Jacob's red-rimmed eyes scanned the computer screen. His calloused fingertips typed furiously at the keyboard.
"YOUNG!" his boss bellowed.
"Yes sir?" Jacob said sheepishly.
"My office, now!" Jacob rose from his chair following the purple faced man. Many of his co-workers peered over their cubicles. Some offered sympathetic glances, others smirked, happy that they weren't the one in trouble. Jacob sat in front of his boss's desk feeling remarkably small.
"Mr. Young," his would-be executioner began. "Your reports on the Abner file are overdue; your presentation this morning was sloppy and you've been late for work for the fourth time this week!" he roared. Jacob flinched at the volume of the man's voice.
"Sorry sir. I just need more time."
"No. I've already given you a second chance and you've blown it! YOU'RE FIRED!"
Jacob returned to his gloomy apartment.
"Come in," Buckbeak greeted him. Jacob smiled at the parrot. He had gotten him from a pet store when he first left home.
"Buckbeak hungry!" he squawked, clinging on to the front of her cage. He was well fed, but he just wanted attention. Jacob petted the bird's head through the bars, before sitting down at his desk. He looked at the piles of overdue bills and eviction notices. Jacob sighed. How did it come to this? He began thinking of a simpler time. Of lazy afternoons spent reading Tom Sawyer, Kidnapped, the Biggles Adventure series. Jacob put his head on his desk. What happened to that little boy that dreamed of being a pirate or a cowboy or a pilot? The middle-aged man fell into an uneasy sleep.
"Come on Jake!" Max called.
"Coming!" Jake ran after his friend. The two boys met up with a few of the other neighbourhood kids.
"Let's play Cowboys and Indians!" One of them said. After the teams were decided, the children ran around pretending to shoot each other. The happy sound of squealing and laughter filled the air.
"Bang! Killed you Jake!"
"No you didn't!"
"Yes I did!" The playing instantly ceased.
"Bang, bang! Now you're dead!" the older boy that had claimed to shot Jake jabbed him in the chest.
"No I'm not!" Jake said pushing him. By now a crowd had surrounded the quarrelling boys. The bigger youngster pushed Jake back.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the children egged on as the two boys began to scuffle. One of the parents rushed out and separated the pair before the brawl escalated further.
Jacob woke up and wiped his weary eyes. He looked at Buckbeak preening his feathers, wondering if he felt as trapped as Jacob did. 'To hell with it' he thought.
Jacob trudged up to the roof. He looked over the edge at the bustling city below. No one would care if he was gone. He wasn't married; he didn't have children, or any close friends. Jacob's family were long gone by now. He had no job and soon he'd have no home. Jacob just hoped that Buckbeak would have a good home after he was gone. Jacob stepped over the edge. Just for a minute... Jacob felt totally free.
"Jacob Young." Jake woke to the sound of his name called. He saw a man floating above him. Jake stood up, finding he was much shorter that the blue skinned man.
"Who are you? Where up I?" he asked.
"I am the Keeper of the Ghost Zone. You have successfully broken your bond with your human life. You wanted to be a child again? I have granted your wish." Jake looked at himself. He was a kid once more, all decked out in a pirate costume. "And so that you don't get lonely," the Keeper continued, "I am giving you your own companion." A skeletal parrot landed on Jake's shoulder. A flash of panic swept over him.
"Buckbeak-"
"Is safe. This is a shape shifter that already exists here in the Ghost Zone. He will become what you need, when you need. Now all you have to do is forget your old life." Jake grinned.
"Done!"
The police found no signs of foul play involved in the death of Jacob Young. All that was in the man's apartment was his parrot. There was a note pinned to the cage out of the bird's reach that read 'Please find a good home for Buckbeak'. The bird was in distress that his owner hadn't come home. A few of Jacob's former co-workers wept for him. He was a fairly quiet man and usually kept to himself but he was always polite. There was no real reason to hate him.
Youngblood swooped over Danny. He tried to blast the young ghost and his companion but he missed. This kid was driving him crazy! Youngblood was having too much fun to notice his assailant's displeasure. He was too busy enjoying his freedom. An eternal freedom that came with a high cost. A cost that was only known to the Keeper and Youngblood's skeletal companion.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed. Feedback is greatly appreciated.
