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  "You like our TV?" Todd asked plainly. Jason tilted his head in confusion.

  "If 'TV' is your abbreviation for television," Jason explained, "then my answer is yes. 'TV' is how we began to enjoy your civilization." Todd flinched again with surprise.

  "You all watch us?"

  "Why yes," Jason said, "especially this little town. I personally think it is the best one we have found yet, aside from a few changes that we would recommend."

  "Oh," mumbled Todd with a fake expression of happiness for another, "Congratulations." He looked down at the opened container in the palm of his hand before taking another couple of tablets and swallowing them. Jason, noticing this, watched but did not act or speak of it.

  "There is something else bothering you," Jason said. Todd lowered his head; cornered with no excuses.

  "There is," Todd said, "How will you-"

  "No no," Jason interrupted, "not about me. There is something else bothering you." Todd soon realized what Jason was hinting at and the more Jason stared at Todd, trying to figure out what it was, the more Todd built a wall in his mind to avoid touching on it.

  "There is nothing else," Todd blurted out frantically with slight enragement, keeping his eyes away from Jason and nearly throwing more pills in his mouth.

  "It's about your wife," Jason continued, not backing down. Todd began to sweat under the heat and Jason's pressuring to talk. With all his might he tried to keep his mind from the topic, but nothing could stop the facts from seeping in. Suddenly Todd turned to Jason with panic in his eyes, but Jason sat still and waited. The capsule of pills slowly slipped from Todd's sweaty hands as his eyes filled with tears.

  "I killed Helen," Todd blubbered, eyes filling with tears and bringing his hands to his face, "I drove her away. I caused her to come here . . . get shot. I killed my wife!" Jason sat and watched as Todd wept before him, cupping his face in his hands and leaning forward. Jason then turned his head away as if not having witness the man's breakdown.

  "You did not kill your wife," Jason said strongly, as if knowing the truth.

  "But she came here," Todd bawled, "she wouldn't have come here if we hadn't of fought." Todd lifted his face from his hands and looked at Jason while still sniffling pathetically, "I was always caught up in things. We were never the same. She . . ." Todd paused and looked around his hotel room for a word to finish his statement but it was when his eyes fell upon the small ceramic sculptures that he finally began settling down, "she loved things."

  "Is this the first time you have cried?" Jason asked, "Since-"

  "Yes," Todd butted in, ending Jason early, "yes it is." Todd wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his arm and then leaned down to pick up the container and its spilled goods.

  "Hey," Jason said, looking at Todd with an idea, "let's get out of here." Todd lifted his head in confusion, misunderstanding Jason's proposition, before looking towards Jason who stood tall on his feet.

  "What do you mean?" Todd asked.

  "Let's get out of this stuffy room," Jason said with delight, "I think you could use some fresh air anyways." Todd lifted the pills up from the floor and sat up straight again. He took a short glance around the room, duly noting the musty air, the harsh humidity, the broken air conditioner, and insufficient brightness from the single, wheezing light bulb in his room.

  "Okay," Todd replied, sitting up straight on the bed with all the pills still in his hand, "what did you have in mind?" Todd dumped the tablets back into the capsule before noticing Jason's stare was directed at the writing desk. Todd lodged the container of pills into his pocket as he sought out what had caught Jason's gaze. The little ceramic houses and townspeople were the center of attention. More specifically, Jason stared at the cathedral.

  Chapter 8

  A warm breeze flew through the few streets of Kinston, shaking the leaves loose of the ground and rattling wind-chimes on several different porches. The hustle-and-bustle of daily life was at a normal subtlety with only a few patrons on the streets at a time. A peaceful serenity held the mellow town in its arms and held it tight. From the end of the main road, where the great church climbed high into the sky, Todd stood atop the bell tower; looking over the ledge with his attention occasionally diverted to Jason nearby.

  "I like it up here," Jason said abruptly, sitting atop the stone railing of which Todd leaned again, "it's quite higher than the rest of this place. I feel a whole lot better the closer I am to space . . . and it's better reception" Todd listened while looking out over the small town of Kinston. Buildings rose and fell from block to block and characters of all sorts walked down each street. The sun beat down a heavy ray of light upon the town and revealed every inch of the landscape from the streets of the city to the horizon in the distance."I thought you said you are in space," Todd said, turning his head to look at Jason and present his gentle smile, "and that this is just your voice." Todd could feel contentment radiate from Jason upon the site of his grin. "I like it up here too," Todd mumbled, turning to look out over the town again and instantaneously catching an unusual sight. Off in the distance there appeared to be a large motorboat half eaten by the roof of a house nearby.

  "Todd?" Jason asked quietly.

  "Yes?" Todd answered, staring out over the world.

  "Why did you come here?" Jason asked.

  "You know why I came here."

  "But I want you to tell me," Jason said, "Why did you come here?" Todd gulped loudly, cautious of every word he spoke.

  "So I could understand what happened . . . with Helen."

  "No," Jason said as he continued to stare at Todd, "That is not the real reason." Todd turned and looked at Jason who continued. "I want you to tell me the real reason you came here." Todd turned back to the landscape with an unsettling feeling.

  "I had to understand-" Todd began, but was cut short.

  "No," Jason interrupted, "I want to know the real-"

  "I had to understand," Todd blurted out, "myself . . . and find out what I did wrong." Todd bowed his head with guilt. "We never should have been together. We were so different. It was like every day there was something that we both couldn't agree on. I guess that is how she always ended up here . . ."

  "So you came here?" Jason asked.

  "I couldn't go anywhere else," Todd continued, "Helen and I . . . we had always planned to travel somewhere together, like across seas or something." Todd paused and shook harsh memories from his thoughts, "we even made flight reservations for Japan . . . or something." The wind drove harder at the two as Todd turned his back on the teddy bear, "I had them cancelled not too long ago." Except for the ceasing wind, there was silence on the top of the church's bell tower. A cold sensation swept over the town as a cloud blew in front of the sun, shadowing all of Kinston. "I thought maybe I could find her here-"

  "You'd better put on a smiling face," Jason said abruptly, "your comic relief is here." Todd turned to Jason with a puzzled look.

  "What do you mean?" Todd asked quickly. Suddenly, the door to the stairwell burst open and Mike stuck his mousy face out into the brisk draft. Immediately, he spied Todd and grew a glorious smile.

  "Hey! There you are Todd!" Mike exclaimed before leaping out onto the roof next to the large crucifix and strutting towards Todd, "I heard from the Sheriff that you're in a pretty grumpy mood, so I thought I'd take you out to lunch to cheer you up!" Todd was speechless by the fast entrance that Mike had just made. The wind picked up and Mike's costume ruffled.

  "That's okay Mike," Todd said, "I've got enough food still in my hotel room."

  "Nonsense!" Mike proclaimed, extending his arms and his smile before wrapping his paw around Todd's shoulder, "I know this great little place down town. I know you'll love it!"

  Mike escorted Todd back down the stairwell of the bell tower and out the front gates of the cathedral as the sun came out from behind the clouds. Not too far down the street, Mike hauled Todd towards a tattered diner. The building had stain glass windows, an overhead sign reading FOOD, and
an old wooden door that squeaked with every movement.

  Mike ran inside, ignorantly leaving Todd to stare, mesmerized, at the building. A quick thought went through Todd's head and he pondered the consequences of going inside. Todd sighed, decided not to go in, and turned around only to find an astronaut passing on the sidewalk. Out of sheer bewilderment, Todd shook his head and looked again at the slow-moving astronaut who continued to walk down the street. With eyes wide, Todd turned back around, blinked, and walked into the restaurant.

  In the corner of the dimly lit diner was a bar with shelves of liquor. A dozen customers were gathered around the counter, filling all the stools in anxiousness for another drink. The bar tender spat on the floor and then poured the drink for a man cowboy's hat. Todd was on the verge of calling out the Sheriff's name, thinking the man in the cowboy hat to be him, but instead caught sight of characteristics which differed from Sheriff Meyers. Stunned to find someone dressed just as insanely as the Sheriff, Todd stepped back and beheld the diner's astonishing environment.

  The large cloud of smoke in the air was from the numerous cigars of the men wearing spurs, revolvers, and cowboy hats. Everyone at the diner, regardless if they were at a table or the bar, was messy, had a chin covered in facial hair, and spat on the floor as if it were the new fad. Mike found an empty table in the back and hailed Todd to come and sit down across from him at the rickety set of worn-down wood. Todd seated himself and then looked around the room to gawk at the many men appearing to have just escaped a Western.

  "Hey Tony!" Mike shouted to the bartender, "Two drinks please!" Tony, the bartender, looked up at Mike, nodded his head in recognition, and then drew his attention back down to the glasses in front of him. The cigar smoke filling the room slithered down into Todd's throat causing him to cough and wheeze as Sheriff Meyers and his Deputy suddenly walked through the entrance.

  "Mike, is that Sheriff Meyers?" Todd wheezed, holding his fist to his mouth to muffle his coughing. Mike looked at the Sheriff and then nodded at Todd in confirmation.

  "Oh, that reminds me!" Mike said as Tony appeared next to them and set two drinks on their table, "you have to speak with my good friend Arnold!" Mike suddenly shot out of his chair and motioned for Todd to follow as he galloped towards the door in the back wall. Todd reluctantly stood up and pursued his demented escort. Through that door, the two men walked down a hallway, Todd being forced in tow, and towards another door at the opposite end. Instantly, Mike flung the other door open with no regards of anyone inside and then froze.

  The room was covered in surprisingly white wallpaper with television monitors, display panels, and other gizmos protruding from each wall. Hoses and ducts extended from one box on one wall to another box on another wall where a system of levers and buttons decorated control panels. The futuristic technology in the room completely contradicted the primitive set-up in the main diner. No one resided in the room, however, which drew a look of disappointment across Mike's face.

  "Oh no," Mike sadly said, "He's not here. Darn!" Mike turned around and faced Todd, shutting the door behind him. "I'm sorry Todd, he's not here right now . . . he must have gone out on some mission . . . but I'm sure he will be back later." The same dull-witted smile, powered by easy hope, returned to Mike's face. Todd, however, was unaffected and turned back around to return to their drinks, but a sudden ruckus issued from the barroom. Mike and Todd flew back into the diner and found all the men inside to be running every which way and shouting obscenities. Bottles and chairs sailed through the air as if possessed by supernatural forces. Adding to the chaos, two men would frequently appear in the open only to attack one another with brutal punches.

  "Hold 'im still!" Sheriff Meyers shouted from beneath a pile of men. A chair flew through the air and hit a man dead-center on the back, breaking into many pieces as the struck man fell to the floor. Another man careened off the counter of the bar and onto a long-haired brute who took the living projectile and dropped him flat on the wooden floorboards. Immediately, Deputy Harris, who at the moment was positioned next to the pile of men, shot a round into the air and quickly stopped all other patrons of the large rumble. Numerous participants in the chaos were on the floor, but with a few moans and groans they lifted themselves up, some of them with the help of he who had dropped him onto the floor.

  Todd and Mike watched from the sidelines as things quieted down, but not before Sheriff Meyers jumped up from the pile and, with several other officers, held a man under arrest. The burly man under arrest, however, threw the police off of him in one effort and drew his revolver. Sheriff Meyers tried once again to subdue the invalid, but his efforts were futile and the Sheriff was quickly flung to the side with the swipe of the fugitive's hand. Then, the large man set the aim of his revolver on Deputy Harris who was already hastily dashing towards the target. Quicker than the gasp of a breath, Todd closed his eyes in fright as the revolver fired.

  There was a great cry from the crowd and bottles shattered, chairs overturned, and fists beat down on thick flesh in the confusion of chaos. Todd opened his eyes and found dozens of patrons on top of the troublemaker who was instantly handcuffed by the Sheriff. Deputy Harris, however, lay on the floor with a blotch of red on his shirt. Todd and Mike moved closer towards the crime scene as the handcuffed man was hauled out of the building and straight for the jailhouse.

  "Oh my God," Todd whispered, covering his mouth with his hand. Mike stood next to him, mouth agape.

  "Please stand back," one man said, stepping towards the crowd with his arms outstretched. Two other men picked up the body of the Deputy and lifted it out the doors and out of sight. The panic of those inside the diner still hovered in the air as the bartender brought a broom and dustpan out from behind the bar. Unusual sounds began to emanate from the room. Todd looked around the diner to find people, the same people who had been rumbling not a moment ago, sweeping up glass, setting chairs right side up, and piling debris outside the door. Remarkably, Todd noticed a civilized order within the unsettled patrons.

  Almost instantly, all those inside the diner were indescribably thrown into routine. Everyone was either sitting in a chair at a table discussing the card game in front of them, or were seated at the bar with a glass of liquor in their grasp and a cigar burning between their lips. Talk of the incident which had just recently pitted brother against brother had instantly ceased and all signs of a struggle had miraculously disappeared.

  "What the hell is going on?" Todd asked out loud. Within the hustle and bustle of everyone's routine, Mike was the only one who heard Todd.

  "What do you mean?" Mike asked with a smile, sitting down to indulge in his drink.

  "What do I mean?" Todd inquired, leaning in towards Mike with exasperation on his face, "The Deputy was just shot!" Mike relaxed and pointed towards the front door.

  "Then who is that?" Mike asked. Todd turned around just in time to see the Deputy walk into the bar without a scratch on him. The same perfect smile that the Deputy had always worn was stretched across his lips as he stood in the doorway and surveyed the place. Immediately, Todd walked across the room and right up to the Deputy and quickly looked him over to find the red spot from his shirt to be gone.

  "Deputy Harris!" Todd exclaimed, "What happened?" The Deputy, the same man who had been hauled away mere seconds earlier, grew discontent at Todd's question.

  "Boy," the Deputy said, "what is the matter with you? You musta mixed me up with some'un else. My name's Deputy Greenrange . . . I'm new here. Jus' checking out this here bar." The Deputy extended his hand, "'Pleased to make your acquaintance." Todd recoiled in shock at the man's attitude just as Mike jumped over to the Deputy before taking the extended hand and shaking it.

  "Hello there Deputy Greenrange!" Mike shouted in glee, "My name's Willie, but you can just call me Mike. Everyone does." Without skipping a beat, Mike then hurled himself up onto the counter of the bar and began to kick away glasses and ashtrays. The entire room immediately began to clap their hands in
unison, summoning a melody inside the diner. Other men appeared next to Deputy Greenrange and began to shake his hand and welcome him to Kinston as Mike sang:

  I hope you all can hear me sing,

  I hope you listen well.

  'Cause while my feet, both do swing,

  this Deputy I tell.

  Welcome to our humble town,

  it's happy and it's fun.

  Please stay and, for crime, hunt aroun',

  we thank you, sir, a ton.

  As Mike continued to sing and dance, he plucked the wall clock off its nail, held it out, and began to twist and turn it like an automobile's steering wheel. Todd felt himself about to collapse of shock from the people's carefree attitude as they clapped the beat to the song and watched in bliss at the entertainment. Meanwhile, a man of whom Todd had witnessed die stood nearby.

  The sharp pain in Todd's skull suddenly returned and he felt himself fumbling around in his pockets for medication but found no container. The faces around him, overtaken with gleaming eyes and joyous smiles, morphed into taunting nightmares. With each second, the people's music only grew louder as his headache pounded harder. Immediately, Todd pushed himself through the merry crowd and out the front doors as the diner soon broke into dance.

  The tremendous headache that Todd clutched in his fingers grew more and more painful the harder he ran towards the hotel. Unidentifiable figures passed by as Todd leaned forward in agony while flying down the sidewalk. He finally found his hotel, quickly stumbling down the hallways, and found his room of which he dove into and began searching frantically for pills. He made an instant mess, throwing the containments of the table's drawers onto the floor and rummaging through his suitcase. Todd finally found a container and lifted it to his mouth before dumping a load straight down his throat. The throbbing in his head, however, persisted and he fell backward onto his bed and curled up before falling unconscious.