Jack-Jack

By Char Louise

Book 1 of a two-part series: 1918—After the Great War, Fester Rosemead returns to Dover Plains to resume operations of his orphanage: Rosemead Home for Children only to learn that a death walker, Jack-Jack, haunts it. His friend Jim, a young Iroquois shaman, has never encountered a death walker and must learn how to fight it. He thinks he knows how, but he doesn’t. His and Fester’s friend, Andy, the chief of police, does what he can to help, but Jack-Jack is an elusive entity that kills for pure enjoyment. How does Jim win this battle? Part 1 introduces you to the notoriously evil Jack-Jack; part 2 will describe how he’s defeated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9781984576910

Book preview

Chapter 1

June 14, 1914 - Bezonvaux, France

F rom above looking down all you’ll see is a beautiful dense forest and the greenest hills blanketed with white and yellow daisies and lilies; where woodland creatures run along the treetops and the ground – breathtakingly beautiful. Welcome to Bezonvaux, France, a small village populated with two hundred twelve merry people.

Mayor Estiene Bernet and his wife, Aileen, live in the biggest cottage at the edge of the forest just outside the village with their two children: four-year-old son Jacque, Jacque-Jacque his mother calls him, and sixteen-month-old daughter, Arletta. A lovely family, but not liked by residents. The arrogant couple flaunted themselves about as if they were monarchs and treated neighbors condescendingly. Aileen disliked the other children because in her eyes they were disrespectful rats like their parents and her son wouldn’t be caught dead with any of them.

Jacque understood rats were pests, nuisances that needed exterminated because they spread diseases. But Jacque is a four-year-old child who wanted playmates. He’d watch other children play and it pained him to be excluded and when he cried about it, his mother would hit him, and he resented her for it.

Jacque’s isolation made him angry, and so he began to hurt animals, which he enjoyed. Then, he graduated to children smaller than him. Complaints fell onto Estiene’s and Aileen’s ears, but neither one believed a word, especially, Aileen. She reminded Jacque that everyone he saw was to be regarded as underserving to live and that he was the perfect child.

Chapter 2

O n June 28, 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austrian-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie shocked every nation in Europe. War was imminent, and people throughout the European countries feared the worst. Worried villagers turned to Estiene for the latest news and for the advice of what to do in case war was declared.

It’s known that Sarajevo’s anger towards Serbia may lead into war, what news have you about that? one man asked anxiously.

No country would go to war over an assassination because it happens all the time to highly profiled citizens. You would never understand the challenges of being one of us, laughed Estiene.

One of you? You are nothing like them. You’re only a man who is a mayor, not one of royalty. Get off your high horse and do what is good your people, scolded one man.

Foolishness. I am doing what is good for us. You hear rumors, and nothing more, said Estiene.

"But I was in Paris yesterday, and everyone there claims that war is imminent, and the government has begun outfitting the military with armory and recruiting men," said the man.

Now why would you tell us such lies? I’m the mayor, and I know all the latest political news. You’re an outsider in Paris, and the people will fill your head with nonsense for fun. They laugh at people like you, said Estiene.

His words insulted the man. He read the bulletins posted throughout the city. No, the Parisians wouldn’t lie about war; who in their right mind would?

You’re an arrogant fool, Estiene. You wait; war will happen, and when it does, I will lead the men to banish you from our village, the man convincingly promised.

The next day, Austria-Hungary declared war against Serbia over the assassinations. The news sent fear to every nation in Europe. Estiene stressed that he’d been made a fool, and he wouldn’t be accused of any wrong doing. He called a town meeting to clear his name and accused the French government of withholding news from the small villages because the military intended to use them as shields to protect Paris from invasion – he wasn’t believed. The meeting became heated and men had to be restrained from attacking Estiene.

Jacque sat in the back of the church sobbing while watching the spectacle. He’d asked earlier to go out and play with the other children, but Aileen smacked him for asking when he knew better not to. He resented her for that. After a while, no one noticed he was even there, so he snuck outside.

Off to the right, the pastor’s three-year-old daughter, Bella, sat on a log playing with a rag doll. Jacque’s mother disliked her because everyone always complimented and boasted about her absolute cuteness, but she begged to differ. Her eyes weren’t blue enough, her smile was too big, her nose was too round. No one was cuter than Arlette – no one. Nothing would please Jacque more than to make his mother happy to have his sister the cutest girl recognized as the cutest.

Jacque thought about what to do. He remembered seeing men cart a barrel behind the church, so he went to inspect it. Fortunately, the lid was slightly ajar. A heavy odor came from inside and made his nose curl. To see inside, he carried an empty crate from next to the building over, climbed on top, and then peaked inside – wine. An evil twinkle lit his eyes and a malicious grin crept onto his face. He we to see Bella.

Bella, my kitten ran off and was lost all day, but I found it behind the church. It’s a bad kitty, if you help me get it, I’ll let you have it.

Her eyes lit up, and she agreed to help.

He took her by the left hand and walked behind the church and helped her onto the crate next to the barrel.

Is your kitten in there? Bella asked.

Yes, but I can’t reach it. Go in and give it to me and I’ll help you back out, Jacque suggested.

It stinks, she said.

No, it doesn’t; just go in and get my kitten.

Jacque wrapped his arms around her legs and hoisted her inside head first and the quickly replaced the lid fitting it into place. The wine overflowed, but he was careful to not get any splattered on him. He put the crate back, then picked up the rag doll, and put it in his right pant pocket. Sneaking back inside was a cinch, no one noticed him gone.

The meeting lasted for hours, but nothing had been resolved. The pastor advised everyone to go home and tomorrow, this would resume. Parents collected their children, but the pastor and his wife couldn’t find Bella.

They asked if anyone had seen her, but no one did. The pastor organized a search party with every man and older lad willing to help, except for Estiene. When Bella’s mother asked him to help, he refused to.

I’m not responsible for the welfare of your child, I’ve got my own to care for, he said snidely.

A search only lasted a few hours before it was called off. The stunned community did its best to comfort Bella’s mother, but Aileen seemed almost pleased that she’d gone missing.

Special services were held the next day for Bella. A church aid went to fetch some wine for communion and noticed the wine seeping through rim of the barrel. He removed the