HUSH

Chapter Six

"Lets do this quick, alright? I have things to do." He has an accent, a thick mix between British or Australian. I can't tell really. He pulls out a note from his pocket. His hair is gold and short, and his cop uniform ctaches a few stares from almost every passerby. He smells nice though, like cherries. "You've got the letter, right?"

I nod, drawing my eyebrows together. "Wait you're from him?"

The man looks at me with crystal blue eyes, and smiles. His teeth go in every direction humanly possible. "Come on now, sweatheart, don't act like you didn't already know."

I clench my fists and brace myself. A part of me wanted this to just be questions about Jamie. Around us everything is normal.  The crowds buddle together and twindle down every mintue or so, which wouldn't happen if Don's house wasn't an arpartment building for six on Main Street. Little boys, and mothers in strollers and men in bussiness suits walk past us oblivious that I'm being threatened by a phychopath and his "follower." I cringe. Just thinking about that, him having "followers" makes me shudder. Jake stands close by. I feel his body go stiff. "You're right. We knew. So shuttup and get to the point."

 He glares at Jake and hands me a note. "Well isn't he lovely." He mumbles to me.

"He's got a point." I smirk and take the paper. On it's cover there's a giant 1 written on top, that's it.

"What is this?" I begin to open it when he grabs my hand.

"Not now, sweatheart." His eyes drift around us, distrustfully to Jake, then back to mine. "Later."

"What is it?" I whisper.

"Your first act." He smiles. 

"What is that even supposed to mean? You, "him", or whoever you keep talking about, won't stop about this acting thing, and I don't see camera crews following me around going, "Congratulations, you've just been pranked!" "

Jake shoves his hand in his pockets. "If you're being pranked then you're not really acting . . ." He mutters.

I shut my eyes. "Shutup Jake."

"Listen tweetle dumb and dumber, I told you I don;t have time for nonsense." He leans in closer to me. "There are five acts. If you want what he has you must complete them all. They will test you on certain things. Your ability to react fast enough, your intelligence, how you improvise, how you overcome fear, and the last act is a test. I cannot tell you what it is,  or what happens whether or not you pass it, but I can tell you to brace yourself." He flashes a look at Jake. "And he's going to be problem."

He leans back and straightens his tie. "Have fun."

The man turns to leave but Jake grabs his arm. There eyes peirce each other. Gold and ice burning like hot coals against one another. "What the hell is that supossed to mean?"

The man doesn't even twitch. "Because he knows about you now." He grins with the mirth of a little child and walks away, yanking his hand back to his side. He hands me the manilla folder before he leaves. "He also wanted you to have this." His eyes don't move away from Jake yet. "As inspiration or something." 

I put the note in my pocket, not bothering to glance at it once as he jogs away. I just want this to be over with. I just want Jamie home.

I looked after his fading figure immersed in a horde of humans and vehicles and gas, running my index finger over the paper in my right pocket. I begin to walk backwards, heading towards the door at the top of the concrete steps, Jake follows. I look to him and his jaw is set. His eyes burn with rage.

Don waits behind the door. When we walk in he cranes his neck to look over my shoulder, searching for the “FBI.” 

“What’d he want?” Max pops up in front of me.