Jim and his father live almost a mile from town square. It takes them on average twenty minutes to make that trip. This is exactly how long Jim had to listen to his father give him a speech about his reckless behavior the day before and how lucky he was to still be alive. This also happens to be the same speech he had given him the previous night and all morning. By this time Jim didn’t think he could take hearing much more of it so as soon as they reached the crowd and he could hear the band playing he shot forward into it. This was his escape.
“Don’t think we’re done talking about this!”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Jim yelled back as he slipped out of sight. He knew the band would be set up in town square at the statue’s feet and the beer carts that he was now old enough to buy from would be circling that square. Street performers would be spread throughout the crowd and gathered around the bonfire that lit the square. As it got darker the town officials would walk the street lighting torches. The whole thing was kicked off by a speech from the mayor that Jim was thankful he had missed. He did wonder whether the events of the previous day had been mentioned or not.
As Jim neared the bonfire a drunken man stumbled into him. He was knocked off balance and barely managed to keep from falling on the ground. Beer splashed onto his shirt. “What the hell man watch where you’re going.” The man turned and Jim finally got a look at his face. “Joe? Are you already drunk?”
“Yeah I’m drunk. After what happened yesterday you think I could have any fun if I wasn’t?”
“We are supposed to be keeping an eye out for trouble though.”
“Bah they just didn’t want us kids involved in tracking down those Ists. Well they can shove that in their pipe and….. pipe, Piper. Project Piper.” He smacked his head a little too hard and it glowed a soft red. “We forgot to tell Sergeant Reynolds what Danny said about Project Piper. I better do that now.”
“I think you are a little too drunk to do that now.”
“Whatever,” and with a dismissive wave Joe stumbled off in the general direction of Fort Massac.
Jim shook his head and continued towards the music. As he reached the bonfire he noticed a crowd of boys about his age all dancing and decided to take a closer look. As the he got closer he glimpsed movement in the center of the circle and moved into a better position to see. There in the center of the crowd was Chloe Reynolds wearing a tight red dress that clung to her hips and didn’t leave a whole lot to the imagination. The front was cut low and showed off quite a bit of cleavage. As she was dancing with her hands in the air her long blonde hair was flying around her.
Jim stood and watched as Chloe captured all the boys attention. She slide her back tight against one of the boys and wrapped her arms around his neck rubbing seductively against him. When she let go she bounced over to a boy across from her and wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned close and Jim thought for a minute that she was going to kiss the boy, but as her lips were just about to brush his she spun to the right with a giggle and ran her hands across another boy’s chest. This continued for the remainder of the song as Chloe went from boy to boy teasing each of them.
When the song ended she waved at one of the boys and started for the beer carts. As she passed the boy she almost kissed reached out and smacked her butt. The next few moments happened so quickly that Jim could barely register what he was seeing. As his hand touched her backside she reached back and grabbed the boy by the wrist. She twisted the wrist hard spinning it around behind his back and using her other hand to put pressure on his shoulder. The boy slammed into the ground hard and Chloe rode him down landing with her knee in his back. “Is that any way to treat a lady?” she asked as she let go of his arm. She ruffled his hair and smacked his head into the dirt fairly hard as she stood up.
Jim froze as he realized that Chloe was walking right towards him. She stopped about two feet in front of him and ran two of her fingers down her chest. “Well if it isn’t the new guy. So tell me do you have any hobbies besides staring at me?”
“Well uhm, I un.”
She startled Jim as she laughed loudly. “You’re more nervous than you were with Daddy. Relax I don’t bite. Much.”
“Sorry about the staring and all. I was nervous yesterday and today well you were putting on quite a show.”
“Do you know what it’s like to have complete control over a group of people? No I don’t suppose you do. It’s a real rush and the closest thing you can get to adrenaline rush of a fight.” She looked back at the boy who was just now being helped to his feet. She blew him a kiss. “So what’s your name new guy?”
“Jim, I’m Jim.”
“Well Jim today is your lucky day. You are going to make all those boys back there jealous by getting the privilege of buying my next beer.” She wrapped her right arm through his left and led him off towards the beer carts.
This is already the most interesting celebration ever; Jim thought as he walked Chloe towards the beer cart.