll ever be. That emerald-eyed girl knocked you onto your face!"

The two men sat there with rage showing in their eyes. "We'll deal with him tonight, and we'll figure out what to do with you girls." Smith instructed the others. Then, he turned to Harrison. "You, Harrison, tell your father he's invited to the council meeting tonight. We have a little something we always do for our visitors." Somehow, it seemed like more of a command than an invitation. Even Charlotte seemed uneasy. "I'll tell him, Mr. Smith." Harrison answered.