STAY INSIDE! (part 3)
Officer Gurt’s keen mind was piecing something together. The Nattingers didn’t seem to be in any trouble outside until after they knew about the newspaper and its headlines. Perhaps people were only in danger when they read the paper. It gave him an idea for how to get in touch with Dangling Jerry.
He ran back up to his bedroom window, hoping more people would be walking by. No one was there, so he had to wait. He paced back and forth before the window for five minutes, then ten.
Finally, he saw someone walking down his street. As they got closer, he saw that it was two people: Martin and his Gleeb, Melk.
He opened the window, careful not to let any part of him go out through the frame.
“Martin!” he yelled down. “Hello, Melk!”
The pair looked up at him. “Good morning, officer!” yelled back Martin.
“Have you two seen Dangling Jerry today?” shouted back Officer Gurt.
“You know, we did see him chain smoking out in front of the old warehouse on Plum Street. He really got those chains heated up hot!”
“Well could I ask you two a favor then?” Officer Gurt didn’t even pause for a reply. “Could I ask you to go up and tell him to come see me here at my home?”
Martin looked at Melk, puzzled by the request. Why couldn’t Officer Gurt just go see Jerry himself?
Thinking quickly, Officer Gurt added, “My wife is sick and I can’t just leave her alone, but I really need to speak to Jerry as soon as possible.”
“Okay, if you really need him, I suppose…can we tell him what it’s for?”
“The pape — “ Gurt caught himself before it was too late. “The paper chains are better for smoking than the metal chains. I need to talk to him about…his health. But it’s urgent.”
Martin still looked confused, but he and Melk shuffled back the way they had come from, and Officer Gurt waited eagerly for Jerry to arrive.
Almost an hour later, there was a knock on the door. Officer Gurt rushed to it and swung it open. Just as he expected, there stood Martin, Melk and Dangling Jerry.
Jerry marched right in past Gurt and as he did, said, “Eyyy, you got shome plashes I could hang-gup theshe chains — eh?”
“I’m sorry Jerry,” answered Gurt, “I don’t think we have any dangling spots in here, but I won’t keep you long.” He turned to Martin and Melk and said, “Thank you both for bringing him. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!” and shut the door. He felt bad being so curt to the pair, but he also knew it was for their own good.
From the dining room, he heard “What’sh thish?” and knew Jerry had found the paper.
He walked over and explained everything to Danging Jerry. He told him about how there was supposed to be a normal paper, but no one knows why it sent this. Then he told him about the Nattingers, and how they disappeared when they went back outside.
“Shoundsh like The Dimension to me,” said Jerry. “Alsho, didn’t you now make it sho I can’t go outshide now?”
“Well yes, I suppose that’s the case,” said Officer Gurt. “I’m sorry, I guess you’ll need to stay here with us until this is resolved.”
“Well then I’ll need a plashe to hang up my chainsh and dangle for a bit.”
Officer Gurt looked at his wife and shrugged. He hadn’t thought this all the way through. But then he realized he’d left out the most important part. He flipped to the back page and showed Jerry the poem.
“I almost forgot! This is why I invited you here. It seems to be pointing directly at you! Do you know anything about this?”
Jerry looked at the poem and then started laughing. “Well firsht of all, I can’t read. But if it says what you shaid it shays, then I know exactly who you need to talk to next.”
“And who would that be?” interjected Mrs. Gurt, now curious herself.
“Well, Principal Bearhair of courshe!”
“You mean… the glops and goops of him that came back from the black cube? From The Dimension?” asked Officer Gurt.
“Well yesh!” Jerry looked at both of them and then explained more. “I dangle all over Crumb Hill, right? Right. Sho, I hear things and I shee thingsh. Shometimes, people shay things because they don’t know I’m nearby, dangling. But I lishten. In fact, I tried to get shome of my friends to call me The Lishtener. The Lishtener of Crumb Hill. Got a nice shound to it, eh?”
Officer Gurt racked his brain to figure out who Dangling Jerry’s friends could be, but continued listening.
“Sho, a few nights ago, I hear what’s left of Principal Bearhair gooping hish way down the block. I hear whishpers. He’s talking to shomeone, but I can’t shee who. I hear the other guy shay shomething about The Dimension and shome monshters or shomething. I lishtened real good, and I hear them shake shlimy hands and make a deal.”
“Did you hear what the deal was?” asked Gurt.
He looked straight at Officer Gurt.
“Yesh, but I needsh to dangle now.”
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Day 76 of 100 Days of Blog
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