Chapter 5 - Eyes of Stone Observe The Trends

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Maybe I was too hard on Binx. We're family aren't we? He was probably just worried because of all those scare tactics Mrs Johnson was spewing. I better go look for him ...

As Craig headed out of the school he saw Jocko and went over.

"Hey uh Jocko?" He greeted.

Jocko looked over and smiled. "Hey Craig! Guess what?"

"What?" Craig asked.

"I got the stuff for the party!" He said excitedly.

"That .. that's great." He avoided eye contact just like last time.

Jocko frowned. "What's wrong? Aren't you excited dude?"

"I am but I ... .. I .. .. You … .. You know about Thackery Binx … … r .. .. right?"

"Of course I do ya jerk." He said, gently slugging his arm. "They've been bashing that whole Sanderson Sister's curse in our heads since first grade. Why?"

"Well do … .. .. do you believe in it?" Craig asked.

"Pfffft! Of course not!" Jocko said. "It's all just a bunch of hocus pocus dude."

Craig exhaled. "Right .. .. I uh ….. .. I gotta go. See you tomorrow?"

"See ya punk." Jocko laughed,

Craig went around the block calling out "Binx! Binx! Binx where are you? Binx! Binx!"

He sighed. It's hopeless! I'm not gonna find him!

… .. … ….. … … … … … … … …. ….. … … …. …. … …. … . …. ….. …. ….. .. …. .. … .. ..

Binx on a stone atop a grave in the cemetery. He sorrowfully read the inscription in his head over and over again :

Here lies ey body of

EMILY BINX

beloved daughter

sister

Died ey 31st

of October 1693

Sweet Emily taken from

us most unnaturally

Rest and wait for us

In a world beyond

"Oh Emily … …" He sighed. "I wish now more than ever to join you in that world beyond … ... I've met our kin and now he hates me … I don't see the point anymore … I don't even see the point in preventing the revival of The Sanderson Sisters!"

He looked at his extended claws and let out a roar as powerful as Zira's. He exhaled and stalked around the graveyard like a hyena. "I've had it with this immortal life! I've had it with this monster growing inside me! I just want to join you Emily … ... But I …. .. I can't! And no one cares!"

He cried as he returned to his sister's grave, crying into his paws. He could feel a presence looming over him and looked up. Various ghouls, and monsters circled around him.

"If you truly are my friends from the otherside … then take me there!" He demanded. The friends looked confused and continued circling around Binx. "Please! Just … just end this for me!"

The friends cackled as they drew in closer. Binx's head throbbed in pain, he groaned and grasped the side of his head in a vain attempt to stop it. "Please … .. Please … .. Please … ..."

"Binx?"

Binx was pulled out of his trance. The friends vanished as he looked to see Craig standing at the front of the cemetery. "Cr …. ... Craig? Why are you here?"

"I came to apologize. I was kinda rough on ya earlier." Craig said, gently.

Binx bounded over. He had a hop in his step, almost bug like, he could only assume was from one of the various villainous creatures festering inside him. From that moment to when he stopped at Craig's feet, he could swear he could only see out of his left eye.

Binx smiled as he felt all traces of the creature within vanish. "I .. ... I'm so happy to see you again and I .. .. ... I'm sorry too."

Craig smiled and leaned down to pet him. "Hey no need to apologize, it's all right."

Binx purred as he rubbed his head against the crease of Craig's hand.

"So uh interesting place for you to run off to." Craig said idly as he stood up and put his hands in his pockets.

Binx chuckled dryly. "I suppose it is, yes … … ..."

They were silent for a moment until Craig spoke up again, "You know, if The Sanderson Sisters came back, this would be the best place to go."

"Oh?" Binx cocked his head to the side. "And why is that?"

"It's Hallowed ground, they can't foot here without turning to stone." Craig explained

"How do you know this?" Binx asked curiously.

Craig shrugged as he walked around the graveyard. "I know lots of stuff. I'm really the only one in my family who believes in The Sanderson Sisters and their curse."

He stopped in front of one of the grave stones :

Here lyes ey body of

Mr William Butcherson

Died ey 1st of May 1693

Lost Soul

"This is Billy Butcherson. He was Winifred's boyfriend … … Well until she caught him flirting with her sister Sarah. Then she poisoned him and sewed his mouth shut so he couldn't tell her secrets even in death."

Binx blinked. "Wow that is well .. … .. uh .. … excessive … .. …. but not something I'd doubt Winifred would do …"

"They were nasty witches." Craig said.

"Yes … .. .. They truly were." Binx sighed before heading back to Emily's grave and sitting down.

"Do … .. .. Do you know about her?" He asked, softly.

Craig looked at her tombstone and frowned. "Yeah … .. .. She was your little sister. The Sanderson Sisters killed her …. .. .. right?"

"Right in front of my eyes." Binx choked out. "They used her youthfulness to keep themselves young … and I …I tried to save her but ." He looked down at his paws. " ….. But they cursed me with immortality and the body of a cat … They knew being alive ... never being able to reunite with my family … was a fate worse than death … "

Craig leaned down and pulled Binx into a hug. "Shhh it's okay." He stroked his back gently. "We're family aren't we?"

"Quite a few generations apart, but yes, we are." Binx replied , putting his head into the curve of Craig's neck.

"You don't have to be lonely anymore. You can have a family again." He tightened his hug.

Binx sniffled. "Do …do you truly mean that?"

"Of course I do." Craig murmured into his fur. "I'm not going to let you be alone anymore."

Binx purred. "I'd like that."

Craig cradled Binx into his arms and headed home. When he opened the door hi dad was sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper. When he noticed his son he put it down. "Oh, hi Craig."

"Hey dad." Craig said with a small nod.

"So uh, how was school." His dad asked.

"Fine." He replied , uninterested.

He looked at Binx. "Where'd you find the cat?"

"You know just … around …." Craig shrugged.

Who knows how he'd react if I tried to tell him it was the Thackery Binx? He'd probably call the legends dumb … like he always did ….

"You uh, able to afford feeding it, cleaning out its litter box? All those sorta things?" His dad asked.

"Y ... yeah dad." He sat at the table next to him. How do I bring this report thing up? "So uh on … on Friday our teacher wants us to go somewhere … and we gotta write an essay on it. So I was wondering if I could uh get a ride after school Friday or something."

"All right. Where do you need to go for this essay?" His dad asked, reading the newspaper again.

"Oh you know just uh … the drug treatment center here in town?"

"The drug treatment center?" His dad repeated. He put the newspaper down and looked at Craig. "Your teacher wants you to go to the drug treatment center for an essay? Why? What … What class is this for anyway?"

"Health class, dad. We're learning about cocaine and she wants me … well she wants us to write a report about stuff we learned there." Craig lied.

His dad sat there in thought for a moment then sighed. " ... All right. I'll pick you up after school Friday and take you there."

"Thanks dad." Craig picked up Binx and headed upstairs to his room. He placed Binx on the bed before putting in one of his cassettes. Music blasted through the room :

… And we both know it's all a game

Face to face our blood runs hot

And no one denies the temptations

And no one's afraid of the heat

Trust me music, I'm trying with all my might to avoid my own temptations at all costs … ...

Binx thought as his tail started swinging in beat with the music.

Well we're dancing with the house on fire!

The walls melting down, is making it hotter!

Dancing with the house on fire!

Craig laughed a bit as Binx started bobbing his head up and down. "You're really digging this music aren't ya?"

"Yes, I must say your 80s music isn't too bad after all." Binx let out a dry chuckle.

"Craig!" A women yelled, startling Binx. "Turn down that music down young man!"

Craig sighed in annoyance and yelled back, "All right mom, I'll turn it down!"

He hit the stop button on the cassette player and plopped down next to Binx on the bed.

"I'm assuming your mom however doesn't "dig it"?" Binx teased.

Craig laughed. "Nah. Moms usually don't."

They laid on the bed in silence for a bit until Craig pulled Binx onto his chest. He idly pet his fur and looked at the ceiling. "You know, I'm glad you found me. I kinda feel lonely in this house too … you know the only one believing in the curse and all that ... and sometimes I … I started to doubt the legend myself because of that but … but now … it's actually you … here … with .. with me. And I ...I can't doubt that." He hugged him closer. "Now I won't feel like garbage when dad just tells me to forgot about the "dumb ol' legend" and to let it go."

"Conceal don't feel?" Binx asked

"Yeah, exactly!" Craig said.

Where did that come from? Binx shook his head a bit before resting it on Craig's chest and letting out a deep, content, purr.

Craig cuddled closer as he and Binx's eyelids slowly fluttered shut.