Chapter 4: The Strange One - Talking to Bentley

Kernelle Marketplace - Bentley's Games Shop

"My, it's good to see you, Jerrod!"

Bentley leaned against the inner wall of the bottles booth, smiling. One of the villagers was attempting to knock a set of bottles off of a wooden pedestal. They wound up and threw as hard as they could, completely missing the bottles and punching a hole in the back wall of the booth.

"Oh dear," Jerrod winced. Do you need a h--"

"--No, no, don't you worry. There are plenty of other games. We'll just close this one down and ignore it!"

Jerrod stared at him.

"Kidding, kidding." Bentley turned. "Dent!"

A squat little artisan clansman popped out of Bentley's shop.

"You called?"

"The bottle stand's got another hole."

"Crimminy, third time this week."

Within a few minutes, the repair man had pulled out his tools and began patching.

"Magnificent!" He turned to the sheepish robot who'd made the errant throw. "Well, a throw like that warrants a prize, bottles or no. You think?"

Before Jerrod knew it, the robot who created the hole had walked away with a giant stuffed marrowsheep and the patch-job was done. "Ahhh, another smiling customer."

"Wow, you've got your games running like a well-oiled machine," Jerrod said.

"Pardon?"

"Like a well-oiled--", Jerrod pivoted awkwardly. "Uh, like a well designed...creature. That does its job very effectively and doesn't fall into disrepair--I mean doesn't get sick."

"Gee, thanks! That's...quite a unique compliment...I think. Where's Ephraim? And Blizz? I had a gift for the little blue darling!"

"That's what I came to ask you. They've been missing all day."

"Oh my! That's tragic! Well, I can't say I've seen them. I haven't wandered beyond the market in days. No time! Hope they're safe, though. Grand Cluster's not a fun place to be lost in. I'd hate to have something happen to two of my favorite park guests!"

Grand Cluster City - Overclock Park

Jerrod walks past the remains of Overclock Park. Amidst the rubble, Bentley sits playing tic-tac-toe with himself, legs still broken.

"Hello! Didn't see you there!"

"Aren't you going to do something about your legs?"

"Ah, I figured I'd fit in another game and then see how I'm feeling."

"Oh." This was getting ridiculous. "So, uh, I guess that means you haven't seen Ephraim and Blizz, then."

"No. If I'd seen them, I'd have asked them to join me. Games are always better with friends!"’

Kernell Marketplace - Bentley's Games Shop

As Jerrod walks into the village market, he spots Bentley with a hammer in hand and some nails in his lap. He's doing a crude repair on the signs to one of his game booths. Jerrod waves a hand at him. "Do you need a hand with that?"

"Jerrod, my friend, it's good to see you!" Bentley sets aside his tools and rolls up to where Jerrod is standing. "No, I've got it covered. Did you come to see what new games I have cooked up?"

"I'm looking for Blizz and Ephraim. Are they here? I'm worried sick."

"Hmm, no, haven't seen them in some time."

"Crap. I've looked everywhere for them. It's like they've disappeared off the face of the earth!"

"Oh. Oh no. Did you lose them in the City?"

"Yeah, at the entrance. Why?"

"Back when Overclock Park was still up and running, I'd hear rumors every so often of people getting lost in the park and never getting found. They were usually the bums, the bots who didn't have a place to call home. Either that or the ones that were all busted up. I'd let 'em stay in the park -- why not? More park guests, right? Made the numbers look better than they actually were. But then they started to just up and go missing. Vanished. Into thin air, just like you said. And only ever the older or broken ones."

Jerrod furled his brow. I don't like where this is headed, he thought to himself.

"People started saying it was some kind of monster, preying on the weak and dying. But after the park was destroyed, no more. No park, no people to hunt, right? I guess whatever it was, its hunting grounds must've dried up and it moved on. I'll tell you what though, I'm glad you pulled me outta there, or I would've been a goner for sure."

Bentley rolled back to the sign he was working on.

"Anyway, I'm sure Ephraim and Blizz are okay. They've got each other. Stay safe out there, though, alright? I'd hate for anything to happen to my favorite park guest! And when you find Blizz, bring her by! I have a gift for her!"