Chapter 1: Rule No1
The man dressed in gray prison clothes has been looking at the darken skies. The prison walls were high but he was curious whether it was just him that noticed the circling crows that decent down onto the walls. The birds with the beady eyes looked almost focused on him. He rubs his eyes a few times. It felt like his heart might break when he fleetingly saw the disfigured silhouette of his wife.
“Grace…” he whispered her name. He rubs over his face while shaking his head. The single sentence follows him like a shadow.
“Bastard, you killed her.” The words echo in his mind as he stood frozen in shock. The words always have the same effect. A bitter twist plays around his mouth as he acknowledges a piece of his truth. His name is Jesper Strange and he was in prison framed for the murder of his wife. His in-laws judge him by his mild-mannered appearance and according to them; fortune hunter; the only one who knew him apart from his name was Grace Clarke; his wife.
“Bastard; bastard, you will rot in jail forever.” The voice of his mother -in-law again echo in his mind. His eyes travel towards the crows watching him. He nods his head as he again acknowledges that he treasures the nastiness of Bette Clarke’s voice as this fuels him to stay strong and wait.
He was forged into a patient man since his early youth. There were hard lessons he needed to learn and accept. He was taught that no one wanted him. The bitter twist around his mouth was replace by a smile: “I want you Jesper. I choose you.” A single tear streamed down his check. The power and strength of her emotions towards him made him look frankly at his own past. “Tell me about you Jesper. Let me into your world.” She had ask softly looking at him with all the love and trust in her heart openly reflected in her eyes. He had opened his mouth and let the words slipped out. “I grew up in various foster homes.” He instantly felt her fingers entwined with his. He looked into his past seeing the cloudiness that always seemed to follow him. His eyes searched and found the waiting crows. He suddenly realizes these birds were always there in the background of his past.
“Jesper…” he heard her calling him. “Tell me more,”
“Okay,” he said wanting to reach out and touch her but instead kept his hands to himself. “I was six when I felt the first physical punch through the face. The words that were cement in my memories: no one wanted me. I was constantly told that I was thrown away like a piece of trash.” He told her matter of accepted fact.
Jesper felt the protectiveness of her presence wrapping around him. This made him talk as he wanted her to know. “I never knew where the instinct came from but I just knew I had to protect my name. Each time I was beaten or humiliated, my name was like a daily mantra that needed to be said, and the sound of my name echoes around me like a kind of warning. I am Jesper Strange. I have a secret.” The words ringing with truth slipped from his mouth. As he looked into her eyes, he knew but never asked; she also has her own secret.
The sudden lighting strike warns about an impending storm. His eyes quickly search for the crows but they seemed to have vanished. He slipped his hands into his prison jumpsuit. He starts to move around the voice of his mother-in-law was so insidious in crawling around in his mind. There was such a nasty clinginess about her tone. He shook his head while his own truth echoes also in his mind. He, Jesper Strange was not afraid of life but he certainly was afraid of losing his wife. His hand rubs over his face again as he quietly acknowledges that practically speaking, he was in prison for the death of his wife but instinctively he just knows she was alive. He realized her truth was in the secret she has. He can’t explain it yet but he has faith…
The sound of sudden silence sends an immediate warning to his self-preservation. He turns around but not fast enough. The fist hit him through the face. He staggers backwards but manage to hold his position.
“Boys, today I am going to find out why this fool is always talking to himself.”
Jesper wipes the small amount of blood from his lips. He slowly looked at the man who has been dogging his steps since the moment the prison gates lock behind him. He knew who the bloody fuck was but for some strange reason this man kept him under close surveillance. It was apparent on day one that the rule was no one touches him. As he was looking at the man, he just knew today was the moment he chooses to strike.
“What is my name fool?”
Jesper crosses his arms over his chest just watching the man intently.
“I asked you a question. You better answer me fool.”
“Gregor Drake,” Jesper answers looking at the man everyone seemed to fear. He was beyond ugly with bulging muscles that created the idea he looks like some kind of demon between normal prison bound humans.
“Well-well, the fool is observant.”
Jesper watch the calculated sneer around his too thin lips. A kind a devilishly nonchalant attitude made him shrugged his shoulders not in the mood for this man. He turned around and focus on the memories of his beloved Grace. Today was her birthday. He didn’t even consider the consequences of his openly defiant action as he walked away. He just took a couple steps when he felt the man’s big meaty paws on both his shoulders. He found himself being lift from his feet and then dropped hard onto the ground looking up towards Gregor. The man placed his big stinky foot square in the middle of his exposed chest.
“How dare you walk away from me stupid fool?”
Jesper watch the red distorted face with eyes glaring down at him. He even heard the deep growl in his throat. This whole scenario surprises him. The words simply slipped from his lips… “You know my name but not my story. I am Jesper Strange…” the sudden deafening sound of silence sends the warning hanging between them. “You will learn the consequences of my name…That is rule number one.”