Kathie Leung – author

June Bugs (Installment 2)

[Click here to read installment 1]

There are two structures on Chuck’s property. The main house, a two-story home with vaulted ceilings and a rustic appeal to it with the bare beams stained dark. Far more than either of the childless couple needed at first blush, but to know Bridget and Chuck one would come to understand it barely met their needs. Bridget, an accomplished children’s book illustrator required at least two of the bedrooms. One for her hand drawings with an easel, drafting table, and plethora of supplies. The other which served as her computerized workspace. The loft family room was converted into a gallery while the traditional master suite was converted into a guest room for those interested in hiring Bridget. The couple took the larger of the downstairs bedrooms. While Chuck wouldn’t admit it had to do with his hip problems–or issues as he preferred to call them–Bridget had intimated that was the primary catalyst for moving into the downstairs bedroom.

The second was a barn. A workshop, really. Jake had helped Chuck gut the monstrosity and then transform it into a workshop. Probably the single most stupid thing Jake had ever done. He essentially aided and abetted Chuck’s catastrophes. It was only a matter of time before the good people of Winslow wizened up and put a kibosh on his dunderhead nefarious activities. They’d be best advised to start charging him given the tax he was putting on their resources.

Jake bet that the fire would be there in the workshop. Though he couldn’t quite figure out what would have started enough of a fire that the building was fully involved. He’d swiped the blow torch shortly after he discovered Chuck purchased it. And it was common for Jake to make sweeps of the building to ensure any possible calamities were averted.

He wholly expected to see the flames by now as he swung onto Cougar. He didn’t see how it was possible the department had doused the fire already. A few more curves and he slowed to pull into the driveway. No signs of the engine. No signs of smoke or fire.

The air, however, distinctly smelled like smoke. Upon exiting his truck and flicking on his Maglite, he discovered the imprints from the engine’s tires. They circled around the west side of the house. He followed them.

And there, in all of its glory, were the brilliant orange and blue flames licking upwards towards the sky. Indeed, it had been a structure. One Jake had never laid eyes on before. It sat at the back of the cleared property with roughly thirty feet behind it before the wooded area began.

Now the real question came in. What the hell was Chuck building this time?

Without warning, the structure exploded.

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Jake and Chuck’s Adventures is a new section of KathieLeung.com with weekly installments in this fun and free neverending story that features two unforgettable spear carriers from Kathie’s works.

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