Puppet

by Ed Kightlinger

  “We watched as the bottle of ketchup started to hover around the cafeteria squirting ketchup at your fellow students. We also observed in disbelief as food items were scooped up from trays at various places around the cafeteria and callously flung at your fellow students. We even watched as entire trays of food and beverages were turned upside-down on students’ heads. Finally, we watched in awe as the baffling oddness turned into a free-for-all food fight that turned violent.

  “Chloe, just like that unexplainable weirdness in the cafeteria, the camera outside my office did not show anyone entering my office after I left for the evening last night. All the same, and this troubles me deeply, something unusual happened in my office just as it had in the cafeteria.

  “The videotape of the camera in the ceiling of my office clearly shows my desk drawer being unlocked and opened at precisely two o’clock this morning. Next, the video clearly shows the locked file box containing the original video of yesterday’s food fight removed from the drawer. It shows the locked file box opened with a key, the food fight videotape removed, and the locked file box returned to the desk drawer. Finally, the drawer closes.”

  Chloe exclaims, “You know who stole the videotape! That’s great news, Missus Davenhill. Am I right?”

  Missus Davenhill is shaking her head. “No, Chloe, I do not know who stole the tape. Also, you must not tell this to anyone except those on your investigative team and anyone who may join your team at a later date. Can you promise me that?” Chloe nods her head.

  “The videotape disappeared into thin air. Given how it had gradually faded, it looked like something inserted it into the front of a coat, jacket, or some other piece of clothing. I was unable to tell for sure. It was astonishing! One second the video was floating in mid-air, and then the next second it had slowly vanished. Whoever or whatever stole the video must have been invisible just like the food fight culprit! Even more strangely, when I arrived this morning, my drawer and the file box were locked with no sign of tampering!” Missus Davenhill folds her hands on her desk. She looks Chloe squarely in the eye.

  “Chloe, whatever is going on defies reality! The three of you need to figure it out because I am wits end!”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  PREPARING FOR THE WORST

  “It felt like a monster with countless tentacles!”

  Part I: Check the Tapes

  Chloe, Brenae, and Diana Jane are sitting on a bench in the school’s courtyard. They are discussing the principal’s memo. School dismissed ten minutes ago. The three of them are planning their first move as it concerns their investigation. Before they can proceed, they need to figure out if they are pursuing a dead end. There also is the awkward topic of Anna allegedly giving Puppet information, information of which only she, Chloe, and Missus Davenhill knew.

  “No, I do not think you should question her about it,” Diana Jane says. “Maybe Anna didn’t tell Puppet. Perhaps Puppet had read Missus Davenhill’s mind. Maybe Puppet is trying to make you believe that Anna told him about the tapes. He could be dividing you and Anna and making you distrust her. Besides, what would Anna have to gain? She doesn’t even go to our school. I wouldn’t ask her anything if I were you.”

  Chloe nods her head in agreement.

  “I’m not so sure about any of that,” Brenae says.

  Chloe says, “Not so sure about any of what?”

  “I do not want to challenge you on this,” Brenae says hesitantly. “I likewise do not want to make you angry. However, I think someone in the senior class or someone with access to the school’s camera and in-house phone systems is behind all of this nonsense. All the while, the three of us are blaming everything on Puppet.” She briefly pauses as she considers what she should say next.

  “Yes, he escaped, but that doesn’t mean he is out to get us. Besides, how in the world can anyone, even a weird person like Puppet, make people disappear? Furthermore, how could he put you in the basement along with the Minstrel Colette while you were sitting in social studies? It is too crazy and mindboggling to make any sense.”

  Chloe nods her head. She says, “I wouldn’t put it past the senior class to come up with such a bizarre plan. They have the know-how, and they certainly have access to the technical equipment. At least I think they do. The computer club also has access to the technology, but I guess I am reaching for straws when I accuse the computer club geeks.”

  Brenae makes a face. “I do not want to disagree with my last hypothetical, and Lord knows I hate doing that to myself, but Chloe, I must ask you this. How can you explain your dream about the vanishing neighborhood? How can you explain the vision you had in social studies? I was sitting behind you. Even though you were taking notes, you looked like you were in a trance or something. I kept poking you in the back with my pen, but you didn’t respond. What is more, you were muttering to yourself. If I did not know you better, I would think you were going nuts.”

  Diana Jane says, “Who doesn’t have visions or feel like they are in a trance in our social studies class? I daydream all the time in that class. Social studies class has to be the most boring subject this side of the pyramids.”

  “That is true,” Chloe says with a chuckle. “Then again, Bre, how do we explain what the videotape showed? How do we explain what the tape didn’t show? How do we explain the culprit, the one we call Spaghetti Kid, not being on the videotape? How could the seniors make him disappear from the video? After all, you had a conversation with him. You told us as much. I had turned around briefly, and I even saw you speaking with him! When I viewed the videotape with Missus Davenhill, you were talking to someone, someone who wasn’t there! I mean, you and Diana Jane viewed the video with Missus Davenhill as well. Similarly, the two of you did not see Spaghetti Kid! There also is the unexplained question of someone or something removing the videotape from Missus Davenhill’s drawer without the camera showing who removed it!”

  Brenae shrugs her shoulders.

  Diana Jane says, “Also, there was the vice principal’s weird stare and him not doing anything to stop the food fight. All the while, he was smirking like he was watching a funny movie or something equally entertaining.”

  “Yeah, and what is even weirder,” Chloe says as she shakes her head, “I did not see him even though both of you said that you did. Furthermore, he was over one hundred miles away at a conference! How is that for peculiar, spookily peculiar?”

  Diana Jane says, “When Bre and I viewed the videotape with Missus Davenhill, we did not see Sorrie! Nonetheless, he was in the cafeteria. Bre and I saw him, Chloe, even if you didn’t. I even heard him speaking to you!”

  “Here I go again disputing my latest hypothesis,” Brenae says. “It concerns Puppet escaping from his cell. The three of us had read the article in the Gazette. Puppet just disappeared into thin air from a locked cell. All that remained behind were strands of twine glued to the ceiling and his stupid note.”

  Chloe shouts out excitedly, “Yeah! You are right, Bre. Puppet somehow escaped from a locked cell, that is, if the reports are correct and not idiotic, fake news. I guess you just blasted away your hypothesis about the seniors. There is no way seniors could have access to a jail cell.” She giggles. “Unless, of course, the police imprisoned a few of them which is highly probable, especially given some of our more unruly seniors.”

  “Maybe, maybe not,” Diana Jane exclaims suddenly. “Let’s get back to square one. Who maintains the school’s camera system?”

  Brenae says, “Now, my dear Diana Jane, aka Detective Sherlock, that is an excellent question. High school seniors maintain the camera system. I would guess that the computer geeks do as well.”

  Chloe exclaims, “Yes! Both of you are correct. Before we go off on wild tangents, let’s focus on something concrete – the camera system.”

  “Do we start there?” Brenae asks. “Do we talk to the students that maintain the school’s cameras and videotape recording system?”

  Chloe says, “That is as good as a place
to start as any. How about you, Diana Jane? Should we start there?”

  Diana Jane’s expression suddenly turns gloomy. Tears begin to well up in her eyes as she looks away from her friends and stares across the courtyard. She says over her shoulder in a whisper, “Yes and no. Yes, we should begin by talking to those that maintain the school camera and videotape system. The memo from Missus Davenhill authorizes us to check any leads. That authorization should include investigating the camera and taping system and everyone who has access to it.”

  “Okay,” Chloe says authoritatively. “It is unanimous. We start by investigating the camera and videotape recording system.” She opens up her green notebook. It is the one she intends to use to keep notes of their meetings. She writes the words “Phase One” at the top of the page, and then she jots a few notes under the title.

  “1. Check the tapes. 2. Find out who’s in charge. 3. Interview them.”

  Brenae looks over Chloe’s shoulder to see what she has written. She says, “That is perfect, Chloe. It is a good start. Check the tapes. I like that approach. Let’s start small before the three of us go on a wild goose chase and look like three bumbling, idiotic freshman trying to pin all of this weirdness on a strange man who goes by the name of Puppet.”

  Brenae moves closer to Diana Jane and places her arm around her friend’s shoulder. “Why are you looking so sad, Diana Jane? What did you mean when you said, ‘yes and no?’”

  Chloe whispers, “Yes, what is troubling you? What is with the no part of your reply? You never did explain the no.”

  Diana Jane’s expression turns from one of gloom to outright fright. She hesitates a few moments as she contemplates whether or not she should tell her friends, her best friends, what is troubling her.

  She says, “Like you, Chloe, I likewise had a vision. It was a terrible vision. I didn’t want to tell you, but now, with the memo and all, I must tell you everything.” She glances at her iPhone to check the time. She looks at her friends one after the other.

  “Do the two of you have time to listen to my story? I do not want to interfere with any of your plans. It is a three-day weekend, and if you are like me, the last place you want to be,” she gestures with her thumb at the school building, “is anywhere close to there.”

  Brenae looks at Chloe. She says in a soft voice, “I am in no rush. How about you?”

  “I’m good,” Chloe replies. “All I have waiting for me at home are a bunch of chores. I have to finish them before I head out for the volleyball tournament. My father and I are leaving tomorrow morning around nine o’clock. The tournament is in Brownsville. Brownsville is the birthplace of my ancestors. The founders of the town named it after my great-great – I don’t know how many times removed actually – great-grandfather, Titus Brown.” She takes Diana Jane’s hand in hers and squeezes it lightly.

  “Fire away, Diana Jane. Bre and I have plenty of time to hear about your vision. After all, the three of us are in this together, so we might as well have all the info that we can latch onto.”

  Diana Jane looks at her friends inquiringly. She asks in a soft, uncertain tone, “No matter how eerie that info?”

  Chloe and Brenae answer at the same time. “No matter how eerie that info.”

  As Diana Jane takes a few moments to collect her thoughts, Chloe’s thoughts are likewise running through her mind.

  Yes, no matter how eerie. No matter how frightening, chillingly frightening like a whole neighborhood disappearing, being chased by puppets, and nearly vomiting while a talking head minus its torso speaks to me. Almost getting hit by a truck that is driving itself as a spooky puppet without eyes and ears sits behind the steering wheel mocking me. Watching with terror as Minstrel Colette, suspended by twine in the school basement, sings a threatening ballad, and then hearing the creepy, high-pitched, tiny voice as it threatens me. Finally, being blasted by a gale-force wind that takes my breath away and spinning around in place in a strange whirlwind until I nearly lose it, and, oh, my God, actually having a two-way conversation with Puppet or someone or something equally creepy and terrifying!

  Yes, Diana Jane, we will listen to your story no matter how eerie it is. We have to confront this nightmare face-to-face before it drives all of us insane!

  *****

  Part II: The Haunting

  Diana Jane begins telling her story.

  “The other day – I think it was after I read about Puppet in the Gazette – I felt the sudden urge to get the coil of twine he had given to me a year or so ago. The impulse came upon me as I was standing in front of the mirror practicing my lines for the play.

  “Anyway, if I recall correctly, I was with my friends when Puppet handed the coil of twine to me. We were shopping at the mall, and we had stopped at Panda Express for lunch.” She laughs, and then she says with a sly grin, “You know Panda Express and me.”

  Brenae says, “I bet you had the orange chicken, didn’t you?”

  “Don’t interrupt her,” Chloe says. She looks at Diana Jane. “But you did, didn’t you?”

  “Did what?” Diana Jane asks.

  “Have orange chicken.”

  “Yes, I did,” Diana Jane says as she licks her lips. “You know how it is. In my opinion, nothing can beat orange chicken from Panda Express except, maybe, eating fries with ketchup on the side at Coco’s Café!”

  “Strawberry ice cream too,” Brenae says. “My favorite. Hold the nuts. I’m allergic to them.”

  “That too,” Diana Jane says with a laugh. “Anyway, back to my story. I was practicing my lines. I also was listening to background music playing on my iPhone from the new band Ramen Noodles and Soup. I had downloaded the music from the flash drive onto my computer, and then I copied it to my phone.

  “The next thing I knew, I was reaching into the bottom of my nightstand to retrieve the coil of twine. For some strange reason, I quit rehearsing. I grabbed my headphones, connected them to my iPhone using Bluetooth, and I began to dance around my room. As I danced to the music while holding the coil of twine in my hand, the weirdest feelings slowly overwhelmed me. It was like I was entering a stupor or something similarly odd.

  “I began to unwind strands of the twine from the coil. As you know, the coil is tiny in diameter, perhaps three or four inches at most. The twine itself couldn’t have been more than one-eighth inch in diameter, not very thick. I stood there hypnotized for God knows how long as I undid strand after strand of twine. Suddenly, I became aware that my mother was calling me. She was downstairs. It was time for dinner. Her calls awakened me from my trance.”

  Diana Jane begins to shiver. Her eyes mist over with tears once more. She reaches into her backpack for her sweater, but her hands are shaking so badly she is unable to remove it. Brenae pulls out the sweater, and then she drapes it over Diana Jane’s trembling shoulders. She pulls her shivering friend close to her and places her arm around her shoulders.

  “What happened next?” Brenae asks in a gentle tone.

  Chloe elbows Brenae in the ribs. She scolds in a whisper, “Hush, Bre. Don’t interrupt! She will lose her train of thought.”

  Diana Jane resumes staring across the courtyard. Her look is expressionless. She suddenly exclaims, “The small coil of twine miraculously had covered everything in my bedroom! I was standing in twine that was over five feet high! It was up to my neck. I am five-foot-seven, so you can imagine how deep the twine was! If my mother hadn’t called me, I probably would have perished in Puppet’s twine – twine that originally couldn’t have been more than five or six feet in length at the most! That is if I placed it from end to end!”

  “Wow, that is super creepy,” Brenae says.

  Chloe says, “Yes, your vision is even scarier than my nightmare but, perhaps, not as scary as my vision of being in the school basement alone with Colette and with whom I suspect was Puppet. Also being immersed inside what I thought was a whirlwind. Now, that was uber creepy, especially considering I was sitting in social studies when I had the vision.”


  Brenae offers, “You were taking accurate notes all the while too.”

  “What I just told you is nothing,” Diana Jane exclaims tearfully. “There is more to my story.” She reaches into her backpack and withdraws a small packet of Kleenex. She removes a tissue, and then she gently dabs the corners of her eyes and blows her nose. She shoves the soiled tissue into the hip pocket of her jeans.

  Diana Jane stares across the courtyard for a few uncomfortable, hushed moments. Her expression is blank, unemotional. She slowly turns her head and gazes at her two friends. Tears are gushing from her eyes. She abruptly begins to shudder.

  “I could not move! Even as I struggled with all my strength, the twine was quickly encircling my entire body! Strands of twine were gradually tightening around my waist and my chest. The strands began to squeeze. In a few moments, I could barely breathe! I was gasping for breath. It was if a ton of weights was pressing against my ribcage!

  “Strands of twine were rapidly creeping up toward my neck! I thought they intended to choke me! Bits of the twine began to lap at my face. I watched in horror as three strands reached up and closed my right eyelid! One of the strands reached over and tried to close my left eyelid as well, but it somehow had become tangled with another strand of twine. Even so, it never quit struggling to close my eyelid the entire time I stood there!

  “Everything that was going on felt like a prehistoric monster with countless tentacles was attacking me! The beast of seemingly endless strands of twine was trying to squeeze the life out of me and to choke me! Within seconds reaching strands began to touch my face gently like a mother would caress a newborn’s face with her fingertips! It was the most sickening feeling I have ever experienced in my life!

  “I feared the strands would enter my nostrils or worse; they would open my mouth and move down my throat! I knew if they did that I would be a goner for sure. I had a sudden urge to scream. Why I didn’t cry out long before that, I will never know.