The view changed to the corner the small desk there. The desk was built into the wall, with a small round stool that swung out for sitting. The wall screen moved closer to the desk, then shifted as the girl sat down. The screen leaned towards the desk and went dark. A moment later, faint shudders went through the room as a choked sob escaped. Oh man she is taking this all way too hard. She’ll make herself sick with all this. There’s got to be something I can do, or convince her to do. ‘That’s the job Jiminy. Oh, … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 24
Travis tried to think past the panic he felt. “I don’t panic. I ain’t never panicked in my life.” He gritted his teeth and thought hard. Don’t panic. You’re okay. Get rid of the blade first chance you get and no one will be the wiser. “Just get rid of the blade girl. No blade, no trouble. You’ll finish up your time and you’ll be out, with nothin’ on your record. Juvey records will be sealed and expunged. You’ll be free and no record.”
“Are you sure about that?” whispered that other voice sibilantly. “You know they have it in … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 23
She doesn’t want to be heard. Why? The doors swung open silently and hands darted in and lifted various items for a moment, then placed them carefully back on their shelves. Travis closed his eyes and concentrated. I’m supposed to be able to feel things because we’re linked, so why can’t I now? He didn’t feel anything, so much as heard.
“Come on, there’s going to be something we can use here. Rooms have all sorts of things that can be weapons.” The vicious honeyed words made Travis stomach lurch. “It’s the only way, you or them. You can call … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 22
There was silence for a moment then letters enlarged onto the screen. ‘My, my, my. Such a direct question.’
Travis ground his teeth and worked to stay calm. “Yeah, and what’s the answer?”
Letters put themselves together from blocks and splashed pink against a sudden yellow green. ‘More the opposite. You’re just the Jiminy, Travis. She’s the boss.’
That explained a lot to Travis. If she’s mad and I get mad, then she’s making me mad by being mad, right? So, if I try to be happy when she’s mad, will that make her less mad? And if that’s right, … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 21
Forget it, I’m not gonna let that little creep win. ‘Oh I’m going to win, and you’re going to fail again, just like you did with Kimberly, and everyone else in.’
“Just shut up you”, Travis yelled at the screen. His fists clenched and he leaned forward, jaw clenched, ready to rumble. “Come out where I can see you! We’ll settle this right here, right NOW!”
‘Oh come on’ the light spelled out slowly, mockingly. ‘Seriously, you’re going to punch out a wall. Let’s see you do it sport. This ought to be really amusing. Come on, fatso, what do … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 20
The nurse shook her head and walked out of the room. Five minutes later she was back with a hand mirror. “The swellin’s gone down some, but you took a bad one from them girls,” the nurse said as Travis watched the mirror move to the girls hands.
She was right. Her right eye was nearly swelled shut by the ugly purple bruise that started on her cheek below her eye and spread around it. Butterfly tape was on the cheekbone below the eye. The other side of the face hadn’t been touched, and it was a plain face with … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 19
Travis moved to the round platform, and grasped the poles to brace himself. He waited as the screen remained grey, with the faintest of darker shadows flitting across it. “Is there any noise? I don’t hear nothin’.”
‘One moment,’ the screen printed in a light orange-yellow. Travis felt a sense to the room this time. The grey seemed to weigh heavier than yesterday. There was a sense of emptiness to it, which was ridiculous to Travis. He scoffed at his ‘feeling’ yet it wouldn’t leave him, and the empty feeling seemed to percolate through his skin, and weigh upon him, … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 18
The last thing Travis expected to do was dream. For him, it was a hazy sensation that cleared, and this young girl with dark mocha skin was crouching a short ways in front of him, her arms wrapped around her legs as she tried to stifle her tears against her knees. Travis felt a flash of something. The pink nightie dragged on the on the ground behind the girl, but did nothing to conceal the curves of womanhood. Her hair was black with pink ends. Short, cut to shoulder length, and a slight wave, it seemed whimsical. At the same … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy Part 17
‘Temper, temper, Jiminy. I am not faulting you. My comment was merely observational.’
“Don’t call me that. I ain’t no bug thing.. If you want me, just call me Travis.” He glared at the screen as his mind tried to figure out what to do. He realized, that suddenly he felt that this girl was his charge, and he had to look out for her. Somehow, it had become personal. The recognition of that feeling had him unsettled. What about Kimmy? I owe her. She put up with all my crap and never complained.
‘Kim is a good, living woman. … [READ MORE]
The Jiminy part 16
Travis felt more than heard the answer. “No, I ain’t getting you any J, or nothin’.” He could feel her fear, and her rapidly failing determination. She wanted to stay out of the drug trade. She didn’t want to be here at all. She was scared. The girl looked big enough to hurt her, and the other two behind her, bookend twins if Travis was right, looked as if they’d done time. Their eyes were, to him, empty of any emotion. Their faces didn’t twitch even a little when they smiled. The big woman looked hard at the ‘boss’, her … [READ MORE]