Good Ole Pot of Joe (We-Write #7)

"Was that a latch?" I thought, leaning closer to get a good look at his nape. It was circular in shape and seemed to glow a faint red color around the edges.

I cautiously tapped the center and gasped when it slid open to reveal a network of cables, but what made me step back in fright was when I noticed something wanting to crawl out behind the wires.

Without thinking, I grabbed the steaming coffee pot and poured into the compartment just as a couple of spindly legs were peeking out. I wasn't expecting what happened next.

The strange man jolted upright, his eyes glowing a brilliant blue, while he reached behind his neck and tugged hard!

The next thing I knew, he threw it across the room where it crashed and broke into tiny pieces as if it were made of glass.

Briefly thinking that I'd probably need to clean that up, I slowly turned and fixed my gaze back at the strange man, my eyes wide and mouth caught in a perfect 'O'.

The man in question was now rubbing the back of his neck as if just having woken up from a deep sleep, I snapped my mouth shut when he fixed his gaze at me. His eyes were no longer glowing, although they remained blue in color, I also noticed that the skin around his eyes and mouth weren't sagged anymore, giving him a youthful, if not attractive appearance.

I frowned just as he gave me a charming smile saying, "Well nothin' like a good ole' pot of joe to wake me up, right darlin'?"

At this point, I was still staring at him in shock as he stood up and stepped towards me, offering his hand, "The name's Rick, care to give me yours, my lil' miss savior?"

"I-wha..?" I stuttered, not able to find the right words to ask. My head slightly tilted upwards seeing as he was a good head taller than me.

"Iowa? Like the state?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

Snapping myself out of it, I narrowed my eyes at him and answered, "It's actually Dakota."

"We're talking about the city now, right?" Rick jokingly asked and I couldn't help but roll my eyes, in which he laughed out loud in turn.

I consciously looked back at the kitchen to see if Henry heard about the commotion, when something glowing caught the corner of my eye. Looking back at Rick, I saw he was holding up what looked like a pen. Offering it up to me, he said "Those things are out and about nowadays, it'd probably be best if you have this with you from now on." He gestured to the mess near the wall and waved the "pen" in front of me.

"What's that little thing going to do? Write my worries away?" I asked, still staring at the harmless looking object.

Rick sighed and said, "Look, just point the tip at your target before you press this lil' button here. Don't want you getting yourself hurt."

He demonstrated by pointing it at the far wall and then, ZAP! What seemed like a bolt of lightning flew out the tip! Though it didn't even leave a mark on the wall.

As if reading my mind, Rick continued, "It doesn't leave marks but you don't wanna get in the line of fire from that thing." Giving me the object, he turned to leave.

"Wait, Rick! You gotta tell what I'm up against!" I called out to him.

Rick just looked over his shoulder and said, "Just remember, they freeze over when it's too hot! See yah around, Dakota!"

The moment he pushed the door open, a blinding light filled the cafe.

THUMP!

I was jolted awake when a mug thumped down near my head. Henry grunted disapprovingly at me and turned to walk back into the kitchen.

I sat up and blinked away the sleep from my eyes, just before I noticed I was holding something. "And here I thought it was all a dream..." I stared in wonder at the object Rick had left me.

Turning to ask Henry if he noticed anything strange just moments ago, I stopped when I noticed something. There, on the back of his neck, was the same circular shape I saw on Rick's nape. Only this time, it wasn't just glowing; some spindly legs were already peeking out.

Seems like I got my hands full after all.

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