A Stranger's Fear Edited

by Beth Hoyer

appropriate and whenever I was alerted by her calling me of outings in public in some park on her insisting on keeping me away from her children's family due to them having a negative view towards me."

  He stopped talking to stare at Father Barry as the car was felt stopped and a computer voice speaking "Destination reached."

  Jinks without a word got out of the car followed by Father Barry who spoke "The apartment in the headquarters for you as vessel, Master is still available for your personal use along with servants oath on caretaking you and your whims. I believe you know that there is a personal elevator to there which the command Castle must be used for reaching the apartment. I also must say that only you and guards can access the elevator as ordered by laws of the group involving you, Master which is enforced by the computer programmed to do this. I believe you'll find everything you need for getting ready to attend that meeting that starts at seven o'clock on the dot tonight I'm planning on hosting."

  He heard the firmness of Father Barry's voice tone didn't comment a response went to the personal elevator in the wall to sense himself filmed along with a red laser light shining above aimed at the floor.

  He sighed thinking "Drat got to let the computer identify me and register my identity for granting access into the elevator and into the apartment."

  He stuck his hand into the laser light that went up and hit his eyes making him jerk his head aside shutting his eyes and then resumed staring at the elevator blinking from the computer's light's glare shining in his eyes along with hearing a faint humming sound as the laser seemed lengthy with the shining. Jinks felt annoyance take hold as the laser stopped shining followed by a loud ding sound of the elevator doors opening which he saw two male Humans inside wearing police uniforms having arms folded seeing glares on their faces but they refused to meet his eyes when he eyed them.

  Jinks walked inside and heard "Destination sir?"

  He sighed hearing the computer voice, spoke "Castle."

  He heard silence in response as the elevator's doors shut and went up with a faint humming sound which he forced himself to rhythmically breathe through his nose from the confining feelings of fear felt from being in the elevator.

  He felt relief hit him as the elevator halted with a jerk doors opening showing a computerized machine metal shaped like some kind of biped human skeleton standing there that spoke "Greetings sir Titan One your butler at your service. What orders do you wish for me to do?"

  Jinks walked out of the elevator hearing the doors remained open behind him and spoke to the butler "I need nourishment, a shower and clothes for I'm expected to attend a Master Organization meeting hosted by Father Barry tonight at seven o'clock so make it snappy on doing what I requested."

  He glared at the butler that spoke in response "I'm programmed to set aside the appropriate clothing on your bed as ordered and getting your meal on the table in the dining room once the cook finishes making it as ordered by you and your doctor insisting on the nourishment and relaying various orders you need to keep your life while living here. Anything else you ordered not related to this I’m unable to do sir."

  He spoke "Fine tell the cook to cook me two grilled cheese sandwiches and milk for drinking while I go shower and get myself ready for the meeting."

  Jinks walked away ignoring the butler following giving off beeping noises then heard from the thing "Orders relayed sir. I have orders to get the appropriate clothing for you to wear set out on the bed along with seeing that you're in the elevator at appropriately at six forty five pm for an in building meeting happening four hours from now according to my calculations. Your doctor says that your timed eating hour will happen at five o'clock as ordered so sorry sir that the nourishment order cannot be made at the moment."

  He ignored the butler to go the bedroom using it and the bathroom for his needs along with finding the clothes consisted of a business suited top and pants both in the color of black along with sneakers in black.

  He found himself tired and took a lengthy nap due to feeling like needing to take one and woken up by the computerized alarm clock blaring its noises and the time of five o'clock along with saying "Its time for you to eat."

  Jinks obeyed finding his meal set in the dining room consisted of greenery plants instead of his sandwich order along with a greened drink to his disgust which he heard from the butler "Your doctor says you're to take in this nourishment as ordered."

  He again glared at the butler and looked away to eat the food and drank the drink without complaint then went to the gym room finding a hologram image of him via computerized camera appear from walls in the room as he faced each one showing a mirror image of what he was doing his movements consisted of combative art moves along with a limber ability not seen in Human males despite Human females displaying it naturally.

  Jinks kept up the movements till there was a computer voice speaking "Physical activity over as ordered by doctor."

  He eyed the clock seeing it said "5:45pm."

  Jinks found that he had an hour to go before he was expected to leave went to his bedroom and leaned back against the headboard with a pillow and shut his eyes figuring that he'll sleep. He slept till the computerized alarm clock woke him up five minutes to six forty five which he got up and went to the elevator which he met the butler there.

  Jinks eyed the butler who spoke "Ordered to give you command for elevator destination is to say 'Public room' and it'll take you to the floor holding the arranged meeting."

  He obeyed going into the elevator and spoke the command as ordered by the butler and found the thing went down seemingly lengthy along with feeling of jerking to the side movements felt which he figured to himself that it was taking him either out of the building or some place else in there.

  Jinks didn't comment anything as the elevator's doors opened showing a narrow hallway with a male Human in a police uniform a guard he assumed standing there underneath spotlights who spoke "Follow me Master."

  He followed leading him to a wall in the hallway that slid open and walked out to show a large hallway with rugged floors and spotted the hidden door had a picture of a flower framed along with filming sensed. He wordlessly followed the guard down the hallway sensing filming stop till they reached double doors off the left side and gestured by the male to go inside. Jinks obeyed going inside to see a large room he recognized as the Master Organization's community room for holding a gathering of numerous people for discussing various subjects including discussing problems hitting the group. He saw people there making him feel nervous as they noticed him arrive but kept their distance.

  He saw Father Barry standing on the stage in the front of the room behind a microphone that spoke "Seeing that everyone is accounted for I might as well go ahead and speak my lecture as urged by you wanting me to do it."

  He stood in the way back of the room behind a crowd of people standing listening to Father Barry's talking voice amplified by microphone "People have feelings and that involves vessels of deities including one involving our deity named Lance Richard. Our vessel has communicated to me that people's treatment towards him have gotten him very upset enough to run away just to avoid those people. Running away doesn't solve any problems instead staying and confronting the problem does. Our vessel has managed to learn that he must tell people he expects to listen to him on what problem is plaguing him for help bettering his life. He has managed to admit this problem issue to me which I have oath to him that I will be one of those people who'll listen to him on whatever problem he has. The vessel has oath to me to talk to people including myself on what problem he has for it'll help his life and help us all in the process. Please help me achieve this goal with the vessel and for the vessel to do this goal as well. Thank you very much for listening."

  Jinks heard an applause as Father Barry ended his talk to get off the stand and saw him wander around the group of people gathered nearby seeing them talking to the male while glancing in his direction during their talk as h
e noticed others nearby looking in his direction with narrowed eyed looks but refraining from going up to him and touching him like they have always seemed to have done towards him whenever he met members of the group in person via various situations around the city and his home city of Hartford. He sighed feeling his nervousness stop abruptly that the Master Organization had finally gotten what he wanted from them which was treating him as a person with feelings despite his vessel status. He sighed again himself figuring out that he finally was getting what they wanted him to give in response which was admitting abilities that made him seem unnatural for Humans to have along with how he was feeling towards members' treatment towards him to people in the group along with obeying to their request of being present at meetings for discussions on various subjects.

  Jinks sighed again feeling himself no longer felt the familiar feeling of fear mentally spoke to himself "I'm no longer afraid and I know what to do whenever I'm afraid which is talk it out to someone willing to listen to me."

  He heard from Lance blaring unexpectedly after being quiet for awhile "That is the lesson I was expecting you and group members to get regarding being afraid of each other so don't forget it and remember it period."

  He mentally