Anthea and Shyama were trudging down an old, seemingly abandoned village's street, humming. They had decided that they wanted to go on a random walk, a very long random walk, to see if they could put to use the long educational hours of watching Bear Grylls eat frogs on Man vs. Wild. But they had found out through a horrible twist of events that frogs, in fact, do NOT taste good. No matter how many vitamins are in them. So to keep the taste of frogs out of their mouths and minds, they hummed and thought about happy things….Like fried chicken. Or Salt-n-Vinegar chips. Or Listerine.
"Why couldn't we have had something more delicious?" Shyama whined. "Something besides frogs. I told you fried chicken would be better. We should have had fried frogs at the very least."
Anthea gave her a scorching look. "Did Bear Grylls fry the frogs? No. Stop being a pansy and stop whining. I am trying to figure out where the heck we are." For they were in fact quite lost.
Shyama rolled her eyes. "You always have to get lost." She mumbled under her breath. Then she said, louder, "That's because Bear Grylls didn't realize he could fry the frogs. And I'm done with this conversation. It's silly."
"I do not always get lost…." Anthea grumbled under her breath. They trudged on a bit more until they came up behind a large random house. "Hey! Is that 's Wort?" Anthea pointed at a random plant growing around the house.
"Hey, isn't that supposed to ward off evil spirits or something like that?" Shyama asked brightly. "Some people are so superstitious it's ridiculous."
"It's not ridiculous." Came a very different voice. Very, very different. Slightly raspy like…..cat's tongues.
"Actually, it has health properties," Anthea told her friend and the stranger. "And it's used to help people brighten their mood….."
"Huh." Shyama huhed.
The stranger, who was leaning against the side of the funny little house, blinked. "How do you know?"
Anthea winked. "I know lots of things."
"I doubt it." The stranger snorted. "You don't look the type to know lots of things."
Shyama narrowed her eyes. "You don't even know her."
Anthea frowned. "And we don't know you….. So I think it's time for us to make our departure, Shy."
"Well said." Shyama said haughtily. "You know what they say about talking to strangers."
"What who say?" the stranger asked blankly. "I don't hear anyone else around here."
Anthea tugged at her friend. "Never mind. So long stranger."
"Where are you going?" Mr. Stranger asked casually, taking a step forward.
"We don't talk to strangers." Shyama told him, turning her head away.
"No." Anthea agreed, "But you know. I have the strangest feeling that I've seen him before…..Did we go to high school together? Wait! I know! Mrs. Gillingham's class…Middle school, right?"
"What?" Strangerman said blankly. "No."
Shyama shook her head. "No, I know what you mean. Where have I seen this guy before?"
Anthea skipped up to the man and examined him. "Thin, sharply angular face….Close set eyes, he narrows slightly as if he could see better that way…."
Shyama examined him too. "Yeah…Not a tall man…..Shoulders almost narrow as a boy's…."
"Hmmm….And an aura of fury about him…Something keen and biting…"Anthea mused. "Who are you?"
The cute man had his arms crossed at this point, and his eyes were narrowed with annoyance. "Basta."
"Oh my good golly gosh." Anthea gasped. "It is Basta! Holy crap!" She kept repeating this surprized (That's British spelling) phrase over and over again.
"Oh my." Shyama said shortly, but with lots of feeling. "What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" Basta growled, "What are you doing here? This is my house. Mine. Why are you here?"
Anthea took a deep breath. "We're lost." Then she giggled. "I like your knife." She pointed at his belt.
His narrow chest puffed up slightly. "Yes."
Anthea fanned herself. "Geez, it is hot or is it just me. Or I guess it's all the excitement from meeting one of the sexiest characters in Inkheart."
Shyama looked the knife man up and down. "I think it's the latter."
Basta cautiously scrutinized them. "Are you talking about me?"
"Yes." Anthea sent him an innocent, sparkling smile.
"Who else over here is oozing hotness?" Shyama said sweetly.
"Oozing?" he repeated. "Oozing……Sounds good to me. Real good."
Anthea giggled. "But no, really it's hot." So she took off her jacket to reveal her Phantom of the Opera shirt.
Basta stared at it. The shirt. He was actually looking at the picture on it, nothing else. Contrary to what it may have looked like. "Hey. I know that."
Shyama put a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Is that so?"
Anthea took a step closer. "You…know The Phantom of the Opera?" She said in hushed tones.
Because of her tone and expression, Basta went on the defense. "So what if I do?"
"I think that any man who can admit that they listen to Phantom is a true man." She smiled. "A great big muscley super big super hot man."
Basta considered this.
Shyama nodded. "Yes. Men and musicals….."
Basta considered this as well.
Anthea took another step forward. "You know, I was Christine for Halloween once….." She said, smiling mischievously.
"Christine…." Basta repeated. "She can sing."
"Yeah. She can." Shyama said slowly in response to his brilliant statement.
Anthea nodded, stepping closer. "And my mom says that I am an Angel of Music."
"Can you sing?" he inquired.
"Yes."
He grinned crookedly. "Then maybe you could sing one of my favorite songs."
Anthea echoed his grin. "Maybe I could."
"It's called When You Say You Love Me. I like it."
Anthea gasped. "By Josh Groban? That is one of my favorite songs." She stepped even closer. "We have a lot in common…."
"Then sing it."
Anthea looked at him. "Right now? Um…Okay…" So she sang a beautifully mastered masterpiece of Josh Groban glory. But not as beautiful as Josh Groban himself, because no one comes close. Except Dustfinger. Especially Shirtless Dustfinger.
Basta watched and smiled.
Anthea stopped and smiled back. "Sooooo?"
"Well done." He smiled. "Well done."
Anthea cleared her throat. "Well then, I, uh, suppose we should go then…..Shyama?"
Shyama stopped staring and nodded. "Yes of course."
"Why are you leaving so soon?" Basta smiled.
Because you're smiling like that…."I…..We…Need to get back home." Anthea smiled.
"Why would you want to do that?" he asked, still smiling, and it was turning into quite the creepy smile.
Anthea and Shyama were sweating.
"Because…The orphans….Uh…They…need us?" Anthea tried.
"Who cares about orphans?" he snickered.
"Nice people do?" Shyama tried.
Basta's grin broadened. "But I'm not nice, am I?"
Anthea's lip trembled and she scooted away from Knifeman. "No…."
"You could stay here." He grinned. "Stay here and sing for me."
"But I can't sing." Shyama said nervously.
"I…..Um……"Anthea's mind raced. "No…I got nothing…."
"Just sing for me." Basta purred. "Sing for me and tell me things. All the things you know. You said you know lots of things."
"I don't know lots of things." Shyama piped up.
"I…I do know lots of things…." Anthea said slowly. "But…Um…..I should go…"
"There's no reason for you to go." He said, still purring. "But I can think of plenty of reasons for you to stay here."
Anthea and Shyama looked at each other. "Creepy."
Anthea backed away. "It was nice to meet you…..Uh….Ha..."
Basta stepped forward. "Are you planning on leaving, then?"
"Yes." Shyama said without hesitation.
"Maybe…." Anthea said with hesitation.
"Hm." He said in a purrish sort of way. "I don't see why you'd want to leave me."
Anthea took an unconscious step forward. "Well….." INNER CONFLICT.
Shyama grabbed her arm. "Is there anyone else around here? Do you live all by yourself in this lonely little village?"
"What does it matter to you?" he grinned crookedly.
Anthea was watching Basta. "Do you live all by yourself?" She asked sadly.
His grin turned upside down. "No one wants to live with me. No one likes me like that."
Shyama made a sad face for him. "That's depressing. I wonder why that is."
Anthea made a real sad face. "Oh you poor thing…..How sad…"
He sighed. "Yes. I'm not….It wouldn't be hard to live with me. I make sure everything is kept very clean."
Anthea took another step closer. "I'm sure you do…My name is Anthea….I forgot to say earlier…"
"That's a funny name." Basta snickered.
Shyama frowned. "Like yours is any better?"
He frowned right back at her. "Yes. My name isn't funny and strange like that."
Anthea looked at Basta. "My name is funny?" She said flatly.
"Funny as in weird." He explained. "Not the laughing kind of funny. I wasn't laughing. I'm still not laughing."
"Weird." She repeated, getting flatter.
He shrugged. "That's what I said."
"Shyama, we're leaving." Anthea said at her flattest so far. "Oooooh! Maybe we can find Dustfinger and I can sing to him….."
"He doesn't like singing like I do." Basta said, grinning crookedly again.
"Dustfinger's more amazing than you are." Shyama said, since it was her turn to be flat. "He can play with fire, and maybe he'll do something like that for us."
Anthea looked levelly at Basta. "And he won't make fun of my name. Because he's nice."
"Oh yes he will." Basta said quickly.
"My name means flower or blossom, thank you very much. It's a good name." She frowned.
"Whatever you say." He said, shrugging.
"So we'll be off!" Shyama exclaimed.
"Yeah….."Anthea said looking at the Knifeman.
He just watched them.
Shyama began inching away with Anthea.
Anthea looked at Basta. "Call me." She mouthed.
He flashed her a white sparkly grin that blinded a better part of the world.
"He's a freak." Shyama muttered.
Anthea was too busy trying to communicate her phone number to Basta to comment…" No!" She hissed "I said five, nine, six!"
"Ohhh." He said silently, mentally correcting himself.
She winked. "Now, don't be a stranger!"
He gave her a blank look.
"We're supposed to be looking for Dustfinger!" Shyama said, frustrated.
"No...No…It's a saying….." Anthea tried to explain. "When I say 'don't be a stranger' it means that I want you call me."
Basta lowered his eyebrows. "What a silly saying. Who says things like that?"
Shyama glared at them both. "Are you ignoring me on purpose?!"
Anthea sighed. "It just means that you aren't a stranger, so you shouldn't feel like one."
Basta thought about this. "I suppose that makes sense."
Shyama's glare went even more glareful.
Anthea gave him her sparkly smile. "So….Don't be a stranger." She winked again.
"I won't." he promised. "Because I'm not a stranger. We know each other now."
"Let's loooook for Duuuuustfinger, shaaaall weeeee?" Shyama said crossly.
Anthea giggled. "And then will really get to know each other."
"Oh you know it." Basta winked.
Shyama made a very annoyed noise.
Oh, poor Shyama. We feel so bad for her.
Anthea continue to giggle. "Bye…."
"Bye." He said, waving cutely.
Shyama pulled her away.
Anthea giggled even more stupidly.
"We're going now!" Shyama huffed. "Forget the stupid knifeman and look for the fire-dancer."
"But we don't even know where or even if Dustfinger is here!!!!!" Anthea whined. "And Basta's cute!!!"
"That's why we need to find out if Dustfinger is here." Shyama told her patiently. "He's cuter than Basta, and nicer. And if he's here, then I would be delighted to meet him."
"Fine." Anthea pouted. "But if we can't find him, I'm going back to Basta's house….."
"Yeah, and have him show you how to fight with knives." Shyama said, rolling her eyes.
Anthea giggled evilly. "Oh. Of course….That's exactly it."
"Right." Shyama sighed as they wandered around the little village. Basta was following them, too, but they didn't know it, because he's notorious for his silent tread.
Freak. But a cute one.