The Pantera will be officially submitted for a writing contest on June 7, here is a 'chapter' from it.
***
PK was dressed up in a nice long sleeved white shirt, he was wore an orange bowtie, of course, and blank pants as he stood behind the table. He was passed out cards to the not so lucky players; the house could buy the Philadelphia mint at the obscene profit they were making on this miserable night.
The pumpkin could see the moon as he finished dealing the cards out. He was safe for the night unless clouds moved in and covered his mystical energy source. Though the pumpkin would quickly forget in a few minutes as a delightful redhead sat down at the table; PK took notice of her as the players looked at their cards.
Two minutes later the house revealed a jack; one man huffed as he handed in his cards while another man sighed, “I’m out.” A blonde motioned for a hit, PK gave her another card. She took it and looked at in disgust, it was a nine. She had 22, missed 21 by one. She angrily tossed her cards into the middle of the table.
PK smiled as his fiery eyes locked onto the redhead, “Perhaps we’ll have a lucky winner on the next deal.” The pumpkin put the cards into a machine; it quickly shuffled the deck. The dapper pumpkin took them and dealt the cards again, looking at the redhead the entire time. Minutes later it was the house that was hemorrhaging chips.
“We have a lucky winner!” PK declared as he collected the cards.
The redhead reaped in her winning chips as the other players cheered, there was finally a winner! She had a king and the Ace of Spades, easily toppling PK’s Queen of Hearts and eight of spades. The players forgot about losing their chips as free champagne was passed around to the lucky table.
“’Tis a pleasure to meet you Ms?”
“Hi, I’m Jewel,” the redhead smiled radiantly.
“But of course you are.”
“No! That’s my name, Jewel Petra,” the redhead said.
“Named after your mother no doubt,” PK retorted. “Well, Miss Jewel, congratulations! Enjoy your stay here at the Pantera.”
“I will,” she smiled and slid PK a few chips for his tip.
“Thank you,” he smiled and pocketed them in his top pocket. “Ciao,” he winked as he was relieved by another member of the Pantera staff.
The pumpkin did his security rounds and then went to the Pancake House inside one of the many food courts of the Pantera. The girl behind the counter smiled, “Hello PK, the usual?”
“Yes, Wendi!” he smiled, “Triple decker blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup and a blueberry shake to down them with.” He playfully shook his finger at the lass, “Now don’t forget blueberries are good for you! They’re a superfood. High in Vitamin K and C, Manganese, antioxidants as well as helping the body fight nasty painful inflammation.”
PK took his seat as he awaited his delicious repast. ‘Twas a splendid night, the house made a killing on black jack. The moon was shining through the large glass panels; it was good to be the king. Wendi brought out his order, “Here you go PK, your triple decker blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup and your blue berry shake.”
She put the order down in front the hungry pumpkin. The mountain of blueberry pancakes was dripping with that delicious blueberry syrup and topped with whip cream; truly a pumpkin’s delight! “Thank you…, my dear,” he said and pulled out one of the chips that Jewel had given him. “Keep the change.”
Her eyes widen, “Why thank you!”
“No,” the pumpkin quickly corrected, “Thank you for being kind to pumpkins.”
“Ciao,” she joked and walked away.
The hungry pumpkin was enjoying his blueberry meal when Jewel sat down in front of him. The pumpkin smiled as he put down his utensils, “I would offer you a triple decker blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup and blueberry smoothie, but that’s not why you’re here, is it.”
Jewel nodded her crimson head.
“You’re magical. I can feel it.”
“Yes, I will take you up on your generous offer. It keeps the humans off guard,” she answered.
PK turned and raised his hand, “Oh Wendi!”
“One triple decker blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup and a blueberry smoothie on your bill coming right up!” Wendi smiled.
“Thank you,” he smiled and turned back to Jewel, his smile left, “They persecute you like they do me and my pumplings?”
“At times,” Jewel shortly answered.
Ruby and Power Star walked by, interrupting the conversation. She warmly smiled and waved at him with her fingers. Linda flashed a little smile and picked up her hand. PK warmly smiled as well, waving his viny hand. He sighed as he watched his witchy lead the power blonde down the hall.
“The witch, she belongs to you?” the redhead asked.
“Indeed.”
“You’re a lucky pumpkin.”
“I prefer blessed… my dear, but yes.”
Jewel paused for a moment before speaking, “I must warn you, should she become too powerful. I’ll be the one.”
PK leaned back as his fiery triangular eyes turned to oval. The Witch-Naught, she was the Witch-Naught! The Malevolent Queen herself dispatches the Witch-Naught whenever a witch gets too powerful or arrogant. Ruby’s sister was recently turned into a vampire due to her haughtiness and disregard for the rules of magic. He gasped, “You’re the Witch-Naught!”
“Yes, but Ruby isn’t her sister. Fear not, I don’t foresee any problems my dear PK.”
The pumpkin breathed a sigh of relief, “That she is, she’s the most splendid woman I know.”
Wendi brought over the extra order and set it down in front of his redheaded guest, “You’re racking up quite a bill, PK.”
“I’ll pay it in a few days, pay day you know,” PK replied as he slid her tip.
“Thanks PK, I can fill my car up with gas tonight!” she smiled and went back to her station.
“Would you like a tour of the pumpkin patch… my dear?” the pumpkin asked the Witch-Naught.
“I’d be delighted,” Jewel answered.
***
Minutes later they were downstairs in the secret pumpkin patch. PK led the fiery woman around, his chest swelling with pride as he showed off his little ones, “There’s Bill, George, Ralph, Stephen,” PK stopped, winced and face palmed, “I did it again.” The embarrassed pumpkin shook his hollow head, “I’m sorry Stephan. I keep forgetting.” PK picked up his head and pointed back at his pumplings, “Kenny my boy, Phil, Fred, Merv…”
PK stopped and listened to his pumpling. “This is Jewel. She’s not from around here.”
Meanwhile in the other pumpkin patch, Fishy and Shakespeare were having fun chasing vermin out of the patch; keeping PK’s pumplings fresh and clean like he liked. Fishy hopped onto a post and Shakespeare sat down next to it as they watched for more vermin.
Shaky’s eyes suddenly widened as he saw two figures near. He scampered away into the safety of a nearby bush. “Confound it Shakespeare! It’s just me! I have a visitor. Her name is Jewel, she won’t hurt you. She’s splendid… simply splendid!”
“Uh uh!” Fishy cawed.
Jewel snickered as PK exclaimed, “It’s dinner time Shaky, I got some yummy yummy in the tummy stuff!”
“Uh uh!”
PK sighed, “I’ll pour him a bowl.” He looked at his faithful feathery lieutenant as he pointed a stern scrawny finger at him, “This is his dinner.”
“Uh uh!”
Jewel was amused, she smiled as PK relented, “Okay, I’ll pour two.” He poured two bowls of hairball control dry cat food, one for the MIA (Missing in Action) chub chub and Fishy. PK put the bag away and turned to Fishy, “Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, please.”
“Uh uh!” he cawed and put a CD into the CD player. He pulled out his conductor wand and waited for the signal.
The pumpkin’s crimson haired guest was taken aback, “Isn’t this considered cheating on Ruby?”
“No, unless it’s the Blue Danube and this is a leap year,” he answered.
“Power Star…”
The regal pumpkin nodded. Fishy nodded too and waved his wand, Beethoven’s soft music played in the night. They began to dance as the pumpkin confessed, “Yes, I asked Ms. Sinclair if she could arrange the match between Ruby and her,” he confessed to the Witch-Naught. “I wanted to see if she was Queen material, now Ruby and her are inseparable!”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, not yet,” he replied as he lifted his arm and expertly twirled his dancing partner.
“Then why are you worried, it sounds like Ruby is preparing Power Star to be your next Queen until she regains her position.”
“Quite right… my dear. Quite right, why am I worrying?”
“It’s not like the Witch-Naught is after you,” she joked.
“Ha ha, good one, my dear. Good one!” the pumpkin laughed and relaxed. They continued to dance under the retreating moon. “The moon’s going down,” PK said. His phone rang, he sighed. He pulled out his phone, it was a local number. “Give me a moment.” Jewel nodded. “PK.”
It was deja vu all over again for the pumpkin as nasally high pitch voice spoke, “Hello, this is Susie. This is in reference to a complaint filed by our client. You still haven’t turned over the proper paper work. You have 24 hours to call back this number with the proper paper…”
“How did you get his number? This phone is on the No Call List. Don’t call back! If you weren’t a lady I use stronger language! I blocked your other numbers and I’m going to block this one!” the agitated Pumpkin replied and tapped the ‘end’ button. “Boulder dash!” he exclaimed and blocked the new number. “I detest these phones,” he grumbled and put the phone away.
His ginger haired guest put her calming hand on his shoulder, “You use much restraint.”
But before PK could reply he heard a rooster crow, “Oh dear.”
“What?” the Jewel asked as she looked at the worried pumpkin.
Invasive tendrils of sunlight slipped over the horizon, reaching out and striking the pumpkin’s head. He disappeared in a puff of grey smoke. PK’s head was spinning as it slowly floated down to the ground. It nestled besides an elm tree as Fishy gorged himself on dry cat food.
Jewel looked down at the empty Jack-O-Lantern, “Goodnight PK. You are such the gentleman. May we meet again, your majesty.”
