Masquerade in Chaos: Kable VonSable

by M J Hutto

  She frowned and rubbed the spot between her eyebrows. She shook her head and stopped pacing to perch on the stool beside me. Odd that she could sit on an object without falling through but my hand went through her. At some point maybe we could talk about ghostly physics or the lack thereof.

  “Kable, they definitely meant you. But it was more impressions than words. I saw a picture of you being tortured and then saw you dead. I felt an overwhelming need to warn you. I never saw who was responsible or where it was happening. I KNOW I was supposed to warn you and they want you to live. I have NO idea who they are or why. It could be something seemingly small or something mind blowing. It doesn’t matter to me. I have an opportunity to try to save my friend and I’d like to do that.”

  My stomach reminded me I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so I made some pasta, heated some store-bought sauce and warmed up a chicken breast from dinner a few days ago. Add some cheese and you had quick and dirty chicken parm. I pulled a diet soda from the refrigerator and popped the tab before drinking deeply. Learning you were going to die soon was thirsty work. Too bad I rarely drank alcohol, it seemed like an appropriate time for some. I wondered if there was a timeline, at least, for this untimely demise.

  “Hey, Jay, did they at least give you a timeframe for this homicide? I really don’t know that many homicidal maniacs, ya know?” I said, laughter and incredulity tinging my words. “I’m wondering if this might be a touch early in this saga.”

  She pursed her lips at me and scowled. “I need you to take this seriously. One of us is already dead and I’d like that number not to double. No, they didn’t give me a timeframe, but it feels urgent, like its very soon. No one comes to mind?” She sniffed the air and made an exasperated face. “I can’t even smell the damn food, how crappy is that!”

  I made a face at her with my upper lip curled up on one side. “That is positively awful and if I wasn’t quickly starving to death, I wouldn’t eat in front of you but us plush girls gotta keep up our strength. Also, you know I make jokes when things get crazy. It’s my way of coping.

  “And one-person kinda comes to mind,” I said shrugging a shoulder. “I sort of pissed of someone’s significant other today, abusive type, very domineering and very angry. I guess jealous too. She was super mad at me. And there was a weird encounter tonight with some rando but nothing flashing murderer, just a weird aura.”

  She bit her bottom lip and shrugged. I guess she wasn’t getting any more ideas from those descriptions than I had from the people.

  So, what was the point? If they hadn’t shared when or by whom then what was the point and what did we know? Only that I was in danger of being killed. Okay, that was a start. I sounded like I was going to be killed and not just randomly die so that meant someone was going to be doing it. Maybe I could just stay in my house for the next month and see what happened.

  “Think if I just stay in my house for the next month things will resolve?” She shook her head. “Yeah, me neither. I couldn’t do that anyway. I’m not good at just sitting idly.”

  Jaylin became very still, and her image began to flicker, first slowly and then very quickly. I attempted to concentrate more fully but it made no difference. My continued attempts made no apparent change and finally she flickered out of visibility. I threw up my hands and looked upward. What did any of that accomplish except making me nervous? Would she come back?

  I decided to shower and try to sleep. Maybe sleep and tomorrow would bring answers. My last thoughts before laying my head down on my cool cotton sheets were to wonder what I’d done to someone that could possibly cause enough anger to want me dead. I just didn’t usually engender that kind of strength of negative emotion.

  4 Possibilities

  I woke the next morning feeling sluggish and tired. I hadn’t slept well, no more than a few hours. I needed caffeine and food but thought I might not be able to handle the food so caffeine would have to do. I focused to ensure my personal shields were in place. Then I glanced outside and noticed the sky was gray and overcast, which happened to be a pretty fair parallel of my mood.

  Today’s goals were to get Maxine settled, make sure supplies for the shop were okay for the next week, watch out for Jaylin and try to figure out why someone wanted to kill me. I took a sip of my energy drink and glanced around my kitchen. Was it a time for a legit checklist or would a mental one suffice? I seemed to be out of paper, so a mental list seemed most prudent.

  I snagged a banana off the counter and headed towards the door. Standing outside the house on the doorstep, I placed my hands on the door. I closed my eyes and visualized the layers of shielding I’d placed when I moved in and upgraded over time as my abilities strengthened. My wards were in place and good for most supernatural baddies, but a more common corporeal fiend wouldn’t be fazed until they got inside. That was what the ferocious guard cats were for, and the great big German shepherds didn’t hurt either. They were enough of a deterrent for most.

  I smoothed my rumpled hair down and wondered if I should have attempted some makeup to ease the ghastly, unrested look I was rocking. It was a little late since I was already walking into the shop but to be honest it wasn’t on the top of my list of important concerns for the day or even the month. I was unique enough; I didn’t really care to draw more attention.

  Reva and Maxine were pulling the baked goods from the ovens, setting up the tea kettles and such. Looking over the stocked shelves, I discovered I was low on a few of my more popular potions; Love Lingers, Leave Me Be and Placement Potation. I would need to work on those soon. Maybe I would have time later on, at least before going to bed. The tea stock looked okay; flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and cream would be delivered tomorrow. We seemed to be well stocked on other supplies. Fresh fruit was always iffy, especially when out of season. We tried to be self-sufficient, but some things just didn’t cooperate.

  Reva said she and Maxine had watered the plants this morning and set the timers to water again around noon. I could do my thing that evening but she had wanted to show Maxine our greenhouse and what morning duties entailed. They had even sung to them this morning, a little somewhere over the rainbow.

  I would need to go to the bank to set up Maxine’s direct deposit, she assured me she had her own separate account with only her name attached. That was a relief and one less thing to worry about. So far there had been no sign of Jaylin. While it wasn’t unexpected, my heart was heavy with the thought of not seeing her again. It was hard to know if she would ever get to come back. Would I see any other ghosts or had she been the only one? It seemed a waste of energy for one visit and for very little information. I still had no idea who was going to kill me, why, when, or how. I sighed loudly and caused a few dust-bunnies to fly around forlornly.

  “Hey Maxine, can you dust over here today? Not sure the last time we did, and I just disturbed the dust-bunnies so they might try to stage a revolt if we don’t disband them.” She laughed at my absurdness but assented. Reva took my eccentricities in stride. I was going to miss her when she left.

  I sighed again, “All right ladies, I’m off to do some errands. When I get back I’ll likely do a little potion work if you are still okay. Need anything while I’m out?”

  Neither wanted anything. They continued packaging what bread and goodies weren’t going into the displays for later in the day and I slipped out the front of the shop. I turned to take in my surroundings and to make sure my vehicle remained in one piece.

  Vehicles seemed to only come in a couple of sizes in the last decade-supersized or small. There was an odd collection of hummers, SUVs, king cab trucks, minis, Volkswagen beetles and motorcycles but nothing in between. People either wanted to make sure they could run through anything that might get in their way or small enough to evade anything chasing them.

  I had chosen the smaller side of things with my forest green Mini Cooper complete with white racing stripes. It always made my heart happy to drive my lovely little car. Her name was Gertie.

&
nbsp; I found Gertie unmolested and unlocked the door. She was an automatic transmission and, bless her heart, took a minute to warm up to being driven. She could be temperamental and was becoming more of a classic as each year passed but I loved her.

  I buckled my seat belt and attempted to focus on the drive across town. It wasn’t far but walking in this neighborhood was always chancy, driving could be too. The people near my home and shop knew I treated them with respect and helped out whenever I could; but one street over and they only saw a stranger with clean clothes who appeared harmless. The world hadn’t dropped into total chaos, but things were not simple or anything close to Disneyland.

  I took care of my business at the bank without mishap. The air outside was crisp and cool without being bitingly cold; winters in Southeast, City 7 were mild. I walked to my car while the wind lightly played with the ends of my hair. There was a note tucked under my windshield and I read it seated inside while the car warmed up.

  I raised an eyebrow and reread the note from my mother. My family despaired at my inability to maintain a cell phone, but the damn things never seemed to last longer than a few weeks. One mishap or another always took them out, same for computers so I was stuck in the socially dark ages.

  It didn’t bother me most of the time, really only when I was lonely. Most people seemed perpetually tethered to their devices. I’d heard someone was developing an electronic something or other that might withstand our (chaotic) aura but only time would tell. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that level of availability. My mother seemed quite capable of finding me now.

  The note asked me to come to dinner tonight with her, Father, and my siblings. This was the usual weekly family dinner, but I’d missed or skipped the last two. My mother had no problem with my sister being bisexual, with my brother being in a long-term relationship without marriage for years (happily married now) but she didn’t like my “dabbling in the occult” or use of the powers I obtained after the vaccine.

  She had tried sending me to Jesus camp one year instead of the state-approved camp. It hadn’t gone well. I believed in a higher power and followed the do unto others doctrine, I just also believed the religions were all fundamentally the same. Who says the biggies aren’t all the same being playing a different part for those who need that face? Also, ghosts and magic were real, so how far had we misjudged what was or wasn’t real.

  She thinks I’m a heathen and I guess she is technically correct. I would definitely define myself as more spiritual than religious. My mother wasn’t a fan of such declarations. It could have also been her constant worry of me dying alone. I rolled my eyes, yet another surprise family dinner blind date debacle. My sister was currently in a relationship with a politician I’d yet to meet, but from all reports he was both gorgeous and charming. And my brother was in a long-term relationship, and finally married, with a wickedly beautiful and talented reporter named Vera Reed.

  I had no desire to spend an evening having my life choices questioned or meeting whichever random person my mother thought might keep me from lifelong loneliness. However, I needed to make an appearance, or she would up the level of request. She wasn’t above sending the police to knock on my door for a “welfare check.” I growled under my breath and then more loudly, fine.

  I was about to pull out from the bank when I noticed the man from last night standing in front of my car. He was waving and miming for me to put the window down. I complied with confusion. His aura remained conspicuously beige, and his appearance was the same bland beige of last night. He walked up to the driver’s window and stood far enough away I could see his face.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I just wanted to thank you for your directions last night. I don’t know where I’d’ve ended up without them.”

  He smiled blandly and my mind continued to wander away from both him and the conversation. It was as if I was trying to forget him before the exchange was even finished. I’d never had this problem before. I took a mental snapshot of the man and focused more fully and intently upon him. It was difficult, like focusing through fog when you were tired.

  “It was no problem…” I squinted up at him. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”

  He huffed a small laugh and his lips twitched up at the corners infinitesimally. “I don’t think we ever exchanged names last night. I’m Troy Boltin, nice to meet you.”

  The name sounded very familiar, but I couldn’t seem to place it. I certainly couldn’t put a face to the name. “Kable VonSable, nice to meet again. Did you need something today?” I asked as I glanced around and took another look at this man. There was nothing outwardly wrong, but he set off some internal alarm; I’d learned long ago to listen to those.

  He put his hands out palms up and backed away slightly. “Just wanted to say thank you. Hope I’m not keeping you from something.”

  He seemed harmless enough, maybe I was just aggravated with my mother, and it was coloring my mood. It wouldn’t be the first time that had happened. “No, no, you’re fine. Just running errands and have to get back to the shop.”

  “Well, thanks again and have a good day,” he stated as he backed away before turning and leaving. I tried to watch where he went but he seemed to disappear between vehicles and never reappear. Odd.

  I drove back to the shop, turning over the strange and pointless encounter in my head. Was this stranger my soon to be killer? That seemed too easy, but he was the only unknown I had in my life right now. The situation was very frustrating.

  I ran the name over in my head again, trying to figure out where I recognized it. I finally shrugged and put the thought aside to allow my subconscious to mull it over. I turned up the music playing in the car to sing along at the top of my lungs. Two songs later I was back at the shop and feeling less worried. I would figure this out, I obviously had a greater power on my side if they were sending spirits back to warn me, right? It was time to focus on the present and let life happen; let the possibilities play out.

  I parked the car, locked it up and walked back inside the shop. I smiled as I walked through the door. There was a customer sitting at one of the tables in the corner sipping a drink and scrolling on their computer. Another customer was browsing the spells and books in the opposite corner.

  “How’s it going ladies? Do we have any day-old goodies we can give to our friends across the street? I hate to just throw them out when there are hungry people outside.”

  Maxine looked between Reva and me. She put her hand to her mouth with wide eyes. “We did that already. We gave them all of it. Weren’t we supposed to? Reva and I did it. We thought you wanted us to. We didn’t know you wanted to do it. We’re so sorry!”

  Her eyes were welling with tears, and I recognized she must have been in that relationship a long time and how much damage was present. She thought I might get upset and immediately went on the defensive.

  “It’s okay Maxine. It’s part of our routine. I wasn’t sure how long they’d been out there. It’s better if they don’t know I’m the one supplying them. It gives you the chance to garner good will in the community.”

  Reva shook her head and laughed, “As if they don’t know it’s coming from you. They said to tell you thank you this morning. I said for what and they shrugged.”

  I lifted an eyebrow and crooked a corner of my lips. “It’s all good. They don’t need to thank me. It’s a small thing. Maybe one day I can open a soup kitchen. I’ve been thinking about it for a while I just haven’t sat down to work it out.”

  “Anyone else been in for a job? I still have one spot to fill. I appreciate you working all these hours and training Maxine,” I told her, smiling ruefully. “Looks like I’ll be working a lot more hours. And we’ll only have one person working the counter more often.”

  Reva sighed, “About that, I’ve got some news.”

  The two customers had already walked out after paying so it was just the three of us left. I walked over and sat on one of the stools at the
counter. What kind of news?

  “Did something happen with your scholarships?” I asked, knowing it wasn’t her grades or qualifications. “I know the university is lucky to have you. I think they accepted you into their pre-med program before all of your references were even there.”

  She sighed again and sat down next to me. “Some of my dads bloodwork came back suspicious. They are going to be doing more tests, CT scans, MRIs and maybe PET scans. We aren’t sure what to expect. I don’t want to leave them without knowing what’s going on. I’ve applied to the community college in the meantime. I’ll get the same classes for half the cost, they all transfer, and I’ll be able to stay close to home. So, if you’ll have me, I’d like to stay on with you.”

  “Oh my goodness, I’m sorry to hear that. Please, let me know if there’s anything I can do,” I said, hands covering my mouth in dismay. “And of course, you can stay. I’m so glad you aren’t leaving; I just wish it was under different circumstances.”

  I put my hand on her arm and squeezed gently. I thought about hugging her but not everyone liked that, and I wasn’t sure if she would or not, I’d never hugged her before. She solved my dilemma by hugging me first.

  “Thank you, Kable, I really appreciate it. I hope everything will be fine. I just don’t want to leave them right now. I’ll find out about my classes in the next few weeks, and we can work out a schedule for Maxine and me if that’s okay.”

  Maxine and I both nodded our agreement. It seemed like this, at least was working out, so one less thing on my list of needs.

  “Alright ladies, I’m going to do a little work in the workshop. Are you okay? Did you get something for lunch?” They both nodded and told me about the pizza they had split for lunch. Apparently, Reva had introduced Maxine to Philly Cheesesteak pizza, and it was a big hit.