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Chapter Five, Dark Heart

Emma shoved Leroy into her car as David pulled up to the docks. "Great," she muttered. "Daddy's here."

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"What does it look like? I'm putting these idiots in jail."

"For a little disagreement?" asked Leroy.

"You punched Sneezy," said Emma, "and his nose can't take it."

"It wasn't a punch," corrected the grumpy dwarf. "It was more like a strong brushing."

"It hurts!" yelled the other dwarf, holding his nose.

"You don't have to arrest them," said David. "Just let them off with a warning."

"No! They were brawling!"

Leroy scoffed. "Brawling."

"They're brothers, Emma. They love each other."

"Yeah," said Happy. "We do."

"Shut up," said Doc, hitting his brother in the shoulder.

"Leave me alone, you bully!" yelled Happy, of all people.

"Hey, stop it!" cried Emma.

The two dwarves didn't stop, hitting and shoving each other. "See? I told you, Dave, they need to be caged."

David grabbed Happy. "What's wrong with you?"

"There you go again."

Dave scoffed, gesturing at Happy. "Emma, when this guy starts fighting, yes, something is wrong."

"Just help me. It's your job, isn't it?"

He nodded reluctantly and shoved Happy, then Doc into his truck. "Stop it, you two!" he cried, as they renewed their disagreement. "Maybe there's something in the water." He got a text from Granny, asking him to coming to the diner immediately. He sighed. "If this is another...disagreement, then there is definitely something in the water."

He hauled his cargo to the sheriff's office, then set out again, leaving Emma to tend to the bickering brothers.

He pulled up to Granny's. Red was outside, yelling and screaming. At the moment, her target was Doctor Whale.

"What's going on?"

Granny shrugged, her face clearly showing how upset she was. "I don't know. He came in for lunch and Ruby just went nuts."

"He was rude!"

"I was not! I simply asked for coffee!"

"You demanded it! I'm not some...lab assistant!" she cried, hands on her hips defiantly.

"Of course not you aren't."

"Oh, but I'm not good enough for you, am I?"

"What?"

"You think I'm some cheap piece of trash you can steal a kiss from...or worse!"

Whale turned Red. "I didn't! Yeah, I bumped into you while you were serving, but..."

"Bumped, yeah, right. You groped me!"

"I did not! My hand brushed yours, that's all! Why are you acting like this? I don't understand!"

"Yeah, that's going around," said Dave.

"Ruby, I'm sorry if you think I offended you..." began Whale calmly.

"If?"

"Ruby, dear, calm down," said her grandmother. "The doctor is right, it was accident, and" she said with a chuckle, "I hardly call it groping."

"You stay out of this!" Ruby screamed. "God, you're always against me, aren't you!"

"Ruby..."

David sighed, shaking his head. "First Emma, then the dwarves, and now her. Something's going on."

"Others are acting like this?" asked Whale.

"Yeah. Could they be sick?"

Whale shook his head. "Maybe."

"Ruby hasn't been," said Granny. "She was fine yesterday. She just woke up...crazy."

"The same with the dwarves," said David. "And Emma."

"Perhaps I should examine her," said Whale, nodding toward Ruby.

"Oh, no you don't! You aren't getting another chance! Keep your mitts off me!" she yelled.

"Ruby, honey, calm down. What is wrong with you?"

"Shut up old woman!" she screamed at Granny. "God, I'm so sick of you, you old Crone."

Granny opened her mouth, staring.

"Ruby, relax," said David.

"No! Why should I?"

"Because you're making a public disturbance," David said calmly, glancing around at the small group in front of the diner and the gawking witnesses on the sidewalk and streets.

She shook her head. "That's just great, I'm the victim but you're going to punish me." Ruby scoffed and looked at Dave. "Public disturbance, huh. Are you going to haul me in, big brave Deputy sheriff?"

"Hush, girl!" cried Granny. "Show some respect!""

"Respect? No one around here knows the meaning of the word!" screamed Ruby. Her eyes narrowed on Whale. "You aren't going to do anything about him?"

David looked at her. "Ruby, this is Victor we're talking about. You seriously want to make a complaint?"

"Yes!"

"OK, but I got a witness that says nothing happened." He looked at Granny. "Right?"

The old woman looked at her granddaughter and sadly nodded.

"You witch!" cried the waitress.

"Ruby, stop this!"

"You're all incredible! I hate you! All of you!" she screamed. She looked at Granny and Victor. "You two most of all!" She marched toward the diner. "I hate this place! I never want to see any of you...losers...again!" She stomped inside.

Granny watched through the door as she stomped upstairs. "I have never seen her like this, and believe me she can be...trying. I just don't know what's got into her."

David shook his head. "It seems to be going around."

"If I did anything, I am truly sorry," said Whale. "I...care about her."

"I know," said David softly.

Granny smiled sadly at him.

"Just let her cool down," said David. "Call if she gets worse."

Granny nodded.

The deputy walked to his truck, looking back at the diner. "Something odd is going on."

End of Chapter Five