By Ronnell Kay Gibson
Miriel prided herself on noticing things others didn’t. Like the way the Grieves girl was concentrating more on a young man jogging through the park than on her chess match with the elderly gentleman in front of her. And the way the jogger, when he passed Greives by, gave a slight turn of his head and even slighter smile when she abandoned her game to slink off and follow him.
Tingles skittered up Miriel’s arm, tickling her neck. Something was about to go down. One of the two would need saving in the next few minutes. She just wasn’t sure which one.
“C’mon, Matteo, grab your toy.” Miriel pointed to the stuffed pig lying in the grass. The St. Benard bounced like a two-hundred-pound bunny till he reached his favorite toy and sidled up to her.
“We have an assignment, boy.” The dog sat at attention. “Remember, act natural.” Matteo nodded, mouth full of fluffy pig.
Tightening the leash, Miriel slowly started trailing Ethel Grieves, who was still trailing the guy who looked like he’d teleported here from the 80s—multi-colored neon shorts and t-shirt, and old Reeboks Miriel hadn’t seen in over forty years. His brown hair was slicked back with a single curl in the front.
Ethel looked equally out of place, but for different reasons. There was a limp in her speed-walk, which looked more like a skip, then hop, skip, hop. Her bright-white sneakers were an amusing contrast to her navy pin-stripe business suit.
Being a self-proclaimed righter-of-wrongs, Miriel had had enough run-ins with Ethel to know that if she’s in public, she’s on an important mission for her crime-lord family. And if the mission involved physical exertion, it must be dangerously important.
She was after something. Probably whatever was inside the man’s t-shirt pocket, judging by the way he kept touching it.
The jogger followed the trail from the park into a wooded area. With her skip-hop, Ethel was surprisingly quick and kept herself a few yards behind him.
As they disappeared through the trees, Miriel and Matteo hurried to catch up. This part of the trail curved in different directions, so just when Miriel had them in her sights, she lost them again.
Rounding the next bend, she heard shouting.
“Help!” Ethel screamed. “I’m being mugged.”
Ethel and the jogger were fighting over his black fanny pack with a dancing pickle stitched on the front. Each of them had a strap, playing tug of war.
“Let go, lady.”
Matteo dropped his toy and barked at the two. In unison, they both turned toward Miriel.
“Thank goodness someone is here,” Ethel said in a very forced, over-exaggerated moan. “I was simply walking by when he grabbed my… uh… purse.”
“It’s called a faanny paaack.” They continued to tug like Chihuahuas fighting over a squeaky toy. “Which you sliced right off my waist with that… that… sneaker-knife!”
Miriel stared at Ethel’s overly white sneakers.
“I swear. This psycho does a ninja-kick and a knife pops out of her shoe, then retracts back in.” His voice sounded more impressed than irritated.
A familiar spirit hugged her mind. Miriel knew that voice.
The two kept pulling. Obviously, Ethel was lying. But something was off about the jogger too. Though lean, he was also muscular. One swift pull, and Ethel would’ve ended up on her butt. Why was he indulging her?
The guy let go of the pack with one hand and tapped his chest-pocket repeatedly with the other.
The voice. The brown curl. The 80s outfit. “Spark Spaulding?”
A shockwave fired through Miriel’s forehead and suddenly five years of missing memories came rushing back. Of when she was a teenager and a young man showed up from the future, explaining he needed her help to save his world. The charming way he convinced her to go with him. The wild adventures they had saving his universe, then the next, then the next. Till one day, she woke up in her own bed on earth, the last five years wiped from her mind.
“Miri, about time you recognized me!” Spark let go of the fanny pack, and Ethel toppled to the ground. “I hated the design anyway.”
As she scurried away with her prize, she mumbled, “The things I do for family.”
“Still looking good after all these years, my dear.” Spark tapped his chest again.
More of Miriel’s memories flooded in. But as they returned, anger began to build. She stepped forward and punched Spark in the arm. “You abandoned me! You stole five years of my life, dumped me back on Earth, and then erased all those memories!”
“I had to!” Spark cried. “It was the curse. It was coming after me faster and harder, and I couldn’t keep us both safe.”
“That was for me to decide.” She punched him again.
“Ow. You still got it though, Miri. I knew you’d be up for the challenge. Just had to make sure that your skills were as sharp as ever.”
“So, this was all a ruse? Why go to all the trouble?”
When Spark tried to pull her close, Matteo jumped in between woofing.
“It’s okay, boy. He’s an old friend.” She peered up at Spark. “You’ve barely aged since I last saw you. Wormhole traveling?”
He nodded. “It’s what I’m trying to tell you. I’ve found a way to beat this curse.”
Miriel’s fury evaporated. All these years her life had been filled with health and purpose, while he’d been trapped in a life of hardship and burdens. “How?”
“A talisman. When in my position it’ll nullify the curse. I traced ownership back to the Grieves family. I let it leak that I was in possession of an equally powerful artifact—”
“You knew Ethel would try to steal it.”
“Yup. And with the tracking device embedded in my piece, it should lead me right to the talisman. Whatcha think, Miri? Ready to get back in the game?”
“Absolutely. Right after a proper lunch.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Great story, Ronnell! I loved the way you weaved together the other characters from the season. It kept me gripped from the first line.
Thanks! It was a fun challenging adding other characters, but I love how it all came together!
Great job incorporating multiple characters!
Thanks! I had fun with it!!
Late that night, in the cover of dark, Spark and Miri follow the tracking device signal to find… Ethel’s vast collection of designer fanny packs!
Turns out she didn’t care about some “equally powerful artifact” nonsense. She just couldn’t resist robbing Spark because 80’s fanny packs are FIRE
MIC DROP!!
Spark versus Ethel. I think Ethel needs Joe Enza or Kytt Windthorn in her corner for the smack down.
LOL!! I challenge you!
Fun to think of someone after Ethel for a change.
Yes!
Ooooh, really nice! I love seeing Spark again, and love how he and Miriel interact. And oh yeah, good to see Ethel again, too. Fun story!