Fairy Rock

Chapter 8: Gilbert III

Inside the Cooper residence's backyard bushes, a thin older man with a hunch back and a gold eye patch over his left eye hides. He ties the rope around his black robe and adjusts his black cone-shaped hat as he watches Serenity arrive at her home. Daniel is waiting for her on the porch of the old, beaten-up house.

The older man crinkles his cheeks with disgust at the crickets chirping near him. His eye patch spins, and an array dark magic gas seeps out of it and covers the annoying insects causing them to evaporate into dust. He watches Daniel get up, walk off the squeaky wooden steps of the porch, and snatch Serenity by the hand.

"You're hurting me, Daniel!"

"What were you doing with that man? I got people watching you."

Serenity yanks her hand back. "He's just a friend."

Daniel pushes her into the dry grass of the front yard. "I'm going to kill that punk, and we'll settle this later. You're my woman, and no other man will ever have you."

He pulls a switchblade out of his pocket. "Where does he live?"

Serenity flings a rock at him as she gets up. "I don't know."

He gets in her face. "So, you're going to protect this punk. After what he did to me? He'll never have you. You're mine!"

She wipes the tears from her eyes. "Daniel, it's not like that."

Serenity's mom comes out of the front door, holding a shotgun. She pumps it and points at Daniel. "How dare you hurt my daughter."

Daniel drops the knife and sticks his hands in the air. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. Mrs. Cooper, I love your daughter, and this will never happen again."

"You have to the count of three to run before I blow your brains out!" Mrs. Cooper shouts.

Daniel runs away.

Mrs. Cooper quickly goes to Serenity and hugs her. "Honey, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not."

"I don't want you talking to Daniel again. Has he ever done this before?"

"He's been aggressive, but not like this."

"If I had known, I'd have never let you date him."

"He used to be a sweet guy, mom. He just started to get controlling over the years."

"Why did you stay with him for so long? I taught you better."

"I thought I could change him back into the sweet guy I used to know."

"If he comes back here, I'll kill him."

The older man spins his eye patch, and he disappears. He reappears in front of Daniel, observing him bent over, catching his breath stops after a two-block run.

Daniel glances back up at him.

"I see you'd want revenge on Rock boy," the older man says.

Daniel jumps back. "Who the heck are you?"

The older man spins his eye patch and shines a bright gold light. "Let's just say I'd be another man who wants to kill Rock."

Daniel keeps his hands over his eyes, blocking the irritating ray. "Why is your eye patch glowing?"

"I'd be powerful, boy!"

The mysterious man points his eye patch at an old, abandoned house in the neighborhood. He fires a large, yellow-hot, magical laser beam out of it at the dilapidated home, blowing it up into thousands of pieces.