The Case of The Terrified Town, Prologue-Chapter 1

The park was so peaceful and quiet. No one of any particular kind was around, and the weather was that lovely warm and grey that was far too infrequent. The birds were out in force, though, soaring through the air on their little wings. Mrs. Ragan was quite enamored with the day.
Mrs. Olivia Ragan, 73, retired, sat by herself on an old park bench, pinching off bits of stale bread and tossing them to the avian flock gathered about her. She knew it wasn't the best for them, but they loved it so, and birdseed was expensive. Besides, the loaf had gone bad a week ago, and this was a fine excuse to be rid of it without being wasteful.
It seemed as though every pigeon in the park had come to see her with a few crows sneaking among them, the little darlings. There were no ducks, though, which was disappointing. Perhaps she and her husband could have a picnic by the lake sometime.
A dark shadow passed overhead as the wind whistled through the treetops.
'Oh, dear,' Thought Olivia. 'I hope that isn't a hawk. It could frighten away the other birds. Maybe it's just a passing harpy.'
Suddenly, something much larger than a pigeon descended upon the gathered crowd of birds, landing directly in their midst. The avian throng took flight in a cloud of disturbed feathers, fleeing the intruder.
Olivia startled terribly, clutching at her purse and bread in fright. The stranger rose from their landing crouch up into their full height, towering over poor Olivia. Eyes filled wild, manic energy pinned her to her seat. Looming over their next victim, spreading their wicked wings wide, and grinning a terrible grin, they opened their mouth.
And laughed.

*

"In other news," The anchorman, a balding dullahan in a blue suit, said. His head laid on his desk as his body sat with its hands folded. "The rash of disturbances continues as yet another citizen, one Olivia Ragan, was accosted earlier today by an unknown assailant. While Mrs. Ragan was not injured, she was reportedly robbed and terrorized during the incident. Police currently have no leads as to who the perpetrator is, but they assure this studio and the public that--"
Azar turned off the television, growling around her mouthful of a protein bar. She had heard enough.
The news was all the same anymore. All across town, some unknown force was menacing society. Robbing and assaulting people, defacing property, pulling all kinds of despicable pranks, and spreading general mayhem. The police were proving incapable of handling the situation, never able to apprehend whoever or whatever was terrorizing the town. They didn't even know who or what it was.
It infuriated Azar to no end. That someone or something so inconsiderate had decided to treat the town - a place she was quite fond of - with such disrespect. What if it came after her next? Or worse, what if it came after one of her friends?
The burly manticore sighed and reclined in her seat, swallowing her mouthful. She knew it wasn't her problem, and she should have more faith in the police, but the situation wasn't getting any better, and the culprit was getting bolder. She couldn't stop her tail from twitching, its segments tightening in response to her distress.
How long until someone got hurt?
Just as she was contemplating hitting the gym to work off her nervous energy, the doorbell rang.
Rising from her sofa and straightening her attire of yoga clothes, she jogged to the door and swung it open only to find no one there. Her yard was empty save for the grass, and the path up to her house was vacant as well. She checked left and right of her door, seeing nobody, and frowned. She hated getting pranked.
"Down here, darlin'." Came a voice from below. Surprised, Azar looked down into the large, dark eyes and grinning, grey face of one of her oldest and dearest friends.
Smiling broadly, Azar cried, "Cassidy!"
"Howdy, ma'am." Said the little, grey alien, tipping her 10-gallon hat in greeting. The Western obsessed out-of-towner wore a long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans with a leather belt, chaps, and a pair of stylish boots complete with spurs. Her face with its drawn-on freckles beamed up at her large friend. "How y'all doin'?"
"I am well, thank you." Said Azar, her previous troubles all but forgotten in the face of a friend. "What of yourself?"
"Finer than granpappy's moonshine, thank you kindly." Said Cassidy, whose grandfather had, in fact, distilled Venusian moonshine in his youth. "Y'all mind if I join ya?"
"Oh, please!" Azar stepped aside to allow her friend entry. "Make yourself at home."
"Much obliged." Said the little cowgirl, moseying inside. The friends made their way to the living room of Azar's home, relaxing on the plush cushions of the sofa. Cassidy removed her hat, as was only polite of a proper cowgirl, setting it in her lap. She sighed as she got comfortable. "Reckon you're wonderin' why I'm here."
"Oh, no. Not at all." Said Azar politely. "I am always happy when friends visit."
Her smile wavering, Cassidy drummed her fingers on her hat. "Tell ya the truth, I've had a bee in my bonnet of late, and I felt a pressin' urge to let it out."
Her cheery mood sobering somewhat, Azar felt a need to extend more hospitality to her guest. "Would you like something to drink?"
They grey waved the offer away. "Thank ya kindly, but I'll pass." Reaching up to rub away an itch on her right antenna, Cassidy figured she had beat around the bush enough. "Y'all been watchin' the news?" The manticore felt her disgust and bad mood returning, reduced yet unpleasantly recognizable, her tail tightening and her wings bunching against her muscular back. Noticing the Persian monster's response, Cassidy continued. "Seems we've got ourselves an outlaw."
Azar wasn't one to lose control of her faculties, but hearing her friend mention the town's woes made her growl. She suppressed it, saying instead, "So it would seem." She looked at Cassidy intently. "Has it troubled you?"
"Personally? Naw. Though I have talked to some folks, and they're all feelin' mighty spooked." A troubled look came over her. She fiddled with the brim of her hat. "Bunch of folks gettin' mighty suspicious, too. Finger pointin' and such. Bad feelin's all over."
Azar could take it no longer. With a snort, she rose to her full, impressive height and began to pace the length of the room. Her tail lashed dangerously, its stinger flashing in the light, and her wings flexed reflexively. Cassidy watched her friend's agitation grow, feeling a little guilty. She wished she had more comfort to offer besides her presence.
After a few moments of angry huffing and pacing, Azar spoke. "I hate this." She said, her voice a harsh whisper. "We are a peaceful community. Perhaps not always the happiest, but peaceful all the same. I cannot fathom why this is happening."
"Search me, darlin'." Said Cassidy gently, shrugging her slight shoulders. "Way I figure, there's always gonna be somethin' to spoil the beans if you get my meanin'."
"I just wish there was something we could do!" With that, the manticore sat back on the couch, burying her face in her paws. For a time, the only sound in the hose was the miserable, muffled, Persian muttering of Azar.
Cassidy couldn't stand to see her friend so upset. Azar was right - this town was normally a peaceful, loving place. It had its problems, for sure, but it was still a dang nice place to call home no matter who or what you were. The thought that some varmint had just come out of nowhere and stirred up trouble was, well, troubling. There hadn't been mischief like this in the town for centuries, and even back then, it hadn't happened so fast. This outlaw or whatever hadn't been at it for more than a couple f weeks, and it had already caused all kinds of misery. That the authorities were having so little luck was just the cherry on top. Of course, what could you expect from The Man other than incompetence, especially The Earth Man?
If this were one of her Westerns, this would be the time that a lone stranger would come riding into town to put an end to the trouble. Of course, this was reality, and such heroes were a rare breed. Where would one even find such a good samaritan?
And that's when Cassidy, the little alien-cum-cowgirl, got an idea.
"I think there just may be, Azar." She Cassidy, her antennae perking as an idea formed in her large, grey cranium.
"What?" Came Azar's reply, muffled by her thick, furry mitts.
Excitement growing at the prospect of action, Cassidy sat up straighter, eyes twinkling. She shot her friend a grin. "We could do it ourselves."
Pulling her head from her hands, Azar looked at her friend with confusion. "منظورت چیست؟" She said, slipping back into her native language.
"We catch the varmint ourselves!" Feeling more and more enthusiastic at the prospect, Cassidy laid a hand on Azar's furred thigh. "You and me could catch this sidewinder and save the town!"
Staring at her friend with a non-plussed look on her face, Azar said, "I think that is illegal, my friend."
"Pfft!" Went Cassidy, waving the comment off with her hat. "T'ain't illegal! Ain'tcha ever heard of a 'citizen's arrest'?"
"I think that is not what you are saying. It sounds more like...what is the word? V--Vigi--"
"Vigilantism."
The manticore and the alien leaped from their seats with a terrified yowl and a shrill scream. With fur standing on end and antennae standing at frightened attention, they whirled on the intruder who'd spoken.
A grey cap sat atop a round head between a pair of tall, pointed ears. Long, grey, skinny fingers held onto the back cushions. Two large, yellow eyes peaked out from behind the couch, blinking at the startled duo.
A small, nervous voice spoke. "Hi."
Azar and Cassidy instantly deflated, their fear rushing out of them even as their hearts were pounding. They knew this person, and this wasn't the first time she'd surprised them like this.
This was precisely the reason that Cassidy grew so livid so quickly, throwing her hat on the floor as she hissed a curse in her native language.
"Lonnie Hopps, you sneak!" She yelled, waving a tiny, grey fist at the cringing goblin. "How many times I gotta tell you not to do that?!"
The goblin in question winced as she retreated further behind the sofa. "S-sorry, Cass. S-s-sorry, Azar."
Hand over her steadying heart, Azar quickly caught her breath. "How did you even get in here?"
"You opened the d-door," Lonnie, the tiny and perpetually nervous goblin, swung herself over the back of the sofa on her incongruously long arms and stood on the cushions. She wore a grey hoody that was too loose on her skinny frame and a pair of black bicycle shorts that hugged her hips. Her sock-clad feet were as shoe-free as always. Nobody knew why she never wore shoes. "And I c-came in."
They stared at her for a moment.
"Where were you?" Asked Azar, not knowing what else to say.
"People never look up." Squeaked Lonnie.
"How did you-- How long were--" Cassidy stumbled over questions before giving up and shaking her head. "Whatever. Anyway, Azar," She returned her attention to her tall friend. "Whadya say? Wanna catch an outlaw?"
Azar sighed deeply, running her claws through her head fur. "I want to do something about this as much as you do, Cassidy. But Lonnie is right," The goblin perked up at her name. "I am not certain that the town us being, um..."
"Vigilantes." Lonnie offered helpfully, wringing her hands.
"Yes. That."
"Aww, c'mon, you two!" Cassidy wheedled, picking her hat up and dusting it off. "Think about it! The sheriffs ain't havin' any luck, the folks 'round town are spooked, and this whatsit ain't goin' away any time soon by the looks of it. It's about time someone took a stand."
"Cassidy." Muttered the Persian monster, rubbing her temples.
"I mean," Lonnie piped up, rocking on her feet. "I'm n-not really against the idea."
"Ah-ha! See!" Said the alien, thumping her friend on the calf.
Lonnie continued, speaking in an anxious rush, "So, I was talking to Jackie who was talking to Vinny who heard down at the market that someone had stolen potions from the witches coven and dumped them in the lake so now there are, like, giant, mutants ducks running around and things are probably going to keep getting worse and worse so maybe someone... should...do...something...? She ground to a halt, hunching her shoulders to try and hide.
Cassidy, looking as smug as she ever looked and with her hands on her hips, looked up at Azar.
"Giant. Mutant. Ducks, honey."
Azar sighed in resignation. Seeing that the madness surrounding her was not liable abate, she crossed her arms and spoke slowly and carefully.
"Perhaps," She said. "We could at least have a look around. Just to put this idea to rest."
Cassidy let out a terrific "YEE-HAW!" that made Lonnie nearly jump out of her skin. Donning her hat once more and practically bouncing with excitement, Cassidy said, "Alright, then! We got us a posse and we got us a plan! If we had some horses, this'd be perfect!"
"A horse b-bit me once." Lonnie squeaked.
"Now," Said Cassidy, punching her palm and squinting like she knew all good Western heroes did. "Let's go catch us an outlaw."

*