The Demise of Foxy Jack (Adventures of the X Pirates Book 1) (8 page)

Fate.

He whispered.

Yes.

She responded softly
.

Fate strikes when you least expect it, Jack.

His heartbeat was fading away.

You should have learned that by now.

Each beat was getting further and further apart.

My name is Minerva.

Jack felt his life fading.

Fate is like a mountain so high that you can’t pass over it and so low you can’t dive under it.

Jack felt his heart stop.

All you can do is walk through it to the other side

The last sensation the fox felt was of falling.

As Jack passed out, his body leaned back in the chair causing it to tip backward. He was falling to the floor as several ferrets slipped beneath him. They pulled the chair from under him and guided his body to its rest. Minerva knelt beside him. She put her hand to his chest, waited a moment, and then she reached up and lowered his eyelids. She stood back up and with a nod of her head the ferrets lifted the fox’s body and carried him away.

Ever the shrewd entrepreneur, Mad Manny saw an opportunity and quickly seized upon it. The next morning he had the island papered with posters announcing the arrival of the greatest actor in history in his most notorious role ever. As per his arrangement with the fox, this wizard of the performing arts would appear once again at the Drop Anchor Tavern in his one actor show detailing the life and times of the scurrilous Benjamin Nightthorn.

Those who had been at the Anchor on that sudden and unexpected opening night were frightened out of their wits. Those who hadn’t immediately fainted upon his extremely convincing entrance easily became willing participants in spreading the all important word of mouth that leads to solid theatrical success.

Expecting a huge crowd, Manny moved the venue outdoors. There was a clearing town founder Bronck had made when he unearthed the trees to create his once peaceful home, now turned raucous tavern, entertainment and gambling establishment. It was perfect to accommodate a large gathering while still being close enough to provide the throng with copious amounts of spirits.

Seating would be on the grass so there was no additional expense. The pockets of Manny the producer liked that. The squirrel with the supposedly missing eye, who wore a device made of springs, gears and tiny pistons in place of his actually missing leg, the crazy critter with a short fuse and a powder keg for a temper that barked insults like a dog and sounded like a teakettle when he walked, nearly broke his little back moving several stones in order to fashion a large circular fire pit that would dramatically mark center stage. The latent actor in Manny loved that.

Theatre in the round was the plan for the night, but like all best laid plans there was an unexpected twist. The star attraction was nowhere to be found. Archie Jack Burdick Leach had disappeared. What Mad Manny didn’t know was that the mysterious actor with many names and a bag full of masks was dead. Once again, luck had come and gone for Manfred Mad Manny Pinkus but Fate had other plans for him and the fox know as Archibald Jack Burdick Leach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Life’s like a movie, write your own ending.

Keep believing, keep pretending.”

- Jim Henson

Amazon bestselling author
Edward Medina
is a native New Yorker who was raised by his mother and grandmother to believe that life is an adventure best lived to the fullest. To that end he has lived his life on the edge of creative possibility.

Over time, Edward has been a radio and voice over artist. He built a significant career as a producer, director and writer for both digital media and the New York Off and Off – Off Broadway stages. He also had the honor and the privilege to work for the late great Jim Henson. He then went on to become a theme park designer. For fun, he became a steam train engineer and has been since childhood, a sometime magician. Although, at this point in his life, the magic he creates is more for the page as an author of high fantasy, dark horror, and epic steampunk adventures.

If you’d like more information on Edward’s
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Edward Medina is proud to be a member of the Horror Writers Association and the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators.