by JL Bryan
Chapter Sixteen
Saturday, Jason woke up worrying over the goblin’s warning. It had been hard to take Grizlemor seriously when Jason had just caught him burglarizing his house again. He’d brushed off Grizlemor’s warnings as the goblin’s attempt to act like he was doing Jason a favor by robbing him.
Now Jason wondered if there might be some truth in what the goblin said. He looked from his guitar case to the heap of napkins with phone numbers on his table. There had to be some kind of price to pay for this, Jason thought. Magic instruments that could draw such a crowd, and turn many more people into fans after hearing just one song—and only half of the song, really, presented in a shaky, poor quality video made on a phone—magic like that couldn’t be just free for the taking.
Jason didn’t know if he believed Grizlemor’s talk about the Fairy Queen, but the fairy musicians themselves would certainly want such amazing instruments back, and could very possibly harbor some fairy fury for the person who stole them.
He remembered the “Queensguard” fairies in their black armor and long swords. Even if they were small, they looked tough and vicious. Jason could probably fight off one or two, but he wouldn’t want to get into a fight with a pack of them.
Then his cell phone rang. Mitch.
“All systems go,” Mitch said.
“Huh?”
“It’s happening tonight,” Mitch said. “Tadd’s coming over to shoot the video tonight. Call up all those new fans and let them know.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I just got off the phone with Tadd.”
“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” Jason said. “We don’t even know how this magic stuff works.”
“But we know it works. Don’t back out now. Erin’s excited about it, too.”
Jason rubbed his head. He didn’t want to disappoint her.
He opened his case and looked at the enchanted guitar, the strange runes everywhere on the dark, polished wood, the glimmering golden tuning pegs. He brushed his fingertips along the deep engravings on the soundboard, gazing at the sparkling little amethysts that dotted it here and there. The guitar was warm to the touch, like a living thing. It seemed to call to him. He could barely resist the temptation to pick it up and start playing.
His mom knocked on the door. “Jason, the lawn isn’t going to mow itself.”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Jason told her.
“Not yet, my mom’s still here,” Mitch said on the phone.
“I wasn’t talking to you, Mitch.”
“Mick. Just get us an audience and get yourself here tonight. I’m taking care of everything else.” Mitch hung up.
Jason hesitated, then picked up the first napkin and dialed the number.
“Hello?” a girl’s voice asked.
“Hi, um…” He checked the name. “Wendy? This is Jason Becker. You gave me your number last night at Buddy McSlawburger’s—”
A painfully high-pitched squeal pierced his eardrum, and Jason pulled the phone away from his head. His ear was ringing.
“Are you okay?” Jason asked when he put the phone back to his ear.
“Ooh, yah,” she said. “Everything's great. You?”
“I was just letting you know we're playing a show tonight, if you want to come—”
She let out another excited squeal, and Jason pulled the phone away faster this time.
“Oh, this is awesome!” she was saying. “I can't wait! Where?”
Jason gave her Mitch's address.
“This is so perfect! I can't wait to tell everybody on Facebook!”
“It's not going to be huge or anything—”
“It'll be so huge!” she shouted. “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
“Okay,” Jason said. “So, you're coming?”
“I have to go tell everyone!”
“You don't have to tell everyone—” Jason said, but she'd already hung up.
He got a similar response from the second number, and the third.
Late in the afternoon, Jason stuffed his McSlawburger's uniform into his backpack, and told his dad he was going to work. His dad was sitting in his recliner in the living room.
“I thought you were off tonight,” his dad said, looking away from the Golf Channel.
“Yeah, they changed my schedule.”
“A little bit of short notice, isn't it?”
“Mona hates me. That's the assistant manager. I guess somebody must have called in sick, or quit.” Jason shrugged.
“You know you're still grounded,” his dad said. “You'd better not be sneaking off with your friends.”
“I'm not.”
“Stay out of trouble.” His dad turned his attention back to the golf game.
Jason stopped by the garage, where he'd stashed his guitar so his parents wouldn't see him leaving with it, then rode his bike across town to Buddy McSlawburger's. He changed into his uniform and stood at the drive-through, letting a sophomore named Lizzy Mueller take a long break. Jason wasn't scheduled tonight, but Lizzy had been more than happy to let Jason work part of her shift for her.
Jason took and filled the drive-through orders until a familiar voice came over the headset: “One cheeseburger, hold the slaw, one Slawchicken Combo, hold the slaw, and an extra-large fry, hold the chili-cheese. One Kiddo McSlawburger Meal...hold the slaw.”
“Pull around to the window,” Jason said with a grin.
His dad pulled up, and looked both surprised and pleased to see Jason actually at work.
“Hiya, Dad,” Jason said. “I thought you hated the burgers here.”
“Only when they glop all that disgusting slaw on them,” his dad replied. “How's work tonight?”
“Pretty busy.” Jason handed over the greasy paper bag of food. “Don't forget to stop for heartburn medicine.”
His dad laughed. “How late are you working?”
“Till closing.”
A car horn beeped somewhere in the drive-through line.
“Okay, Jayce. Have a good night.”
Jason waved as his dad pulled away.
As soon as there was a break in the drive-through customers, Jason found Lizzy reading a bright tabloid at one table in the dining room. CLAUDIA LAFAYETTE: Who is She REALLY Dating Now? asked the headline.
“Your turn,” he said.
“Aw, you sure you don't want to work all night?” Lizzy asked.
“I'd love to, but I'm busy.” Jason took off his tall, floppy hat and rubbed his sweaty scalp underneath. “Thanks, Lizzy!”
“You can work for me anytime, eh?” Lizzy said with a smile. She walked behind the counter, and Jason went to the bathroom. He changed back into his jeans and black T-shirt, shoved his uniform in his backpack, then went outside and unchained his bike from the rack.
He hurried to Mitch's neighborhood.