A Constable's Stalker

Chapter 8: Constable Carthour

Who's ready for some more WHF fanfic! Warning: Some stuff may be triggering.

-Arthur's POV-

"Wow! Look at that Madame!" Said the all too cheerful and sadistic constable Harvey, gesturing to the giant, eerily mother-like Spanker, commonly know as the Headmistress. "This one's bigger than the last installments!"

I nod, almost shakily. "Y..yea. I swear these things keep getting bigger and deadlier every week."

"Nah. That's just the Joy at its work."

We've been walking through Maidenholm, completing this maniac's so called errands for what felt like an hour or so. Though, the clock in the last shop we visited showed that it has only been about an hour and a half. Is time really going that slow? Or are we too fast? I honestly can't tell at the moment.

We've spent the day purchasing common items and materials; coffee beans, air freshener, rat poison, socks, stuff of that sort. Rather mundane for a mad man like Harvey. As we waltz into the next shop, Mache and Machinery, Harvey almost immediately heads to the machinery isle. I see him pick through a box of cogs and springs, examining a few of them before finally picking the right one and moving to another box. I decide to pass the time by browsing the Mache' isle.

Boxes labeled glues, ribbons, crafting paper; one box catches my eye, labeled oragami. I take peek into the box and see it's practically empty, except for a pink rat and red lion. How creative; not entirely sure if that statement is sarcastic or not.

Paper crafts were indeed nice, unfortunately my grade school art teacher didn't know how to make anything higher than a crane, snake, cat or rat. Percy figured out how to craft butterflies, but I couldn't quite get the hang of it, or most of the others for that matter. All I know is the crane and the rat; it's too bad that we couldn't have spent more time on oragami art in class. Even so, Percy and I lost interest in it later on.

"Or'gami, a beautiful Japanese craft work of art." Says a familiar voice behind me.

When I had turned to see who it was, I had to stop myself from having a heart attack. Harvey was standing inches behind me, looking over my shoulder. Turning to face him would mean french kissing his pleasant grin.

I nod and scratch the nervous twinge from my neck. "Ah, well yes. Animal paper crafts can be quite nice, can't it. Used to make them for a while in grade school."

He seems to be entranced by the crafts for a minute before grinning wider and looking to me. "So, you want one then?"

I blink, not sure what to answer. Does my answer matter? "Well...uh..."

"No matter! We'll take them both! There's only two left after all!" Before I could give a straight answer, he plucks the rat and cat from the box and marches to the counter. "This'll be all, thanks!"

I shake my head dismissively and follow him out the shop. I feel him put an arm around my back like a drunken man and grip my shoulder. Rather roughly I might add.

"Oragami git, just like me, eh? That's somethin' we're gonna have fun learnin' about too, right? Right."

"Right." I squeak out timidly, as if my consent to the idea really matters in his clutches.

A few errands later....

"Wait right here Arthur. I'll be out in jiffy!" Harvey says cheerily as he heads into the shop.

We've finally made it to the last shop, an old candy shop. Apparently the shop can't fit us both inside, it does look rather small just by looking at it; practically wedged in between two decommissioned shops. Peering into the shop's one window, I can't see much due its low quality, but I can make out the mad constable steadily moving along a shelf. Taking his time as to not topple it over. He squeezes himself pass the counter and cashier, and to the back. The back is obscured by a blur.