Theodore & The 7 Layers of Space, Book 1: Brick & Bird

CHAPTER 11: Monkey Fight

All of us are many things at once. A baker and a mother and a postage stamp enthusiast. A Magician and a Detective and a mediocre clarinetist. Combinations and re-combinations of who we are shift and turn depending on the moment and who is perceiving it. But a select few citizens of the 7 Layers of Space exist literally as more than one person at a time.

Mr. Caruthers the wooden ghost monkey is one of them.

***

Much to Theodore's surprise, Mr. Caruthers stood on top of the Magician Detective's desk pointing a lightly curved sword directly at his head.

"It's sports gear!" the monkey said with enthusiasm. His train hat had been replaced with an old leather football helmet, and he emphasized his point with a wobble of his head and a tap of his sword. He seemed pleased.

"Um, hello again, Mr. Caruthers. I'm glad to see you, but, um...I was trying to do what you told me to do. I was just leaving? For Gup? Actually, I could have used your help a few minutes ago..." He stood staring at the monkey and his sword, cautious and hoping for some assistance, a familiar awkward silence increasing between them. Mr. Caruthers was not volunteering any new information. "Did you want to come with me or something? Would you mind putting away that sword?"

"Ah ha ha! Couldn't come along if I wanted to, little friend. Nope and nosiree y'see, check it out," he tucked the sword between his legs and raised his arms up with pride, as if he had just scored a goal, "I'm The Guardian of the Door!" He made a little "HAHHH"" sound to imitate a crowd's cheers.

Theodore stood still, uncomprehending. "I know I'm new to all this stuff, but when we were on the roof, didn't you unintelligibly yell at me that I had to destroy the guardian?"

"Sounds like something I might say up there, yep." He looked to the side and counted some fingers, as if figuring out an equation. "Heck, I'm probably up there right now, forgettin' to say other stuff. Bein a multi-dimensional ghost is dead weird, kid. You get all...chopped up... Not really in my best interestings to get destroyed, mind you, but sometimes one thing don't agree with t'other, if you catch my drift?" He took a moment to scratch his bottom, which Theodore presumed was how he thought even more deeply. "Well ain't this a tricky bit o pudding?" He tossed his ancient sword soundlessly from his paw to his tail and back. "It adds up to the same pile o paint: I can't let you go through that little red door, there, kiddo." He pointed the sword at the door, which stood slightly ajar, and then squarely at Theodore again.

"What the heck?! Dude! I didn't want to do this anyways!"

"Hup hup hup! Here's the rub, little lad. Man or monkey or ghost, we often wear many hats," he tapped his helmet again. "Me? It's my job to protect The Grid, The House, and each Little Red Door inside her." He counted off the duties on his little monkey fingers as he named them. "In that there ancient order," he winked broadly as he said the last. "I'm made to be many things at once, which is why they got me for the job! Say... what took you so long to get on up here, dangit?"

"I don't know, Mr. Caruthers. I didn't feel sure? I mean, you seem ok, but I don't even really know you. Nanaface and The Magician Detective don't exactly seem on board with the whole 'send a little kid through a mysterious door to save the day' thing... And I... I can barely keep up with what's going on."

"Fair 'nuff, fair 'nuff," he said, cleaning some imaginary dust from the desk with his forepaw. "I'm glad you're thinking fer yerself. That's a useful affliction."

"And then The Magician Detective decided to teach me how to be a Magician Detective. Which turns out is maybe boring... but then I also talked to this weird guy through the tee vee. But it turns out you were both right."