Be Sure to Leave a Light On
an excerpt

Be Sure and Leave a Light On

One -After the Happily
It was a splendid day, or at least, most people would have claimed as much. The people that had built the small town of Kittenfield thought just about every day was splendid. Even if God cracked open the skies and rained fire and brimstones in the End of Days, Kittenfield would manage to find some silver lining.
Mary watched as her little lamb bounded about in the green pastures while Jack Catch wandered about. Wolf watched Mary's lamb, and Jack watched Wolf. Wolf glared back at Jack, but his glowing gold eyes were filled with a respect for the law. Jack nodded to Wolf out of respect for their similar status.
The three little pigs strolled by, punking Wolf. Jack Catch was tempted to let Wolf at them. They were not exactly teasing Wolf, but they were causing some grief. The three little Pigs were like that. No matter what their incarnation, Jack had come to learn that they were usually the ones who caused their own sufferings.
Upon seeing Jack, they turned up their snouts and walked past as if nothing could touch them. Jack was certain they would be brought down one day in a strange little tale of murder and intrigue.
“Morning Jack,” Piper said with a young man in tow. Jack shot him a curious glance and Piper continued. “Graffiti over at the Webb's farm.”
Jack just nodded and watched as Piper led the boy back to the office. The police in Kittenfield really had no jurisdiction over the Lits and Broadies about. Some believed it was an 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' glitch in the very fabric of reality. Basically, unless the Normies were staring, talking and fully interacting with a Lit or Broadie, the Normies rarely had a clue. The conversations would be forgotten and the Normies would have to go through the introductions all over again. Hell of a way to have a relationship.
Kittenfield was kind of pleasant, he told himself. The odd hooligan and occasional spat, but nothing really seemed to impede the Happily Ever After. He looked off towards the hills where castles rose against the sky. Castles practically invisible to the Normies. Castles for every princess and every prince that managed a Happily Ever After.
Wolf padded back into the Black Forest and disappeared in the unnatural night that swallowed the forest. Jack turned and looked back at the village for a while before he lit his cigarette. Things could be worse, of that he was sure. He could still be playing the old game. The game no one could figure out. He had been old once, wise and learned, but now he was young. Mid-twenties with all his hair and teeth. He felt a little old inside, but not enough to same him from the normal mistakes people made growing up.
“Mister Catch,” a small voice said. “Mister Catch.”
Jack turned, nearly stepping over Mrs. Jonothan. She was a mouse of a lady with a few kids and a dead husband. Tragedy since Mister Jonothan was largely responsible for much of the peace around Kittenfield. A brilliant mind who helped realize several of the guiding principals that made people comfortable in Kittenfield. He was an Experimental Theorist, and one of the forces that established Kittenfield as a village.
“Good day Mrs. Jonothan,” Jack said. “What can I do for you?”
There were a notable few people who commanded all of Jack's respect and pleasantries. Mrs. Jonothan was one of those few. She had a kind heart and raising all those kids on her own.
“Tim has taken fever again,” she said. “I was hoping you could tell me where Doctor Clock is?”
“He's not at his office?” Jack asked curiously.
She shook her head. Odd considering Doctor Clock was almost never away from his office. He was a machine and the people of Kittenfield called upon him regularly. But Doctor Clock was firm in never making house calls. It was just not the kind of thing required of him.
“Mrs. Jonothan,” Jack said. “I will send someone to find Doctor Clock immediately. You run home and watch Tim for now.”
Placing two fingers to his mouth, Jack blew a shrill whistle that brought a small blue bird to his shoulder. “Round up the Blackbird brothers and search out Doctor Clock. Tell him Tim Jonothan has taken sick and he's needed most urgently.”
The bird chirped and took to the sky. Jack felt a shudder run down his spine. He knew that shudder and the taste that filled the air. He said a silent, pleading prayer that he was wrong. He could only keep walking, keeping a presence for the people. He knew his prayers wouldn't be answered, they never were. Not in his incredibly long, and largely forgotten life.
There was not a single living creature that did not have a healthy fear of Jack Catch. His knot had become infamous and brand him as the competent son of Death. He could think of no better way to repay his Karmic debt than to take up a law enforcement position within the governing of the Lit and Broadie population of Kittenfield. It kept him in touch with the only people he honestly knew and it also seemed proper that someone from their own kind regulated relations between Lit, Broadies and Normies.
“Morning Jack,” Rose said, appearing as if out of nowhere. “How's things in your neck of the woods.”
Rose shone in the morning sunlight. She was radiant wherever she went and it was any wonder she had yet to be snatched up by some charmer. She was also a sharp one and that was probably the same reason she was still single.
“It could be better,” Jack replied with a grin. “Though I am a pessimist and I cannot tell you how it could be better. How is your sister?”
“Deliriously happy and as she should,” Rose replied, rolling her eyes. “She was rescued and wed by a handsome prince, who wouldn't be happy?”
“I doubt I'd be very happy married to a handsome prince,” Jack admitted. Rose did not laugh, but merely smiled. “You haven't seen Doctor Clock have you?”
“No,” Rose replied. “Should I?”
Jack shrugged. “Never mind. Did you have something you wanted to discuss?”
“Strange stirrings not too far from Grandmother's cottage. Almost as if the night was moving itself. I assured mother that there was nothing out there, but she asked that I might come by and ask you to have a look.”
Jack nodded. “Consider it done,” he replied. “I'll be there momentarily.”
He saw the Blackbird brothers appear. Three of them swept down in front of Jack and flapped their wings until they found a perch. The Blackbird brothers would have never spoke up to anyone. They had to be eye level before they spoke.
“We located Doctor Clock,” Troy said. “It was not pleasant.”
“I never imagined he could bleed,” Paris said. “Not as much as he had.”
“Perhaps the lady should take leave,” Roman added. “These are not the sights for a lady of class, or any lady for that matter.”
Rose nodded, though the blood had drained from her already pale face. She tugged jack's arm, kissing him once on the cheek. “I'll tell Grandmother you may be a while.”
“Tell your grandmother I'll be by shortly,” Jack said as only Roman remained. “I promise.
“Thank you,” Rose said quietly.
Jack followed Roman through the fields and out to the edge of the Black Forest. He followed the three brothers into the forest and over the strangling brush that shied from his presence. The smell of blood grew thick as he came towards a clearing. He was almost euphoric in it's presence. A curse upon his ancestors and the men who first dreamed him up. He did not hunger, nor did he thirst for the blood, but rather, the carnage.
“Nasty bit of business,” Wolf said from just beyond the clearing. “Don't you think Hangman?”
“I assume you're innocent,” Jack asked.
“You assume wrong,” Wolf replied. “But I did not have a hand in this. No, something a little less kinder than myself killed the good Doctor. Can't you smell it?”
Jack could, but death smelled like death. To Wolf, there were various tastes of death and Jack wondered if he could enlist the Wolf's help for this. Jack filed away Wolf for questioning later. Questioning and assistance.
The Hag, the troll and any other who had made their home in the Black Forest had appeared. Jack wondered how many had come to find this and yet none had made a call to him. He would look into it when he had the chance, but for now it was time to start the game.
Doctor Clock laid in the clearing. At least most of him lie within the clearing. There were scattered bits of Doctor Clock all over, but much of his torso and his head lie directly within the clearing. An arm hanging from a tree squeaked as one of the brothers disturbed the branch. Hours must have passed without anyone the wiser.
“Wolf,” Jack said quietly. “Did you not smell this before?”
“I did,” Wolf replied. “But the Black Forest always smells like death and blood, Jack. You should know this.”
“Roman,” Jack said quietly. He rubbed his brow and pinched at the lack of sleep in his eyes. “Round up Piper, Bearskin and any other deputy that might be at the shop and have them come out here. Everyone else, I'm going to have to ask you to leave for now. I will have someone 'round shortly to speak with you.”
As Wolf turned to pad off into the woods, Jack stopped him. “Wolf, can you tell me where Jabberwock is.”
“Asleep,” Wolf replied. “He raided Peep's flock a day ago and is sleeping off the meal.”
Jack pulled on gloves and lifted one Doctor Clock's arms. It squeaked quietly like a door hinge. Which did not explain how he came to be in the Black Forest. It told Jack absolutely nothing, but there were major lacerations in the arm where it had been separated. A few puncture wounds that looked like teeth marks. But something that tore through metal?
“You realize they will blame us,” Wolf said sitting down. “No one in Kittenfield trusts us. We're the fears and terrors of their lives and with the good doctor dead out here, it is bound to grow uncomfortable.”
Jack knew this. Once the Happily Ever After was in place, the creatures of the Black Forest had gained amnesty as long as they remained in the Black Forest. This did not stop some of the dark stirrings from some of the people in Kittenfield.
“You might want to speak to Ms. Hood before we have to grow concerned for our lives.”
“It's Mrs. Hunter now,” Jack admitted, “but believe me, I know how the melody goes.”
Red had married John Hunter after he released her from Wolf's gullet. Wolf was careful around hunter, knowing a meeting again would end in a nasty brawl. Still, the discomfort among the Lits and Broadies was well known in Kittenfield. Old feuds would never die.
But this did nothing to explain how Doctor Clock had come to be murdered.