Ask Me No Questions I'll Tell You No Lies
Chapter 4: Guessing Games
Recap:
I was self-absorbed in my triumph. I had left home! Sure, I had police on my tail, but I would never have to see Charles's face again.
Most probably.
Englehorn had left the room. I turned to Mr. Driscoll, who was oblivious to my presence.
"Hello," I said. He jumped about a foot high, upturning the typewriter he was setting up, "I'm Scarlett."
On with the story…
He set up his typewriter, saying,
"Oh! Hi, I'm Jack-"
"Driscoll?" I guessed.
"Uh yeah, how'd you know?"
"I heard Captain Englehorn say it," I said, working very hard not to say 'El Capitan', "Just because I'm not included in a conversation doesn't mean I can't hear it."
"Hmm. So what brings you here? Does Englehorn know?"
"Yes, he does. I'm here because I need to…get away." I sighed heavily, suddenly exhausted.
"So…where are you?" I realized he couldn't see me because my cage was further up than his.
"Guess," you laughed.
"Are you…higher up?"
"Uh-huh."
"There?" he asked. You saw him point to the one across from you.
"No…warm, though."
"Alright…how about there?" he asked. He gestured to the one next to yours.
"Close, but no cigar."
"Good, I don't want one."
I smiled. A non-smoker was always a plus in my book.
"How bout…there?"
"Oh, got me." I popped a hand out through the bars to wave at him.
"Finally."
An awkward silence chose to pass just then, the sounds of Jack typing filling the quiet space. After five minutes, he spoke.
"So what do you look like?"
"Why?" I asked.
"Just wanted to know. I feel…I don't know…uncomfortable talking to someone I can't see." I understood what he meant then, and smiled.
"Guess." He sighed heavily, though I could tell he was amused.
"Brown hair?"
"Kind of..."
"Blonde?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm. Are your eyes brown?"
How would I answer this? (AN: Remember her eyes are two colors)
"Nope."
"Blue?"
"Wrong again."
"Green…"
"No," I said, but feeling a bit generous, I added, "Well, sort of."
"How can they be sort of green?"
"They're green and brown." I said finally.
"Ah….is your nose asymmetrical?"
"No!" I laughed. He seemed to be good with first meetings.
"Lucky girl." He said. I remembered noting his big nose earlier, and I felt a bit guilty.
It was then that I decided to come out of hiding. I climbed somewhat daintily(I hadn't completely forgotten my upbringing) and walked over to him. He smiled.
"I was just beginning to think I might be talking to a ghost."
"Do you believe in ghosts Mr. Driscoll?"
"Jack," he corrected. I smiled gratefully. I was prone to giving people nicknames inside my head if I didn't call them by their first names. I'd already been thinking of something along the lines of 'Bookworm'. Don't get me wrong, I like to read and write, but this man had the appearance of a person with his nose stuck in a novel wherever he went.
"So what do you do, Mr. Driscoll?"
"I write plays…well, screenplays for now, Carl Denham's trapped me here."
I have seen one of his plays!
"Did you, by any chance, write 'Isolation'?" I asked.
"Yes. You know it?"
"Yes! I saw it last fall. I really enjoyed it."
Yesssss! My people skills are building!
Jack smiled. He seemed to think of something, thought, and his smile faded.
"Why are you here? You seem so…young."
Well, he'd find out sometime…
"I just…couldn't stand my life. I know it sounds exaggerated and self-pitying, but I honestly couldn't understand why people with money got to step over people without. And my mother always thought that whoever was poor deserved it," I paused, wondering whether I should tell him the final reason that I ran off,
"And other than that, my mother decided to marry some guy that was, let me put it this way, not the most respectable. And now…he's sent the police after me."
"The police!"
"Didn't you see the police cars on the dock when we cast off?"
"Yes…but I think they might be after Denham." He brought his voice down to a whisper.
"Mr. Denham? Why?" Jack seemed to contemplate whether he should tell me, and said tentatively,
"Well, you can't tell anyone…promise?"
"Promise." I came and sat on a roll of hay near him.
"He, well, he stole some property from his sponsors. His footage. They apparently cut funding on his picture, and he couldn't stand it, so…" he trailed off. I was somewhat relieved that I was not being chased, but I felt sorry for Mr. Denham.
Jack checked his watch.
"11:30. You'd better get to bed, Scarlett."
"I can decide whether to go to bed or not!" I said, puffing up indignantly.
"Alright," he smirked when I yawned, "Feel like it now?"
I mock-glared and said,
"Yes, I suppose so. It really is quite a late hour." I was obviously trying to sound much more sophisticated (and failing). He started laughing, and I joined in. His laugh was so different compared to my own. It was low and smooth, while mine was somewhat high-pitched and loud and unsteady. Sometimes I even snorted, but the look on my mother's face when I did caused me to stop laughing in half a second.
The laughter faded and ceased. I climbed back up to my cage and made myself as comfortable as I could on the hay.
"Till tomorrow." He called up to me.
"Till tomorrow." I answered.
Well, till tomorrow, guys! I'll update as soon as I can! I like reviews hint hint nudge nudge