Journey to Ice cream mountain
Prologue
She looked up at the sign for the Malt Shoppe. She could hear the music from two blocks away. It was the hottest joint in town. Anybody who was anybody just had to be there. The only reason she kept coming back was the convenience. She knew the owner. She did him a few favors at half price and therefore had free drinks and a booth to herself as long as she wanted. No one bothered her at this joint, the marshmallow bouncers made sure of that. She stepped up to the entrance and listened for a second to the laughter and gaiety inside. With a resigned sigh she pushed apart the graham cracker door and walked in. She always came in from the back. That way she made less of an entrance but she was inevitably noticed as soon as she hit the main room.
Silence ensued. Then, the tell tale whispers started.
“It’s Cherry Bomb.” “I heard she was finished.” “I heard she still has it out for Mr. Nestle.”
“Honey cakes. How ya been baby?” Jerry came running up with a fake smile plastered on his face like a chocolate bunny still in the wrapper.
“I’ve told you not to call me that.” Replied Cherry coolly. The threat was obvious as she slid her hand to her hip and the knife that protruded a black leather casing. “Give me a booth in the back. Keep the drinks coming, you know what I like. And I don’t want to be bothered. It’s been a long day.”
“Right toots. Hey boys follow Miss Cherry to number 17.” Jerry smoothly passed her on to the closest hulky bouncer and made his way on to the next couple that walked in.
Seated in a red corner booth Cherry mulled and basically sulked at her current condition: jobless, disgraced, and seething with hatred. Mr. Nestle would get his just deserts for setting her up. No doubt about that. But revenge was a dish best served cold. Like cheesecake with chocolate sauce. That made her crack the cold frown she habitually wore just a bit. Before she could decide if she would grab a slice she was jerked out of her desert day dream by a impromptu visitor. She mentally knocked her self on the head for not being alert. She had the habit of thinking this place was safe. Which it wasn’t, no place really is. And she was known to come here. She swore silently.
He slid in the booth as if he belonged there. How he got past the bouncer was obvious. The Marshmallow version of the hulk was collapsed on the floor. God she must have been dreaming. Talk about handsome. This arrogant b*st*rd was a hunk.
“My name is Shay. I hate to intrude on your bout of self pity but I have a job for you” said Shay while he ordered another round.
“As in Hershey?” I laughed. “I’m retired.”
“No, it’s spelled with an ‘a’. I can make it worth your while. And it’s just a little trip up Ice Cream Mountain…”
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And so Cherry found herself on a helicopter headed toward Ice Cream Mountain. Shay was leading the little escapade. They totaled four. Shay was the one with the map who was representing the big Boss that was funding the operation. He was Blonde with Blue eyes. Looked like he had a frosting goatee and he was faster than he lead on. Cherry, posing as an explosives expert, this was really just a cover for the assassination of the rest of the team. The Golden Walnut was worth a few lives, at least according to Boss. ‘No lose ends’ were the exact words of Shay. Cherry was wearing a jump suit that made the rest of the crew drool. It was black with silver stripping. He long red hair was pulled back out of her face into a pony tail. Her green eyes flashed with a cold indifference. The pilot, a Mr. Grape, was a beef cake who wouldn’t have been out of place as a Marshmallow bouncer at Jerry’s Malt Shoppe. He was a moody sort of fellow with a twitchy mustache. He stared out at the fluff clouds as if her were trying to push them out of the way. More like Mr. Sour Apple, Cherry thought to herself. Then there was Nerd, the crews medic. Cherry studied him out of the corner of her eye. He looked like he crawled out of a garbage heap. His hair was probably brown but it was matted, tangled and oiled to the point where it looked black. His eyes never rested on anything or person. He was fidgety, never sitting still, and acted nervous. He was starting to get on Cherry’s nerves. More odd was that Nerd never met eyes with Cherry. She didn’t think too much of it at the time. She could have that affect on people. He didn’t talk much, in fact none of them did. It was a very quiet ride to the tower on Ice Cream Mountain and the search for the Golden Acorn.
The landing was uneventful. Some muttered curses about stiff pay for services rendered by Mr. Sour Puss when the wind began to kick up but nothing too severe. They unloaded the copter and set out with Shay in the lead, Mr. Mustache in second, Nervous Nerd, and Cherry Bomb taking the rear. She never liked having people on her weak side.
Following the cookie crumb trail through the twizzler grass on the hill side they set a just faster than walking pace. They hiked for the better part of the morning until the air took on a chill factor. They passed by sugar plum trees, candy drop flowers, and the occasional peanut flavored boulder. Soon the streams of chocolate trickled around the trial. The farther up they went the more variety they saw. Soon caramel rivers and cherry sauce fountains were nearly washing away the trail. The bees and birds grew scarce. At noon they stopped for a rest.
“Sso…uh yeah Sh Shay how um much do you th think the G Gol Golden Walnut is wor worth?” asked Nerd.
Shay shot me a quick look before he answered, “People would kill for it.” Nerd was completely still at that thought. She saw him swallow hard and then glance at her. I guess I’ve earned a reputation, thought Cherry.
“Don’t look at me Nerd. I wouldn’t touch your diseased carcass for any price,” replied Cherry. It was a lie but it made him feel better. It’s easier to kill some one if they aren’t jumping at every step.
After a quick lunch they were on their way. At about three in the after noon the air turned distinctly colder. They saw their breath as small clouds of cotton candy that dissipated the farther from the source they ran. It was also time to head off the trail into the Lollipop Woods. Nerd started to drag his feet and lag behind. Cherry certainly did not want that one at her back. The more she thought about the other two the more they could be connected with Mr. Nestle. She knew he was afraid of her. The big time Boss could easily be Mr. Nestle. Nerd didn’t have Nestle’s sense of style about things but it wouldn’t be too far fetched for Mr. Nestle to use Nerd to put her out of commotion.
“Hey Nerd, pick up the pace. You’re slacking,” said Cherry.
He gave a startled jump and quickened his pace until he was behind Shay again. They were far enough ahead of Cherry to be out of hearing. They were whispering almost feverishly to each other. Then Shay stopped and waited for Cherry to catch up. He held Nerd who obviously did not want to be on the same Mountain as Cherry much less with in five feet.
“What’s up?” asked Cherry with a queer look at Shay.
The forest seemed to bear down on all of them. It was nearly dusk and the sun had long settled behind the trees. The normally bright colors of green, red, orange, and yellow were all faded to a sort of bland brown gray. The air was cold and ominous. Cherry felt a shiver down her spine despite the heat catching jump suit.
Shay looked her straight in the eye, “You know Cherry for all your flair and all your arrogance you are on a mountain alone. No one knows where you and I doubt any one cares. But you do look really good in that jump suit so I guess I’m sorry I have to do this.” His eyes were cold steel boring into her.
“I guess you work for Mr. Nestle then? He still is trying to finish me off?” She asked trying to buy her self some time to think.
“Of course I work for Mr. Nestle. This fool has been doing everything he could to warn you.” Nerd gave a little sequel. “Oh be quiet you knew this was your last job.”
With out further ado Shay pulled out a gun and proceeded to shoot Nerd in the head. Cherry watched his eyes as the bullet hit home. His eyes had a look of complete horror and then went blank as a chalk board. His blood sprayed the powdered sugar snow with red drops. Like red rock candy glistening in the sun. Then Shay turned the gun on Cherry.
“What I don’t understand is the need for the whole crew? Wouldn’t it have been easier for just the two of us to go looking for this Golden Walnut?” She asked.
“Probably but then you wouldn’t have been distracted by my little friend there. Any last requests? Too late.” Cherry watched as he pulled the trigger.
The bullet came speeding forward. And then…everything went black.
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Shay stepped out from between the bodies. He was about to head back to the helicopter when he stopped for a second and looked down at Cherry. Her air flamed out, sprawled haphazardly around her. God she was beautiful, but so cold.
“Sorry babe, you lost your edge. I’m surprised you didn’t catch on sooner. I wanted to have some fun before I had off you. I guess not.” Shay was whipping his prints off the gun, “Later babe.” He dropped the gun in the snow and started walking. The sun completely disappeared.
The End
