Chapter 3

A Chapter by Shep

Chapter 3

There are rules to all things including shadows since the beginning of time itself. Morgan was being dragged away in chains before his peers of time seekers and of seekers of death and other seekers of things regarding all the realms around us. For his many crimes of taking and bending the rules for himself, misuse of Time and the taker of life and their very souls for himself.

In the corridors where Morgan was being kept is an inner chamber. Off to the side we find Morgan screaming in anger, “he's mine,”…. “you can't do this to me,” screaming as they dragged him down the hall, placing him before the Judge of Time himself, the guardians and minions among them along the walls cloaked in shrouds of their many colors to place judgment upon him as they circled about the room.

Not far from the inner chamber lay his accusers as they point and whisper among themselves as Morgan rants and raving, hissing about the room glaring back at them with his red glowing eyes. Believing he has the upper hand as he smiles back at them shaking his fist... ‘'Lies I tell you… all lies,” pointing around the room hissing as he glares back at them, “The boy is mine I tell you… mine. How dare you accuse me of stealing something that belongs to me?” As he hisses back to his peers seated around the room.

The Judge banged on his gavel, reaching the full height of the room yelled. “ENOUGH!!” Looking over at Morgan rating carrying on as the room becomes silent. To a dull hum of whispers.

Morgan slouched back into his chair just a little, hissing and sneering. “I'll tell you by what right I have you old fool,” as Morgan reached into his pocket pulling out a contract signed by EJ's father long ago and pointed to the signature on the paper on the table then pulled out a second one recently signed by his mother as he laughed out loud.

“There's your proof, now give my due. The boy's flesh is mine and I want it “Now!” As Morgan screamed in red hot furry, shaking his fists and the chains rattled around him. The room all a buzz looking down at the table where the documents lay open.

Mr. Golden Eyes and Morgan’s eyes locked when he gazes over at Morgan than at the Judge whispering over to his college in the corner of the room... The Judge gazing sternly around the room, waited for the crowd before him to be hushed “And who speaks for the boy?” The Judge asked as Morgan hisses, daring anyone to come forward.

A figure stands walks in a white and silver cloak his face shrouded, steps forward to the judge’s bench. The Judge nods to him to come into the room and he stepped forward. As the figure steps forward slowly in his shroud cloak he answered looking at Morgan straight into his eyes as if to challenge him then turning towards the judge, “I do,” as he bows....to the Judge “I speak for the boy… for I am his guide and he is bonded to me. ”He said pulling back his hood so Morgan could see who dares speaks on the boy's behalf. The crowd all a gasp as they look upon the face of Jeff Mandon EJ’s guardian.

Morgan screamed as he looked upon the young man below him. “He lies.” He lies… this can not be. I won him fair and square,” pointing to the contracts on the table. “They must be honored to the fullest degree, Give me my due, the boy is mine. You lost him.” Morgan screams, rattling his chains in anger.

The Judge again banged the gavel hard. A loud thunderous crack echoed the room, as he turned to Morgan. “Enough!” He watched Morgan as he shrinks back as the Judge’s voice echoes the chamber. “I need proof that he belongs to you and why I should give the boy to you? For he has not signed any of these contracts with you.” As he pointed squarely at him. “Yet, he too has interest invested,” He said pointing to the young man, “and is surely is bound to you. Bring me proof and show me where this boy's future lies.” The Judge gazing over at three shrouded figures in the council corner.

“What of me?” Morgan sneers.

“Take him away for misuse using of time and these and his other crimes against the realm of life,” The Judge said and folded the contracts up and placed them into a secure box. “ And as for those we will hold onto until we can determine or not if these contracts were gained true-fully, and determine his full sentence for all your crimes.” The judge looked Down at Morgan as he stands at his full height. Morgan screaming being dragged down the corridors back to his cell.

“Yes, your honor,” the Judges councilors all bow and rise to watch the Judge and his personal chancellors dissipate leaving the room. Young man convenes with his friends Mr. Golden Eyes and the two other shrouded figures in the room near the boy’s defense table.

“Well Jaydan,” Mrs. Jennings looking around the room. “looks like we're up to our eyeballs in this one.”

“You can say that again,” Jaydan replies.

“You have any idea how we're supposed to determine the boys future and keep him out of Morgan reach?” Mrs. Jennings asked watching the young man strolling over to them.

Mrs. Jennings watched him then recognized the young man. “Jaydan is that?” Pointing to him as he whispers...... “The man EJ knew long ago?”

Jaydan looks at him with a closer view, “yes it is, why?”

“Well,” as she smiles, “I have an idea, but I don't think you're going to like it,” as she whispers her plan.

“Your kidding?” He asked as Jaydan looks straight at her.

“You got better one?” Mrs. Jennings asked.

Jaydan watched the young man talking to some of their other colleges in the room, “you got a point. You do realize we could be breaking some rules.”

“None of the rule's that have not already been broken by Morgan himself.”

“True they did watch him make a doorway as he slipped by them. But I don't know, this might put them over the edge and EJ too. If we do what you are suggesting… That boy is scared enough as it is,” Jaydan watching the young man across the room.

“I realize that but what's worse Morgan or him? Besides, I do have an outside contact same as you if things get too bad. Risky very risky, but what choice do we have? Time running short for both of them. Sooner or later they are going have to meet regardless. Unless?” Mrs. Jennings pointing down the corridor towards Morgan’s cell.

“I know,” as they shiver. “Just wish we had more time that's all.”

“Well let's go introduce ourselves at least.” She said as she begins to walk as Jaydan followed her over to the young man. Mrs. Jennings went first nodding as she makes her way through the crowds of people in the room. “You must be Jeff Mandon, we have heard so much about you.” As she shakes his hand, “my name is Mrs. Barbara Jennings or should I say.” as she whispered, “Mrs. Lady Luck, but you didn't hear that from me son,” as she smiles. “And of course, this is my good friend Mr. Jaydan Faith the seeker of Time himself or one of them,” looking around the room laughing, “and I see you have already met Mr. Golden Eyes.” (aka Death minion)

“Yes, him and I go back a long way's,” as Jeff smiles “glad to meet you all.”

“Now then as you know, we have been assigned to your case,” replied Mrs. Jennings as they all gaze down the corridors toward the holding pins.

“Yes, so I have been told,” Jeff glancing over at Mr. Golden Eyes as he nods back.

“Anyway; nasty business if I must say so myself and I do. Bending time, misusing for oneself for personal gain. Oh my, we have people going and coming this way and that with no control at all…Not to mention his evil killings and mascaras. Heck if we all did that look at the mess we'd be in. That's why it's up to us to make sure there are rules and they are followed,” she said.

“Then of course Time is not endless without a little death or in our case life, with little extra adventure on the side. Leaving us with chores to keep us busy and plus have a little fun. But there's a limit. Oh yes,” Mrs. Jennings smiling back at Mr. Golden Eyes, “take him, for example, he been doing that job for over… let's see now,” thinking “humm, two thousand years give or take a century or two. Me myself just working on my fourth now. My how I rattle on,” slapping Jaydan on the back. “Anyway son, what we are trying to say is. Welcome to the group and we may have a solution to our little problem, but first, we need some details if you wouldn't mind passing on some old history as some may call it.” Mrs. Jennings replied.

Jaydan finds them a seat way off into a corner where they can talk without being disturbed. “Now then my first question is?” Mrs. Jennings looking around the small room making sure just the four of them can hear each other closing the room off just for them. “That's better much quieter, as I was saying my first question is how are you bonded to this boy, and what is this all about,” she asked.

“That's the strange part.” Jeff thinking way back to where it all began. “There I was….” as he tells his story on how he died and came to be. They heard things like this before so they weren't all that shock with the little neon’s about how a person dies, because it was all in the extra details not told in mankind history or their reality. The how, did or why doesn't seem all that important. It was just another cycle of life or a string of circumstances... “Then next thing I knew, I was assigned to him forever, they told me to stick to him like glue.”

“I see. A death bonding. Strange hasn’t been one of those in a long time, that's for sure,” replied Mrs. Jennings.

“But then I lost him somehow, I can't explain it. I was on his trail for two years. I think. Then he was gone right after as if something or someone was blocking me.” As Jeff looked towards the holding cells, “then I found him again in here wondering the halls 2 years or so ago, but I wasn't allowed to make contact due to...”

“I know, rules” as Mrs. Jennings blurts out.

“So I did the next best thing I could do and gave him clues to help find his way back.”

“I see.”

“And now this..”... Jeff pointed to Morgan’s location... Jeff began to cry putting his head in his hands. “What I am going to do if I lose the bond and the boy… I'll be destroyed. And have nowhere to go… You see we’re intertwined like two peas in the same pod. My destiny could be altered so could his if Morgan interferes,” Jeff wiped his tears as he glanced at the three of them.

“I see.” As they nod Mrs.Jennings tries to comfort him, “shhh now, all not lost yet son,” putting her arms around him. “You and he can still get what you want,” as they try to console him. “Believe or not Morgan has done you a favor, if he knows it or not.”

Jeff looked up at them as he wiped some more tears for a moment, “how?” he asked.

“One. You know where the boy is now, "two,” looking around the table. “You have friends now that can help, so put those tears way,” she said.

Jeff wiped his tears with the back of his hand looked at his new friends in the room. “This is what we’re going to do,” Mrs. Jennings replied as they leaned forward.....

Jeff stares back at them, “are you sure, that's risky and I mean risky bring them into it.”

“Jeff dear, they are already part of it.” Barbara quickly nods to Mr. Golden Eyes, “you see...” as they give him the details of the last adventure at the hotel...

“He didn't?” Jeff replied.

“He left a calling card which I myself had to clean up, so you see they are already part of it.” Mr. Golden Eyes said. “Not to mention what he just pulled the last time, showing his true self in front of them,” as they all looked down the hall. “So you see a little risk may be needed from all of us I am afraid. And I don't mean just you; we have built lives on the other side in his reality. That could go the wayside if we are not careful except for mine, of course, I'm too old to be dill dalling around and look to retiring this summer. Even found me a sweetheart to finish out my years with.” Smiling back at Barbara and Jaydan on the other side, “risky it may be. Heck. I'll risk a little for love if you don't mind. Because it’s been a long time since I've had a little fun, and its payback time,” Mr. Golden Eyes once more gazes down the hall.

“Look they already know of you… they just have never seen you. Besides, I still have a few aces up my sleeve. After all your supposed be a ghost, act like one and you'll be fine. The boys will never know the difference unless you get to carried away like our friend Morgan.” Jaydan said as they all sit-up looking and point down the hall laughing.

“True I am supposed to be dead,” Jeff laughing at himself in these things. “They don't need to know what I actually do except for the boy and that's still to be determine if we can pull it off.”

“Well, then it settled,” Jaydan said shaking hands, “well do it for the boy.

“Agreed,” well I better get back before I'm missed,” Jaydan looked down at his watch, “my gal will be looking for me,” as he laughed and dissipates out the room.

Barbara gave Jeff a hug. “If you need me just, O’ heck you know where to find me,” as she smiles and dissipates with a quick giggle, “try not to have too much fun.”

Mr. Golden Eyes was a little more creative as he left the room, “remember kid your dead…you'll be just fine,” closing the door behind him laughing as someone screams on the other side of his doorway. “Ahh, that's better” as he laughs “another one bites the dust, see ya kid,” poking his head through the door.

Jeff laughed leaving the confines of his room wondering the halls of the corridors. “Yes, I might just do that,” seeing a door of time appear on the side, “after all like they said I am dead and a ghost like me does need a little help from friends now and then,” closing it carefully into the shadows.

Jaydan and Barbara walked down the road towards New Downing out of the shadows checking their mask of illusions, “ahh that's better,” laughing at one another. “Well, friend looks like we have our work cut out for us Jaydan?” Barbara said gazing towards New Downing.

“You can say that again,”

“By the way you haven't seen my partner anywhere, he's been missing for days?”

“No, I haven’t sorry.”

“Strange, it is as if he left the county,” as she looks down the road.

“If I hear anything I'll let you know”

“Thanks,” as she waves and heads towards her car. After all, it would look strange if people dissipate out of nowhere into broad daylight as she giggles “oh my” looking down at her shoes “these won't do,” quickly changing them in the shadows, “ahh that's better.”

Jaydan stopped at the flower shop before going home, picking up a nice dozen roses for Lizzy with thank you card stuck in between them and a box of her favorite chocolates for teaching his class while he's been away, humming a merry old tune. Checking his pocket for that extra little special surprise as he smiles. “I wonder if she'd like a wedden in the spring instead of June?”

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