~Chapter 2~
Frank Fatbottom Junior
"Muncy...come here pal!" yelled out Louis at the top of his shuddering lungs, as he searched about the far side of the large grassy field in front of his farmhouse. Muncy darted and dashed towards his best friend and Master Louis. His tail was wagging, ears were flopping and drool flowed freely from both sides of his mouth.
"Come here boy, come here!" Oh, what a sight to see, a young boy and his best friend together again. Muncy flew off a large nearby rock, going airborne, hitting Louis directly in the sternum, sending both tumbling about the ground. Louis's baseball hat slapped off of his forehead and tumbled into the nearby shallow stream. "I love you too Muncy. Did you catch any rabbits today? I hear there is Blue Moon Hare Rabbit that lives in these parts; he keeps stealing Mr. Beamer's carrots out of his vegetable garden next door. I've seen him before. One day I am going catch him in the act, and it will be curtains I tell ya." Muncy smiled wildly as only a young golden retriever can. He slobbered on Louis's shirt then licked his thin face.
"Louis did you hear...?" yelled out an excited Chug as he approached Louis from a distance.
"Hear what Chug...?" yelled back Louis as he turned around and spotted Chug riding his bike up the dirt road, and in through the white picket fence that surrounds Louis's front yard.
"Frank Fatbottom Jr. rolled into town today, and do I mean rolled. He is over at his aunt's house wolfing down a few apple pies right now. You know that big, dark horrible looking castle at the outskirts of town. You know that creepy old black house on that far hillside. The one that none of kids ever goes to?"
"Yeah I know that house. The one that looks like trolls or hobgoblins might live there?"
"Yep that's the one. Well make sure you stay away from that witches den no matter what, but anyway I think ole' Fatbottom is storing up more fat than ever to roll, right over the top of you."
"You should not be so mean Chug. You know he can't help being fat. And that is not funny...rolling over me. You know he's got it out for me this year. Last year he beat up Short Stack real bad, remember? Short Stack should not have teased him about being so overweight so he gave him a real "shiner" in his left eye, before he left to go back to school up north. He said he'd be coming after me this year, and now he's back in town. Did you hear anything more?"
"Yes sir, I heard he is even meaner and nastier now than then, and he's put on another fifty pounds since last year. Someone said he's even been in jail for beating up a few other kids in his own town. I have not seen him yet, but Tessie Whitman told Hot Tamale Molly, and Hot Tamale Molly told Stuttering Sammy, and Sammy told Growlin Harry, and old Growlin Harry told me that he arrived last night on the number 7 train from the state capital in Indianapolis, and has been here since late last night."
"Man oh man...this is not good...I am in a world of trouble. I did not put on fifty pounds this year, and I think I even shrunk some. Most kids grow, I shrink...man oh...man."
"I would sure hate to be you in the next few days Shorty. You're gonna get it, and for nothing, for just being small and not being able to defend yourself. Glad I am taller than you and can run faster than him, or he would probably get us both."
"Well I did laugh at him along with everyone else that day at the watering-hole when Short Stack started to make fun of him, you were there as well laughing, along with all the other kids that day. He might get us both...how'd you know he's not after you as well?"
Chug gulped.
"I think I'll be worse than a hobgoblin or a troll the next few days. I'll be a ghost and go missing. That way I won't be getting any black eyes either," said Chug as he stood sideways, sucked in his gut and tried to look as thin as can be.
This brought a smile to Louis's face as he too mimicked Chug.
Both laughed aloud.
"Anyway, are we still going to Widdershins tomorrow night like we planned?" said a more amused Chug, not fully understanding Louis's predicament and worries, or maybe even his own yet.
"Well yeah, we are going Widdershins, everything is planned. It will be the first night of the full moon, the blue moon. Molly is helping to set the whole thing up. I talked to her the other day about it, and about half of the schoolhouse kids are now coming. She's even bringing some of her mom's apple pies and some fresh cooked brownies for snacks. Heck, I've got my Widdershins suit ready, my new hat, my Widdershins song is rehearsed and the mushrooms, in the fairy circle are fully grown and ready to co-operate. It's all ready. Tomorrow is the only night we can raise the dead, un-dead or a fairy, good or evil for that matter. It has to be that night only, March 1st, per my readings in that book from Mr. Beamer's attic."
"OK, Louis I've got it, but let's not forget about ole Fatbottom Junior. You don't think he will show up, do you?" asked Chug as he sat on the chair-swing on Louis's front porch to try and relax for a moment. With two great leaps Muncy pounced onto Chug's lap, giving him a lick on the face, he then went about searching for a few pats on the head in return of the favor. Chug obliged the very needy Muncy.
Louis started to pace around the front yard by the porch where Chug was now comfortably sitting with Muncy in his lap. He picked up a few small stones, lying nearby. He tossed them into the small fishing-pond in his front yard in a slipshod manner. His mind began to race. Worry filled his thoughts, as sweat began to pour down the sides of his face. The full scale of the situation finally filled his young mind with sheer terror as he began to yell out.
"Yeah, he might show up...but...but...and...he's...gonna kill me! I don't want any black-eye...or...or...worse. What if he knocks out my teeth? Aggggg!!!!"
This frightened Muncy and Chug in unison. Both jumped to their feet, knocking over a few empty, milk cans nearby. Muncy flew backwards off of the porch, landing in a nearby thicket while Chug tumbled forward into Louis's outstretched arms.
"Don't yell out like that!" blurted out Chug as he and Louis tumbled into the thicket where Muncy had just unceremoniously landed "you almost gave me and Muncie a heart attack".
Louis popped his head out of the bushes as Muncy licked his face. Chug patted Louis on the back, then brushed off some leaves off of him and Muncy, as they both tried together to comfort little Louis the best they could. Muncy nudged up to Louis's side as Chug spoke with a little confusion showing in his voice, "What if we...we...ah...er...all grouped up on him? You know...ah...get all the kids to fight him at once, on your behalf? Or we hide for the whole week until he leaves or...er...or...we hire a bigger kid in school to be your bodyguard...or..."
Both headed back towards the front porch to clean up the spilled milk cans as Muncy found a shade tree in the front yard to rest under.
Louis gathered his breadth and tried to quell his pounding heart. He began to methodically work through the situation at hand. He scratched the top of his head then turned his head upwards to the heavens deep in thought.
"I like those ideas Chug...but let me think a minute."
"All your friends might help you out. Heck you are the most popular kid in school, even if you have that crazy flaming red hair and those funny looking freckles" said a now self-amused Chug.
Louis shot Chug a quick scolding look, as Chug responded in kind, it was an understanding that only two best friends could have. Louis gave an uneasy chuckle then went back into deep thought.
"No that won't work, even with ten kids trying to hold him down, he's huge, well over six foot tall and from what you said with that added weight, he's gonna weigh well over three hundred and fifty pounds. How we gonna stop that out-of-control roller coaster?"
"Good point."
"Chug I knew him before he was so fat, remember about four years ago, he use to come to town on vacation, and we all got along with him, then the next year he put on all that weight, then the next year, and so on and so on. Something must have happened to him."
"Yeah, he
ate too much."
"No you don't understand that just does not happen for no, darn reason. Maybe he is sick and has not told anybody, or maybe it's something else. He's depressed?"
"Yeah he's depressed he does not have more to eat!"
"You're not getting the point Chug. I am being serious here for a moment. He was really a good kid before, then he just changed for the worst, and maybe this is how he's dealing with it...food...he's comfort-eating."
"Your good heart with be the death of you someday Louis or your savior, I don't know, but all I can say is he's gonna kill you when he runs into you in a day or so, or tomorrow night. You'd better think of something quick, and I mean real quick."
"Well I will come up with something. Maybe I can talk with Mr. Beamer or my mom, they can help out. Or maybe even talk with Turk the Blacksmith? He's always got good advice and takes care of us kids. Walpurgis Night and the Widdershins Dance are coming soon, so I only got so much time. I gotta go Chug. If you come up with anything else let me know, will you? You are very smart and my best friend, so I am depending on you," understood Louis as he grabbed his bike and headed towards the front gates, and on to the dirt road towards town.
"Louis, I will take a mid-morning nap here on your porch if you or Hattie May don't mind and, and hopefully something will come to me later today, especially after your mom finishes baking those cookies I have been smelling the whole time we've been here. I'll help you all I can, you can depend on me Louis. You know you can."
"You just want an excuse to take a nap and get some free cookies. I know you Chug, you live the most pleasant life of anyone I know, except when it comes to hanging around with me. You've seen me in action way too many times I guess...trouble...trouble...always trouble with me..." proclaimed Louis as he winked again at Chug.
Chug winked back at Louis before he closed both his eyes. He gently placed both of his hands behind his head as he slowly laid back into the cloth swing. The warm sun went missing as a few dark storm clouds hung overhead; this only foreshadowed the real troubles brewing below. And a storm of trouble was fermenting in Indiana on this day, and soon more trouble would surface on the horizon for a few children who resided in Centerville.