Fairy Rock

Chapter 43: Rock and Tevin

Rock wanders around the dingy store, analyzing the bullet holes in the walls, and Hal grimaces on the bloody mat behind the cash register with a towel over his wounded shoulder.

The gunman jumps up and down, touching his greasy hair as he bugs out. "I must be on an acid trip, man. You just mutated into some freak with muscles, and even your outfit has changed, man."

Rock ignores him as he looks at himself, checking out his large hands, the solid gold Rolex watch on his wrist, his black Escada jeans, and the white Versace silk shirt tightly sticking to his ripped pecs. He flexes his chiseled muscles while looking down and admiring his shiny, black Testoni dress shoes. I'm back but how?

"I am the man," Rock chuckles.

The gunman finishes taking all the cash out of the register as his mouth salivates at Rock's pricey outfit. "I don't know what freaky stuff is happening, man, but I want your clothes. I can make a killing selling it."

"No way," Rock says.

Red pixie dust incubates throughout Rock's body, causing immense blood to pump through his veins, giving him energy and reimbursing his ability to fight.

Before the gunman can discharge his weapon, he snatches it with incredible speed and bends the criminal's arm, throwing him over the counter into the cake display, breaking it, and knocking him unconscious.

Rock puts his hand on Hal's wounded shoulder and injects gold pixie dust into him until the wound dissolves and the bullet comes out, healing his hurt friend.

Hal opens his eyes to the sight of his new hero. "Who are you?"

Rock helps him to his feet. "I'm the guy who just saved your life."

Hal looks at him, noticing his beautiful, long, black dreadlocks, and he snaps his fingers. "Wait a minute. You are the famous MMA fighter who was supposed to fight Benny the Destroyer. I thought you were dead along with everyone else in Fairyville."

"Nah, man, I'm good," Rock responds.

Hal glances at the damage done to his store. He analyzes the blood, the thousands of crumbs everywhere, and a row of honey buns and cupcakes on the floor next to the gunman's body, who landed head-first into the now broken shelf. He tilts his head quizzically and nods at the drug dealer in the corner, rolling another blunt instead of leaving the store?"

Rock puts a box of honey buns and a few water bottles into his white Louis Vuitton book bag.

Hal's thin face turns red. "Put that back. You can't take that without paying for it."

"I just saved your life; this is my payment."

"Have you seen a skinny nerdy guy around here? His name is Tevin."

Rock stands motionless as he hesitates to answer. Hal didn't see me transform. The drug dealer over there probably did, but who would believe him? Hal allows drug deals here for money, so he would never keep a surveillance camera for the cops to see.

"No, I haven't; he must have run out of the store during the robbery."

"I see."

"Hey, Hal, let me get that pint of Whiskey; make that a fifth since I did save your life. Give me the four slices of pizza as well."

"You and Tevin ordered the same thing."

"Never mind."

Rock quickly exits the store. Did I blow my cover? You know what? I don't care. I'm Rock everybody should know my name.

Rock struts down the dark, wet streets, feeling the cold rain against his skin, but his ego will not let him shiver. He hops over a big puddle on the granite sidewalk to keep his outfit clean and smiles, looking at a reflection of himself through the window of one of the massive skyscrapers on the block.

The handsome hero turns down Hatton Lane, the dance club district, and hears club patrons dancing and smoking cigarettes outside Club Trizzys. There are crowds of people holding umbrellas while standing in line around the gold, three-story, tinted-window building.

Rock passes by the people, immediately turning heads as herds of people stare at him as if he were a supermodel.

"Dang, you are handsome," a drunk lady says.

Rock shows the woman his clean white teeth as he gives her a picture-perfect grin. "I know I am."

The men and women in the crowd take pictures of him.

"That's Rock, the MMA fighter," a man says.

"You're gorgeous, be my boyfriend," a woman says.

"That's right, keep dreaming." Rock pumps his muscles for the crowd.

Poof! Rock's body weakens as blue smoke appears around it, making a loud banging sound, and he transforms back into Tevin.

As the blue vapor clears, the audience sees Tevin wearing a black leather jacket and jeans.

"Ugh. Who is that? He's ugly," a woman voices.

"What happened to Rock?" another guy asks.

Tevin observes the veins in his skinny hands and how gray and dirty his uncut fingernails are. His jaw drops from all the spectators looking at him.

"Where is the handsome guy?" a club-goer asks.

"I'm sorry, guys," Tevin mutters.

He runs down the street. I can't remain Rock for that long without the help of Sparkle. I must figure out how I transformed like that. I may have a better chance against the fairies.

Tevin takes his cell phone out of his pocket and puts the directions to Chief Bailey's place in his GPS. He jogs down Kamari Street, near Winstonville Condo Village and trips over a pothole, and stumbles into an orange construction barrel, falling over it.

Tevin encounters a possum as it flees into some bushes outside the condominium neighborhood. "Aargh!"

He gets back up, brushing the sticks and loose grass off his now muddy knees, and enters the complex.

"In four hundred feet, turn left onto Ryan Street," the GPS says.

A short while later, he reaches the Chief's three-floor olive green condo and knocks on the door.

Tevin feels butterflies in his stomach and tries to swallow the lump in his throat.

A bald man with gray stubble in his beard answers the door. "May I help you, sir?"

"Hello, my name is Tevin Jenkins, and I am from Fairyville. I need your help to sneak back into the town."

"Pastor Johnson told me that you were coming. Come in, and I will help you."