CJ had been renting an HBnB (Haunted Bed and Breakfast) in Halloween Town week to week. He never liked to settle in one place for very long. He got bored too easily. A lease for an apartment was far too much like a commitment and he wasn't into those. So, an HBnB it was. It was a little place called The Silent Scream. The spectral hosts catered to his every whim seeking their next great review on Yell, not to mention it was within walking distance of the drag club, and his favorite club, The Quantum Leap, a cute little pub, The Black Rose, and a 24-hour corner store where booze, cigarettes, and beef jerky were never far out of reach. It was the longest he'd stayed anywhere.
CJ did a rampant amount of entertaining. He'd hang out with anyone who listened to him speak. Following him around would be like riding Falcor in a never-ending amount of scatter-brained debauchery mixed with funny business. He'd have pulled some people in to hang out for the evening. At least he thought it was evening. It could have been midday or even morning for all he knew. Sometimes he lost track of these things. Clocks were such irrelevant pieces of machinery. The point was it was one of those times it had started with a large group of people, but it was thinning out. People were weeding themselves out and going home. The music had finally been turned down. Most people were tired, recharging, or actually asleep and strewn about his room.
He kept the curtains drawn, the fireplace blazing, and the cart in his apps stocked with his next delivery so he could purchase goodies at the push of a button. Boo-ber Eats, Dread Dash, InstaClaw were inventions he couldn't live without. A driver just delivered more food and booze ensuring CJ wouldn't have to leave and could survive another day without leaving the confines of his room if he so pleased.
He was in the middle of a game of charades with whoever was straggling and still awake when every time he tried to start his turn a loud noise came from the closet. He pulled the card To Kill A Mockingbird. He was trying so hard to act it out without saying anything. He complained before he started.
"Stupid title. Stupid category." As a cat entity he had his reasons.
But he carried on trying to be a good sport about it, but every time he got started a strange noise came from the closet. At first, he ignored it. He held up four fingers. Four words.
"MMMMMM" and a thud thud thud.
CJ turned his head while looking at his guest. "I'm not the only one hearing that, right?" He lived in Wonderland before. Sometimes it was best to check.
Then there it was again. It got louder.
"MMMMMM!" and a thud thud thud.
@orleans-jester
