The Jester | K.TH

Chapter 4 The Jester

"W-wh-who are you?" I asked in fear.

"You know who I am." Replied the person in the shadow.

"The Jester..."

"Ding ding ding, we have a winner!" He said in a crazed tone.

"Come with me, Ember." He said.

"You know my name?"

"I know more about you than you think......come with me."

His voice was unlike any I had ever heard. It was deep but...soft...mesmerizing. I felt myself get out of the bed, my body moving against my mind's will. It was as if I had no control. I had to go. I walked into the shadow and an arm reached out toward me. I grabbed it and the next thing I knew I was swept off of my feet and brought through the window. He set me down and started walking towards the woods. I just stood there and stared at him. He was wearing pants that had thin black and white vertical stripes that seemed to fit perfectly with his black leather jacket. He turned around and looked at me revealing the thing that gave him his name, the Jester mask. It covered half of his face, enough to cover his forehead and eyes, but left his nose and strong jaw and square smile open to those who saw him. The bells on the tips of his black and red hat jingled as he walked into the trees. I felt my feet begin to move again, following him into the shadows of the trees.

His laughter rang out again and I felt the fear slowly start to flee and the feeling of curiosity started to set it. I had to follow him.

We walked for what felt like forever through the woods taking a path i knew I wouldn't ever be able to remember, until we came to a dark cave.

"Welcome to my part of the world." He said in a tone that sent chills down my spine. But...they wasn't chills of fear, they were chills of......thrill.

We entered and it was oddly normal. I'm not sure what I expected, but this surely wasn't it. There was a brown fur rug that sat in between a small fire pit and a bed roll. A few random items thrown around the cave, otherwise it was just empty space.

The Jester motioned for me to sit.

"So Ember, tell me, how does it feel to be in the presence of the ever elusive Jester? Are you scared?"

"No, I'm not. Not anymore." I said matter-of-factly

"Good. That makes this so much easier for me."

"Makes what easier?" I asked.

He came next to me and put his face inches in front of mine.
"You'll soon find out." He said while chuckling

"Are you going to make me crazy?" I asked

"What? You really think I made those girls crazy? Ha!" He said while laughing "They were already crazy. They just needed......a nudge in the right direction."

He turned around and took off his jacket and mask. I almost gasped. His beauty was unlike anything I'd seen before. His eyes were a dark and piercing brown that I swear looked straight into my soul. His purple-ish colored hair was kept in perfect fashion and his solid body was clearly not the body of a weak and thin Jester.

"Ok, now I need you to do something for me, ok?" The Jester said to me.

"What is it?" I said almost happily.

"I need you to find someone for me."

"Find someone?"

"Yes. I thought I made that pretty clear." He snapped.

"I'm sorry." I said apologetically

What was going on with me? Happy to help someone who had kidnapped young women and made them go crazy? I don't understand. Did he have some kind of powers? My mind started racing with questions.

"Did you not hear me?" He asked in a serious tone that startled me out of my thoughts.

"Did. You. Not. Hear. Me?"

"N-no." I responded.

"I thought you said you weren't afraid? What happened to that?"

"I'm not. Who is it I'm supposed to be looking for?"

He turned his head slightly away from my view but I could still see the pain in those deep eyes.

"A person from long ago."

"Well how am I supposed to do that?" I asked frustrated that I had been given a task I surely wouldn't be able to do.

"You'll know her when you see her."

"That makes absolutely no sense. I'll know her when I see her? Who is her? Where am I supposed to find her to be able to 'see' her? This is just craz-"

"Exactly" he said with a mischievous smile.

END OF CHAPTER 4