The Heart's Content

Chapter 54

After Angel's performance, he and Vaggie sat themselves down at Husk's table, waiting for the next act and for their meal. It was at that moment that the band called for Husk to help them check the piano, for they believed a string had snapped. When Husk went to investigate, he took off his jacket and left it hanging on his chair because he become very hot.

"So what does he do again?" Angel asked Vaggie.

"He plays piano and he knows a few card tricks." She answered. "He doesn't look like your average composer and pianist but he's actually extremely gifted in that department. But he's a little nervous about tonight?"

"Why? Doesn't he perform in crowds all the time?"

"Well yeah but tonight he'll be performing in front of..." She quickly stopped herself before she could reveal Husk's secret crush.

"In front of who?" Angel inquired.

"You know what I'm really thirsty right now." She said changing the subject. "I'm going to go get a drink. Excuse me."

She was gone before Angel could question her further. He thought hard for a moment, tapping his fingers to his face, something he normally did when he was thinking. However doing so made him realize how dry his face had become.

"Damn it! I knew I should have brought my moisturizer with me."

But then he noticed the capsule in Husk's jacket pocket. The one containing his "face cream."

"I'm sure Husky won't mind if I borrow a little of it."

He grabbed the capsule, unscrewed the lid, and applied about two finger presses of the powder to his face.

"After all, it for an emergency. When my skin dries, I'm like a crawfish with a hard shell."

No sooner than he had said that, he was instantly transformed into a white crawfish. Unable to comprehend what had just happened to him, he started to scurry around in panic. He didn't pay attention to what he was doing or where he was going, which led him to come running into the shoe of Emile Tatou, one of Rosie's cooks, and he was making his specialty, Crawfish Gumbo.

"Looks like I missed one."

He picked up Angel and brought him over to where all the cooks were preparing their dishes. He placed him on a wooden table where there was a huge kitchen knife laying just next to him. Angel panicked again, and tried crawl away but Emile's hand stopped him.

"What's this? You're still alive?" He asked looking at him. "Well I'll fix that. Don't worry my tasty little morsel, your death will be quick and painless. You probably won't even feel a thing."

He raised the knife but Angel squeezed himself out of Emile's grip, missing the blade by the skin of his teeth.

"Tricky little morsel, aren't you? Well there's no use in trying to escape." He said swinging the knife. "You're only delaying the inevitable."

"Help!" Angel wanted to cry out. "Somebody help me! I'm too young to die! I have too many hopes and dreams!"

But in this form no one could understand him.

"So you don't want a quick and painless death? You want a slow and torturous one. Very well, into the boiling pot you go."

Emile managed to grab Angel again but this time he brought him very close to his face. Close enough for Angel to pinch him hard on the nose.

"Ow!" He shouted in pain, accidentally dropping Angel down his pants. In desperation, he punched a very fragile part of Emile.

He practically howled like a tortured hound dog and sent Angel flying through the air.