In Between The Stars

Jester and Him

DYLAN'S POV

The sky above us is the shade of blue that enthrals people during summer. Not a single cloud is in sight as the Sun beams down at us, assuring me that we aren't in the same part of the world anymore.

All that we can see around us is water, frozen water, which stretches from horizon to horizon. And in between the vast frozen lake is a ship of incomparable beauty, on which we have landed right now.

The gigantic ship is more like a ridiculously large mansion. The wooden floor beneath my feet is so shiny and clear that I can almost see my reflection in it. The curved front of the ship has sturdy metal railings running along its side and I can see a couple of stairs in front of me that stretch from one side of the bow to the other and leads to a lower platform which consists of a large glass doorway that opens to the interior of the ship. It is obvious that this ship was never built to sail, it is not even a ship; just a home built in the shape of one. A home perfectly set amidst an isolated lake which, I bet, was frozen on purpose.

A few gulls fly in bored circles above us as we make our way to the glass doors. There are two gilded knobs on the double doors and a small bronze bell hangs over Tara's head. I can see the most peculiar thing on the other side of the glass; it is a large hall filled haphazardly with all kinds of random odd things, like an old mirror with a blackened silver body, a studded dog collar, a steel cased watch with a broken frame over its dial, old stuffed toys, a dusty hairbrush with barely any bristles left in it and a million other things of no apparent importance.

"Quite bizarre, huh?" I comment and Tara gives me a Tell me about it look before giving the bell a good shake so that it produces a loud chorus of its tinkles.

When there is no response from the inside Tara does it once again. This time, however, we see a man hastily making his way to the door through a small aisle in between the heaps of all the mundane things.

The elderly man is simply dressed in a white silk shirt and black dress pants. He has a head full of pearly white hair and lively grey eyes. Even though he is considerably tall, around six foot six inches, he has a bit of a stoop. But, nonetheless, the sense of authority that surrounds him is undeniable.

He struggles with the doorknob for a while before throwing the door open wide and stepping out into the mild sunlight. His pale skin seems almost transparent as the sun beats down on him.

"Tara!" He greets her in a deep, gravelly voice and offers her an amicable hug. After letting her go he appraises me with a grim look and nods in acknowledgement.

"Death, aren't you?" He says, a note of disgust in his voice.

"The last time I checked." I intone, my voice flat and lifeless.

He grunts, clearly disappointed. "Come on in." He says and starts shuffling back in.

We follow him through the large hall into a smaller living room which is not all that different, except that a spot in the middle of the room has been cleared of all the odd things to fit in an old wooden sofa with fraying red cushions.

He asks us to take our seats and makes himself comfortable by propping a hip over a small mahogany table that rests in front of the sofa, not an intended furniture but just a part of the many things around us.

"Would you like something to drink? Some Moonriver Martini perhaps?" He asks, mainly to Tara since I don't really eat or drink anything (with the exception of the time that I'd pretended to in front of Akira's family).

"No thanks, Jester." Tara declines the offer politely.

"Say Tara, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" He asks. His eyes are fixed on Tara as he tries to pretend that I don't exist.