Jasper: Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight (Jasper - Purple Flamingos Fly at Midnight Book 1)

by Refner, Daniel

  “Good boy, Thunder.” Jasper gave him a pat on his brow. “Thunder, this is my brother Calvin, and Calvin, my horse Thunder.” Jasper spoke like a proud parent.

  Calvin allowed himself another jovial smile, but seconds later he recovered his thoughts. “I’m so sorry; my very presence in the physical realm is putting you in danger. Demons have the ability to track ghosts even though they cannot harm us. Ghosts, simply put, are spirits that have yet to cross into the light and face the creator. There is no judgment on those resting between the realms. I have put you at risk to tell you some very important information. Listen carefully to me. Use the key in the place below the manor. It will slide you away from here to a safe place. Keep the key with you. Know this: Gezon needs the key to operate the hourglass. Don’t let him have it until after you have rescued our parents; if you do, Mom and Dad will surely be killed by Gezon, just as casually as he killed me.” Calvin allowed that sentence to sink in for a moment. Then, after shaking the thought or memory from his head, he continued. “Mom and Dad are somewhere beneath the earth. You must find them before Gezon.”

  Jasper started to make a statement, but their time had just run out. “How can you not know where they are? You’re a…”

  “They’re here.” Calvin turned and faced the direction of the movie theater. “I will confuse them and hold them off as long as I can, but at most it will only give you a small head start.” Calvin looked over his shoulder to Jasper and Stacy, who were at that moment mounting Thunder for their quick getaway. “I won’t cross over into the light until you have saved our parents. I’ll be watching, and when this is over I will come to you again. Find your faith, Jasper, and keep it close. RIDE NOW!”

  chAPTER eleven

  Calvin stood his ground next to his very own headstone. The darkness, like a noose, surrounded him in the fog. It was pressing in, and the air seemed to move with it. Evil, in its most malevolent and malicious form, was about to make an appearance. What a vile taste sulfur leaves, and a foul odor. My nose may never be the same after this encounter. This will, no doubt, be revolting, Calvin thought to himself. He suddenly found himself suppressing a grin that bubbled up from the inside. He realized for the first time that he sounded in speech just like Lance. I must haunt him way too much. Calvin giggled. It seemed to Calvin that all the lights were dimming, one by one. He knew what it actually was: as a ghost, he would on occasion draw upon energy from electrical equipment to produce a desired effect and freak Lance out. He loved to haunt his old mansion and Lance enjoyed having him around, though Lance would never admit that aloud. Calvin squared his shoulders, trying to look as “alive” as possible. He needed to give Jasper, Stacy, and Thunder a big head start. Calvin attempted to act scared; he had to fool them. He needed to put on a real Academy Award-winning performance. Two cloaked figures stepped out of the fog behind him. Two other figures dressed in black suits flanked him on either side.

  The tall one in the black suit spoke first. “Hmmm, give us the key, Jasper.” He held his hand out and waited.

  The short one in the black suit spoke. “What Ned is attempting to articulate is very simple. Give me the key, or Ned will kill your precious Stacy.”

  Calvin spoke directly to Lester. He was going to address his statement in the best impersonation of his twin brother that he could muster. “Tell me the answer to this question: Why does the furniture moving company always arrive with two men in a truck, one short and one tall, and why is the short guy always in charge?”

  “Something is very wrong here, Ned. I know not what.” Lester dropped his hand to his side. He cocked his head and took a long sideways glance at Calvin.

  Calvin swung his foot on top of his headstone and tapped his foot in the same manner as he had done moments ago when he first met Jasper and Stacy; he knew he had just a mere seconds more before evil figured out what was going on. “Lester, do you suffer from ‘Short-man Psychosis?’ You seem a little bossy and your suit is slightly undersized, I mean petite. No, that isn’t the word I was looking for…miniature!” Calvin shouted.

  “You are not Jasper,” Lester stated.

  “He looks just like Jasper, of course he is. Who else can he be?” Ned was easily confused by his boss’s assertion.

  “Look down at the headstone, Ned. Read that name aloud,” Lester said with a voice of nauseated disgust.

  “Calvin Indiana…” Ned spoke slowly as he read the rest of the stone to himself.

  “Wait for it…” Calvin said as he rolled his eyes.

  “Oh! The twin brother…you are a ghost. Our master Gezon killed you.” Ned shook his head. “Lester, he is no longer human.”

  Lester took a very deep breath and exhaled slowly. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He spoke to Ned as if Calvin were invisible. “I have a loathing for ghosts.”

  “Wow, shocker!" Calvin said as he crossed his arms in front of his body. “You’re evil and you hate everyone. Oh, and Ned…” Calvin raised his hand to his forehead and extended his index finger and thumb in the form of the letter “L”. “Here’s your sign.”

  “You have succeeded only in delaying the inevitable. Jasper will soon be dead and the key will belong to Gezon.” Lester’s words were icy.

  “Well, I guess the small talk is over,” Calvin said as he turned his head and winked at them both. He leaned toward Ned and whispered, “Diminutive little fellow, isn’t he?” Calvin then vanished.

  Lester bent down to look at the ground. “Fresh hoof marks in the grass. They are headed toward the city mill. Where did they get a horse? Never the matter, listen up! No one kills Jasper until I have the key in my hand. Move out.” The two cloaked figures misted away toward the mill at a lightning-fast trajectory as Lester and Ned slowly faded into the fog.

  Jasper, Stacy, and Thunder had already crossed the Patoka Bridge. The Jasper City Mill was locked up. They had meant to hide inside, hoping the noise from the turning of the large wooden water wheel and small waterfall across the river would mask their location. But Jasper knew they would make more noise breaking into the mill, and the advantage of hiding inside would be a lost cause. They raced away toward the north and found themselves smack in the middle of the Jasper Train Depot. It was picturesque. Stacy thought for a second that it was maybe a little too beautiful. Located next door to the dull gray walls of the Jasper Cabinet Factory, the city lights splashed the color contrast in every direction. The bright yellow station glowed in luminous splendor. The half-redbrick-based portion of the station matched perfectly to the brick courtyard and its collection of six oversized potted plants and the station’s clock tower, both of which led to the forest green lounge car named “Spirit of Jasper.” This car rested on tracks that once upon a time would have taken the passengers on an excursion to the French Lick Casino and the magnificent West Baden Springs Resort. Once called the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” it housed a six-story domed atrium. Splendor was an understatement back in those days. According to Stacy’s research, this was a luxury destination for the rich and famous.

  “Jasper, we can’t hide here, either. All of this, the mill, the train station, it’s all a replica from the city’s past. None of this will hold them off, it is so beautiful, we fight here they will destroy it. We have to get back to the mansion and go below for safety. That’s what Calvin said to do.”

  “I don’t know where we are…I’ve never been here. Can you get your smartphone out?”

  “NO. I don’t have three arms, Jasper. I need to hold on. I’m not going to let go of your waist. Just pick a direction and go!”

  Jasper knew they had to cross back over the river but from a different direction.

  “Jasper…the lights are dimming. Go, go, and go! OMG, you are slower than the second coming.” Stacy buried her head in the middle of Jasper’s back and closed her eyes. Her grip around his waist tightened with every inch of fear that overtook her. Jasper raced away toward the north once again.

  Soon they stopped in the city’s downtown squar
e. It boasted the renaissance courthouse, city hall, and the old Astra Movie Theater. Plus there were remarkable storefronts that all stood in respect to the city’s Civil War Monument. Stacy knew from her research that some of President Lincoln’s letters had actually been found inside this monument. As much as she would have loved to take the time to study all the craftsmanship that encircled them, it was the end of the line. Evil had caught up to them. All the city lights dimmed. Mist began to rise up from the ground, surrounding them on all sides. Jasper moved Thunder to the left and then the right. Thunder was nervous and began to prance in place. There was no direction to go. Fog poured out from every light in the square. Suddenly, each and every light exploded in a violent shower of sparks that rained down to the ground and then went out. Pitch black.

  All Stacy could hear was her own breathing. Then she felt it. An arm crossed over her back and a strong hand clutched down upon her.

  “MALOOF!” shouted Jasper.

  There was a rush of air all around them, and Stacy could hear the flapping of Thunder’s wings. She smiled and offered up a silent prayer of thanksgiving for their deliverance.

  “Jasper, you’re my hero!”

  “Now there, Miss Stacy, I reckon all will be well and as the crow flies, or the horse, we will be back at the mansion, well…now.” With that Jasper landed Thunder in the form of a Pegasus right at the front door. They hopped off together. “Maloof,” Jasper said and Thunder turned again, but this time he was his happy doggie self. The three of them raced inside and closed the door behind them as fast as possible.

  Lance rushed over to them. “We have no supernatural defenses in place. The wards are not due to be installed until the end of this year, and your company has followed you home. You need to know they are not all human. Quickly, we must head for the top of the manor, faster! They’re at the door. Here they come.”

  “NO, wait, Calvin said to be safe we must go below,” Stacy said in earnest.

  “Yes, Master Calvin is correct, but to get below we must first go up,” Lance insisted.

  “That makes no sense whatsoever,” Jasper commented. “But why should this day be any different from the others?”

  Something very large crashed against the front door, causing the doorframe to move inward an entire inch. A second crash came; Thunder began barking at the door continuously, pausing only long enough to let out a growl. Stacy rushed to the window to see what they were using to crash through the door in order to estimate the amount of time it might take their assailants to invade. She threw open the curtain. Lester’s body filled the window, and he made direct eye contact with Stacy. Stacy looked directly into his jet black eyes letting out a bloodcurdling scream. She slammed the curtains shut.

  “I told you it all came down to bunny rabbits and machine guns behind those eyes.” Jasper grabbed Stacy by the wrist and nearly pulled her off her feet as they ran after Lance, who was already at the top of the staircase. When they were halfway up, Lance turned and sprinted down to the end of the center passageway; he stood in front of the enormous floor-to-ceiling mirror. Then, with the palm of his right hand, he pushed downward on the right-side bottom corner. The mirror sprung open to reveal a door and inside was a large shaft that resembled the shape of an elevator with a single cylinder. The cast-iron cylinder was almost as wide as the mirror and just as tall. The interior lights snapped on, revealing four jump seats with seat belts, these were attached to the back of the cylinder, spaced an equal distance apart. The seats were obviously installed in order to bring comfort to those riding inside for what was sure to be a long journey to the bottom. Lance looked over his shoulder, making sure the kids were following him. A loud explosion shook the whole manor. The entire front face of the mansion must have fallen. The enemy would be upon them in moments. Jasper, Stacy, and Thunder finally reached Lance at the end of the passageway. Lance pushed them inside and began to shut the mirror door.

  “Jasper, this compartment will deliver you to a destination far beneath the manor. Use your key to gain entry to the chamber. Lock the chamber door behind you; it will provide you ample time to make your departure from within. Do not let them possess the key.”

  Jasper and Stacy spoke not a word but only signaled their understanding with a quick nod of their heads. They both had stunned expressions crossing their faces, as if to say: “You’re not coming with us.”

  Lance paused for a short second, understanding the kids were indeed experiencing a level of shock. He changed the tenor of his voice to a more nurturing and loving quality. “Now there, keep a stiff upper lip and put on your seat belts before pushing the emergency button. Good luck, Master Indiana, and GOD SAVE THE KING!” Lance forcefully sealed the mirror door shut and allowed a short, witty smile to cross his face. His entire career he had hoped for an event to transpire that would allow for such a statement to be uttered.

  Stacy took to her seat first and fastened herself in while Jasper scooped up Thunder into his arms and did the same. The compartment began to spiral slowly as it silently descended. Another mystery of the manor had come alive to take them away from danger.

  Lance rushed back down the passageway and was about halfway when evil greeted him. Jasper and Stacy watched as two hooded figures appeared in mist before Lance and tossed his body into the air as if it were a pillow. Lance hit the ceiling and fell quickly back to the floor, landing on his back as Lester and Ned appeared.

  Ned placed the heel of his boot across Lance’s neck. Lester crouched down and began to speak to him. Ned applied even more force, causing Lance’s eyes to bulge from their sockets as his lungs screamed for the air they were being denied.

  Lester motioned to Ned to stop as Lance spoke, “You shall not pass, douche-bag.” Rage overtook Lester. He reached down with both hands and pulled Lance off the floor while shaking and choking his body.

  Stacy screamed from inside the cylinder. Jasper reached over with his hand and placed it over her mouth to prevent her from screaming again at the sight of the torturers’ violence. Lester dropped Lance’s body to the floor and paused. He lifted his head slowly as if hearing something in the distance. He looked directly at the mirror with a wicked sneer. He pitched forward and charged directly for the mirror, but they could not see what happened next as the cylinder turned out of view. They heard glass breaking above them as it rained down, crashing onto the roof of the compartment.

  “Lester heard me scream. He has broken through the mirror door. He will be on top of the compartment in seconds. Jasper, what do we do?”

  “Reach over and press that emergency button…NOW!”

  Stacy looked over her left shoulder. There in the middle of the wall, just above her head, was a red button with the following statement inscribed upon it: “ER-DROP.” Stacy smacked the button with great enthusiasm, and poof! Immediate high-speed facelifts ensued. The cylinder plunged rapidly. It plummeted for 20 seconds, then 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50…After what seemed to be a two-minute free fall, the braking system engaged. The endless drop ceased, and rushing air gushed at them from all sides as the door opened. The lights from the interior of the cylinder lit up what looked like a cave wall. In the center of the wall was an iron hatch with a framed indent. Jasper and Stacy stared straight at it. Jasper placed Thunder down upon the floor. Thunder sniffed his way out of the cylinder, crossing out onto the dirt floor of the small, cave-like opening. Unsnapping their seat belts, Jasper and Stacy followed him.

  “Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where the key goes,” Jasper said to Stacy as they continued to approach the hatch.

  “If you say ‘So easy a caveman can do it,’ I’m going to knock you down on your butt so hard you won’t even be able to say ‘Possum.’” Stacy said as she threw Jasper a cautionary glance.

  “What a day we’re having, Stacy…I hope Lance is okay. What adventure will we find on the other side of this hatch, I wonder?” Jasper didn’t give her a chance to reply. Instead, he took his finger to his front pants po
cket and pulled back on the denim. “Key…I need you.” The key rose from Jasper’s pocket with a shining radiance and floated toward Jasper’s now outstretched hand. It landed gently in the center of his palm. Jasper already knew where to place it. The indented shape in the frame was unmistakable. Whoever crafted the hatch door had done so around the shape of the key as an unlocking mechanism. It might as well have had a flashing neon sign that read “Place key here.” Jasper did just that. The luminosity of the key spread like a wave upon the hatch; it was like a pane of glass spider cracking before it burst into a million tiny pieces. The hatch moved inward, opening just enough for one person at a time to climb through. The room beyond blushed with light from the key and began to hum.

  “Everyone in, we need to lock this hatch behind us pronto. Thunder…in here, boy, come on.”

  Thunder bounded through the hatch and Stacy followed. Jasper vaulted through, grabbing the key from the frame indent as he crossed. He tossed the key into the air so that it could hover above and provide light in the room for Stacy and Thunder while he locked the hatch from the inside. “WE’RE SAFE!” Jasper shouted.

  “No one has been in here for a very long time, and unless there is a second key, which I highly doubt, it has been at least 16 years. Don’t move too far in any one direction; you’ll be covered in cobwebs and dust. Just look at the size of that old IBM processer and terminal unit. Do you see a light switch, fuse breaker box, or anything that might turn all this equipment on?” Stacy moved about five feet forward, to the end of the radius of light the hovering key was able to produce.

  “Hold up a moment, Stacy. We need to move as a group. Stay in the light, I don’t want any surprises, and who knows how big this room is.” Jasper looked up at the hovering key and then smiled. “I have an idea about the power source,” Jasper said as he looked back at the key to address it. “Key, if you can provide power to this room, then please do so now.” The hovering key suddenly zipped through the air over their heads and depressed itself into another doorway arch about 100 feet away from where they stood. The computers beeped into life and the monitors flashed on. The room shook and filled with an orange glow coming from that door. One very large set of eyeballs blinked open in the center of that door. They were each the size of a football.