Good afternoon. It is I Gigi the parti poodle here once again to introduce another chapter of my story. As you know this tale is winding down to an end and I will be introducing a new piece by no later than one day after the autumnal equinox which this year is Wednesday, September 22. This week the Maltese and I took a ride with our novelist heading towards Mount Rainier. We did not make it to the summit as the road became quite harrowing. I was hanging onto the dashboard with my nails which by the way are in desperate need of a manicure, whilst the Maltese passed out in the back seat from sheer terror.

I did not pass out from fear in the back seat. I was taking a nap. My name is Tucker, and I am a Maltese. I got sleepy because we’d had lunch and sandwiches make me sleepy.

You were as terrified as I was! Don’t play that game with me, you inane mongrel!

Sandwiches make me sleepy. They are tasty and make me sleepy.

Good grief! Anyway, I was horrifically frightened by the event but felt much better when we were back on wider and flatter terra firma. I can now present you the twenty-second chapter of What I Found in the Trunk. Profitez-en!

What I Found in the Trunk

by

Gigi the parti poodle

Chapter Twenty-Two

Rune turned and pointed to Miller Hall. “Up there,” she said.

All the men looked up at the odd big-headed creatures protruding from the building.

“That’s a long way up, dude,” Bennet said.

“How did you even get up to that terrace area?” Gary asked.

“I went inside Miller Hall and took the stairs up to the top where the balcony is,” Rune said. “I used a robot claw to lower it down and then I draped it over one of the grotesques.”

“Someone would have seen you, wouldn’t they?”

“Not in the early evening when most classes were done for the day.”

“She’s nuts,” Larry said. “You’re a certified nut job, kid.”

“What’s a “robot claw”?” the first guy asked.

“It’s a long plastic toy with a claw or a hand on the end of it,” Bennet said. “The handle has a long grip in it and when you squeeze it you can manipulate opening and closing the claw or hand.”

“That sounds cool. Does it work?”

“Heck, yeah! I was able to pick up marbles with it that had rolled behind my couch. Pretty darned nifty device if you ask me.”

“I need to get me one of those,” the second guy said. “Say, what do they cost?”

“I got mine for about ten bucks.”

“Awesome…”

“Enough with the chitchat,” Durwin growled. “Rune, you and I are going up.”

“How? It’s six in the morning. The buildings are closed.”

“Which makes me think you got in with a key.”

Rune grimaced at him.

“How did you get a key that unlocks the building?” Gary asked.

“She had a job here once, didn’t you, Rune? And you stuck that key on the end of that freaky little keychain of yours.”

“I might have,” Rune said.

Durwin jammed the gargoyle keychain into her hand. “So, go open the door and let’s get my stuff.”

“I don’t have the robot claw with me now.”

“That’s your problem. Now, let’s get up there.”

Durwin grabbed Rune by the arm and started hauling her over to the entrance of Miller Hall.

“I can’t even see where the thing is hanging from,” Gary said.

Bennet surveyed the area where Rune had pointed to just below the balcony where there were two big headed grotesques. He could just make out a chain on a string hanging over one of them and possibly something small dangling from the chain. “I think there might be something hanging off the one with the gas mask.”

Gary squinted and tried to get a good look. “Wow that’s hard to see! Can you guys see that?”

Durwin’s three henchmen walked a little closer to Miller and looked up. The second guy pointed. “Right there,” he said. The other two guys stepped up beside him.

Gary’s dad motioned to Bennet and his son. He nodded his head as if to say, “let’s make a run for it”. Gary was tempted by the offer, but he didn’t want to leave Rune behind. He shook his head. His father glowered at him as if his son was a serious idiot. But Gary wouldn’t budge.

“There they are,” the first guy said pointing to the balcony.

As they all stood watching Durwin and Rune, Larry turned to his son and asked. “What if they can’t reach it?”

“I don’t know,” Gary said.

“Then they’ll fall trying,” Bennet said.

“What happens to us?” Larry asked.

The first guy turned around, looked at them and grinned before turning back to Miller Hall.

Larry snatched Gary’s arm trying to get his son to run. Gary pulled away and stumbled. All three of Durwin’s guys whipped around.

“What’s going on?” the first guy snapped.

“I tripped,” Gary said.

“How?”

“He was trying to get a better look,” Larry said.

“Shut up, Larry,” the first guy said. “Your kid can speak for himself.”

“My dad’s right,” Gary said. “I tried to move closer and tripped. This pathway needs to be refinished or something.”

“Yeah, well don’t trip again.”

“I won’t.”

All six guys looked back up at Miller in time to see Rune get as close to the right-hand corner of the balcony as she could. She reached down but her reach was too short. Durwin came towards her. He gave her a shove and pointed down at the grotesque.

“What I want to know,” Bennet said, “is why she’d hide anything up there?”

“She probably wasn’t planning on anyone retrieving it,” Larry said.

Durwin gave Rune another shove. She turned around and shoved him back. Durwin did not care for that. He gave her a much harder shove and she toppled forwards.

“Rune!” Gary yelled watching helplessly as she hung out over the balcony.

Durwin grabbed her by the waist and yanked her back. Then he whirled her around and pointed down towards the gas mask grotesque and yelled something at her they couldn’t quite decipher. Rune looked back at him appearing visibly shaken.

“He’s going to push her over the side!” Gary whispered frantically to Bennet and his dad.

“Stay cool, bro,” Bennet said.

Rune turned and started climbing over the balcony.

“Is he crazy?!” Gary yelled. “He’s going to get her killed!”

Bennet and Larry held their breath as they watched her reach her hand out towards the head of the gas mask grotesque. She was still too far away. She leaned over further and tapped the chain causing it to swing but still could not retrieve it. She adjusted her feet, checked her balance, and inched closer. Her foot slipped and kicked the air frantically reaching for surface. Gary rushed forwards but Durwin’s boys blocked him.

Rune’s foot found the top of the grotesque’s helmet. She stabilized herself and reached down with her hand. The tips of her fingers grazed the chain again, but she still couldn’t grasp it.

Gary’s heart pounded as he watched her scoot a little closer…a little closer…her fingers reached further…further…

Rune’s hand rose with the chain in her grasp. She lifted the whisp of a thing over the gas masked grotesque and began to rise. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she screamed.  

MY BOOKS

You can check out my books Chicane and the five installments in my Musicology book series Musicology: Volume One, Baby!, Musicology: Volume Two, Kid!, Musicology: Volume Three, Twist!, Musicology: Volume Four, Sweetie! and Musicology: The Epiquad on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback editions. You can also check out Musicology’s web site at www.musicologyrocks.com and vote for who you think will win Musicology!!!

HOW INDEPENDANT FILMS SHOULD BE

STREAM OF THE WEEK:

WITHNAIL & I (1987)-HBO Max

This week’s film is an anomaly even amongst the most bizarre independent films. An oddball story where every character is insane, it’s just a matter of what degree. All the actors turn in some of the very best comedic performances ever caught on film especially Richard E. Grant who just might be the most underrated actor on the planet. This black comedy is loosely based on writer/director Bruce Robinson’s life which he wrote about in his unpublished novel set in late 60’s London. Occasionally the film will have small segments of voice over which read like a book and work exceptionally well. The film (thankfully) breaks a lot of screenplay conventions which are better left to the badly penned high grossing filth that Hollywood shills out. Withnail is based on the actor Vivian MacKerrell who was indeed Robinson’s roommate. They shared a house with musician David Dundas and actor Michael Feast. The movie is so incredibly funny at times it’s almost unearthly.

The film introduces us to I (Paul McGann) a down and out actor living with his witty and sardonic down and out actor roommate Withnail (Richard E. Grant). They tend to drink a lot and occasionally procure illegal substances from their “friend” Danny (Ralph Brown) a philosophical dealer who seems to have an insight on everything. There is some hope I might get a small part as a soldier which Withnail scoffs at. Wanting to escape from their hovel and go on holiday, Withnail manages to finagle an invitation for the two of them to stay at the cabin of his Uncle Monte (Richard Griffiths) a wealthy but completely insane predator who thinks vegetables are more beautiful than posies and would like nothing more than to strike up a relationship with the very frightened I.