Joey always showed up at the same hour, punctual as if he meant it, and the order was the same everyday.
"Heh! Can you believe it? And he was so convinced!"
José chuckled but Joey didn't even smile.
"I think I know who you are talking about. I saw him the other day. It's funny because I was completely sure I knew him. It turned out I don't but..."
"Sigh...You're back at it?"
"I can't help thinking about it. I haven't seen anything but I don't feel well either, José...I'm nervous and I don't know why. Perhaps that guy didn't make it up, maybe he is completely sane, and it's all related?"
"Joe, you need psychological counseling, not crazy stories from some person you don't know."
"Where can I find him?"
José saw everything he could do or say would be useless, so he sighed.
"Okay, I'll tell you. Just don't say I didn't warn you."
"I saw the police station all wrecked and the sheriff and the officer, you know, those guys who're always on good mood, looked so gloomy. I think they saw something. I'm sure."
"Didn't you ask?" Kath asked.
"Nah, I didn't have time. But I th-"
Sheldon was interrupted by a ringing. Too late for mailing and his friends and family always called in advance. Maybe it was Ben? Anyway, there was just one way to find out. Sheldon opened the door to find a familiar face.
"...Good afternoon." Joey greeted him, his hands clasped in front. "Uh...Sheldon Schwimmer? I don't know if you remember me, but I saw you the other day and..."
"Yes, I remember."
"Aha. Hmm...A friend of mine told me that you saw something strange around here and I thought...May I come in?"
"Sure!"
"Thank you."
Kath's eyebrows raised when that overweight person came in. Wasn't that Mayor Joe Bailey? In Sheldon's house? Well, that was a surprise!
"Do you want something, Mr. Mayor?" Kath asked.
"Uh, yes, a glass of water, if you don't mind. It's cloudy today but so, so hot!" Joey sat on the sofa after muttering a request for permission and undid his tie.
Where could he start from? It was complicated but he did his best. Kath and Sheldon listened with attention and when Joey finished and asked them to tell him all about the happenings they had witnessed, Sheldon exposed his version, careful not to miss a single detail, answered Joey's questions the best he could.
Joey nodded and scratched his neck.
"Alright...I don't know what all of this means but something big has to be happening. A curse...I wonder what it is about. The little creature must know for sure. Yes, I'd also like to find it."
"Maybe you can do something?" Sheldon asked.
"Me?"
"Well, you're the mayor..."
"Ah, yes, of course. Yeah. I will tell sheriff Warren to be extra careful and investigate. I have to have a talk with him anyway, because I've been informed about a huge problem but he hasn't told me anything yet because both of us are very busy. I trust him, he has been keeping this town safe for nearly thirty years, he will know what to do and tell me everything I need to know."
"Will he believe us?"
"I hope so."
"Thank you so, so much, Mr. Mayor." Kath thanked him.
"Joe. Not Mr. Mayor, please-It's so tiring." Joey smiled. He grabbed the glass of water and sighed with a faint smile before sipping. "I do hope we solve this issue before someone gets hurt; that's what I fear."
Time for a run. Treg stopped at the door of the house to choose a motivational song to start with. Above him, Martin was cleaning the windows, it was his turn. He looked down and saw Treg there, passing so many songs he wondered why he had so many he didn't like. He smirked, but then...Then his lips curved into a grimace.
The bucket with soapy water was heavy enough to seriously harm whoever was hit with it. Martin knew perfectly, and with that thought in mind, he grabbed the bucket and tossed it out of the window.
When he heard the scream, he jumped and quickly looked through the window. Treg was a step away from the trajectory of the bucket, soaked but fine. He looked up wide-eyed.
"Dude!"
"Oh, gosh, Treg, I'm sorry! Are you okay?" Martin exclaimed.
"Yeah but...Crap!"
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!"
"Well, it's okay, I'm fine. I gotta thank you because it's so hot outside today. But geez, if you want me to have a shower, just tell me!"
"Goodness, Treg, I'm sorry! You're not hurt, right?"
"No, no, calm down. It was nothing. Really."
And he left, just like that. Was he even aware that just a few inches more and he would have died?
That, that close...
Martin was scared that, inside the fright, there was a small feeling of frustration.
Ben changed the channel again but this program was a total bore, so he switched off the television. He felt too distracted to read something or do anything else. It seemed he was going to have dinner and go to bed pretty early that day, because he had nothing better to do. And he had to keep himself busy. He didn't want to think about it...He didn't want to think about anything at all.
All he wanted was to go back to the days when nothing happened, and he was at peace. Was he asking too much?
