JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Chapter 1

The Town is Dark

  In due time, they zoomed into town and screeched to a stop in front of the Freedom Diner. It had gotten dark but it was only 6 or so. There was a friendly light shining out of the large window of the Diner. The rest of the block was dark and quiet. In fact, everything was eerily quiet.

   "Well, this is creepy," commented Brian.

   "It kinda is! But, you know, I remember now! It was like this when I came to town. As it was roughly the same time of day. Brian....take a drive around the block. I want to check something."

   And so, Brian did. The rest of the block was just as quiet, just as dark. Looking carefully around further, Justin, Brian and Arjax could see that the entire town was dark and quiet. It was like driving around a ghost town at night. It was incredibly spooky if not downright scary.

   Without needing to be told, Brian drove double time back to the Diner. They re-screeched to a halt and hot-footed it into the oasis of light.

   It was déjà vu all over again. The diner was empty and Beddy wasn't expecting anyone. She was watching the small TV that she had been watching on Justin's first day with the air of someone running out the clock. So when she heard the bell over the door, she turned, pleased but extremely surprised to see anybody.

   "Justin, honey!" she squealed, "OhmiGawd! I missed you so much! Where you been hiding yourself!? And who are your friends? Where's the Beas - uhh..Brian?"

   "Beddy...it's me! It's Brian," said Brian gently.

   She gaped. She gawked. She couldn't really help it. But she recovered quickly, picked her jaw off the floor and put her eyes back in her head and led them to an empty booth. This part was easy since they all were.

   "Oh, my goodness! Brian, I'm so sorry! And I hope you'll forgive my little slip. Us small towners are so stupid with our little nicknames, aren't we? I tell you what, I'm going to smack anyone who uses that one from now on! But if you don't mind me asking....what happened?"

   "I had my work done. Pretty good huh?"

   "Pretty good!? It's downright....amazing! So...no more masks?"

   Brian smiled. "No more masks. And no more bad tempers either."

   Beddy gave an obvious sigh of relief and then turned her full attention to Arjax. "Oh my! Who's your friend?"

   Justin made the intros. "Beddy, this is Arjax. He's going to be our Stable Manager from now on. We kind of...expanded and we have 50 horses now. Arjax, this is Beddy."

   "A distinct pleasure," Arjax said taking her hand in his cowboy leathered one and kissing it.

   Beddy had never felt anything as divine as that soft moustache tickling her hand as he feathered a kiss across her hand.

   "I see. So...you guys are going to raise horses at the mansion?"

   "Well....not exactly. As I said we've been reno-ing and expanding for the last few months. It looks like this now. They showed her the picture with Justin in front of the castle.

   Beddy's eyes bugged out anew and this time her knees buckled a little. Arjax caught her and drew her into the booth with him. She tried not to feel how good his huge biceps felt. She failed miserably.

   "OH...MY...GOD!! You guys live here? Are you serious?? Oh, my God!! Is this real?? Really real??"

   "Yes, really real," confirmed Justin, "See, that's really me in the foreground."

   "Yeah, but sweetie....I mean, it on your phone and just about anything on computer can be....but you wouldn't do that....then that means...holy shit!" she fell back against the back of the booth, completely flummoxed.

   Brian was highly amused. "Do you think we'll get that from everybody?" he asked.

   "Probably," said Justin, amused as well. "I hope so, in some cases," he said in a more grim tone.

   "But why are you here? And not there?" she asked.

   "We've been there! We've spent the last week or so inspecting everything there....uh...the finishing touches to the reno," Justin said, "It's waiting but it's empty. So we've come to the town to see if anybody would like to come work there. Work...and maybe move there. It's so huge...it's like a small city in itself. The serv...no...I'm not going to call it that...the employee's quarters is about the size of this small town. Here's a bedroom," Justin said, scrolling through the pictures until he found the one he took of the generously spaced room.

   "It's...nice," Beddy said, "But why are you showing me it?"

   "Well...we want you to come back with us. Live with us...in the castle, help to support it...say as Food Manager or something. We'll need several. Of course we're not talking about being a server. But we will need those too. I was thinking about you being in charge of the food that comes into the castle...inventory...meal and menu planning to give to the chefs...and more. And if you'd rather not work in the food industry anymore, we can find a job that suits your talents."

   "Oh, I love food and working with it and around it!" enthused Beddy, "I even love serving it out! Meeting new people! Finding out their favourite foods! What they don`t like! Watching them fall in love over a burger and fries! I just wish I didn't have to do it every day, you know!?"

   "There's no reason why you couldn't serve from time to time," Justin figured, "Beddy, we're talking about making YOU the boss here. You'd be ordering the food! Menu planning! Planning banquets! Or more informal meals for those who don't want to fine dine all the time. There's no reason why you couldn't take a shift serving anytime you want! But I'm sure you're other jobs will be so much more rewarding, you won't really find yourself looking to do that anymore."

   "Oh, that sounds wonderful! I'll do it! You hear that Randy! I quit!"

   "I heard it! Good riddance!"

   "You know, we are looking for cooks and chefs too," Justin said casually, and counted on his fingers. One...two...three...

   "You know....I did graduate top of my class...Cordon Bleu!" Randy piped up and popped his head out of the order window. He was a surprisingly handsome middle aged man with dark hair.

   "Well then, what are you doing here?" asked Brian in surprise.

   "I live here," the man said drearily, "And unfortunately...here.... there's not a lot of 5 star diners! But I can cook soufflés and steaks and other food so fancy you'd think you were rich just by looking at it!"

   "Well then, come with us! Come to the castle tomorrow and show us! If you can do as you say, you can be as creative as you want and never cook another burger again!"

   "Yee-hawww! You got yourself a deal!" Randy cheered.

   "Oh! But what about the Diner!? What about championing gay rights? Debbie'd be terribly disappointed if I gave all this up!"

   "The...The Diner! Beddy, be reasonable! This is an opportunity of a lifetime. A chance at Food Heaven! Who cares about this stupid diner!?" Randy spluttered.

   Justin ignored this. "Beddy, remember who you're talking to! He motioned to himself and Brian. "Gay! Remember? The castle is going to be open to anyone, gay couples, straight couples and families, anyone! And it's also going to be a hospital and an AIDS hospice. Gay rights will be championed. As for Debbie we were planning to offer the same opportunity. But let us ask her OK? Our next stop is Pittsburgh."

   "Oh my! Oh, what a wonderful surprise! Oh I hope she says yes! Oh, I could see her in person at last!"

   "That's the idea. Say, do you know if anybody else in this town would like to break into the tourism industry?" asked Justin.

   "Ha! Try just about everybody!" huffed Randy.

   "Where is everybody, anyway?" asked Brian, "It's as dark and silent as a grave out there and yet you guys are open. What's going on?"

   "Well, we usually get a rush of people around 7:30 or so. People usually need a bit of a pick me up after...IT's over with." Beddy said.

   "IT? What are you talking about?" they asked.

   "Oh, well, it's kind of a town thing. Most everybody is over at the factory...taking THE OATH."

B&B&B&B&B&B&B

   Everybody was stilled into stupefaction.

   "The OATH? What the hell is that?" asked Brian.

   "Piece of crap, is what it is!" Randy yelled. Now that he'd found his voice he was putting it to good use. Or so he thought.

   "Randy, pipe down and spice the hamburger or something! I'll tell them....civilly!" Beddy yelled.

   "Anyway..." she continued in a quieter tone, "On the edge of town there's a large factory. For the longest time, this factory has been the only industry that our town has had. If you want a job, if you want to work the first place you go...is The Factory. And even if you don't, if you work in one of the shops around here, chances or not, you know someone, or have a family member who works at...The Factory."

   "For many years everything was peaceful. People made their money, put in their time, Bob's your uncle. Sure it was a dreary place to work but it was...pleasant...and in a little burg like this you have little recourse. So the Factory prospered and people swallowed their pride and at least had a job."

   "Then about 3 or 4 years ago, The Factory sold out and it was taken over by a new owner. This new owner is a monster, a terrible ogre. He lowered salaries, increased the shift hours and cut back resources. The Factory was no longer a pleasant place to work. It's dreary and hard and there are long hours. And worst of all, this ogre of a man instituted....THE OATH. THE OATH is a terrible loyalty oath that everybody must take every night at 6 PM. Everyone has to gather at The Factory and recite THE OATH which is so lengthy and detailed it takes an hour to go over. They have to promise obey their boss in every thing, to work their shift without complaint, to work every minute. They have to promise they will never look for another job, to never look for promotion but wait until they are deemed worthy. They have to promise that the owner basically owns them. If they speak of the OATH to out of towners, their fired. And...oh, so many other things I can't remember. It's like a terrible verbal contract and he's plugged up every loophole. Even the relatives of the employees have to take THE OATH or else the employee is fired. That's why it's so dark. That's why it's deserted. They're all up....there!"

   "That's terrible! That's the most fascist thing I've ever heard of! Why have I never heard of this!?" cried Brian.

   "Well, Brian, for the longest time you were an out-of-towner. So we couldn't tell you. And then you became the Beast and came into town on the rare occasion when you needed to stock up supplies or something. And so, nobody wanted to tell you. It didn't occur to anybody, not even me that you'd care or want to help."

   Brian had the decency to look properly ashamed. "I'm sorry, Beddy."

   "And me? Why didn't you ask me?" asked Justin.

   ‘Well, at first...same reason. You were an out-of-towner. It didn't really occur to me to tell you. And when we became friendly...well, whenever you came in, you'd come in with him and I'd be scared to death and besides that you two were so wrapped up in each other that I could have told you the sky had turned green and aliens had landed and it wouldn't have made an impact."

   Brian and Justin could not deny it. They sat there in silent sorrow and righteous regret.

   "But now you've come and started asking all the right questions," Beddy said more cheerfully, "And so I can tell you at last."

   "How can you tell us at all?" Brian asked tersely, "I thought this...Oath...forbid it."

   "It does. But Randy and I work here. And we have no family members who work there. So we are one of the very few who are not bound by the Oath. Maybe the very last."

   "Who?" growled out Brian in his most dangerous voice, the one which signified he was completely pissed off. "Who is this asshole?"

   "His name's Stockwell. Jim Stockwell." said Beddy.

   Brian looked thunderstruck.

   "What's the matter?" asked Beddy.

   "I know him. I know the son of a bitch!" growled Brian.

   "But how?" asked Beddy. ("Where from?" asked Justin at the same time.)

   "He ran for mayor in Pittsburgh a few years back. He came to me to be his campaign manager. I was...well, I was a different person back then. All I saw was dollar signs in my eyes and agreed. But he went too far. He drafted this horrible, homophobic bill called Proposition 14. He was shutting down all the gay clubs one by one and that was just the beginning. So....I made a few....creative decisions... which spiralled out of his control and he lost the election. He fled town after that but he swore revenge someday.  He could never prove it was me but he knew. Somehow...he just knew."

   "And now we know where he went," Justin said. "And it looks like he's trying the same thing all over again."

   "And it looks like it's up to me...well, us, to stop him all over again!" declared Brian. "Where is this Factory?"

   Beddy gave them directions and they wasted no more time but jumped back into the ‘Vette and zoomed off.

B&B&B&B&B&B&B&B

   The tooled through the dark and scary town to the place, the only place it could be, really. On the edge of town, at a time when night had just overshadowed the day a large building blazed with light when it should have been dark.

   They drove slowly by with their lights shut off, casing the joint. They wanted to see what was going on first and not go off...half cocked.

   It was a good thing too because Brian could see guards everywhere, stationed at regular intervals along the fence. Calling the thing that surrounded the Factory a fence was an understatement. It was huge bars of wrought iron jutting up 30 feet into the air. Each bar was topped with a wicked spike. Between all the bars and joining them together were fantastic designs of metal, curlicues and hooks and other twisted designs of a fevered, insane mind. There would be no way through.

   "No way through..." thought Justin, "But maybe....hmmmmm....yes....that would work!"

   They slowly moved past the huge building which was 6 stories high and as blocky and as boring as any prison. It looked as black as Brian's mansion had been with none of the imagination and charm. Well, that spooky, gothic, scary charm....you know...that kind.

   Anyway they even more slowly tooled toward the gates. The gates were as high as the fence and curved on the top. There was of course a checkpoint at the front. The Gates were the only way getting in and out and if they didn't want you in, you weren't getting in. Get it? Got it? Good.   

   At that point, Brian moved the car over to the other side of the road and crawled past. They could see there were guards at the checkpoint too, even at this time of night and yet there were lights on inside. Something was going on in there. And they knew what it was too. The Oath.

   They were at the front. There was a huge edifice and wide stone steps leading up to huge double doors. Above the doors was a name...

   "NOOOOOOOOO-OO-OO-OO!!!!!!! NEEEEEE-HEEE-HEEE-HEEE-HEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! WHY MASTERS WHY!!!!!??" screamed Arjax. He stretched and scrabbled and strained in his terror and squished Justin in strange, uncomfortable ways against the windshield.

   "Arjax!!" the Blond Boy gurgled, "Down....Whoa, Boy! Stop!!! Calm down!"

   But Arjax did not calm down. His eyes were wide with horror as if he had seen the bloodiest of murders. His panic attack remained at the highest of thresholds and unfortunately, so did his volume.

   "WHHHHYYYYYY-HIII-HII-HIII-HIIII!!!!!?? WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE!!!!? DID I DISPLEASE YOU!!!!!!? DID I BETRAY YOU!!!?"

   "As a matter of fact...." growled Brian.

   "Never mind that now," Justin gurgled out from the strange, squished place he was on the ceiling, "Just get out of here! Now! Hurry!"

   Indeed, they could hear voices: "Who's there!?...What are you doing here?...The OATH must not be disturbed!" And then more disturbing, and eerie chant of all the guards at once: "The OATH must not be disturbed! The Oath must not be disturbed! The OATH must..."

   Arjax continued to wail and buck and struggle. "I PROMISE I'LL BE A GOOD HORSE!!! A  GOOOO-OOO-OO-OOO-OOODD HOOO-OO-OOO-RRRSE!!! PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME THERE! A STRONG HORSE! A GOO-OOO---GOOO-NEEEEEE-HEEEE-HEEEE-HHEEE-EEE-EEEEE!!!!!!!!" He bucked and flailed and tried to open the door but he couldn't manage it. There was blood on his fingers.

   There was nothing for it. Brian spun the ‘Vette in a sharp U-ey and pressed the pedal to the metal

   The ‘Vette jumped forward like it'd been stung by a bee. Everyone was pressed against their cushions by the G-Force.

   Any guards that had made it remotely near the ‘Vette, jumped out of the way again, landing flat on the ground and screaming like little girls.

   As the ‘Vette sped away from that accursed place, Arjax could see they were away and he calmed in stages, greatly to the relief of both men, especially Justin.

   When they were back in town, on a particularly dark and lonely street, Brian screeched to a stop and everybody got out to take a breather.

   "Does SOMEBODY wanna clue me in on what just happened back there" Brian roared.

   Arjax was still heaving and hyperventilating a bit. Justin soothed him and rubbed his back. Arjax's breathing lessened a bit and turned into shuddering sobs. Suddenly he pushed Justin out of the way. He vomited.

   "Why!?" he asked more rationally as he turned back. Why did you take me there?" his voice was rich with misery. "Don't you still want me to work your stables? I'll work real good! I'll do a good job! I'll work every day and I don't even need holidays because I always worked those either. I don't even know what half of them are! Just please, masters, don't take me there!!"

   "Arjax, NO! We weren't. We never would! We didn't know! We didn't know!" And Justin threw himself into Arjax's huge frame. Brian was glad Justin was so effusive because as another huge guy and an alpha male he didn't think he could pull that off.

   "Would either of you like to clue me in?" he asked sarcastically.

   "You...you really didn't know!?" asked Arjax, finally realizing he was safe.

   "Know what??" he huffed in frustration.

   "Never mind that right now, Brian. It's cold here and Arjax needs to clean out his mouth. Let's regroup at the Diner and I'll explain everything."

   "Suits me," said Brian like he didn't care but Justin smiled to himself. That just meant Brian was pissed.

   The three men got into the tiny car and drove the short way back to the Diner.

TBC