by C. J. Pinard
***
Jake showed up for his son Friday afternoon. It had been almost a year since I’d seen him and he looked very different. Not only was he wearing clean clothes, but his dark red hair was neatly trimmed, his beard was gone, and he looked… sober.
“Hey, Ben,” he said, throwing his arms around him. “I’m so happy to see you!”
“Dad!” cried Ben. “I missed you so much.”
Jake looked at me and smiled. “Hi, Trent.”
I nodded towards the Mercedes. “Nice ride.”
“Thanks,” he said, opening the door for Ben.
“Doing pretty good these days?”
He closed the door and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.”
“You hear about those missing kids?” I asked.
“Unfortunately.”
Ben rolled down his window. “Goodbye, Trent!”
“See you soon, buddy! Have a great birthday with your dad!”
“Thanks,” he said and then rolled up the window.
“Take care of him,” I said.
“Of course. He’s my son,” said Jake.
We stared at each other for a minute and then he got into the car. I watched as he pulled away and then made my move.
***
“Hi, Shannon,” I said, staring at her through the screen door.
“You’re very persistent,” she said with a bitter smile. “You just won’t give up.”
I grabbed the screen door handle and was relieved to find it unlocked. “No, not when it comes to Ben.”
She stared at me in horror as I swung the door open and grabbed her wrist. “What are you doing?”
“Sorry, but I need you,” I said, pulling her outside onto the porch.
She tried pulling her arm away. “Stop, this, please, Trent!”
“It’s the only way I can think of saving him. I’m sorry,” I said.
“Trent, would you…just…stop!”
I released my grip on her and rubbed my forehead. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? It’s Ben’s birthday. His tenth. Your dad’s going to take him if I don’t do something to stop him.”
She rubbed her wrist. “How is kidnapping me going to help?”
“Negotiation. Ben in return for you.”
“Seriously? That’s all you’ve got?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
She groaned. “You still don’t get it.”
“What’s there to get? He’s a lunatic and wants my brother.”
“Look, all he has to do is snap his fingers and I’m back home and in my room. You can’t stop him.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You’re his daughter, don’t you have any powers? Can’t you help me stop him?”
“No, he’s much too powerful.”
I grabbed her wrist, again. “Sorry, Shannon, but I don’t have time for arguing. We’re leaving.”
“Trent…”
“Listen, What if I buy you a cheeseburger along the way? Would you at least consider helping me?”
She sucked in her breath. “From McDonald’s?”
I smiled. “Yes. I’ll even get you a bigger one this time.”
“Why didn’t you just say so?” she said, this time pulling me down the steps.
“Are you going to be okay in the sun?” I asked, looking up in the sky.
“Yes. I’m not a vampire, goofball.”
As far as I was concerned, stopping a vampire would be easier.
Chapter Eight
“This is so good,” she groaned, as we sat outside of Jake’s gated mansion in the darkness. “It’s even better than the last one.”
“It’s a quarter-pounder,” I said, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel.
“Well, thank you for getting it.”
“Does he have a set time when he takes the kids?” I asked, getting more frustrated by the minute. What if he’d already taken Ben?
“Usually at the exact time they were born. But…then again, it’s not always the case. It’s a matter of convenience.”
“So, we have no idea.” The truth was, I didn’t even know what time Ben had been born.
“Don’t worry – I’ll feel his presence when he arrives.”
“Good.”
“Look, I know you don’t understand this, but he only takes children that are given to him.”
“I still don’t understand that,” I said, raising my voice. “Nobody gave Ben to your father.”
She motioned towards the house. “Really?”
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. “No, Jake wouldn’t give away his son.”
At least I didn’t want to believe it.
“He’s obviously wealthy. Was he always this rich?” she asked, taking another bite of the burger.
“No. He was a drunken loser who used to beat his wife,” I mumbled.
She nodded. “Well, it’s obvious, then. He made a deal with my dad.”
“A deal?”
“Riches for his first-born child.”
“What – is your dad, like, the Devil or something?”
“No, he’s a Leprechaun.”
“I thought they were supposed to be happy little guys who brought luck?”
“Just be lucky he didn’t kill you the other day.”
***
Dreams of four-leaf clovers, rainbows, and evil Leprechauns invaded my sleep. Just when I was about to lose the pot of gold, someone was shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes and stared into Shannon’s pools of green.
“He’s here,” she whispered.
We quickly got out of the car, walked up to the gate, and stopped.
“If he really gave Ben to your dad, he’s not going to just let us in.”
She sighed. “Give me your hand.”
I did and watched as she closed her eyes.
“Close your eyes,” she said. “Or you’re going to be very dizzy.”
“Okay.”
The next thing I knew, we were inside the large Colonial mansion, in one of the hallways.
“How did you do that?”
She dropped my hand and smoothed down her white and green skirt. “My dad isn’t the only Leprechaun in the family.”
“A Leprechaun?” My eyes traveled down her long legs. “You certainly don’t look like one.”
She shrugged. “My mother was a Tree Nymph.”
“Oh, well obviously.”
“Where’s your brother’s room?” she asked.
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
She closed her eyes and then opened them. “We have to hurry. They’re in the den.”
“Where’s that?” I asked.
She grabbed my hand and told me to close my eyes again.
“What is the meaning of this?” growled the familiar angry voice of O’Darby.
Knowing how powerful he was, I didn’t waste any time. I pulled Shannon in closer to me. “I have your daughter, so don’t you dare touch Ben.”
“Trent!”
I turned towards my brother’s voice and found him cowering behind Jake in the corner of the room.
“Trent, what are you doing here?” asked Jake.
“I’m here to stop you from giving away my little brother, asshole!”
His lips thinned. “No, I’m not letting him take Ben. I’ve already refused.”
O’Darby stepped closer to Jake and pointed his finger at him. “We made a deal. It was non-negotiable.”
Tears filled Jake’s eyes. “I was wrong, he’s my son. You can’t take him away from me!”
O’Darby spread out his hands and grinned. “You gave him up, for all of this. Isn’t this everything you’ve ever wanted?”
“It was, but not anymore. I’m not that same man.”
“Well, that’s too bad for you. You see, once you’ve made a deal, there’s no going back.”
I took a step towards O’Darby. “I won’t let you take him!”
His eyes flew back to me. “You can’t sto
p me, boy!”
“I’ll trade you, Shannon for Ben,” I said, pushing her behind me.
He stared at me for a minute and then threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, that’s priceless. You’re trying to make a deal with me?”
I nodded. “Yes, leave my brother alone and you can take Shannon back.”
He clutched his stomach and started laughing harder.
“Get out of my house!” growled Jake, who was apparently finding his backbone. “Leave us!”
O’Darby wiped the tears from his eyes. “It’s time to leave. Come here, Ben.”
“No!” he cried. “Please don’t let him take me, daddy!”
“I have another appointment in fifteen minutes,” said O’Darby, looking at his watch. “I don’t have time for this. I’m just going to have to add him to the pot right now, forget about playtime.”
“Pot?” gasped Ben.
“Playtime?” I asked.
“I usually let Shannon play with the children, then rock them to sleep before the transformation. No time tonight.” Then, there was a flash of light and the large pot from Shannon’s bedroom appeared next to O’Darby.
“Did you like my treasures?” he asked, staring directly at me. He dipped his hand into the pot and brought out a handful of coins. “They’re lovely, aren’t they?”
As I stared at the coins, images of young faces began to appear. Frightened faces.
“No!” I gasped, realizing what he’d done with the children.
O’Darby stared at the coins in delight. “Treasures, all of them. I think so, at least. So does Shannon, obviously. She takes care of them even after they’ve transformed.”
“How could you do this?” I asked. “You have a daughter of your own! How could you?”
His eyes regarded me curiously. “You look at me like I’m some kind of monster,” he said. “But their parents, they’re the ones who’ve traded them. They gave them up for riches, fame, and fortune.”
“What they did,” I said, staring at him in horror, “was give up the most precious gifts they’d already owned for things that are worth nothing in comparison.”
O’Darby smiled. “Very good, boy. Very good.”
“And you carry them around in a pot,” I said, glaring at him. “Like that is any better.”
He frowned. “They are my treasures now. I keep them safe.”
“Are you kidding me? They’re prisoners! Look at their faces! They’re miserable!”
He stared at the coins for a few seconds and then shrugged. “It’s the way it is. Always has been that way through the generations. At least we still value them more than their parents.”
“If you value them, then set them free!”
He licked his lips and nodded. “I feel your passion for the children, young man, really I do, but…”
“Do you think you’re any better? They are suffering!” I said, staring at the coins. “Look, they’re crying!”
Sure enough, the faces on the coins were covered in tears and if you listened hard enough, you could hear them sob.
“Wait,” said Shannon, stepping around me. “There is another way.”
His eyebrows shot up. “What say you, daughter?”
“Father, a riddle. Let’s ask him a riddle and if he gets it right, release all of them. Remember the old days?”
O’Darby’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I do love a riddle, yes I do. That’s a splendid idea, my darling.”
“If I answer your riddle,” I said. “You’ll leave them all go?”
“Well…” mumbled the Leprechaun, rubbing his chin. “I’d hate to lose them but then again, I doubt you’ll ever answer my riddle correctly.”
“But if I do, will you let them all go?”
He waved his hand. “Yes, very well.”
I inhaled. “Okay, lay it on me.”
“Wait!” yelled Jake, who’d been listening in stunned silence. “Can I help solve the riddle?”
“No,” said O’Darby. “Only the young man. His heart is pure, unlike yours.”
“But…” argued Jake.
“Why don’t you do the honors,” interrupted O’Darby, turning towards Shannon. “Since it was your idea.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“Yes. But don’t you dare give him an easy one, or I will take back my offer.”
“Okay, father.” She turned to me. “Trent, think hard – a mile from end to end, yet as close to you as a friend. A precious commodity, freely given. Seen on the dead and on the living. Found on the rich, poor, short and tall, but shared among children most of all. What am I?”
I closed my eyes and thought about the words. If I got this wrong, it would be the end of Ben.
“Trent?” asked Ben.
I let out a ragged breath and opened my eyes. “Something these coins haven’t felt for a long time. A smile.”
O’Darby stared at me and then smiled. “Very good, unfortunately, that one was a little too easy, I see.”
“But, father!” protested Shannon.
He raised his hand. “Just wait, Shannon.”
“But!”
“Silence!” He then turned to me. “I need one more thing from you, boy. You see, if I release these children, they’ll need homes and I’ll need to know that you’ll find loving ones. Give me a good reason why I should trust you with my treasure?”
I thought back to what Shannon had said to me the other day. It was beautiful and summed up the love that a parent should have for their children. “Because I believe that every child should be kept closest to the heart, and I would never squander what is innocent to gratify that which is wicked.”
His face darkened and he looked at Shannon. “You shared this with him?”
She didn’t say anything.
“You know in your heart,” I said, “If you really have one, that I hold these words just as true as you, Leprechaun.”
He stared at me for a few seconds and then threw his head back and laughed. “Oh,” he said, shaking his finger at me. “You know, I like you, boy. You are quite amusing.”
“Are you going to let them go?” I asked. “You promised!”
He sighed and nodded. “Yes, indeed. Sometimes a pot needs to be emptied.”
“Thank God,” I said, falling to my knees as Ben rushed over to me. I pulled my brother into my arms and held him tight to my chest.
“But,” said O’Darby, grinning darkly, “mark my words, the pot won’t stay empty. There are many people in this world, too willing to refill it.”
***
O’Darby was true to his word and the children were released from the pot. Some of them had been imprisoned for centuries, some for only a week or two. Most, mercifully, couldn’t remember anything, including their parents, who’d given them up.
Fortunately, Shannon volunteered to help care for the children, in an old family castle in Ireland, while we searched for loving homes. Again, without her magic, there is no way we could have succeeded without going to the police and sending some of them back to the people who’d given them up like a pair of shoes.
It took us four years to find homes for three hundred-and-twenty-two children. During that time, Shannon and I fell in love and eventually married. During the ceremony, her father, who I still despised and kept a close eye on, offered us a castle of our own, to live out the rest of our days.
I refused.
“You’ll do,” he said, nodding in approval. “You’ll do.”
***
The End
For more stories by Kristen Middleton, please visit her website www.kristenmiddleton.com
Excerpt from Zombie Games (Origins) by Kristen Middleton
Zombie Games
(Origins)
Chapter One
“Cassie, take out the garbage.”
“Why can’t Allie do it?” I asked, closing the refrigerator door, pickle jar in hand.
“Because it’s your job,” replied my mother, who was sitting at the kitchen co
unter, leafing through the mail.
I pulled out the largest dill I could find and crunched down. “Mom,” I said between chews, “come on, she needs more chores. She’s twelve.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
“Sorry.”
She peered at me over her glasses. “Tell you what…you can do the dishes and I’ll have her take out the garbage.”
“Fine, I’ll take out the garbage.”
“I thought so,” she answered with a wry smile.
I rolled my eyes and swallowed the last of the juicy pickle. Before I could reach for another, she pointed to the trash can. “The pickles will still be here when you return.”
“I still can’t believe you’re making me do this in the middle of the night,” I pouted, glancing out the window into the darkness.
“That’s funny, coming from a seventeen-year-old who keeps begging me to extend her curfew.”
“Yes, but not to go wandering alone in the dark.”
Her eyes softened. “Honey, there’s nothing to be afraid of. We live on a quiet cul-de-sac in the suburbs.”
Even though my mother was trying to comfort me, I just couldn’t shake the feeling of dread or quiet the niggling voice inside, whispering of something wicked lurking in the darkness. But then again, it could just be the fact that I’d been watching a horror flick earlier and it’d totally freaked me out. “Ok, well, if I’m not back in two minutes, send dad out.”
“Right,” she snorted. “Little Ms. Black Belt.”
I couldn’t help but grin. Last week I’d received my Black Belt after four years of intense discipline and training. It took a lot of patience and commitment, but earning the Belt was worth it.
As I stepped outside, a warm breeze lifted my brown hair, blowing it across my face. I glanced up at the sky and shrugged off my anxiety; it really was a peaceful evening. The stars glimmered brightly and the moon was full.
