Jack folded his hands, leaving a heavy snort. For a long time, he didn't dare to blink. Ermand would swear on his favourite chocolate pie that this was the major characteristic Jack showed when he was exceptionally angry.

After the fight between the brothers and their father’s arbitration, neither Mr. Chisel, nor Jason spoke to Jack or with each other. The men stubbornly went about their day without a single word toward one another. Mrs. Chisel fussed about it the whole time during supper.  

“Helmuth! You’re his father! How can you act so childish? Why don’t you talk to him?” She frowned at her husband. 

Mr. Chisel wasn’t ready to give up a war. The angry Chisel boys were stewing in their own pride while secretly launching evil glares at each other. Ermand and Mrs. Chisel were disappointed about this for a couple of days until Mr. Geoffrey Coop arrived.

He discussed certain important things with Mr. Chisel that neither his wife nor his children were privy to. Ermand was curious about his arrival since he believed he would get to know the reason behind his strange dreams he had been dying to know. Mrs. Chisel reached her wits’ end, overwhelmed and furious with all the things that had been happening in the Chisels’ eyrie.

It was Ermand’s first day at Agledon that day, and Jack was giving Ermand the best of his tips on how to pass the practical tests with little effort in Agledon, which Mrs. Chisel forbade him to tell.

“But why can’t I?” He whined, chuckling at the same time.

“Because he should realize the worth of hard work and find out the solutions by himself and learn from them, rather than cheating. Also, Mr. Coop will visit us today.”

“He is?” Jack groaned.

“Shut up, Jack. I don’t want any funny business in here while he visits.”

Jack nodded his head like a monkey, sticking his tongue out of his mouth. The argument wouldn’t last long, as long as Mr. Chisel is available at home. 

Jason has locked himself in his room for the past four days, only coming out either to have food or for other particular necessities. His parents believed he was preparing for his coming year. Though he was talented at casting spells without creating trouble like Jack, and a good boy about which Mr. & Mrs. Chisel could puff up their lungs and be proud of. But Jack sensed something fishy in his brother’s behaviour and discussed the matter with Ermand, who suggested that Jack either might be right about Jason’s strange behaviour or might have misconceptions.

Mrs. Chisel came with a satchel held in her hand. It looked brand new, with a mark of “C” on it, a symbol of their clan, Chisel.

“So, Ermie dear, did you choose this satchel?” She inquired in her ever-loving, cheerful tone. Ermand nodded, a reassuring smile on his face.

The doorbell rang, and Mrs. Chisel hurried to open the door, handing Ermand his satchel. It seems she was certain of who it must be at the other end of the door.

“Oh, Mr. Coop!” She beamed joyously.

“Morning Anna… Ah!” Mr. Coop greeted, waving a hand at Mrs. Chisel with his right foot accidentally slamming against a rusty old hatstand near the door.

“Oops, careful Mr. Coop. I wonder who kept it here.”

He was a tall man, who wore a long jacket with pins that twisted in the shape of wild creatures, resting above his bright, orange shirt. He had a matching orange hat, which partly revealed his greying black hair. His gleeful black eyes stared at Ermand. He edged near to him while passing an old and rubbish looking suitcase to Mrs. Chisel, who gladly received it.

“Sorry for that, Mr. Coop. I will move this straight away,” Mrs. Chisel said, moving the hatstand.

The man walked toward Ermand, smiling. His facial features betrayed him, looking like a clown. While Ermand stared at him like an innocent child.

“You’ve grown! Didn’t ya, lil’ Ermando!” He laughed at his own remark and smacked Ermand’s shoulder. “I shoulda known, it’s been fifteen years since I saw ya.”

Ermand observed the man. His demeanor and mannerisms were foreign to him, yet the man talked to him as if they had met before. But Ermand couldn’t recall who he was. He hasn’t ever heard of a man with the surname, Coop. As far as he knew, no clan existed with the name Coop.

The mixture of curiosity and hesitation on his face befuddled the man. 

“Don’t tell me ya dunno me, Ermando. I am Geoffrey Coop. Your--“

“Mr. Coop, won’t you sit?” Mrs. Chisel intervened with a smile, gesturing her hand to the compact living room.

Mr. Coop nodded like a little child. Mrs. Chisel moved to the living room and the tall man followed suit. As he was walking into the living room, a few glistening and wriggling, purple tentacles creeped out from the inside of his hat along with the company of some moths, which made the boys involuntarily pull their heads backward.

Jack jumped from his chair and trotted in Ermand’s direction.

“Do you know him?” He whispered, keeping a vigilant eye over the living room. Ermand shrugged and glanced at the living room where Mr. Coop and Mrs. Chisel were talking. He noticed that Mr. Coop had a touch of humour with everything he spoke.

Jack opened his mouth to shoot another question at Ermand, but something interrupted him when the front door flew open, causing the boys to jump backward, aghast.

“It’s only me, boys!” Mr. Chisel said, removing his brown worn-out jacket.

Ermand noted the pep in his tone, an improvement from the last time he’d seen him.

“Mr. Coop is here...” Jack rolled his eyes with a usual snort.

“He came? That’s fantastic! I should see --“

“Helmuth!” Mr. Coop emerged from the living room, extending his hands in accordance to hug Helmuth.

“Geoff!”

Both of them hugged each other tightly and slapped each other’s arms—a sign of long-term friendship. After sharing a bit of commentaries, they disappeared into the living room.

“Great! It’s because of that crazy man, they have nicknamed our father as Hysterical Helmuth,” Jack’s eyes widened in slight disgust. He folded his hands and continued. “Boy! It’s been going around the college for a while now. How embarrassed do you think we are, Jason and I! Not too far away for you to experience,” Jack warned him, shaking his head.

“What is so crazy about him?”

Jack’s eyes bulged out. He tapped on Ermand’s forehead.

“Hello, pinhead! Haven’t you heard about the crazy man who eats wax with strawberry tart? With tons of salt and cream pie?”

Ermand frowned at him, glancing at the wall opposite to him. For a split second, he wondered if it was Jack who had gone hysterical.

“How about the man who strolls along the fences of the terror striking and mysterious Tenebre forest as if he was walking through the city? I wouldn’t say it’s bravery, only an insane person would want to go there.”

The realization had soon come to Ermand when Jack told him about the Tenebre forest. He knew that lunatic, or so, as everybody calls him.

“Is it him?” Ermand gasped.

“No, it’s a para-individual of him from planet Hoxa, or maybe a ghost from his late grandfather’s grave, or-“

“Cut it out, Jack. I didn’t know before, but now I get it. No wonder he said I must have known him,” he chortled.

“Who couldn’t, he’s more famous than any comedian in the whole of Tawarn!”

Both burst into laughter, clapping their hands over their mouths so their parents and Mr. Crazy Coop wouldn’t hear, especially Mrs. Chisel. Or else, she would annihilate them with the fist of fury after Mr. Coop left.

**********

Fun fact : Mr. Coop is such a hilarious man although he's being at his best behaviour with Helmuth's family, or else, he doesn't want them to kick him out on his visit after sixteen long years!

Yours,

Safa Keira.