Alright, lets get to the good stuff, shall we?
Reviewer Thanks (a lot!)
Starspring: Thanks for the creatures, and hopefully I'll find a way to actually show them in the story, rather than mention them, and don't worry-- they were cooler than I expected ;)
Rosie: You, my friend, are correct! …But, that's only HALF of Jimmy's life.
Time to shape up the contest a bit-- whoever can guess the second half of Jimmy's life AND figure out what fairy-tale Radio resembles, gets to appear as a guest character in the story! Here is one hint: they're both ideas from Disney movies (…Anyone ever notice that most of their movies revolve around fairy tales?)
*Answers will be given at the end of the story*
Jimmy sat up after another hour of sleep, realizing that the pixie's vile formula had actually worked, for his nausea was gone, and he felt like his old self again. He looked over and saw that Silver was still lying down, possibly asleep… and that the blanket was folded over, revealing a small corner of a paper. Jimmy got off the blanket and folded it all the way back-- careful not to wake Silver-- and noticed that there were several newspaper articles under it… and they were all about his mom!
Jan. 15-- Father and inventor, Don Krook, creates formula to get rid of pet allergies, and prepares to set off to sign over the antidote to medical professionals in Cincinnati. His daughters-- Amy, Sophie, and Ashley Krook, are very proud of their father. "It helps us get over what happened to Ashley last year…" Sophie said, referring to the kidnapping of her youngest sister… The article ended there, the rest was torn away.
Something happened to Mom? Jimmy thought, horrified, and picked up another article, hoping it continued. Sadly, it was a different article…
April 16-- Ashley Krook, after her traumatizing experience, publishes her first children's book, "The Little Princess and the Haunted Castle", where a small princess explores a haunted castle and makes friends with the creepy creatures that live in it…
Mom wrote a book? Jimmy thought, amazed that his mother was an author for a children's book, but never said anything. What else did she hide from me? His answer was given when he picked up another article…
May 17-- Award-winning hunting champion, Rupert Castallan, tracked down the whereabouts of Ashley Krook, who was said to have been missing all winter. They found her being held hostage by, what the police said to be, "The most frightening, evil, treacherous creature that was made by the devil himself,". They called in special authorities to capture the beast and sent the Krook woman to the hospital, after seeing how delusional she had become, claiming that the monster could do no harm…
Nah, it couldn't be! …Could it? Jimmy wondered, looking at Silver. Was he actually telling the truth? …Did he really know my mom?
Suddenly, a slot in the door opened and two trays were slid in, making a metallic screech across the stone floor. Jimmy gasped and covered the newspaper articles, looking behind him to make sure no one had come in. Thankfully, no one did, and he noticed that there was food on the trays-- a steak on one, and a bowl of some sloppy substance in the other. He began walking over to the trays, but a yawn from behind made him pause, and he watched as Silver stood up and stretched, then walked over to the tray with the steak on it. "About time they served lunch," the werewolf muttered, grabbing the steak and devouring it.
Jimmy looked out the window, noticing it was still dark out. "They serve lunch at night?" he questioned.
Silver rolled his eyes. "Duh, crackhead. This is a prison for nocturnal creatures, remember? Anything that goes on in a normal prison--" he paused, ripping off a chunk of his steak and swallowing it. "--happens at night in this one." He ended his sentence with a belch.
"Right…" Jimmy grabbed the bowl of glop in front of him and sniffed it-- and gagged at the rancid stench. "Ugh, what did they put in this stuff? Shit and sweat socks?"
"It tastes better than it looks and smells," Lilly said, appearing next to Jimmy suddenly.
"Whoa!" Jimmy almost dropped the bowl, then turned to Lilly. "Geez, can't you give a guy a warning before you sneak up like that?"
Lilly giggled. "Sorry."
"Lilly's right, Jimbo-- that gunk's not so bad as you think… I know, I had to eat it for six months straight before they found out werewolves preferred meat." Silver said, taking another bite out of his steak. "Go on, boy, have a taste."
Jimmy looked at the glop, taking up a spoonful of it. His stomach growled, and he knew that he had to eat sooner or later to keep his strength up. Oh, well. I'm going to die anyway in this damn prison sooner or later, anyway. he thought. "What goes down, must come up," he sighed, then stuck the spoon in his mouth and swallowed quickly. He coughed and sputtered at the foul taste, but the aftertaste didn't make him feel so sick. Taking another spoonful, it tasted less disgusting, but still made him gag, but he forced himself to choke it down anyway, until the bowl was half-empty. "I thought you said it wasn't so bad…"
"It's not… once you get used to it." Silver then laughed, making Jimmy glare at him.
Lilly sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, cut it out, Silver. You're not much of a cook either." she said.
Silver sneered at her. "I'll have you know that I could out-cook anyone on kitchen duty… with one arm tied behind my back!"
"Yeah-- in a poison-making contest!"
Silver growled and tried to grab Lilly, passing right through her and making her giggle. "Would you stay solid for one second so I can catch you?"
"Where's the fun in getting caught?" Lilly giggled and began to fade. "I'll see you guys later, I'm going to go visit the Sirens now-- they enjoy my company more." And she disappeared.
"She's right about that," Jimmy sighed, looking out the window at the moon and stars.
"About the Sirens liking her more than we do?" Silver scoffed.
"No, dip-shit-- about getting caught." Jimmy stared out at the dark forest that extended from the prison fence and into the horizon. "The first time I got caught, I had broken into a drug-store to get a few snacks, but the cops wouldn't send me straight to Juvi-- they had some fun with me first: took me out to the nearest, deserted field and beat the shit out of me until I either threw up or they broke something, I forgot which came first. I thought they'd go easy on you if you were an orphan, but apparently it gave them the feeling that-- no matter what they did to me-- no one would care. I never trusted a cop-- even when I saw a guy get mugged, I didn't go to them for help, knowing they wouldn't do shit for a juvenile orphan." he sighed and looked down. "I wish they killed me back in that field…"
"Alright, the childhood story is one thing, but I'd say you should cut the crap at the death-wish part."
Jimmy turned sharply and glared at him. "Well, why not? If they killed me, I wouldn't have struggled to survive on the streets, stealing for the sake of my own life, and ended up in this shit-hole of a prison, full of monsters-- two of which want to kill me! I'd rather be dead than be a criminal in a monster-house! I'd… I'd…" he turned away, looking back out the window, at the starry sky. "I'd rather be with her…"
Silver set down the last bit of his steak, then put a paw on Jimmy's shoulder. "And what do you think your mother would say if she heard you talking like that? Why, she'd put soap in your mouth for talking shit like that!" He turned Jimmy so that the boy faced him. "Listen to me, James Krook, you may have messed up your life so far, but that doesn't mean you can't try to make things right! You can get out of here, find someone who will take care of you, start your life all over and actually do something that'll make your mother in heaven smile with pride at raising such a fine young man! You need to lose the attitude, and show the world what you're capable of! …And hopefully, I'll have busted out of prison in time to see the light of glory shine on you, and catch some of it as well."
Jimmy looked at him, stunned that Silver-- the werewolf who acted like he didn't give a damn about him-- actually told him that he had a chance to make his life better. He sighed and sank down to the floor. "Yeah… but how the heck am I going to do that, if the rest of those goons think I'm that Roscoe guy, and won't let me out until I rot?"
Silver smiled, holding up a set of keys. "…With the help of a little something I snagged off the guards after you collapsed on the stairs."
Jimmy's eyes widened, and he chuckled, impressed. Silver never ceased to amaze him.
*Thump!*
Radio's ears perked up, hearing a noise. She looked around the room, investigating where the sound came from. She climbed off the bed and leaped toward the window, looking outside to see if anyone was stalking about, but nothing stirred. Shrugging, she turned to go back to bed---
--coming face-to-face with a girl with long, black hair, wearing a long black dress with long sleeves that seemed slashed at the wrists, just like the rim of the dress. "Izzy!" Radio gasped, arching her back and letting out a quiet hiss. "What are YOU doing here?"
"I just stopped by to make sure the two boys got home all right." Izzy replied, smiling at Rudy and Danny, walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge of it next to the young prince. "It took me a while to pin-point what street they lived on. I grew a bit worried after the young prince vomited."
Radio sneered at the vampire. "Don't you ever grow tired of stalking people?"
Izzy shrugged. "Only when their lives seem boring. These two, however…" she stroked Danny's head. "…They seem like they've got quite a journey ahead of them." She smiled at Radio. "Did you ever consider one of them might be, 'the one'?"
Radio glared at her. "If you came here to ridicule me, I suggest you leave…"
But Izzy just laughed. "You haven't asked the favor, have you? What's the matter? Afraid you might end up disappointed, again?"
"I said 'out'!" Radio bared her teeth and claws. "…Or do I have to show you out myself? I know how dangerous cats can be to vampires…"
Izzy sighed and shook her head. "Tsk-tsk-tsk. Is that how you treat an old friend?"
"Friend? Bah! You're the one who got me into this mess in the first place! Unless you've come to show remorse…"
The vampire glared and hissed at her, grabbing her by the gruff of the neck. "Don't think that I don't show remorse for the pain I bare for you, Nadine!" She dropped her onto the bed and walked over to the window. "I'll be watching you… and you'd better ask the favor soon, before you lose that prince." And, in a poof of smoke, she vanished.
Radio sighed, looking at Rudy and Danny. She's right… I must ask one of them soon… she thought. I'll ask them tomorrow-- yes, that's it! After breakfast, I'll tell them that I request a bit of gratitude for helping them… She lied down, curling up at the foot of the bed. Tomorrow, and no later. …I just hope one of them is the right one…
A/N: What's Silver's plan for escape, and what kind of favor does Radio request, and what kind of link does she share with Izzy, and WHEN WILL THE THREE BOYS MEET? Review, and hopefully we'll find out. Flames are for witches at the stake.
